Tubal Ligation Vs. Vasectomy

I may have considered the tubal when I had my third child-c-section-but wouldnt go back in to have that done. My husband went in and had a vasectomy-I went in with him-watched and even helped a little! It was interesting! haha The recovery was NOTHING for him! he didnt even take the pain med! He had it done on a Friday afternoon and was fine the next day--a little sore but thats to be expected...went to work on Monday! If you had it done-itd be 6 weeks and you sound too busy for that!

Just had baby number 3 I talked to my docter about the tubal litigation. He did not recommend it.Said he would do it if I preferred but said different women have various side effects. Said it would be just as well to get the IUD. I had seen the one advertised you are talking about for 5 years. I asked my doctor about it he recommended a copper 10 year IUD. I went with the 10 year one. It has been great very little to no side effects. Was done in one office visit took about 2 minutes only very mild spotting and cramping afterwards.

VASECTOMY. So much less invasive, super fast recovery, no side effects (like gaining weight that you mentioned was a concern) and less expensive! Good luck!

I had a c-section in April and a tubal at the same time. It was much easier to have them both at the same time vs. having me undergo surgery a second time after my son was born. I had no problems with it. I released myself from the hospital a day earlier than required for the surgeries and was home carrying my toddler around and my infant and doing laundry, climbing stairs...etc. I'd say, it depends on you and how you recover from surgery...what's normal for you. And your doctor's skill as a surgeon. Some men are just weirded out by the thought of having anything sharp near their private parts...of course, the decision will boil down to which one of you feels less troubled by the surgery itself. But, if you're worried, I wouldn't be. It's not that bad. And, I didn't gain any weight from it either. I would say I'm back to my pre-pregnancy size already.

Send hubby to "the vet". Fewer side effects.

Vasectomy all the way. It's about a twenty minute procedure. My husband took 2-3 days icing it on and off. He said he had a little pain but the day before he fell and broke his elbow and wrist. he said that contributed to most of the pain. Good luck, L.

I opted for a procedure called Esure, it's done as an out patient and my doctor did it right in her office. I had it done on a Friday morning and was back to my normal routine by Saturday.

After our (suprise but welcomed!) 5th baby, my husband and I were in your situation. My hubby didn't want me going through the tubal ligation, so he offer to get the vasectomy. This "procedure" happened in June of 2007, and even to this day after we have sex, his testicles hurt. They become extrememly tender. He has been to his urologist, and our family doctor for this, and they both explained that although uncommon, that this situation does happen. It doesn't happen every time we have sex, but enough to make me not thoroughly enjoy it due to me worrying if he will be in pain for the next couple of days after. Just something you should know and if you do go this route, maybe it's worth talking to the doc about. Good luck with whatever decision you both make:)

After 3 children and some whining, my husband had a vasectomy (I have the stretch marks - he could do this). He laid around on Friday and Saturday with an ice pack and Tylenol, then after that he was fine. The procedure was quick, in-office. For us, it was the better option.

I would go with the vasectomy. I feel this is a much easier procedure. My husband had this done after our 2nd, his 4th child. He was not keen on the idea at first but after talking about how much work it is to be pregnant and then watch me give birth he felt that was the least he could do to contribute to us not having anymore children. We are blessed but 4 children was enough 3 boys and 1 girl (18, 16, 7 and almost 2). I went with my husband the day of the procedure and he was able to and wanted to drive home. He was sore for a few days but able to go back to every day things fairly quickly. Good luck with what ever decision you and your husband make.

Since I was having a c-sec with our last son, I opted to go ahead and get the tubal. Had I had a vaginal delivery, my husband would have gotten a vasectomy. It was a convenience issue since I was already under the knife! I am thrilled with my tubal, it is liberating to not need birth control any more. A vasectomy is definitely simpler than a tubal if you are starting from scratch either way. I do have terrible bleeding problems, but there is no proof that it is from the tubal. Women's periods change every few years anyway, and from a medical perspective, it makes no sense that what you do to the tubes would affect the uterine lining. Anyway, there is a newer procedure called 'essure' that is a female sterilization choice that requires no incisions and is usually done in the office rather than the hospital. I think it just comes down to a personal preference between you and hubby!

Congrats on your complete family!

~L.

My husband got the vasectomy and was fine in 2 weeks, and I mean completely back to normal. He as back to work the next day. It takes 15 minutes for the procedure and they walk out of the office. Much easier.

