PRACTICALITIES

AND FAQs

Planning, Preparation, Your Visit, Aftercare, Your Test

PLANNING

MY VASECTOMY PLANNER

When can you get back into action? The following general advice gives you a good idea as to when you can get back to full duties – Sooner than most guys think.

Advice is general and should be confirmed with the doctor

AM I SUITABLE FOR AN ‘ALL IN ONE’ VISIT?WHERE ARE YOU?WHAT IS THE PRICE?CAN I HAVE A SEDATIVE?PLANNING YOUR TRIP CAN MY PARTNER COME?

AM I SUITABLE FOR AN ‘ALL IN ONE’ VISIT?

At The Vasectomist, we offer an all-in-one visit with no referral necessary. The majority of guys can simply make a vasectomy appointment online. This appointment automatically combines the consultation with the vasectomy. The vasectomy does not go ahead if you decide not to proceed or if you are not suitable. There is no routine need for a separate appointment.

However, we ask you to make an appointment for a consultation-only if you answer ‘yes’ to any of the following questions:

You have any uncertainties about ‘getting the snip’
You are age under 30 without children.
You are age under 25 (with or without children).
Your BMI is greater than 45. You can calculate your BMI here.

For a consultation-only simply follow this link to schedule a ‘vasectomy suitability check’ – these appointments are only available in Cleveland. Please note you won’t pay more for deciding to visit us in advance. Your combined out of pocket costs for a vasectomy suitability check and later vasectomy will be the same.

WHERE ARE YOUR CLINICS?

Our locations are:

Clayfield (North Brisbane) – some thursdays
Greenslopes (South Brisbane) – some fridays
Cleveland (East Brisbane) – during the week
Ormeau (Gold Coast/M1) – some thursdays

Go to our locations overview page for more details.

WHAT IS THE PRICE?

The total price is $595. Medicare will reimburse you $203.35.

The out-of-pocket cost is therefore just under $392.

Visit our pricing page for new details.

CAN I HAVE A SEDATIVE?

The majority of guys do not need any sedative.

Feedback from guys after their procedure show a very high satisfaction rate.

Remember it’s normal to be anxious. Prior to the procedure, all patients are asked how they are feeling on a scale from 0 to 10. The average score is 4

The most powerful relaxant is banter – even if it’s one-way!

Men who feel very anxious about getting the snip may request a sedative tablet. Around 1% of guys take a sedative prior to the procedure. A sedative tablet is taken just after the consultation. The tablet takes around 30 minutes to work and you will need someone to drive you home. You can book online but call us at least 1 day prior to the procedure so we can give you an earlier arrival time which will be around 40 minutes earlier than your original appointment time.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

We pride ourselves on being on time.

The best way for you to be relaxed is to arrive in good time! Please note that latecomers may be asked to reschedule in order to avoid the next guy having to wait. A return trip with both tubes intact is very disappointing for all concerned. Gold Coast & Brisbane traffic can be congested so phone us if you’re running late.

Plan to walk through the door 5-10 minutes prior to your appointment time to give yourself enough time to go to settle in and /or go to the toilet for that last minute nervous pee!

CAN MY PARTNER COME?

Your partner is very welcome to come to the consultation and the procedure itself.

25% of guys come with their partner to the clinic, of whom half go into the procedure room during the procedure.

PREPARATION

HOW DO I SHAVE?UNDIES TAKING A SHOWER SHOULD I EAT?WHAT SHOULD I BRING?SHOULD I STOP BLOOD THINNERS?

SHAVING

The area to shave or clip should include the upper-front and side of the scrotum (‘the sac’) before the procedure. The site of the procedure site is in the midline, and higher up than many guys think. Lift your penis out of the way to get to the area of the sac that needs most attention.

Go higher than you think!

Wet shaving has the edge over a beard trimmer, which tends to cause cuts.

You can shave slightly away from the skin to reduce nicks. Stubble is fine!

UNDIES

Wear firm or supportive underwear, and avoid boxer shorts. You can’t go wrong with Briefs.

