Surgery vs alternative

Hello Ajfc,

I was wondering if you ever went to Chicago to see Dr. Levine. I have been self-aspirating for six years now and I'm getting tired of it. Going to Chicago is sounding better and better? If you did have the sclerotherapy please let us know how it went for you.

Thanks.

EK

Went in July and had mine aspirated and sclerotherapy, 4 months later doesnt seem to have worked. They charge the $1000 plus the $300 for the doxycyclene. Thinking if I want to try a second time or not

No, I haven't. I had to get a second ultrasound (more recent) done at the request of Dr. Levine. its non-septated so I am a candidate.

I spoke with the staff and I decided to wait till spring due to Chicago getting a lot of snow. Having to schedule the new ultrasound put me closer to winter than I had hoped.

I have been doing more googling. It seems this procedure has a 75% success rate, but seems to be higher when using doxycyclene at 85%.

its $1,000 (out of pocket, they don't accept insurance for this procedure) at Dr. Levine (although his website still says $450). Plus roughly $300 in doxycyclene, but they say that can be covered.

bry07102's experiance is unfortunate. $1300 is bit to gamble on. But, I think I will still attempt this first.

Please post with any updates you have in your situation.

Thats very unfortunate. Thats my fear in this, traveling that far, that kind of out of pocket cash, then failure. But, I think I will try this first. Maybe twice if need be... the chances of surgery being positive seem to be as good as this procedure, percentage wise. But, no recovery time or chance of side effects... If this doesn't work, I think I may just live with it instead of surgery.

Plus feel free to post your experience in detail for the rest of us.

I wish you success in whatever method you chose next.

My feeling is it's worth spending whatever it takes instead of surgery - never a huge fan of going under the knife - so I probably will do a 2nd round this spring - traveling to Chicago is not the easiest from the Northwest.

A quick note on my last experience, flew in a Thursday night - had the procedure Friday afternoon, flew out Saturday night. Pain wasn't too bad until about 30-60 mins afterwards - basically couldn't bend down to take off socks/put on pants until the next day - took Tylenol and it helped alleviate the pain some - for the next few days definitely tender with random pain on different days for the next few weeks.

Thanks for the reply. I have a physical job, if I had this done on a Friday, rested the weekend. think going back to work would be doable on Monday? Or take a few extra days?

Pain is a subjective thing, not everyone responds the same. From what little reading I could find it seems most have little pain to no pain?

I asked Dr, Levine's staff this question. And also asked this, "My hydrocele seems to be a byproduct of me having a vasectomy, as it appeared shortly after. Would that have any bearing on the chances of a positive outcome?"

Staff couldn't answer those two questions the doctor would. But I would have to pay $200 for a consultation to get an answer. Seems insane to me they couldn't just ask that for me and get back to me.

Regarding pain, they said everyone responds differently, some have excruciating pain right when it's injected - some get nothing - mine didn't start hurting until later and just became really uncomfortable. If I had to do lighter physical activity that Monday I could have, just would have been a little painful. I only took Tylenol that Friday and Saturday and didn't take anymore (they also gave a RX for the hard stuff that I never got).

Most of the Staff there isn't doesn't want to answer any questions or help too much IMO, although they probably get a ton of random people calling and wasting their time since Dr Levine is one of the only Dr's to do this. My bet is the Dr will not know a direct answer to your question, I'd just go for it.

Yeah, I plan to just do it.

My worry isn't so much pain. But, rather physical activity too soon lessing the chances for a successful outcome.

Even if i have to take a few days off after, and the cost of out of pocket. In the long run, its still way cheaper from the stand point of lose wages then the surgery. My doctor that did my vasectomy I went back to about this before learning of AS, said he would want me off work at least four weeks. o_0

I decided to just have a hydrocelectomy 12/19, everything went great. 8 days post now. Dr said that the doxycycline did cause a bunch of scar tissue (didn't work to stop the hydrocele) but did require extra stuff to dig out so just an FYI there. I had made a few additional calls to other Dr's throughout the USA regarding hydrocele sclerotherapy/aspiration and all of them said that they had never had a case where it was completely cured and did not require additional surgery (including the St Georgia Utah PA that is referenced on this board a bunch, in fact he really doesn't even do them anymore because of no success.

Surprisingly cost out of pocket for the surgery was only $400 more total than the sclerotherapy/aspiration I had done in Chicago.

I meant to reply shortly after your post but had login issues.

How has your post surgery experience been?

I am considering just doing the hydrocelectomy late this year instead id gambling on the AS Therapy....

Post recovery was definitely more difficult than I'd pictured. The first week is the tough one, I hadn't read of massive night sweats anywhere (I guess due to the testosterone) pain was fine when laying down, being upright was very painful until about week 2 (I believe I stopped pain pills at end of week 1). At 4 weeks today, have my last doctors visit in 10 days, hopeful to be able to start working out again soon - I believe all was successful - just some swelling I am still dealing with.

Sounds rough, but glad for you it seems to be healing well. I have read about so many horror stories it has scared me from doing it.

Not sure what kind of job you have. But mine is physical. Lifting and lowering, and the such. At four weeks, it sounds like a doctor wouldn't clear you back for my kind of work till your appointment 10 days from now?

My doctor said he'd want me off atleast four weeks. Thats a long time with no work.... another big reason I haven't done it and was looking at Dr. Levine pretty hard....

I think you'd be at least 4 weeks out from physical work. I have an office job so 7-10 days was fine for me. If I was you I'd probably try Dr Levine and see where things go? Maybe you'll get lucky. I'm never a fan of going under the knife, but I felt like after failed sclerotherapy #1 and waiting until #2 (spring/summer) it was worth it to just go before Christmas and have a some time off (flexible for my job before and after Christmas) I want to get back to working out/etc. Mine was just under 400ML.

Thanks for the advice. Ill have to think about Levine again, lol.

I doubt id be so lucky for Levine's technique to work. I believe my hydrocele is a direct result of the vasectomy I had. When they were trying to locate the "plumbing" on the right side, they had a very hard time. I chose to do the in office procedure instead of surgical. (They gave me my first ever valum before to loosen the patient up, which made me feel drunk like for 10 minutes, when the doctor asked how I was feeling, I said very sober. I didn't want to be sober for this, lol.)

But he said total procedure time was around 20 minutes, it took 35 because of the hard time doing the right side. They even started "digging" deeper than the lidocaine injection. The nurse noticed I was curling my toes in pain, they asked if it hurt, I said a little. (was pretty intense pain felt it all the way up to my shoulder, I have a very similar story about a root canal, but I guess my answer is its a manly thing to just take the pain, doctors don't like that answer)

But, after all that, he said for that procedure I handled it better than any patient hes had, lol. But, I soon after develop this hydrocele. They dont give a warranty on their work sadly.

2 month update on my surgery, all seems good. I'll say waiting a whole year from my diagnosis of hydrocele was too long - became way too uncomfortable. Both testicles are basically the same now with a little noticeable scare tissue but nothing too bad - no pain and can move great - back to crossfit w/o a problem. The first 10 days are very rough - but well worth it.