My hydrocelectomy procedure journey
Posted , 4 users are following.
I had my hydrocelectomy done today (12/18/20)
I had have had a hydrocele since my vasectomy (don't know if that was the cause or coincidence) nearly 5 years ago. I had put it off, but the last year it has gotten too large. Around the size of a softball/grapefruit, just the right side. I had looked hard into going to Dr. Levine in Chicago for the Aspiration and Sclerotherapy. Did two ultrasounds for it, but the $1,000 price tag, only 80% success, scar tissue from the procedure, not covered under insurance made me go for the surgery. I am 35 years old.
I couldn't eat or drink the night before, surgery didn't happen till nearly 3pm. I awoke, nauseas, I'm sure lack of food didn't help. Pain was maybe a 6/10 when I first woke. They gave me a pain pill, and prescription for more, but not nausea medicine. Told me I could shower in a day, maybe be some bleeding/oozing, wouldn't need to come back. I ended up vomiting on the ride home, half asleep the whole time.
Got home, felt a little better, ate some soup. pain then and now is minimal. walking isnt too bad at all, I bet tomorrow is a different story.
Then I stood up to discover in horror blood all over the couch. Not a massive amount, but it was there. For the first time I explored myself in detail, the incision/stitching was longer than I expected. Then discovered a Pen Rose drain sticking out of my scrotom, and watched blood ooze from it. They said NOTHING about this. I became nauseas again, but didn't vomit.
My wife contacted her doctor friend, even sent a photo. She said it looks good, but was shocked i was given no nausea medication and wasn't informed of the drain. It would have to be removed after a few days or risk infection, but was normal for this type of procedure. My wife called the hospital and spoke to the on call doctor, said he would contact my doctor and set up the appointment tomorrow to remove the drain, said it must have been a communication breakdown, and that was why I or my wife wasn't informed.
All that said, its been about 8 hours since it was done. The pain is minimal, I got nausea medication in me. Pain is minimal. Walking isn't bad. My biggest concern is bleeding everywhere, lol. I currently am not noticing any swelling, I iced it some. but my right scrotom is a huge floppy mess of excess skin currently. I'm hoping it shrinks/tightens up with time. Any one care to speak of their experiance on that?
I'll update my experience on here. I wanted to post because all I ever read online was horror stories. I assumed because most people only talk about it if it went bad online, not good. I have a physical job and hope two weeks is all I need off, but we'll see.
Just hope this helps someone, I'll update.
0 likes, 8 replies
sba AJfc
Edited
thank you for this man. i am 16 and im so worried. all i see on internet is people dying of pain. im really scared about pain.
AJfc sba
Posted
I hope it goes well for you. It's different for each person, and I was just as worried as you by all the things I read. I think so far this has been a easier recovery then my in office vasectomy.
Saturday, it was sore. mostly the lower abdominal area and not the sack, lol. The only time I've had real discomfort is standing after sitting a while. After standing a few minutes it got much better.
Sunday was the same, but less discomfort.
Today, Monday, really wasn't bad at all. Even when first standing. Its gone much much better than I expected. I go tomorrow to have the penrose drain removed. Thats been the worst part, leaking fluid everywhere. I hate to admit I've resorted to using the wifes pads for the drainage.
The scrotum is a little tender. Can see just a small amount of bruising. Some hard spots. I'm expecting hematomas like with my vasectomy that will take a while for the body to absorb.
But, overall, 3 days later I feel good. I didn't expect to feel this good for atleast a week or more.
Good luck and feel free to comment back on your recovery. Don't dwell on all the horror stories, I bet they are the minority of experiances and the good experiances dont get talked about much.
AJfc
Posted
4 days later update.
Went back to my doctor, they removed the penrose drain, just pulled it right out. Barely felt it.
Said everything looked good, the hole from the drain would close itself after a few days, so it would still leak some for a few more days and gave me some gauze. He did mention my right half of the scrotum was still fairly bruised, more than I realized I guess. The stitches should start to fall apart in a weeks time if I recall, and I'd just need to pick them out. Also apologized for not informing me of the drain when I had the surgery done. When I awoke from the surgery, I had asked a nurse how much fluid they removed. She didn't know.
I was told today it was the largest hydrocele my doctor had ever removed. He drained a LITER of fluid.