TAKING A SHOWER

Have a shower before you attend the clinic if you can.

You will need to keep the area dry after your vasectomy and are asked not to shower until the following morning.

SHOULD I EAT?

Absolutely!

Have a good breakfast to help keep up your energy levels.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

Your Vasectomy packing list:

Your Medicare card.
A physical debit card (that allows you to select a cheque or savings account) to process your medicare rebate. Tapping your phone will not work for the Medicare easyclaim rebate.

SHOULD I STOP BLOOD THINNERS?

Blood thinners include Warfarin, Plavix, Pradaxa, and Xarelto. No-Scalpel Vasectomy is a low bleeding risk procedure. Patients taking blood thinners should continue them unless advised to stop by their doctor or specialist.

Men taking blood thinners may still go ahead and book an appointment online. However, please let us know in good time the name of the medication and the reason for taking it.

Patients who are taking blood thinners for a short period should consider postponing their vasectomy until the medication has been stopped. A typical one-off blood clot is treated with blood thinners for 4-6 months and it makes sense to postpone the vasectomy until the medication has been stopped.

Anti-inflammatory medications, such as Ibuprofen, Nurofen, Voltaren, Diclofenac, have a mild blood-thinning effect and you should generally stop taking these at least two days before the vasectomy. If you take some accidentally, please mention it to the doctor on the day, but it’s not likely to be a big deal.

Low dose aspirin is not a big deal. Continue ‘mini aspirin’ if you started taking it on the recommendation of a doctor – usually because of a high of cardiovascular disease.

YOUR VISIT

ARRIVING AT THE CLINIC THE CONSULTATION WHAT IF I AM NOT SUITABLE?THE PROCEDURE WHEN CAN I LEAVE?DRIVING HOME

ARRIVING AT THE CLINIC

Free Onsite Parking is available at all of our locations. Welcome to the Vasectomy Clinic!

You are asked to fill out a short form on arrival. Please arrive 5 – 10 minutes early.

THE CONSULTATION

Dr Beatty will welcome you +/- your partner into the consulting room and discuss:

The obvious benefits of vasectomy.
The small risks of the procedure.
Aftercare is discussed both before and after.

You are invited to sign the consent form.

WHAT IF I AM NOT SUITABLE?

Please be prepared for the small possibility that you won’t be suitable for a vasectomy. This situation occurs less than 5% of the time but may explain why some vasectomy clinics insist that you make a separate appointment for the consultation.

Let’s say that you’re unlucky and cannot go ahead with the procedure. You would then be referred to a hospital facility for consideration of vasectomy under general anaesthetic.

What happens to the deposit payment if you are not suitable for the procedure? You are reimbursed the deposit and charged a smaller out-of-pocket expense to cover the consultation.

THE PROCEDURE

It’s time to hop onto the couch! You are first asked to slip off your belt & empty your pockets into a small box.

At this stage, you only need to remove your shoes before lying on the couch.

Dr Beatty will wash you down with warm antiseptic prior to covering the area with a drape. Only the front of the scrotum can be seen during the procedure. Your privacy is prioritised throughout the procedure.

A no-needle anaesthesia is used to spray the anaesthetic through your skin. There are times when fine needle anaesthesia is used to supplement no needle anaesthesia. The important thing is you won’t be knowing what’s going on. Just relax as best as you can as Dr Beatty does everything to minimise or eliminate discomfort completely.

You are in the procedure room for around half an hour.

WHEN CAN I LEAVE?

We’ll let you know when you are ready to leave the clinic! You will be able to leave the clinic soon after the procedure – usually within 30 minutes.

DRIVING HOME

You can drive home but take it easy! Nothing expressly excludes driving home after a vasectomy – any more than driving home after a tooth extraction or blood donation.

As a general rule:

Wait at least 20 minutes before getting into the car.
Be 100% sure you feel fine before driving.

