Many people that are considering a vasectomy are worried about recovery and returning to normal activities including sex. There is understandable anxiety associated with this delicate operation and what it will mean for your “equipment” in the future.  Nobody likes the thought of a vasectomy but we want to reassure you that recovery form a vasectomy is usually very straightforward. 

Complications from a vasectomy are quite rare.  It’s a small operation and here at VasectomyNI, we specialise in the no-scalpel technique. It is nearly 100% effective in preventing pregnancy so when you do return to having sex, you can do this safely in the knowledge that you do not have to worry about another pregnancy. 

Below we aim to answer some of your questions about returning to sex and other activities after a vasectomy.

For those that don’t know, a vasectomy is a small procedure that aims to divide or block the tubes that carry sperm from the testes.  This means that when you ejaculate during sex, it contains no sperm. 

Resuming sex after a vasectomy

For the first few days after a vasectomy, we recommend doing very little. You will be a bit delicate and sore around the testes and vigorous activity or manual work could potentially cause pain and in some cases bleeding which could lead to bruising or swelling. 

We generally recommend leaving it at least a week before you resume physical exercise or manual work.  You should be well recovered by this stage but may still notice a bit of discomfort.  With regard to sex, we recommend waiting at least a week and possibly a bit longer if you are still a bit sore. 

Will sex be any different?

You will notice no difference in sex after a vasectomy. Occasionally you may notice a little bit of blood in your ejaculate the first few times after your procedure. This clears quickly and is not anything to be concerned about. 

Your ejaculate will otherwise be the same other than the absence of sperm which only makes up approximately 2-3 % of ejaculate. The rest of the ejaculate is produced in the prostate and the seminal glands. None of these are affected by having a vasectomy. 

Some myths that need debunked

• Having a vasectomy has no effect on your sex drive or ability to have an orgasm. In fact, many years ago it was believed that having a vasectomy made you more virile, however, there is no evidence to support this. 
• Having a vasectomy has no effect on your ability to have an orgasm. 
• Having a vasectomy does not make you last longer in bed! Sorry to say that this is also a myth.  However, many men find they are less anxious as there is no fear of an unplanned pregnancy. 
• Vasectomies are easy to reverse. Reversal of a vasectomy is a difficult procedure with a high failure rate. If you are not 100% sure your family is complete, you should not consider a vasectomy. 

Will I be sterile immediately?

No! It takes a minimum of 20 ejaculations and 4 months for residual sperm to be cleared from the reproductive tract. You need to continue with additional contraception until you have done at least one semen analysis to ensure that the vasectomy has been a success. In about 0.5% of cases, the tubes re-join in the first 4 months so it is important to do the semen analysis to confirm success. 

What do I do if I am considering a vasectomy?

If you are considering a vasectomy the first thing to do is browse the website which should answer all your questions. If you are keen to proceed,  get in touch with us at info@vasectomyni.co.uk .One of our team will contact you to get you and answer any questions you have. We have short waiting lists and our team is highly trained and skilled at delivering this service. Our clinic is based in Carryduff Surgery, Belfast and people travel from all over Ireland to attend our clinic. 

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