2 Years post hydrocelectomy op, with chronic pain.help.

My god... sounds very familiar. All the pain you're describing is exactly the same as mine. Approximately 2 months ago I was referred to a urologist. I received the same apathetic response from him. He simply said there's nothing that can be done. The surgeon obviously nicked a nerve and artery, and I'll have to live with pain. He indicated that removing the testicle would not make the situation better.

I wish I had a remedy or cure to provide you, but I'm afraid I have little to offer. I take a concoction of Tylenol and Advil when the testicle flares up. The sad reality is it doesn't touch the pain when it's at its worst. I refuse to start using narcotics (OxyContin) to deal with this and would caution anyone from using it. The risks of getting addicted are to high.

In my case, I have applied for compensation from the Norwegian government (where I had the surgery). Unlike the US, they have a govt panel that reviews the mistakes and compensated patients based on the severity of the mistake. I have no idea what one ball is worth now a days! We'll see what happens. The good news, in my case, is they have admitted guilt and have taken responsibility.

I hope you find a remedy and can share it with others. We're obviously not alone. Hang in there my friend.

Yeah sounds nerve related if you didnt have this before the surgery i would say 1+1=2. I have read about other people who had this happen from the surgery apparently there is a nerve that can cause pain in the testicle,groin and inner thigh if cut or knicked.

Hi Glenn, thanks a lot for the reply. Yeah, “My God”, that was exactly my response when I read your write-up. I’ve had serious trouble finding any info relating to my situation in the past so I was pretty surprised when I found this forum. I’ve also found another write-up on this same site that is also very similar.

Thanks for the info about removing the testicle. I’ve always had that thought in the back of my mind as a possible option, so it’s interesting to know that it probably wouldn’t make any difference.

Glad you’ve made some headway with applying for compensation. I know it’s not the same as solving the problem but it’s something. I have considered it but the thought of going through the process make me feel uneasy.

I feel so angry that this situation has arisen from a surgery that I was assured was routine and perfectly safe (and was in fact told that draining was a riskier procedure). In retrospect, I feel that I was rushed into the whole process with a lack of relevant information.

After a consultation with a Pain Specialist I was told the only remaining option was psychological pain management (which I think I’ve already got down considering I’ve been living with this for four years…) or a series of injections to numb the nerves at the site. However, these injections would not be permanent, and repeat injections would be limited in number. The injections also ran the risk of not working at all and there was even a very slight chance they would make the pain worse…

In a way it’s reassuring to know we’re not alone, it’s also highly frustrating to know that others have found themselves in this same situation from EXACTLY the same surgery with absolutely no warning that this was a possible outcome. Much like with the injections, I would have refused had I know this was a possibility.

I’ll definitely keep you posted if I find anything new.

(apologies for the long reply!)

Hey Mike. No worries on the long reply. I hope that others find the dialogue useful and educational. I wish I knew more before the surgery as well.

I haven't explored the injections or pain management yet, but I may have to. I do know not one day is the same. Flare ups are so debilitating I've come home from work on occasion.

I'm a little embarrassed to ask, but have you experienced any change in your moods after the surgery? I don't know if it's related or not, but I'm more emotional. I seem to have lost that "machismo" that I once had. I'm wondering if testosterone levels have diminished as well. I forgot to ask the urologist a few months back - mostly because I was floored by his response that I'd have to live with the pain the rest of my life.

Sorry to ask more questions on such a personal level, but I'm curious to learn as much from others as possible.

Happy holidays.

YES! Since my surgery i have been way more emotional i get all chocked up over stupid stuff like a cheesy commercial on TV and I was NEVER like that before hand. I got my test levels checked a few times because i was so freaked out and they were about 375 i know the normal ange is between 250-1100 but my doc couldnt tell me if my score could have an effect on mood. I have also been extremely tired and lost a lot of interest in things i used to enjoy not sure if its just depression from this whole ordeal though

Yikes. Now the dots are connecting. I've had depression before, and it's definitely different ( at least for me). Depression is a black, horrible abyss when the entirety of living is meaningless.

This 'mood change' after the surgery is exactly what you stated: getting teared up over stupid stuff, losing interest in activities which once brought joy. In my case, I loved wood working, mechanical stuff, and 'doing stuff '. Now I just look at a huge shop of every tool known to man sitting idle... just like the guy who bought them.

I must admit though, the tears suck. I'm embarrassed and often have to remove myself and then gain composure. Again, not depressed, just uncontrollably empathetic over the dumbest things.

Keep me posted if there's any remedy.

Ive been bipolar my whole life and like you said this is different im not used to getting teary eyed o er trivial things. In seeing my doc in a few weeks for a surgery follow up im going to ask him even though im sure he will blow the idea off not sure there is much they can do besides TRT anyways which most doctors shy away from.