After the doctor visit the wife and I went to the grocery store, walked all around, no problems.
I'm very shocked that I'm in so little pain and doing so well. Makes me think I could get back to my physical job sooner, but I definitley want to take the time to heal.
I forgot about asking about how to to sustain from sexual activity.
AJfc
Posted
Night of day 4, same day as having the drain removed, the drain hole location started feeling sore, and I started to feel not as great
Day 5, I didn't feel great at all, achy all over, worn out/lathergic feeling. some hot/cold shifting feelings. discomfort/pain mostly from the drain location.
Day 6, all the the same, but improvement.
Day 7, Christmas day I actually woke up feeling pretty good. Was the best I felt waking up since before the surgery, and the most restful sleep I've had.
Day 8, felt pretty good, all my jock underwear were in the wash, I used my boxer briefs, they gave little to no support and the discomfort made it obvious.
Also during this time I've explored myself more thouroughly, the right side that was operated on is pretty firm, just using my hand to grasp it, is say roughly the same size maybe less pre surgery, feels firm and lumpy. reminds me of post vasectomy, id say it will take a long while for all that to be reabsorbed into the body. hopefully as that slowly happens the scrotum will tighten back up with it, My fear is excessive skin once its all healed.
john19600 AJfc
Edited
Had my hydrocelectomy done 12/29/20 just three days ago.... First, I'm 73 and in good health and noticed it about two months ago. It was the size of a tennis ball. Of course I goggled it and didn't see anything about the procedure that would suggest it was anything but a minor procedure. Before surgery the doctor said other patients reported some post op discomfort and prescribed 4 days worth of hydrocodone. After the procedure I was still groggy but remember a lot of discomfort getting into my car. We live an 1 1/2 hours drive away from the surgery center and thank God my wife drove. The pain was intense and though not as intense as I write this, I'm still in a fair amount of pain now into my third day of recovery. I was surprised at the amount of drainage. I wondered how my scrotum could handle that much fluid however the draining has almost stopped and the blood spotting is very minimal. Aside from the lingering pain the hydrocodone has caused me to be very constipated. I haven't gone in three days even though I've taken laxative's. This morning I took another dose and hope to get some relief this afternoon or evening.
AJfc john19600
Posted
I guess I didn't mention, I got some stool softeners/laxative. I took the stool softener twice and laxative once. First bowel movement came 48 hours after. Strained some, and I could feel it bother the areas effected by the operation. Not bad, and it seemed to fade after a couple hours. Bowel movements became more frequent and easier after.
I'm 15 days post op now. I feel normal. Stitches have worked their way out. Few little spots from the stitches that are about healed. Before my right side was about the size of a softball, so big the left side just kind got "swallowed" by the right. Right now, its looking pretty good, close to prehydrocele days. The right side doesn't seem swollen. but there is a mass in there larger than a chicken egg (I'm assuming a hemotoma just like with my vasectomy took months for the body to absorb) . I'm assuming its surrounding my testicle as I haven't been able to locate it yet. It doesn't hurt unless you squeeze some, again reaffirming my original idea.
Sexual activity... at 7 days my wife and I tried, very little motion, and everything was fine. We've done more motion each time and no problem. I think I even got a inch back now that I don't have a softball hanging on down there. The wife was pleased as well, lol.
Have one more doctor follow up Monday before returning to work (really unnecessary, but more of a work deal).
john6969 AJfc
Edited
hi, I had my hydrocelectomy July 29th 2019. it went ok they surgical removed it and said it held 2 beer cans full of fluid. well, felt good after little sore, ice helped.. but have swelling, seen doc twice after 2 more ultrasounds, they did hematoma, should abdorb.. well today is jan. 2nd, 2021, my upper left testicle now has a lemon sized egg, cyst, what ever attached to it, looks like I have 3 balls. made app with totally new urologist feb 3rd. it is uncomfortable, huge in the morning and opposite top end of my left hydrocele. so, I have no idea what's going on , but. at this point I don't care what they cut out.. im done...
AJfc john6969
Posted
@john6969 I can't recall reading your last response. Sometimes this forum is funky notifying of responses.
Just wanted to say I hope for you the doctors have gotten you fixed up by now. I'd love to hear that.