Hydrocele swelling

Hey all, doing more follow-up on this, but my gut feeling is proving correct.

Post-op the body is filling the space with the healing 'mesh' that later turns into scar tissue - hence the reports of larger testicle x amount of time down the road.

Have any of you tried enzymes than breakdown the fibrin (proteins) that turn into the scar tissue?

My aunt, who's in the medical field, said she used to 'dissolve' fibroids in her uterus than were going to need surgery otherwise, and this is the same situation aka this extra 'mass' not fluid people have reported.

She also said in Europe they prescribe as a matter of normal post-op care, whereas in the US (where I am), well that would be too 'radical'. 😖

Thoughts, experiences....

My actual testicle increased in size along with scar tissue surrounding the back half of it. If there is pill for that sign me up(I'm in Massachusetts) lol because my testicle looks and feels as heavy as an egg at this point in time. Upon waking from my second procedure the doc even commented that he was surprised at the size of the testicle

I asked him at 37 how it would grow he said he had no idea and that he should of measured it prior to the first procedure. Lotta help that does me now I lost my right one when I was 13 so now it looks even more akward with a large one.

Never thought of a Nudicle? 😉

It would make sense it grew after losing your first, like when a lung or kidney is removed to make up the loss of the missing one.... But 24 years later? Strange indeed.

Look up fibrin enzymes, research downstream from there, as these are the proteins that flood in post trauma to form a mesh & hold everything together for healing - and turn to scar tissue over time (collagen - think stretch marks).

The body then dissolves after healing, hence why a scab falls off from the edges to the center.

I had a prosthesis put it at the time I had it removed when I was 13 it was always a bit smaller than the remaining real one as I never had it "upgraded" to an adult size but it wasn't very noticeable if you looked at them. However after the 2 surgeries it's like a grape and an egg down there and totally defeats the purpose of having a prosthesis and the real one feels real meaty, heavy and hangs really low when the scrotum is relaxed so I'm none to happy.

I had my surgery 12 days ago. It is the size of a very large egg and almost the same size as pre surgery. It feels like the hydrocele is back. Is that possible? I don't understand why people write "swollen". After the initial swelling in the first days how can it still be swollen? I have been reading this forum for 3-4 days and it is driving me crazy.

Called today and got an appointment with the surgeon 9 days from now (which will be 22 days after the surgery).

My surgeon said recurrence is10- 20%.

It also feels like the testicle is stitched to the sac. Right now I regret having the surgery unless somehow it gets significantly smaller than pre surgery (which is hard for me to understand).

They stitch the testicle to the inside of the scrotum during the procedure it loosens up over time but will sit at an angle in the sac. From what I have read it is to prevent future fluid buildup. As far as the swelling goes everyone's different it could remain egg sized or go back to normal but again amount of time varies some say it goes back to normal after 3 or 4 weeks and some people say it took a year. Mine is still egg size 2 years after 2 surgeries and feels meaty but it's not fluid its as if the testicle actually grew in size so it's heavy. I have an ultrasound next Monday as I got fed up and went back to the Dr and he agreed it's not fluid.

Thank you for your answer. Was your 2nd surgery also a hydrocele? I guess only a doctor can tell whether it is swollen because of the surgery or if the hydrocele is back...? What are your options if it is a hydrocele and if it is not a hydrocele and just swollen? 

Regarding the stitches from testicle to sac: This is one of the things that bothers me the most because without it it would almost be like pre surgery. When I called the hospital today to get an appointment with the surgeon I asked for my "journal" and she sent it to me. Difficult to read, but I understand 3 different types of stitches were made and I am sure one of them is "testicle to sac". But it says  it is with "vicryl" which google says is "absorbable". But it sounds like your are saying that it will always be fixed to the sac, but only get looser. Anyway looser will be better than how it is now.

I would like an ultrasound but to know what is going on but 9 days feels like a long time to wait. 

My testicle remained large like yours after the first surgery, the doc said it could take a few months for the swelling to completely go away. After about 3 months I went back and had an ultrasound as it was still egg sized and he said he saw some fluid so he said I needed a second procedure. So I had another hydrocelctomy upon waking from the anesthesia the doc said that he was surprised at the size of the actual testicle and that only about 10-20% of the size increase was due to fluid retention. Now I new what size my testicle was pre hydrocele and it wasn't the size of an egg but he couldn't give me a reason why my testicle increased in size. I got a second opinion but that doc kinda blew me off and said it was scar tissue but I know it's not. Anyhow I kind of gave up for a while but I met my deductible for the year so I went back to original doc and had him order me an ultrasound. He said it may be due to a virus or infection or something but it doesn't hurt it just feels and looks swollen still and feels extra heavy. As far as the stitches I know they do use desolvable stitches for the incision and on the testicle itself but I can still feel it anchored to the inside of the scrotum(you really have to feel around for it though) maybe scar tissue forms and holds it there.