It is conceivably possible to feel lightheaded on your drive home, just as it is after a blood test or dental procedure. Driving in the left-hand lane is prudent.

So the bottom line is that it is generally safe to drive home afterwards as long as you feel fine after the procedure and you don’t jump into the car straight away.

AFTERCARE

WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I GET HOME?WHEN CAN I GO BACK TO WORK?WHEN CAN I HAVE SEX AFTER THE PROCEDURE?WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET SOME SWELLING OR BLEEDING?I’VE NOTICED BLOOD IN SEMEN CAN I CONTACT THE DOCTOR AFTERWARDS?

WHAT CAN I DO AFTERWARDS?

Lie up on the couch & relax when you get home.

The Anaesthetic wears off after 3 hours. Pain relief is not routinely required but Ibuprofen (Nurofen) 400mg may be taken three times per day.

Shower the dressing off the next morning, and replace with a bandaid (we supply) each day for the next week.

Continue with supportive underwear during the day for 5 days.

Avoid lifting >20kg fir the first 5 days. Light exercise can be started 5 days later, and Vigorous exercise or contact sport recommenced after 7 days. You may need to adjust these timelines if the recovery is taking its time.

WHEN CAN I GO BACK TO WORK?

Non-physical work – return a day or two after the procedure.

Physical work – ideally, take at least three days off.

If you require a medical certificate, please ask Dr Beatty or our friendly staff to organise this for you on the day.

WHEN CAN I HAVE SEX AFTER THE PROCEDURE?

Great question – Ejaculation can start at least 48 hrs after the procedure, and sex from 5 days.

You absolutely must continue to use contraception until you get your all-clear.

Whilst our failure rate is very low, remember that you will remain fertile until the ‘swimmers have cleared the pipes’ – typically a few weeks. Your partner can easily get pregnant before the post vasectomy sample. Play safe, not with fire.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET SOME SWELLING OR BLEEDING?

Bleeding around the dressing may occur in the 1st 2-3 hrs. Apply 10 minutes of firm pressure followed by an ice pack (over a towel) for 20 minutes. Finally, apply a fresh dressing. Any bleeding should have stopped by then.

Bruising may be noticed for a few days. Bruising rarely lasts for more than 10 days. The bruising may occasionally look impressive but is itself harmless.

Both bleeding around the dressing and bruising are caused by bleeding from tiny blood vessels near the surface of the wound. This type of bleeding is almost always insignificant.

Swelling is rare, and usually caused by internal bleeding. Haematoma occurs in fewer than 1% of Vasectomies. The scrotum becomes swollen and painful. Haematoma typically occurs in the first 3-4 days of the procedure but rarely occurs on the same day as the procedure. ‘Taking it easy’ does help to reduce the risk of haematoma. Bleeding eventually stops, and the blood clot is gradually absorbed. A severe haematoma can take 3 months to resolve but may be painful.

The Vasectomist carefully audits his rate of haematoma that sits under 1 in 300 vasectomies.

I’VE NOTICED BLOOD IN MY SEMEN

Blood in the semen is frankly alarming. However, a little blood in the semen after the vasectomy is quite normal.

Please contact Dr Beatty if the blood is large in quantity, causes pain, or does not settle within a few weeks of the procedure.

CAN I CONTACT THE DOCTOR AFTERWARDS?

Dr Beatty’s mobile number is given to you after the procedure. Please text the doctor if you have any concerns at all and he will ring you back as soon as possible.

Thankfully, problems are unusual but you are encouraged to contact Dr Beatty with any issues.

The majority of aftercare issues are sorted out over the phone.

A follow up face-to-face appointment is rarely required. You may be asked to travel to Cleveland for the appointment, or prefer to see your own GP.

YOUR TEST

WHEN DO I DO THE TEST?How do I do the sample?Where do I take the sample?Am I charged for the test?HOW DO I GET MY RESULTS?

WHEN DO I DO THE TEST?

The straight answer is to shoot for 14 weeks after the procedure.

More than 25 ejaculations are required to clear out the sperm downstream from the procedure.

