Update to Painful Testicular Nightmare. My Journey thus far with a Painful Varicocele.

Original Post:

Hello everyone.

I have been having complications with my left testicle for the past 2 years. I had surgery (hydrolectomy) for a large (Grapefruit sized), painful hydrocele this past January. Thankfully surgery went well and healed up fine, life was finally getting back to normal, until... Around three weeks ago I started feeling pain ranging from dull to sharp in the same testicle I had surgery on. As I am stubborn I didnt go to the doctor immediately and figured I would keep an eye on it hoping it would go away. After 2 weeks of pain getting progressively worse and obvious swelling in the tubes above my testicle I scheduled my appointment. They were able to get me in the very next day, but with an alternate doctor that I had not seen before. I was examined by the Doctor and he thought I may have a case of Orchitis, but wanted me to have an ultra-sound and see a Urologist. He asked if anything over the counter pain relievers were helping with the pain, and I told him no that I had tried several things and nothing was helping. He then said he was going to put me on an Anti-Inflammatory Antibiotic (Which makes me feel like major Poo) but wasnt going to prescribe anything for the pain, and to just take Aleve twice a day. This was and has been very frustrating as the Aleve doesnt and hasnt touchd the pain, and for the fact that he asked if anything over the counter was helping, only to go on to say he wasnt going to prescribe anything for the pain.

I had my ultra-sound and the results came back clear for major abnormalities/cancer/cysts/tumors. However found a hyrdocele on my right testicle, and a Varicocele on my left. The Doc called me to give me these results, that I have Orchitis with a Varicocele and said ultimately I was Urology speaking "Complicated" and is scheduling an appointment with the Urologist. I once again told him that the pain and swelling has gotten progressively worse, only for him to say "Im sorry your in pain, just try and take it easy, perhaps the Urologist can make you feel more comfortable"..... [eek] Where is the care!? I work a very physical job and have been in pain for three weeks. I cant take it easy unfortunately. I hope in this discussion that I dont sound like a baby/crybaby complainer, I really am not. I am just very frustrated that there seems to be no care whatsoever that I am in pain and it is affecting my day to day mentally and physically. What are your opinions? Does this seem normal? Would any of you feel frustrated? Or should I just continue to grit my teeth and bare it? I am seeing the Urologist next week, so I will update on what he says and if he will do anything to help with the pain. Thank you all SO much for reading and your feed-back and opinions.

Up to Date Update:

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) [frown]

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 [sad] Apologies if the update was long winded. Feel free to write back as I really do appreciate the feedback.

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