How long does vasectomy recovery take?

Day 5 for me I'm still in a lot of pain when I wake up and walk I have to still ice it my balls still are swollen.Tylenol is my best friend no codeine makes me constipated.I hope I feel better soon

I think the best thing to take away after reading all the replies here is that everyone reacts and recovers differently from the procedure. The procedure itself is really nothing. I'm on day 6 now and still hurting. Not even close to hitting the gym again of wanting to have sex. I'm typically a mind over matter guy but this is no joke. Feeling dull ache in balls and lower abdomen and seems to be worse today than yesterday. I had set my expectations that I would be much further along in my recovery by now, which, my doctor seemed to imply I would. If I could say one thing to everyone going into this is to NOT set any expectations for yourself to recover and resume everything by a specified time...you're just setting yourself up for disappointment and letdown. Mentally give yourself whatever time off your body needs to heal and bounceback.

Hi I´m a 42 year old and had this done 3 weeks ago. There was very little pain during the procedure and not much discomfort afterwards. However my tubes are still swollen and hard and quite sensitive. Reading from previous replies I guess this isn´t normal?

Hi everyone who stumbles upon this thread, I have to say that after so much reading this place was the best to find out about Post Vasectomy Recovery. If you read/hear regular Vasectomy articles or doctors explanations about recovery you get to sides of the spectrum: 1 week recovery or Post Vasectomy Pain Syndrome (PVPS), you either have nothing to worry about or freak the f... out. Here I've found what seems to be regular recoveries and some painful long ones, but others that seem more normal to me, 4+ weeks of recovery with symptoms that vary along the way.

Everybody seems to agree that the procedure is simple, and I agree. I am on week 9 of recovery and I took the time to write a journal of almost every day of my recovery, or at least the most relevant symptoms and changes on every day, if for a couple of days I felt fine, I didn't report anything, or just a little about it. I will post it here in the hopes that some of you find comfort that is not that uncommon to feel a worrisome and some pain now and then. At the time of writing I've had no pain or new symptoms for almost 4 weeks, aside from some pulsing, barely noticeable ache in my vas now and them that is not very frequent but happens a couple of times a day, nothing to worry about but worth noting. In any case, here is my journal from day 1:

Day 1: Scheduled on a Thursday by chance, and it was great to have the weekend off to recover. Procedure was no problem, an initial sting from the anesthesia needle and afterwards it was just the awkward feeling of pulling and snipping, some tugging and pulling. The next 6 hours all my area was numbed still. After hour 6 everything felt sore but not painful. Had a good sleep. I couldn’t get my antibiotics this day. Triple antibiotic on the incision.

 

Day 2: Started antibiotics this day. Feeling discomfort inside my sack, nothing swollen and no pain per se, just the same soreness in general and the feeling that I can only compare to: That Lingering Pain you still have after about 10mins of being hit in the nuts, that goes around your nuts and abdomen and feels a little also like you have to take a dump, I’ll say it again, it’s not the initial blinding pain you have of getting hit in the nuts, just the afterwards discomfort, let’s call it Lingering Nut Pain (LNP) from now on! I took some Percocet to see if it helped, it did a bit, but I hate the feeling while on it so I didn’t take it anymore. Chill out all day at home. Triple antibiotic 3 times a day.

 

Day 3: LNP was mostly gone but my left side felt a little painful, I was able to identify that the pain was coming from the Vas, both sides actually but left one hurt most. Again, thankfully nothing too painful but uncomfortable to some degree. Another day just hanging out with the very supportive wife and chilling doing nothing. Sleeping seems to lessen the LNP, sitting sometimes increases the discomfort, and walking alleviates it.

 

Day 4: The discomfort remained the same, today it was both sides and coming from the Vas. It would come and go, touching any part of my sack is fine except where I believe the Vas were cut, that seems to be the source of the small pain. The incision wound is looking better by the day, had no problems there thankfully. LNP comes and goes. Still on antibiotics and triple antibiotic on the sack wound.

 

Day 5: Back to desk work, had some annoying discomfort and LNP possibly from all the sitting, even though at home I sat a lot, maybe the chairs here, or just the fact to be back to work hah! Went home for a couple of hours while on the clock, rested and all was good. Back to work and no problems.

