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Conference vmszoo::medical

Title:MEDICAL questions and answers
Notice:Please read notes 1.11, 1.27 and 624.*
Moderator:IJSAPL::ANDERSON
Created:Mon Jan 26 1987
Last Modified:Wed May 28 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2054
Total number of notes:15270

2049.0. "Vasectomy" by HOTLNE::YOUNG () Fri Apr 25 1997 17:51

    I was wondering if there was anyone who has had a vasectomy?
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2049.1I had mine in 1989 UNIFIX::FRENCHBill French 381-1859Mon Apr 28 1997 07:1923
    Yes, I had mine in 1989. It took me 3 years to get around to it, given
    some of the stories I had heard, but it was much easier than I 
    expected. No problems at all (but I followed their instructions).
    (all day on the couch, with ice, having someone bring a bucket to
    urinate - not getting up for any reason.)
    
    Mine was so non-traumatic that if vasectomies only lasted a month, I
    would get one done every month. Well maybe that's a stretch but it
    wasn't anywhere as big a deal as I had feared.
    Mine was done at Concord Hospital (NH) my Dr. David Green of Concord
    Urology. I would recommend him highly.
    
    It was done on a Friday a.m. I was walking out by 9:30 a.m. They said
    to wait 48 hours before trying it out, and I lasted 36 hours.(i.e. I
    was feeling fine by Saturday night)
     You do have to wait 8 weeks and or 24 ejaculations before you are sperm 
    free, which is confirmed from semen samples.
    
    The novocaine was no worse than a bee sting on the skin. Not at all
    like the deep pain that we males fear. Mine was 2 incisions about 3/8",
    one on each side; It takes a lot of imagination to find the scars now.
    
    Send mail if you wan't more details.
2049.2couldn't resist...BIGQ::GARDNERjustme....jacquiMon Apr 28 1997 07:453
    Your nodename seems to fit, Bill!

2049.3What can I say?UNIFIX::FRENCHBill French 381-1859Tue Apr 29 1997 06:5613
       >  Your nodename seems to fit, Bill!
        
        Gee, thanks for noticing, jacqui. I had the nodename specially
    	created for this note ;^)
        
        Actually, it's a ghost from the past. It's a VMS node that belongs
    	to a group I used to be in prior to '93 (It's the UNIX support
    	group that fixed CLDs - appropriate, huh?)
    	I'm just a squatter there for VMS stuff since this UNIX engineering
    	group won't give me an account on a VMS system.
        
        Barnacle Bill
       
2049.4Details available via mailUNIFIX::FRENCHBill French 381-1859Tue Apr 29 1997 11:108
    I have sent a detailed description to the original author. I'm a bit
    too modest to post the details here, but if anyone is interested, they
    can send mail to me (my unix acct is preferred either hunch::french or
    [email protected].) and I will forward the details. The bottom line
    is that it was no big deal, and I wouldn't have waited 3 years from
    when I decided I wanted it if I had known then what I know now.
    
    Bill
2049.5BIGQ::GARDNERjustme....jacquiWed Apr 30 1997 12:479
    many moons ago in the still years of the beginnings of THE VAS
    op, my parents had my husband change from having his GP do the
    deed to having a urologist do the deed.  it was good advice then
    1970, and seems to be a good idea to follow now as the specialist
    knows the plumbing arena.  There used to be a place to send away
    for a pin to wear if you had the snip op for guys.  

    
2049.6I second the urologist reccommnedationUNIFIX::FRENCHBill French 381-1859Thu May 01 1997 08:1414
    One of the questions I asked the urologist who was to do mine
    was how many he had done. (He looked like a 30 year old "kid" and 
    I was 43) he said "over 100". A co-worker of one of my friends went to
    his doctor for one, the doctor made the incision, had to call another
    doctor in, sewed him up after one side and told hime to come back
    a few days later, at which time he told the patient he was dropping
    him as a patient. Apparently the doc couldnt tell the vas defferens
    from the testicular artery and vein. Given my success, I'm not sorry 
    I chose a specialist. Besides, my internist didn't offer - he referred
    me to Concord Urology, where I had my pick  of 4 urologists. I told the
    nurse that I was kind of chicken and wanted someone understanding, and
    she replied that the doctor I wanted was Dr. Green. I guess a couple of
    the older dosc were a bt gruff.
    
