Hydrocele Repair - Time to Heal
Posted , 4 users are following.
Like many seeking information on hydrocele repair operations, I had spent 7 years putting up with carrying a small coconut between my legs because according to much of the literature, the operation was likely going to either hurt like hell or fail.
I am based in the UK so the NHS looked after my operation and aftercare, and a great job they made of it.
I am also a pensioner so all the young men with their "I recover quick" claims worried me a bit.
So here goes, this is the story of my operation.
?It was my luck to be the last operation of the day. I was in the theatre for about an hour, but that bit of the procedure is no problem at all because all you need to do is be able to count to 10. Believe me, I am a 6' 1", big guy and I went under like a baby.
After the operation I became semi-conscious as they wheeled me to ‘recovery’. No aches or pains as you are under the influence of the aesthetic.
By this time, it was about 9 PM so they said I would need to stay overnight for them to monitor me. Apparently, this is routine, they need to check blood pressure and temperature for a few hours after the operation.
I remember being thirsty and taking water from a cup and straw. I went in and out of consciousness, I guess until about 11 PM. No pain.
It’s now about 4 AM and I am fully conscious. I can feel things and there is a load of ‘packing’ where my oversized scrotum had been. I had also been fitted with a jock-strap to keep things in place. This is most important.
9 AM and I must say the pain is still only slight, mostly caused by the jock-strap pushing against the operation site, but I volunteered to have a couple of high power Ibuprofen just in case. The operation aesthetic had now completed worn off.
I had a light breakfast, porridge and honey, and a cup of tea (remember, this is England).
11 AM the doctor came to check me out and said that the ‘drain’ could be removed. That does not hurt at all and takes 10 seconds to complete. As I had passed urine and by now, walked about a bit (legs well apart) I could go home.
12 noon I am home, lying flat out on my own bed, I felt tired.
For the next week I took Ibuprofen every night before bed. Things are tender from the stitches but the anticipated internal aches were not at all bad.
By the end of week 2 I could stop the Ibuprofen at night. I found it most comfortable to sleep on my back with my legs slightly apart, for obvious reasons. I had by now jettisoned the uncomfortable jock-strap and instead used 2 pairs of ‘old man’s’ pants to keep the dressing against the wound and all things together.
The rest of my story is just about gradually getting fitter.
I showered every morning and changed my dry absorbent dressing (Zetuvit E 10 cm X 10 cm) is great, very absorbent. I cleaned the wound again in the evening before going to bed. By this time, I have mastered the best way to dress the wound (for me). Hold the dressing up against the wound then place a folded paper kitchen towel against the pad so you are covered from top to bottom so to speak. This held things in place really well.
I did worry after week 4 that the discharge from my wound was still there every morning and evening. The discharge was yellow in colour and sometimes a pale brown. There was no smell coming from the discharge. I went for a check-up and the doc was relaxed about the discharge and said it could take “a while” to stop draining.
Apparently, if the discharge is in any way emitting an odour, it could have been come infected. If the discharge does smell then go to the doctor for some antibiotics to clear things up.
Week 5 last of the absorbent stiches finally fell out. It bled just a little for about 3 days.
It was not until week 6 did the discharge literally switch off like a tap. No leaks morning or night.
I am now into week 7, feeling good. The beast is now back to a normal size.
Gentlemen, would I have it done again, most certainly. My coconut was so embarrassing that in the end I was walking about holding a ‘man bag’ in front of it to hide the protrusion. It even woke me up in the night.
I say, have the operation, you will feel like a new man.
1 like, 2 replies
b0son noel64181
Posted
I had a bilateral repair, it was about 3 weeks til I had healed enough to be able to exercise/run. I was lucky to be prescribed endone post-op, that helped with the pain, most of which was gone by day 7. The hydroceles have not come back, but I did also have spermatoceles in both epipdidymi, one side has receded slightly, but the other has gotten bigger. So I'm booked for another op for an epididymectomy on one side (in around 5mths), and if by then, the other side is looking like it needs it, doc said he will do another epididymectomy 6 weeks after.
denise57770 noel64181
Posted
My father had this procedure done in December 2017. It was horrific from day 1 - after we'd been told this is a 'routine surgery' and NO cause for concerns when his scrotum swelled up to the size of a LARGE softball - and would not subside. The drain tube was removed 4 days post-op - however the swelling got worse and worse and worse. Long story short - my father was back and forth for the next 4 weeks - the doctor RE-inserted the drain tube - still to no avail on the swelling. Then hard lumps started forming and his penis began swelling as well. Went back to dr and dr did emergency surgery the following day (1/3/18). My father had to have his right testicle REMOVED, and has about a 4 inch incision across his scrotum closed with staples. Also, they did about a 5 inch incision at his belt/belly line and that is also closed with staples. He is in the hospital on mega strong antibiotics and is in miserable pain and on morphine. This is so wrong. I am thinking heavily about a lawsuit. This has just been such a complete disaster and I feel so sorry for him. (He is 70 years old ..) ....