Your physical activity is to be restricted immediately following your vasectomy reversal. This is particularly true during the first five days after surgery. During that time you should remain relatively inactive and avoid lifting any heavy objects (anything greater than ten pounds). You should remain in bed for the first 24-48 hours and applying an ice pack wrapped with a terry cloth towel directly to the scrotum. This ice pack should be applied off and on for approximately forty-eight hours. You should limit stair climbing and avoid driving and limit any car rides. It is extremely important that you do not engage in sexual intercourse, and do not ejaculate for at least three weeks following surgery. The vas deferens must be kept “at rest”.
If your job is sedentary you may resume work 5-7 days after surgery. If your job involves walking or lifting weights you may request restricted activity for 2-3 weeks. As a guide “if it hurts, don’t do it”.
You may return to your normal diet immediately. I would suggest you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, i.e. roughage, to avoid constipation.
As mentioned above, an ice pack should be applied to the scrotum off and on for the first forty-eight hours following surgery. You will go home with a jock strap, as well as gauze fluffs protecting the scrotum and incision sites. This gauze should be changed on a daily basis for at least three or four days. You may decide to wear the jock strap for seven to ten days since it will give you additional support and protection. You are advised not to have shower for 48 hours following surgery and no tub baths till the stitches are absorbed..
You will be discharged with a prescription of narcotic analgesics and antibiotics. If the pain is not too bad you are encouraged to simply take Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen). Please take antibiotics according to directions on the bottle.
A: Fevers over 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
B: Excessive swelling of the scrotum and/or bleeding.
C: Drug reactions (hives, skin rash, nausea or vomiting).
You may not need a follow-up appointment unless there are any complications or concerns. I would appreciate you calling our office within 24-48 hours on you progress. One of our nurses may do the same.
Since it takes over seventy days for sperm to develop, we usually do not perform the first post-operative semen analysis (sperm count) until eight to ten weeks following surgery. Again, it is important to mention that you should not ejaculate for the first three weeks following surgery. You will be given an order for the lab test to have semen analysis which you can arrange at a local hospital. Please call the hospital before scheduling the semen test to make sure that a cytologist is available to examine the specimen which should be done within one hour of specimen production. Please abstain from ejaculation for three days before the test.