Day 6: Woke up fine, after a couple of hours LNP is back, nothing bad just that discomfort now and then, don’t get me wrong, while it’s not pain, there is still a degree of annoying feeling there, like something is still sore inside, but not too hard to deal with. Incision wound itches, maybe signs of ripeness for falling off. My left side feels like it has something swollen inside, the Vas maybe? The testicle doesn’t hurt. Have made the mistake of wearing jeans and I believe the pressure from them caused more pain than the usual. Lied down for a couple of hours and the pain got better until I went home and slept.

 

Day 7: Woke up with no pain, but eager to check if the left side was still hurting and it was. The pain has been there on the left side only, it irradiates down the leg a bit, nothing terrible but uncomfortable for sure. Wearing sweat pants as I learned the lesson from yesterday. There has been no LNP today, mostly the left pain on the epididymis, the incision cut looks very well healed. There is a feeling like something is being pulled from within, not painful but an awkward sensation.

 

Day 8 (Thrusday): It's been a week since the Op, I woke up with a feeling of fullness in the scrotum, feels sort of bloated, not swollen though. The incision wound gives a sharp pain if touched and has a little burning sensation, it looks fine with no signs of infection, blood, or damage, it seems like it's healing just fine and not itchy today. Pain has subsided but the left side feels still funny, with very dull aches now and then. No LNP either and no pulling sensation like yesterday.

 

Day 9: Feeling almost fully recovered, still feel a little fullness in scrotum like yesterday but less. No pain, I think I still have some mental trauma and sometimes I feel like I do, but nothing I can actually test and feel painful. The incision hurts if I touch it still, but all in all seems healed. Had sex and first orgasm felt just normal (well awesome after more than a week of no ejaculation hah!), nothing bothered me aside from being careful with the incision.

 

Day 10: Almost no symptoms aside from the incision, a little pain as usual if I touch it. Some discomfort that comes and goes.

 

Day 11: The scab on the incision is gone, still a little tender and some pain but just like any other cut in the skin. Had some discomfort inside the scrotum. There has been no LNP for day, and the epididymis hasn't hurt either.

 

Day 12: Some discomfort in the perineal area, resembles the LNP but nothing too intense, just a little annoying. Starting to think that it's more of a mental stress than pain when I feel something, given that it's in that area that we care so much about or are worried of.

 

Day 13 - 18 (Sunday): No discomfort in general, just a very minor and barely noticeable feeling that doesn't bother me at all, serves like a reminder that something was done there I guess, and it's not frequent either.

 

Day 19 (Monday): While fooling around with the wife, one testicle moved up and caused some pain that stayed the whole day. Very similar to Day 7, bothersome mostly because for the past week it was all normal. We'll have to see how it progresses. The scab/stitch peeled off, the wound looks almost fully heal, just a little pinkish color expected from a cut, still hurts a little if I pinch it, other than that looks perfect.

 

Day 20: Had residual pain from yesterday still, less intense but still there.

 

Day 21: Less of the residual pain from monday (Day 19), but it's still there. I'm guessing it might have been that when the testicle moved up and caused pressure on the Vas or the epididymis where it had been sensitive from the operation. The scrotum feels a little swollen, or like that feeling of "fullness" from Day 9.

 

Day 22 (Thrusday): Still have discomfort, same as yesterday that comes and goes but less.

 

Day 23: Not much change from the past two days.

 

Day 24: Even though last night I went to a rave and jumped and danced a lot, I don't feel anything worst. In fact, feeling a lot better today for some reason. So exercising doesn't bother me that much. Later on the night while aroused a testicle again moved up and put pressure on the part that still hurts. Very annoying pain, it feels like a lump on both sides where the vas were cut.

 

Day 25: Residual pain and tenderness from last night, the lump on the right hurts mostly and irradiates the pain around both testicles and a little on the abdomen.

 

Day 26: Still have pain, calling the doctor to schedule an appointment and have a talk and maybe a checkup. Right testicle is visibly swollen and that causes all that side to be pretty sensitive to the touch causing pain.