J.,

We made the decision to go with a vasectomy because of all of the women I was surrounded by that had period troubles after their tubal. I just didn't want to take a chance that I would be one of the ones affected i.e. heavy periods, cramping, etc.

Make sure that you're both in agreement with the decision and don't want any additional children. You know when you know.

Good luck!

J.,
I have no experience with these myself, as I still want to have another child, but I was recently at my ob/gyn for the yearly, and I saw some brochures on a procedure called Essure. It is a form of permanent birth control for women that is less invasive than the tubal ligation. It looked interesting to me, something at least to look into.
www.essure.com
The website says you have to have an "essure-trained doctor." If your doctor is unfamiliar with it, I am happy to refer you to my ob/gyn practice, they are awesome. Just send me a message if you are interested.

J.,
I had my tubes tied after my 4th son was born. I had heavier periods and they were also irregular. It wasn't uncommon for me to go 2-4 months with no period at all, so I never knew when I was going to get it and when it did come it was so heavy!
I would have your husband get a vasectomy because I got pregnant after my tubes were tied and had another baby! There is no test to tell if a tubal was successful but they can test after a vasectomy to be sure it was successful.
I love my 5th little "bonus baby" and he is a huge blessing to us, but I have to admit I am getting a bit tired of the "baby thing." I thought we were done and had gotten rid of all my baby stuff. If you are positive that your family is complete I would opt for the vasectomy.

Hi J.,

My husband had a vasectomy after we had our second child (who came despite using protection everytime). We wanted 2 kids, but little sooner than we thought. I didn't want to put any hormones in my body either, so birth control and other options were out. So, my husband got a vasectomy and it was not a big deal at all. It was done at an outpatient office, took about 1/2 hr. He got it done on a Friday and wasn't supposed to carry our son (our daughter was pretty small at the time, so that wasn't a problem) for the weekend and lay low for the weekend and he was fine after a day. After 3-4 months, he went in for a follow up appt and that was that. I would highly suggest it for your husband as they are way fewer risks, complications etc. than doing a tubal ligation. Good luck with your decision. *C. (son 3yrs old and daughter 16months).

I say vasectomy!!

My theory is that not only is it much less evassive of a surgery, but you went through all the pregnancy, laboor delivery, and most likely do the magority of the caring for the kids...so I feel this is the mans turn to stand up and do what needs to be done:) My husband throughly agrees with me!!

Hello J.! I had the tubal ligation 10 years ago. I had the proceedure right after giving birth. Personally I would not recommend this proceedure to ANYONE! My estrogen levels went very low. I had postpartum depression, which the dr. contributed to having the tubal right after giving birth. I have scar tissue on my tubes now that causes me to have horrible cramps the week before my period. During this time, sex is sometimes painful as well. My dr. says this is a lot more common than some dr's would like us to believe. Looking back now, both my husband and I wish that we would have opted for a vasectomy or another form of permanent birth control. I do have friends who had the tubal and had no problems whatsoever. They are the reason I opted for the tubal. Good luck.

I went through this with my husband too. We talked it out with the urologist. The doctor said that 1. it is easier for the man to get it done, 2. Our tubes as women have a great chance of growing back together. So my husband decided to have it done. We were in and out of the doctors office in 15 min. He came home laid on the couch for a while with ice on and off. Then we drove to Georgia that night for vacation. I just kept an eye on the time and told my husband when to put ice on and when to take it off. Everything went great! The doctors with Tri County Urology are great doctors. Hope this helps!

Hello J.!

My husband went to "Dr. Snippy" after baby #3. He was able to drive himself to the procedure and home again. After 2 days with rest and ice, he was back to his old self again!!! Sex was great, and I was fine!! I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Funny ending though... after almost 3 years we changed our minds about being done with 3... so he went back to the Dr. and had the vasectomy reversed!!!! Now we are the proud parents of 4! Now I'm not so sure about doing things to my body (or my husband's body) that are permanent. After talking to my Ob/Gyn, he said that it is a misconception that you can't take birth control pills after 35 (that's only for people who smoke due to possible blood clots) and that they are finding women who stay on birth control pills into menapause decrease their chances for ovarian cancer.

Something that I didn't know.. and thought I would share. If it helps great... if not .. read on!!
Have a great day!
Peace,
B.

P.S. And if you're a Christian, don't forget to pray about it!!

