Surgery next week
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi all, Im going in for surgery next week. Thought id keep a bit of a record of it and the recovery here.
First noticed hydrocele about a year ago, it was already then the size of a plum. Now its an avocado and approaching a mango. Had aspiration + sclerotherapy twice, neither time worked. Second time it came back 90% within 24 hours which was rather alarming. And since then its also caused some on and off and positional dependent inguinal pain, radiating into my abdomen and leg.
So im getting it fixed, hopefully for good, next week.
good luck to anyone else reading this and having surgery! we got this 😃
0 likes, 11 replies
doglover22 Gunjara
Posted
thanks soooooo much for posting....who did your Aspiration and sclerosing? the docs who do this say its 855 effective almost as much as the surgery.....sounds like BS...would love to chat with you if you are available
Gunjara doglover22
Posted
In europe. Yes, I saw some studies about it beforehand but I am skeptical. If it works so well, why is it not more widely adopted? There is also no mechanistic logic behind why it should work, at least as far as I am aware. It was worth trying, because of course if it had worked I would be saying something very different! But I am not convinced about the 85% + the docs quote.
It might work better on smaller hydroceles - thats also a factor which has not been studied.
doglover22 Gunjara
Posted
Thanks Gunjara Dr Levine in Chicago and another doc in LA both told me they have a high success rate.....their receptionists told me very few people ever come back....its probably all lies....once they get your thousand they say oh sorry it didnt work...
Gunjara doglover22
Posted
I think its worth trying if you can avoid surgery. The only thing id be careful of is if they say "oh we sometimes need 2 or 3 sclerotherapies to fix it for good". Thats what I was told. But each time it creates more scar tissue which makes having surgery later harder and more likely to result in complications.
Gunjara
Posted
1st day post surgery here!!
Its been an absolute doddle so far. Yesterday the op was at 8.00AM, I woke up at midday with no memory of anything. Very little pain until about 4PM, when the local anaesthetic was wearing off. I was given strong painkillers (codeine) and while taking this stuff its absolutely fine. I was able to walk around the house a bit, cook dinner, etc. I found it hard to sleep and I think that was probably the pills making me a bit high...
Today woke up, took a codeine and im feeling fine! Probably will go for a walk later. My scrotum is very swollen, probably twice the size of the hydrocele itself. but not bleeding, so im sure that will go down in a few weeks time. Im supposed to keep the jock strap on for 2 weeks, but its not really uncomfortable. Definitley helping hold everything in place.
Ill keep updating but so far, so good!
Gunjara
Posted
Day 3: I feel great! I feel almost nothing down there even without the codeine. Been able to walk around the road a bit. Swelling is going down very slightly and theres been no bleeding or oozing at all.
Sleeping is no problem with a pillow between my legs. Will be showering tonight for the first time.
All said - so far, its going great 😃
doglover22 Gunjara
Posted
Gunjara ---thanks sooooooo much for these updates....how are you now? Pain? swelling? Where are you---who was your doctor? will testicle return to normal size....how big is the scar
Gunjara doglover22
Posted
Day 6 - Swelling is going down a lot now but its still big enough to make me walk with my legs splayed out! Ive been able to manage several thousand steps a day no problem though, so thats all good.
Theres a tiny bit of bruising, seems to be internally. Minimally painful, only a bit where the bruise is. But im mostly off the painkillers now, bar a bit of paracetamol. The skin is healing very well. Stiches are still in and theres been a tiny bit of blood but at this point its almost completely closed. The cut looks to be about 1 inch across. Testicles feel perfectly normal. One unexpected side effect is that because they shaved the pubic hair, theres a bit of friction rubbing on the jock strap. But that will grow back.
It was done in the UK, private hospital. Even though the swelling is still there at the moment, theres noticeably less pressure on my ball with the hydrocele removed. The tension from it was pretty uncomfortable at times. So far, im so happy I went through with the surgery. I cant comment on long term yet, and im already going mad from not being able to ride my bike. But hopefully that will only be a few weeks more.
Gunjara
Posted
Day 10 - walking normally now! No bruising that I can see. Swelling is almost entirely gone on the unoperated side. The side with the cut is still quite swollen, I imagine it will take several weeks to go. I've been wearing a tight fitting jock strap since the op, and I was told I can take it off after 10 days. Although I will probably keep it on, its quite comfortable to be honest and its good knowing I have the support.
I am hoping I might make it back on my bicycle in another 10 days or so.
All told - for anyone else umming and aahing about the surgery - Im so glad I did it, and I only wish Id done it sooner.
Gunjara
Posted
Day 20 now! I am DELIGHTED to say that i hopped on my bike yesterday and it felt great. Much better than pre-surgery.
Overall the swelling has come right down and even the loose skin on my scrotum seems to have bounced back. Its not anywhere near as saggy as I expected. The testicle on the cut side is still swollen, maybe 3x the size of the other one. But thats the only noticeable swelling thats left. I understand it could take several months to go down to normal and even then might still be a bit lumpy or bigger than before due to the sown up sac being there.
I kept the wound covered with a dressing for the last 20 days, and showered only every 2 or 3 days to reduce the chance of infection. Most of my stiches are still in now but I decided to take the dressing off now that the wound has completely closed up. There are some flakes of dead skin coming off it, but its healing great.
I have had the jock strap off too for the last 4ish days. I think the air helps the healing and it no longer needs the support.
I am SO thankful I had this done.
jim28062 Gunjara
Posted
I'm jumping in with a related comment / question to those who have or contemplate surgery because this thread shows others are following and have replied. Perhaps somebody can relate.
About me,: age 78 , very overweight (300 lbs) and have excess lower belly fat. I also have a hydrocele in one or both testis. Now for my issues. I'm probably going to be a bit graphic.
With the hydrocele , plus accumulation of low belly fat, and a short penis, it barely extends beyond my scrotum. When I pee, I have to pull it out. At 78, my prostate is also enlarged. I take Tamulosin (Flowmax) but I still have urgencies and drip occasionally. When I finish peeing, a few drips run down my scrotum. If I am not someplace where I can use a washcloth, etc, it leaves me damp. Because my weight, size of my testis and closeness, dampness due to sweating in warm weather causes what is referred to a jock itch and rash.
I use anti-fungal powder with little effect. Years back, similar jock itch bothered me (I have always been fat but did not have hydrocele). To alleviate the itch and fungus, my doctor suggested hot sitz baths. Given size minimal flexibility to sit and get out of a tub, I use a hand held shower to direct water as hot as I can stand on my crotch. This and antifungal powder have some effect. However, I am concerned the hot water may make the hydrocele worse.
What else? Besides embarrassment of a very short and almost completely receding penis, I take Finasteride to my prostate related to a diagnosis of cancer in 2012. This keeps my PSA acceptable and several successive MRIs over three year to show the cancer is benign. Finasteride also affects my penis from getting an erection but at 78 and fat, I haven't had any opportunities lately.
My urologist has said that a hroceloeectomy to drain fluid would be painful, take a long time to recover with a 50% chance the hydrocele would reoccur. I am waiting a referral appointment to a different urologist that does the procedure using laser, which is much less evasive and with a shorter recovery . Wheter or not it will be covered by my Medicare is yet another bridge to cross.
Sooooo, your thoughts?