 

Day 27: Got an appointment on thursday, right testicle is still swollen and painfull. I get shooting pains down my thigh sometimes, nothing unbearable but very annoying. I was able to endure 1 hour of moderate cardio on a stationary bike, I had no pain but some discomfort now and then if I had friction, nothing proper sitting and relocating the sack wouldn't fix. Also had sex in the morning and no issues there.

 

Day 28: Feeling better but still have discomfort/pain. It seems now like it's on both sides but less pain. mostly that swollen sensation and the occasional shot of dull pain. Had sex in the middle of a workout with the wife at home (I know, felt really good) and had no issues there like yesterday. Still it's annoying to have that discomfort and not knowing when it will go away, or if there is a risk of happening again. Tomorrow we'll see the doc's insight on the whole situation.

 

Day 29: A lot less pain, urologist checked and said it was the vas where he snipped and tied double that was swollen, he said it might be infection but he doubts it. Told me to wait 5 days to see if it goes away and if not, consider the antibiotics. Mentioned about sperm granuloma in which case an ultrasound will detect, but just wait for now. Advil works if I get any pain, but right now it doesn't bother me like the past couple of days.

 

Day 30-33: No pain, I spent a nice weekend free of pain. There is a very minor discomfort if I press the lump of snipped vas, other than that just the usual feeling that something is different inside, which is obvious and doesn't even bother me. I am still afraid of having that testicle move and cause pressure like it did before, but I can only hope it doesn't happen again.

 

Day 34: Everything feels normal. Hoping this continues with no more issues and recovery is over.

Can you please update us on your recovery? I am 13 days in and my testicles are still very very sore.

Can you please tell us how you ended up?

I am nearly two weeks in and my testicles are very tender; I have such odd sensations of pain and there is a lump for me on one side. I had scan done and they just told me it appeared to be scar tissue - hard to tell if its changed in size in the last day, but I would say possibly.

I am shocked I still have nut pain... I expected the 2 day recovery I was promised. I did have a single incision, however the dr was not gentle and clamped the every living hell out of my right vas deferens... i believe this may be why i have scaring, or I just flat out had a blow out b/c honestly the tubes to me feel reconnected.

I too keep reading all the horror stories and I have been in a complete panic; there doesnt seem to be any middle road.. everything sounds like u either get better right away are you are screwed for life unless you TRY a reversal. I am so miserable now with fear, i wish I had never done this.

How have you faired in the 9 days sense?

I have this same issue day 13 in... there are other weird pains but mostly they just ache; does this go away in time and how did you fair?

I have these swollen tubes as well... its like a thickness; and they are very tender along with my testicles being tender... I am on day 13 but in a bit of a panic from the horror stories Ive read everywhere I turn.

This post gives me hope... I have been in a panic thinking my life was ruined or I need an emergency reversal; I didnt have the best surgeon looking back... and he stitched both ends of the v. That appears to be the old method of things... i had a single incision but it was NOT the no scalpel method advertised on his website nor what i received... he used a scalpel, though the hole was small - he had one hell of a time finding my right vas and in the end clamped the thing to hold it out.. it hurt. I took it easy myself, but am damn near certain I had rupture on day 4 b/c i felt nearly pain free prior and then awoke to excruciating pain like I have never felt in my life. Sense then there is the "third ball" we hear of on these posts, and its a sore one for sure... feels to me like the tubes reunited in that - but I need other opinions and its the holidays so I may have to just fight this out and deal with the nut pain and it is a lot harder than some make it out to be... im sure there are varying degrees but i personally feel like i got kicked in the nuts.

No complains, none of the previous symptoms have come back. Occasionally (once every 10 days or more) I'd get a very mild sharp pain in one of my tied Vas, pulsating throughout the day, barely annoying and bearable for sure, just noticeable enough to know it's from the OP and it lasts me a day at most, other than that I can possibly say a little dull pain now and then when I exercise (lifting weights or cardio), nothing big mind you, just a reminder that something is still recovering in there I guess.

I want to keep this thread updated because it was the only thing I found in so much search while recovering that made me calm down and wait for a good recovery. Hang in there fellows, I can't say yours is going to be like mine, I am only 11 weeks into mine and am very well but still feeling some discomfort as I just mentioned, but things got a lot better since day 30 or so.