My best friend had her tubes done 4 yrs ago and she couldnt walk for 3 wks afterwards the pain was so bad.. So when it was our turn to decided what/who to get done.. We chose my hubby. He did it friday and was back on a ladder at his construction job on monday with no problems. He was in and out of the office in 20 minutes.. minimal pain and swelling but no blood or stiches.. Seems much easier to me.. Plus after having 2 natural births myself.. I figured it was his turn for a little pain..lol..
Good luck!

My husband had a vasectomy after he had 2 kids with his first wife, they divorced and he met me, he had the reversal, now we are done and he had another vasectomy. I would have to call him a trooper at the very least! This last vasectomy was a little bit more painful because of all of the scar tissue, but he just had to ice it for 2 days and then he was back to normal. As far as the tubal, a LOT of women who have them end up having extremely heavy bleeding during their periods after the fact. Some bleed so heavily, they can't even leave the house for a day or 2 of their periods. Definitely something to consider. An IUD is something to think about, but there is the chance that your body will reject it... If you know that you are done, the vasectomy is the easiest way to go. Most insurances cover most if not all of it, also. Good luck in your decision!

You have had THREE babies! I think it's your husband's turn to do his part. I say go with the vasectomy. Your body has been through enough!!!

As a mom of three myself, i know how you feel... My husband and i were at the same road when I was pregnant for #3. I decided to go with the tubal for myself. This was my reasoning: the women in my family have a history of needing a hystorectomy by the age of 40... seeing that i knew this and knew that i didn't want anymore children, i opted for the tubal. My husband had concerns about getting a vasectomy... some men feel like less of a man, and i have talked with some that said they had sexual side effects from a vasec.
If you are concerned about the surgery for you...let me tell you from experience it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. small cut in my bellybutton, and i was sore for about a week. by the 2nd week, i was feeling better. I know everyone heals differently, but my experience wasn't too bad. i think you are doing the right thing by asking around and looking at all of your options.
good luck

my husband and i decided on a vasectomy, he knew a lot of guys from work who had it done and talked to them about it, plus it is a much shorter recovery time. just make sure you use protection for the first 6-8 weeks untill his check up to make sure he is sterile.
good luck with whatever you decide

My husband had a vasectomy after our son was born. It was an out patient procedure that took maybe 15 minutes. He had to shave the area, and for the rest of the day keep it iced down. He was off from work one day only (actually, I think we did it on a Friday afternoon so he had the weekend to recover). He was very concerned that his equipment wouldn't work,typical man, but we had no problems whatsoever. Personally, since you are a SAHM, it'd be a better option. Good luck. If you need a name of a good urologist, let me know.

i know your thoughts on no more after 3 i myself have 3 wonderful children and my doctor told me of a procedure called Essure (micro-insert made up of nickle and stainless) it is put in the fallopian tubes. you go in the hospital for out patient surgery and then 6 weeks later going back for a test of dye to test and see if the tubes have sealed with the implants. i have not seen any weight gain since the surgery. and have no problem. my doctor told me of this seeing that i am over weight and is less risky procedure then a tubal. i hope that this my help you in your decsion

Well, I don't know if I'll be much help cuz I had my tubes tied at the same time I had my last baby. I had a planned c-section and so while I was already "cut open" he went ahead and did the procedure. I thought it was pretty quick and easy and I was wide awake. I experienced the same numbness and weakness from the c-section so it wasn't like it was "extra" discomfort. It only took me the normal 3 days to recover. I love not having to worry about it anymore and I hated the side affects of birth control. And my hubby was totally against anyone coming at him with a knife so it was me or nothing. lol. But it was fine. No problems whatsoever. So you sit around on the couch for a few days, no biggie. :)

Hi there. I had major issues with both of my pregnancies and therefore we made the decision to stop having children after our second. I spoke to my OBs (there were 5) as well as my family doctor, and did a lot of research. The conclusion we came to was that the vasectomy is much easier, less invasive, has a quicker recovery, and far less chance for issues than the tubiligation. That being said my hubby had the vas. He got it done on a Friday afternoon, and outside of a little swelling and tenderness, was fine by that night. I would receommend that you consult your OB, but think you will find the same answers- the vas is much easier! Good luck.