Very sexually active men – ejaculating at least 3 times per week – could therefore test at 12 or 13 weeks. However, reconnection of the vas deferents can occur anytime up until then, so do not test before 12 weeks.

Infrequent ejaculators (fewer than 1-2 times per week) may consider holding off the test until around 16 weeks.

How do I do the sample?

Time to get serious …

This is your golden ticket to know that you are “shooting blanks”!

TEST PRACTICALITIES

You will be provided with a request form and seminal fluid pot before you leave the clinic.
Phone your pathology collection centre before you collect your sample. They will advise you what time to arrive with the sample.

You must give advance notice to the Pathology Collection centre that the sample is coming! The sample may otherwise be turned away

DOING YOUR SAMPLE

Abstain from ejaculation for 2-5 days prior to the test.
You (usually you!) collect the sample into a pot. Make sure you catch the whole sample!
Write the time of collection on the pot – this is essential.
Take the sample straight to the collection centre.

COMMON REASONS FOR NEEDING TO REPEAT THE TEST :

Small volume of semen. Normal ejaculate volume is 2-6mls. A sample of < 1ml may need to be repeated. Remember to abstain, and be sure to collect the whole sample.
Make doubly sure you write the time of the ejaculation on the pot.

Where do I take the sample?

You can take the sample to any pathology collection centre of your choosing but you must check that the collection centre accepts seminal fluid samples.

QML Pathology accepts samples anytime during their office hours at the following regional locations:

Murarrie, Everton Park, St Andrew’s Private Hospital, Wesley Hospital, Morayfield, and North Lakes.

However, many other QML collection centres accept fresh samples with prior arrangement. For example. July 2019 courier times include:

Capalaba 11.50am or 2.30pm
Beenleigh 2.20pm
Logan Central at 11.50am
Browns Plains at 12.45pm

You don’t want to go to the trouble of doing a sample and finding out that the collection centre won’t accept it. Find your closest QML website by selecting ‘Semen Fertility Analysis’ and phone the collection centre for a dropoff time.

Sullivan & Nicolaides accept samples at just two locations – Bowen Hills and Southport. We confirmed in march 2021 that SNP ‘accept Semen samples at their main HQ in Bowen Hills. Monday – Friday 7am – 6pm. No need to set a time just bring it in within the hour otherwise they have facilities on site to do the sample.’ However, you should obtain up-to-date information and can directly search here for for SNP locations that accept Semen fluid samples.

What is the price of a test?

We would like all our patients to get their post vasectomy test. Pathology companies charge a small fee for post-vasectomy testing. Bear in mind the logistical challenges to analyse the semen sample within 2 hrs of production. The collection centre, courier and lab all need to be ‘on the ball’ and lined up for this to happen. Ultimately, the Australian government is responsible for ensuring a cost-effective health care service, and no pathology providers bulk bill post vasectomy testing.

QML has the largest range of collection centres for post-vasectomy sample around Brisbane and The Gold Coast, and they seem to be the cheapest at approximatelyi $50 out of pocket. You may choose any pathology provider to perform your test although some providers charge >$75. Note that mater pathology outsource their semen analysis testing.

The potential cost of skipping the test goes without saying.

HOW DO I GET MY RESULTS?

Your results are sent to you via text. Please contact the clinic if you have not received your result within 2 working days.

>95% of results are sent by SMS within 2 working days, so what are the reasons for not receiving my results within 2 working days?

The pathology company are sending us the result by ‘snail mail’ – this is more likely for tests peformed outside Queensland. QML and SNP always send us results electronically.
Your mobile phone number on the registration form is incorrect – but you are asked to confirm that your mobile number is correct during your visit.
Dr Beatty does check results whilst on annual leave but there might still be a slight delay over times like Christmas.
The sample is lost – very rare.

READY TO BOOK?

It’s really simple.

Book Online

Dr Beatty

Last Reviewed / Modified: 10/5/2021

First Published: 5/2/2015