October 2015
After much prompting from my wife I’d booked an appointment with my GP. My internet research had told me that getting a referral from your own doctor is the first step towards getting the procedure (although information in general was hard to come by and at
My Vasectomy Diary
One dad's unexpectedly epic quest
Image: www.plannedparenthood.org
Male sterilisation (known as vasectomy) is a quick and
relatively painless surgical procedure. The tubes that carry sperm from a man's testicles to the penis are cut, blocked or sealed with heat. It is more than 99% effective. and considered permanent – once it's done, you don't have to think about contraception again, say NHS Choices. Our writer found it wasn't quite that simple...
times contradictory). We sat down in the surgery room and the doctor went through a few questions. She was a little reluctant to refer me at first, because of my age (I was 32, and men don’t tend to go for this sort of procedure until a little later). But when she asked how many children I had and I answered “two, with another one on the way”, I think she knew my wife was serious about this.
June 2016
A catalogue of administrative errors and false starts later, I finally had an apppointment for an initial consultation. This takes no more than an hour and involves both a physical examination and a brief “psychological assessment” – although in reality the latter is no more than a series of straightforward questions about your current family situation and future plans. You also get to see some graphic pictures of the procedure. When my nether regions were being prodded and my testes instinctively withdrew into my stomach, the nurse realised the operation might be difficult. I was given an appointment and prescribed Diazepam to help my apparently reluctant balls feel less anxious on the morning of the procedure.
November 2016
Testes shaved and Diazepam duly taken (thanks to my wife who queued