Day 1 (day of vasectomy): Go directly home and rest the remainder of the day. Do not do anything more than is necessary; eating and going to the bathroom. The lidocaine used during your vasectomy will wear off in roughly 2-3 hours. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol – 1,000 mg every 6 hours) and ice packs (or a bag of frozen peas), applied for for 20 min intervals (on and off) for the remainder of the day and the morning after to help minimize soreness. No sexual activity or ejaculations for 5-7 days after your vasectomy.

Day 2: For 48 hours, avoid any strenuous activity and do not lift more than 15 pounds. Optimally, decreased activity should last for 2-4 days if possible. Shower briefly (less than 5 minutes), wash gently, rinse and pat dry. No tub baths for one week. No oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, hot tubs or soaking in water for 1 week.

Day 3: You may be up and about, but avoid lifting more than 30 pounds.

Day 4-5: You may resume all normal activities and work as tolerated. Please avoid trauma to the site of the procedure for 7 days including activities like bicycles, motorcycles, horse back riding and other activities that have trauma to the site of the procedure.

Day 5-7: You may resume sexual activity. Proceed gently at first and if it hurts, refrain from activity. No ejaculations for 5-7 days.

Normal Recovery: Mild swelling is normal, as is 1/2 inch of redness around the vasectomy site. If you have a temperature, are draining purulent fluid from the vasectomy site, or significant swelling of a testicle, please call us promptly. A pea sized bump under the dressing at the puncture site is normal. Please call if grows to the size of a large grape.

Birth Control/Contraception: Vasectomy does not make one immediately sterile. Use some form of birth control until a semen analysis confirms sterility. This averages 2-4 months, but can take longer. You will receive a semen analysis kit in the mail 3 months after your vasectomy. Using some form of birth control/contraception is strongly recommended until a semen test confirms sterility. Click here for the CDC’s information on contraception.. 

If you have any concerns or questions, please call the office at 423-573-8100 or use our Facebook Messager at the bottom of the page.