By desolvable to you mean "they disappear" right? So for the testicle to be attached to the sac they most use non-desolvable stitches. Just sounds crazy if the use non-desolvable stitches for stitching the testicle to the sac.  Or like you say scar tissue holding it. I think the psycological suffering is worse than the actual pain right after surgery. I know I felt better in the days after surgery (with some moderate pain) than now. 

To Patsfan, hope they find out what's going on this time! As far out as you are would drive me crazy. 😖

I just know those first couple weeks swelled up like b4 surgery were more stressful than prior - brought me to this site the anziety. For whatever reason, starting immediately once I walked into the doctor's for a 'this isn't going right' checkup, everything just seems to turn around for the better. Pyschosomatic maybe? Sort of like tinnitus - if you think about it or are reminded of the ringing, there it is. Otherwise, it's rarely there.

Good luck both of you!

I swear I can still feel stitches on my testicle where they fold the sac back behind the testicle but maybe it's just scar tissue which you will have regardless. The backside of your testicle will feel weird unless they completely remove the sac but I guess the go to is to fold it and tack it to the back of the testicle. I'm not sure the deal with the anchoring it to the sack but I can still feel where it attaches and it definitely hangs different than prior to the sugery. You are right though the psychological aspect sucks it has pretty much consumed me I got divorced about the same time this happened and I haven't even thought about starting a new relationship because of this. It has totally sucked whatever self confidence I had remaining after the ex was done it.

With regard to confidence: If I remember correctly you have written in another thread that you have had your children. So if your penis works then you don't have a problem. You don't want to put your testicle inside her.  

I have had my hydrocele for many years (since I was 11 I think, but it grew with time and I am 34 now). Before the surgery there was 150 ml of water (I know because I have had it drained). I have had an egg sized hydrocele for maybe 15 years. Not really a problem. Before the surgery I was more like a lemon, and then I started to think It was a problem because I thought it was getting too huge. I also chose surgery because I was worried it would get even larger. 

It is not really a big deal. I have never had a "complaint" about the hydrocele from my previous girlfriends. It was not really an issue for me before it started to grow to lemon size around 4 months ago. Even now when I think back the problem was only in my mind! 

I am worried because I don't have children yet and would like to start a family, so I would like everything to be OK. 

An egg sized testicle should not hold you back from finding a girlfriend. Your mind is in your way. 

I just had my 3rd surgery a week ago but again when i awoke from surgery the doc said my testicle was just large so he didnt do anything to it.He did an ultrasound prior and insisted that the hydrocele had returned this is the second time he has said that. Now my testicle is swollen which he said there would be but why if he didnt actually do anything to it? Im all freaked out now that the testicle will remain larger than before as that's what happened on the previous one. I had them put in a larger prosthesis on the other side to kind of even things off but now my left one is the size of a racquet ball and my anxity has kicked in.

Sounds like (from what you have written), there is a chance that either your doctor is very bad or he simply makes surgeries for the sake of money. He was sure it was a hydrocele from the ultrasound but there was none when he made the surgery? Does not sound normal... 

My opinion is that don't think about it ANYMORE. And always get a second opinion. I think the second opinion you had was correct (that it was scar tissue). 

From what I have understood you have to wait for some months before the sweeling goes any. I guess be prepared for that it might increase in size, but hope that it will return to the size of pre surgery. 

Trust me when i woke up i was like wtf do you mean, you did an ultrasound how isnt there a hydrocele? I even told him it didn't feel like fluid to begin with but after the ultrasound i called him and he assured me i had one. But the question remains if he didnt do the surgery then why the swelling? And how did it get bigger after the initial surgery? It wasn't that big pre hydrocele and i did exactly what he told me as far as taking care of the swelling and resting on the previous 2. He got good reviews and has been doing this for like 30 years so i dont know what to think at this point.

I think you should try not to think about it. 

Maybe your doctor makes surgeries because of money. Maybe try to get your ultrasound if possible and sent to another doctor and get his opinion if it was necessary with  3rd surgery. 

From what I have heard it is not necessary to have the surgery if the hydrocele is small. Like I wrote before I had my hydrocele for many years before I got the surgery.