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to tell everyone about my experance so far. I'm a 40 year old with five kids, and the wife and I decided that was enough kids. Don't get me wrong I LOVE KIDS, I personaly think its irresponcible to have more kids than your capable of taking care of. ANYWAY-
I had my Vasectomy on 8th January 2016, and I'm currently on day 6. I really feel for everyone who has had complications with their OP, but after reading ALL the pages of post's, I got a very negitive feeling about having the procedure done. So to help other people out there I'll give ya a day by day blow.

OP DAY 1: Went in pre-shaved @ 1300 and was in my car driving home by 1400. I had the incision on the left and right of my scrotum. The Vas-deference was severed with a small section taken out. Then my Doctor CLAMPED, TIED, AND COTERIZED each end. The only pain I felt was the small sting and light burn of the local to numb the area. I felt light tugging, and no burn smell. Hell I actually was able to prop myself up enough to see the whole procedure of the left side. The right side was a little different. No pain or weird feelings. It was just like the left side except the right side was a bleeder. So the doctor had to cauterize all the bleeders before he sewed me up. He got me stitched up and briefed me on care and the meds he proscribed me (which I didn't take). While driving home the local started to wear off, and I started to feel the discomfort. If you've ever had the male friends that play the nut tag game, that was the feeling I was experiencing. Not painful just uncomfortable, like you just rolled a nut.

(Lady’s rolling a nut is just as it sounds if you don't know. picture rolling a rubber ball in between your hands, now replace the ball with a testicle!)

I finished driving home and proceeded to sit for the rest of the night and not move except to eat and carefully go to the bathroom. I didn't use an Ice pack because there wasn’t any swelling.

DAY 2: Soreness and brushing became present, and there was dull to moderate soreness from my groin to my lower abdomen. I was walking around, but I mostly sat watching all the seasons of NCIS on Netflix (not a bad show BTW).

DAY 3: Same soreness, but the bruising really developed. There was more bruising on the right than the left (I chalk it up to the bleeders during the OP). The act of getting up and sitting down was slow and careful but no pain. If I had to give a score from 1 to 10, 10 being the worst, I would say I was experancing a 3-3.5 on the sore/pain scale. Very light swelling, barely noticeable. The Doctor told me that I could continue sexual activity after 72 hrs, or when I feel able. So instead of exposing my wife to my STITCHED, BLACK AND BLUE, FRANKIN-penis, I decided to GENTLY take it for a test drive using the scratch method. (If you don’t know the method, Google it. I'm not responsible for what you find LOL) that went well with no extra soreness/pain than I was already feeling.

DAY 4 TO 5: Bruising is going away and sensitivity of the OP are starting to fade. I felt good enough to grab the snow blower and clear my drive way, and I felt fine afterwards. Lower abdomen soreness is more pronounced about a 4 on the sore/pain scale. Stitches are recovering very nicely, the mild redness that's associated with stitches is going away.
Later that night the wife offered to help me out with a little BJ. I about fell out of the damn chair from the intense pleasure, and was expecting to keel over in pain afterwards....but I didn't....my abdomen felt better actually!

DAY 6: Sensitivity of the Vas-deference is fading. The left I can barely feel, but the right is taking a little longer, but getting better. The bruising is fading quick It's now turned past the black to dark red and dissipating.

(Forgot to mention. Sense day 2 every time I went to the bathroom I would take the bruised scrotum skin between my pointy finger and thumb and lightly roll/massage the skin to break up the blood under the skin, being careful not to disturb the stitches.)
-END DAY TO DAY REPORT-

One person posted (sorry I can't remember who) that people mostly post if something is wrong or they have a question. They don't usually post if everything is fine. All in all I'm very happy with the way things are going so far, and if things only get better from here on out, I'm golden. But everyone is DIFFERENT!!! what effects me might not affect other people and so on.
From what I've read, the varying degree of pain is in direct relation to how much trauma is inflicted. And how much the Doctor has to manipulate the Vas-deference in your scrotum. Example is myself: right side had bleeders, and took a little longer for him to isolate the Vas. The result, longer recovery on the right, and more bruising.

If anyone has questions or would like an update reply to this post and I'll get a notification in my e-mail. I try to respond as quickly as possible.

So how are things going now? I'm on day 6....and things are going well.