Painful Testicular Nightmare! Need some opinions please.

Have had hydroceles left and right testicles. Painful when sitting or any compression of the testicles. Can cause the epididymis to swell too. Scrotum sweats profusely. Doctor recommends no action as operation in his opinion does not have a good success rate! However, the thought of living with this, which will only get worse does not fill me with any sense of being cared for!

To some degree I can understand the NHS being averse to another surgical option as in the testicle area these op don't always have huge success rate.

However the lack of pain relief is unbelievable! I know only too well how horrible and debilitating pain in that area can be.

I'd strongly suggest going back to GP and asking for prescription strength pain relief, demand of necessary but obviously in a polite way.

To be left in pain when no relief is not a caring mechanism or way forward.

Hi Toaren,

I know e aptly what your dealing with and yes for us with testicle issues this is the norm sadly. I was looked upon as pathetic. I could see it in their eyes. My pains daily went 10 times higher than any scale. They ended up putting me on steroids and kidney flush and 80 mcg of oxy per day. This did zero for me. Had similar diagnoses. Cried my tears dry.. If you seek a urologist demand to see one who specializes in our sexual reproductiive organs, not anything else or you'll spin your wheels. My resolution was drastic according to most as I had three surgeries and list both to a double inguinal orchiectomy. This may shock some but guess what? They don't hurt anymore and I have my life back and my sexlife is better than when I was 16. I'm almost 50!!!!! My Dr. That rescued me was Dr Hsiegh out of UCSD and is willing to speak with men suffering here in this forum. Wish I had more time but I'll check back soon. There may be an alternative he knows of....

Toaren, Im going exactly for what you are going thru. I have exactly the same condition of you and I also have a very hard demanding job. I have the first surgery on June and I did my sonogram two weeks ago and the dignosis its exactly the same. Please keep in touch because it causing me a lot of pain and I have being loosing a lot of time from my job.

Hello guys! Sorry for being away for so long and the lack of responses. Update for you all, and its been nothing short of extremely frustrating. Last time I posted I was on my way to see the Urologist. I was hopeful yet fed up at the same time. It took a month to get in, and I was scheduled to see the PA and not any of the Urolgists from their Urology Group. Not discrediting the PA at all whatsoever, the first visit he was very caring and his bedside manner was great. Just was a tad irksome. I had two visits with PA and was given a anti-inflammatory med to take twice daily, and 15 Norco Pain Relievers. The anti-inflammatory did absolutley nothing and the pain relievers did help substantially but had to space them out as I only was given 15. The second time I saw the PA, it was a the exact opposite from the first visit. He seemed annoyed rather than caring, and very short with me. He seemed perplexed and skeptical that the Varicocele was causing me pain. I was told a surgery was an option, but not recommended as 30% of the time it does not help and can actually cause more pain than before, not to mention being out of work for another month to six weeks. Or he would contact the Pain Clinic for recommendations and a referral. I chose the second option as the surgery is not the route I want to go, especially with a 30% failure rate. He told me he would contact me later in the week and update me after talking to the Pain Clinic. 2 WEEKS later after hearing nothing, I received a call from the office manager who told me they needed to schedule me for ANOTHER Ultrasound. I asked why I needed another after just recently having one and was told she didnt know but thats what was requested. I then asked about what the PA's finding were from talking to the Clinic, and was also told she knew nothing about it.

So YAY, Ultrasound #2, after the tech was almost finished the senior radiologist came in to take a look and talk with me. She showed me the Varicocele on the screen and said that it made complete sense that it would be causing pain when being active and mobile (Exact opposite reaction than the PA gave me). A week later the same office manager called and left me a voice mail saying that the small minute hydrocele on my right testicle had shrank, but I was still in pain so they would be referring me to pain clinic which would be getting a hold of me within a few days. OK first of all the small hydrocele on my right side has been known about for 3 years and has never been an issue, and certainly not related to the issue at hand. Unreal, ha. Another 2 weeks pass and no call from the Clinic. I contact the Office Manager and she answers the phone while smuchling on food while talking. I tell her I still have heard nothing from the clinic after 2 weeks and that I was confused as to why she called post ultrasound to only tell me about the unrelated hydrocele. Still chewing on food she tells me she would call the clinic immediately and they would call me by the end of the day... A week later and nothing. My Brother (A physical therapist) advises me to call public relations at the Hospital and tell them my patients rights are not being upheld. So, this is the plan for the next morning. Low and behold I get a call from the clinic first thing that morning, haha. Only to be told it would be a MONTH before I could be seen, and that it was a consultation to see if they would take me on as a patient. (As they say lately, The Struggle is Real)

I've since seen the PA at the Pain Clinic and to start he has put me on Lyrica as it is known to help nerve pain and such. It has seemed to help at times, but I still have been in a lot of pain, with waves coming and going. Just not as frequently as before. I luckily found a couple spare pain pills from last years surgery, which have helped. Although I feel nervous as to them giving me a urine screen since taking those. I guess it should be fine as they were prescribed to me in the past. I am curious to what will be done the next visit coming up in a cpl weeks, and will keep you all informed.

I thank you all for the lending ear and shoulder as this has been a miserable experience and is affecting my life substantially Apologies if the update was long winded. Feel free to write back as I really do appreciate the feedback.