Hi J.,

My husband and I had this conversation 10 years ago after our second child and he got a vasectomy because it wasn't as invasive as the other procedures for women. He was fine, we actually drove to Tenn. for a few days and back. So far no problems. As far as a year of testing, not sure on that part, my husband only had to go in maybe a couple of times to leave a specimen for a count and that was 10 years ago so I'm sure things are even easier now. I say go with the vasectomy don't put yourself threw a surgery that will put you down for a while, lifes short you need to live everyday to the fullest! Good luck and I hope I helped you.

N. T.

A Vasectomy, is safer, faster recovery (generally 3-4days), and now doesn't even require an incision!

A tubal ligation is surgery that requires several weeks of recovery, causes scar tissue in the abdomen which can be painful, and can cause you to enter post surgical menopause.

I had a Tubal done in Oct '03....chose to do it since DH was dragging hi feet. I was a little sore afterwards, healed fine and have had zero problems since. They(the Dr. and Hospital) used me as their "Test" student...lucky me....because I was so healthy, never smoked and I was young(er). I have always exercised, so the weight gain was never there! Also, periods are always on time and not real heavy and last for a bout 3 days. That is my experience!
Good Luck on you decision. I know that there is something else I could have done and you should also check into, I think it is called Assure?! Either way, it is inserted like as if you were in an exam, and it creates a scar in you tubes. No down time at all and you must protect your self for 3 months....although with that many young kids, I am sure your protection is the little sleep you do get!?

J.,

We had the same delimma last year after I had our second child. Due to my husband having insurance through the VA and not wanting to risk getting pregnant again, we chose to have a tubal ligation done. My OB/GYN told me about a less invasive procedure. He was able to do it through my belly button and I was able to return to work in two days and felt great in just a couple weeks. Since it was done larthascopic there was no restrictions on lifting and was done outpatient. You may want to have someone stay with you and the kids for a couple days through, especially the first day after surgery. It was a great experience for us. I have not had an issues with weight gain. I can't speak about regular or irregular periods as I have always been irregular.

Val K

A vasectomy is wayeasier than a tubal ligation. It is not invasive and can be done during a lunch hour. What's the question???

J., I had a procedue done in my dr's office that is permanent and actually is more effective than tubal. Pain free, I cleaned and went shopping the next day, I was able to take care of my children the night of the procedure, with a tubal you are laid up for a couple days and have to have anesthia. Also, a vasectomy sometimes requires almost a year of follow-ups to make sure it is effective. Can you wait that long? Also, I work in the medical field and know so many people who have had children post-vasectomy. If you have anymore questions about what I had, email me.

I had a tubal done in Oct. 2004. It really isn't that invasive. My scar is about an inch long and goes along the edge of my belly button, so you can't see it. my recovery time wasn't that long. I had the surgery the day after my son was born and went home the next day (because I had tested strep B positive and he had to stay 48 hours). When I got home the day after my tubal, I was doing laundry, picking up the house, and going about my normal daily routine. It did hurt to bend over after the procedure, but the soreness was pretty well gone by the time I went home. It may be different when not following the birth of your child, but I didn't think it was bad. I also didn't experience any weight gain or changes in my period due to the procedure. The only restrictions I had were from having the baby.

My husband and I personally went for the tubal ligation. It was very simple, and very out patient. They went in through my belly button, did what they needed to do and I was out of the surgical center within an hour of waking up. There's a new procedure where they can go in vaginally now and inplant something into the openings of the tubes, scar tissue forms around it. I'm told that is less invasive - beyond that I'm not sure of the details. I do know that when I left I had no restrictions (and a 6 month old daughter at home)and was able to resume sexual activities when I felt comfortable. The pain was very minimal and I didn't experience any weight gain.

We have a friend who when they decided they were done having kids went the route of a vasectomy. The one thing that struck me as an "inconvenience" was that sexual activities were restricted afterwards. Then there was a schedule of sorts when they needed to have intercourse. There was also a follow up test to make sure that it was successful. It really seemed a hassle to me and a lot to keep straight.

For me, the decision was made simple because I have a medical condition that, for safety reasons of any unborn fetus, I needed to be on birth control unless I had the tubal ligation. Having one less drug to take (I'm was on 4 at the time) was an easy decision to make. However, I also know that for each person it is different. Our friends was really dictated by the fact that HE was the stay at home father, so wouldn't have to miss any time from work in the recovery. Our situation was the same, but our doctor scheduled surgery for a Friday and I was back at work on Monday already.