1/37 Remember when I promised a thread about #vasectomy?! Here it is! I’ll use #vasectomyWednesday as a hashtag so you can mute the threat. However, I’ll try to keep the thread safe for work and won't post any gore.

2/37 So the only content warning is: I may use words like “scrotum“, testicles”, or “penis” when necessary. #vasectomyWednesday

3/37 Let’s start with a disclaimer: 1. I’m not a medical professional. Always talk to your doctor about getting a vasectomy. #vasectomyWednesday

4/37 2. I’m not saying you should get a vasectomy. It’s a very personal decision and a mostly permanent form of birth control (more in this later). My goal is to be visible as a human with testicles who got one and share my experience. #vasectomyWednesday

5/37 Now that I got this out of the way, let’s talk about why I’m even talking about this intimate topic publicly: 1. Men, on average, are horrible when it comes to talking about their health, especially their sexual health. I'd like to see that changed.

6/37 2. There’s definitely stigma about having a vasectomy. I’d like to see that changed, too. #vasectomyWednesday

7/37 3. Men, on average, are absolute garbage about doing their part when it comes birth control. I’d like to see that changed as well. #vasectomyWednesday

8/37 4. Many posts online by men who had a vasectomy contain misinformation & focus on negative experiences. As is often the case, the minority who have had a bad experience are often more vocal than the majority who had a good experience with the procedure. #vasectomyWednesday

9/37 Let’s start with some basic info. What exactly is a vasectomy? It’s a permanent form of birth control for men that’s performed by a urologist under local anesthesia. #vasectomyWednesday

10/37 Its failure rate is 0.1-0.15% failure rate, with a modified form of vasectomy (“Vas-Clip”) having a failure rate of about 1%. #vasectomyWednesday

11/37 That’s a lot better than pretty much any other form of birth control. It’s reversible in theory, but success rates for a reversal are low (from 55% to as low as 25%) and the procedure costly. #vasectomyWednesday

12/37 There are many myths about negative side effects of having a vasectomy, such as: erectile disfunction, a lower sex drive, increased risk of prostate cancer, and so on. However, none of them are true. #vasectomyWednesday

13/37 However, 15-33% of patients report some longterm post-vasectomy discomfort after the procedure, and 15% experience post-vasectomy pain syndrome, of which just shy of 1% experience as lower quality of life. #vasectomyWednesday

14/37 90% of patients are happy with their decision, but men who have a vasectomy in their 20s have a 12.5 times higher chance of regretting their decision. #vasectomyWednesday

15/37 My insurance paid for my vasectomy. In Washington State, this is required by law according to my doctor. Your mileage will obviously vary depending on your location. #vasectomyWednesday

16/37 There are some nuances to the procedure but in general it includes the following: the doctor first injects an anesthetic with a very thin needle (no-needle procedures are available) into the scrotum, waits a bit,… #vasectomyWednesday

17/37 .. makes a tiny opening, then seals both vas deferens (the “tubes” that transport semen from your testicles), and, finally, seals the skin. The procedure doesn't take more than 30min and it takes the body about 7-14 day to fully heal. #vasectomyWednesday

18/37 Let’s get personal! I’ve been thinking about getting a vasectomy for the last 4 years or so. In 2018, I did some research on the procedure, and made the decision to get one. Throughout the whole decision-making process, Cori and I talked about it. #vasectomyWednesday

19/37 2019 came with a bunch surprised (not the good ones), and I ended up waiting until 2020. In January this year, I emailed my primary care provider about it, told them how I had given it a lot of thought. #vasectomyWednesday

20/37 They referred me to a urologist, and I made an appointment for a consultation. Because of the pandemic, we had to reschedule it, and I eventually met with my doctor in June. #vasectomyWednesday

21/37 They explained the procedure, answered my questions, and made sure I had thought about it for some time. They didn't ask me why I wanted one, but I happily shared my reasons and the length of my decision-making process. #vasectomyWednesday

22/37 We set a date for the appointment and that was about it. #vasectomyWednesday

23/37 A note on COVID-19: I thought about the risk of having an elective procedure now. There are medical reasons why I didn't want to wait. I took every available precaution to protect myself & the people around me. #vasectomyWednesday

24/37 However, undertaking an electable in a pandemic is a risk and should be avoided according to the CDC. #vasectomyWednesday

25/37 At the day of the procedure, I spent about 45min in my doctors office with the procedure taking about 25min. It was performed by my doctor with one nurse present. I didn't feel more uncomfortable than during a dentist visit. #vasectomyWednesday

26/37 Even during the procedure, I was 98% covered. I didn't take any drug to take away the bit of nervousness, but I could have asked for one. #vasectomyWednesday

27/37 I didn't feel any pain. There was a tiny sting from the injection with the anesthetic, and a pulling sensation twice (for a second or two). My blood pressure dropped just when they injected the anesthetic and I felt a bit lightheaded. #vasectomyWednesday

28/37 I often get that when I‘m at the dentist, so that was my nervous self, and not the doctor or the procedure. 45min after I had entered the clinic, Cori picked me up outside, and I took the rest of the day and the next day off. #vasectomyWednesday

29/37 FYI: Many people prefer having a vasectomy on Friday, so they don't have to spend a sick day to get some rest. #vasectomyWednesday

30/37 Next, let’s talk about my recovery: I felt some pain for 2-3 days. Ice packs—like my doctor said they would—helped very well. I could have taken some pain killers that I got but the pain just wasn't bad enough for me. I‘d rate it a 3 out of ten. #vasectomyWednesday

31/37 It was a bit like when you wear jeans that are too tight and have some pain for a day or two afterwards. When the pain was gone, there was some level of discomfort but that stopped about a week or so after the surgery. #vasectomyWednesday

32/37 There was some bruising which I found more entertaining than scary, but your mileage may vary depending on your attitude. It disappeared after about 10 days. #vasectomyWednesday

33/37 I decided not to work out until about two weeks after the surgery to be in the safe side, so that’s about that. #vasectomyWednesday

34/37 What else?! I think of it as a visit to the dentist when you need to get a filling. It’s not fun but it's really not that big of a deal. I haven't noticed anything else changing. Like, everything works just as it should. So, there is that. #vasectomyWednesday

36/37 For more information, the Wikipedia page is pretty good  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasectomy . And, to stress this again: Ask. Your. Doctor. For. Information. :) #vasectomyWednesday

37/37 If you’re feeling uncomfortable talking about the topic, remember: humans with female reproductive organs have to talk about birth control their whole life. Consider working through your uneasiness & think of the experience as a chance to grow. The end. #vasectomyWednesday

Addendum: I am aware that there‘s a time in a woman‘s life where they don’t have to worry about birth control. It‘s just decades from adolescents to menopause plus regular exams of their private parts for an even longer time. Thanks for pointing that out in a DM random dudebro!