2049.7IJSAPL::ANDERSONNow noting in colour!"Thu May 01 1997 08:326
    Three weeks after the op you will be asked to bring a sperm sample in
    to the Pathology Lab. Should you have any, you will experience a strong
    urge to take one of your children with you. Try to resist it as it
    makes the Pathologists go into a giggle fit. 

    Jamie.
2049.8BIGQ::GARDNERjustme....jacquiThu May 01 1997 10:443
    What they really want is the seminal fluid without the semen!!!

2049.9CPEEDY::ZALESKIThu May 01 1997 16:124
    What are you talking about? They want a load full and complete. Please
    don't separate the yoke from the whites. Just fill up a bottle and
    bring it in. What is this seminal fluid without semen? 
    
2049.10IJSAPL::ANDERSONNow noting in colour!"Fri May 02 1997 02:374
    They want a sample to see if they can find any live sperm. If they can
    find any the vasectomy was not a success.

    Jamie.
2049.11 semen without sperm!UNIFIX::FRENCHBill French 381-1859Fri May 02 1997 10:085
    Let's get our terminology correct. The desired effect is to have
    semen without any SPERM(atazoa). It wouldn't be much fun is there
    was no semen.
    
    Barnacle Bill
2049.12mea culpa...BIGQ::GARDNERjustme....jacquiMon May 05 1997 08:374
    gee, it's been such a long time since either hubby or i have 
    had our hands on sperm or ovumm!!!!  ;*)

2049.13IJSAPL::ANDERSONNow noting in colour!"Mon May 05 1997 10:2819
    Well over the weekend I asked Harry what the correct medical term for
    the sample was. It turns out to be ejaculate.

    Re .6

    >Apparently the doc couldnt tell the vas defferens from the testicular
    >artery and vein.

    Apparently the vas deferens and the artery are remarkably similar and
    cutting the wrong one comes under the heading of "acceptable mistake".

    The small segment removed is sent to the path lab to be checked. Harry
    says that every so often it is artery not vas, so the operation must be
    repeated and the correct vessel cut.

    It seems that you can get by without that artery.

    Jamie.                                                                

2049.14CPEEDY::ZALESKIMon May 05 1997 11:4612
    A friend of mine, a urologist, said that it is not common to confuse
    the veins and artery from the vas. The vas is tough and the other is
    very soft. It even looks different when you cut it. There would be more
    blood in the artery even with the clamp on the tube. When you look at
    the end of the VAS you can see some of the fluid. The VAS is connected
    to the testis in a different place and you can feel it connected before
    and after it is pulled through the slit. In some unusual conditions
    that might be true but then the person has other problems. He said to
    feel your testis and you can feel the VAS. You can also feel the artery
    and it is obvious which is which. He said if the person does not, get
    his out of your pants.
    
2049.15CPEEDY::ZALESKIMon May 05 1997 11:483
    Correction. Get his hands out of your pants. although the other way
    sounds funnier.
    
2049.16Can't tell the difference!SALEM::ALLOREAll I want is ONE shot..well maybe 2Mon May 05 1997 12:007
    		I agree with the last two replies.  Even as a student in
    Anatomy and Physiology we were expected to and could tell the
    difference in a fetal pig, never mind in a human!  So, I would hope that 
    someone performing the surgery could tell the difference.  If not, they 
    won't be touching me there, or anywhere else for that matter.
    
    				Bob
2049.17IJSAPL::ANDERSONNow noting in colour!"Tue May 06 1997 02:084
    That's the trouble with being a pathologist, you get to see all the
    failings of the medical profession.

    Jamie.