Swelling after hydrocelectomy
Posted , 86 users are following.
Just wondering if anyone has had the same experience I have had following a hydrocelectomy. I am now 10 weeks post op and still have some swelling (egg size) I saw my doc about 5 weeks after surgery and he didnt seem concerned and doesnt want to see me again till December. I have read it can take 3-6 months for all swelling to subside but I was just curiouse if anyone has had the same problem as me as I am still kind of nervous.
4 likes, 295 replies
JML99 pf7
Posted
Hi,
Greeting from the UK
can i ask your advice please.
I've just returned from the doctors following concerns with a large ball bag. Right ball about the size of a golf ball but does get smaller and bigger depending on temperature, stress levels etc. But It seems to have got large over last few years and then in the last two weeks its started giving me grief when working out, walking so may have got suddenly worse recently..No pain except when doing strenuous activity. so it isn't that bad. although abit uncomfortable. I can still have sex etc.
So having researched it, looks like surgery is a good possibility.
Having read your post (very handy) alot of you seem to have had bad experiences and it looks like it can take up to a year for swelling to go down and pain to disapear and doesn't seem to reduce the size that much.
Having been locked down for a lot of 2020 (Covid 19), i dont want to have another crap year going back and forth to the hospital and being in pain and not doing the things i like to enjoy. Especially in the summer.
Should I have the operation or not? perhaps wait until its really bad? Does it really solve the problem. Is it worth it?
I'd appreciate your views.!
If you had a crystal ball and could go back in time.
thanks
david03916 JML99
Posted
JML 99, With it that small I would suggest bath or 2 a day with epsome salts, supposed to pull fluid through skin, also get a bit of relief from inversion table 30 min 3x daily $125. at amazon
pf7 JML99
Posted
I dont regret my surgery i do regret my choice in Dr though. Its been about 5 years since my final surgery (i had 3 because my dr sucks apparently) and while my testicle is still about 2 times its normal size(its not fluid though) its still 100x better than it was before and my scrotum no longer sags at all.
User60042 pf7
Posted
Hey everyone,
I am around 6 months post surgery and hope my experience can help others so here i go. I lived with a hydrocele for the past 10 years or so. I was around 13 when i developed it and learned to live with it during that time. From hanging casually, to playing sports or having sex, this affected my life every single day. I am 23 now and finally, i decided to go through with the surgery and take care of this as it negatively affected my life in so many ways. The first two weeks post surgery are hell. The pain is unbearable and you will question why you went through with the surgery and why this had to happen to you. For the first week or so make sure to ice to reduce swelling. Also make sure to treat the incision, using petroleum jelly or vaseline. I was using a jock strap with gauze to hold in place, but that was torturous and burned like crazy, i recommend a small face towel instead. Don't try and do too much, the more you move the more pain you will be in. I was taking 600mg ibuprofen 2-3 times a day, and smoking round the clock. After this brutal period the black and blue came down and things were starting to look up. For the next few months the progress was minimal, i am still experiencing alot of the same issues i had pre surgery. If you have had a big hydrocele, i am sure you are familiar with your balls bunching together and flaring up. This seems to be due to excess skin as your basically living with a third testicle. I am approaching 6 months post surgery and i am still dealing with this. Even though i am not fully healed, i am happy i went through with the surgery. I am optimistic about my balls returning to normal, hopefully sometime in the near future. Living with a hydrocele is all i know so if anyone has any questions feel free to reach out. Its been a long fight over the past 10 years dealing with this, often questioning my manhood and if something was wrong with me. I appreciate everyone on this forum its nice to have a support group and know that your not going through this alone
mark0707 User60042
Posted
Hey!
Seems like your situation is a bit like mine. I had my op on 5/28 of last year. Didn't deal with too much pain, and I just iced the area when needed for the bits of irritation that I did have. I'm at the point now where, as you mentioned, it seems like the sac flares up, even this long after the op. It seems like it's more "lose" or relaxed (normal) at times during the day, but then at others, it feels the same as it did before I had the op done. I was told a couple months ago that everything appears fine from an ultrasound I had done, and that apparently it's just scar tissue, but I don't know. I just wish it would return to normal.
aabid91582 pf7
Posted
I have undergone surgeries for hydrocele two times. The first time, I underwent open surgery (also known as hydrocelectomy) and for the second time, I underwent laser surgery (also known as laser hydrocelectomy).
After hydrocelectomy, I had to suffer a lot. The fact is that I didn’t feel pain or any discomfort on the day of the surgery. But when the effect of the anesthesia went down, I started experiencing swelling and inflammation in and around my scrotum. Swelling after hydrocelectomy is quite common.
Not only this, I had to go through the same for around 4-5 weeks. I even had no idea about the exact cause of the swelling. But when I visited my doctor, all he did was only prescribed me some medications. Nothing more than. After 4-5 weeks, the swelling went away on its own or may be due to the medication I guess.
Based on my personal experiences, I must admit that laser surgery is the best treatment for hydrocele. I clearly remember that after my laser hydrocelectomy, I hardly had to feel mild pain for the first 1-2 days, then I was back to my normal routine within a week.
david03916 pf7
Posted
I have had the same experience post op now around 8 weeks out my swelling is tangerine sized, had an ultrasound There are numerous internal septations identified, new since the prior exam. Redemonstrated scattered echogenic debris within the right hydrocele. In addition I have a small hydrocele in my left testicle where there was none before surgery. Was told alternate heat and cold and keep testicles elevated above heart, I do that when I sleep, and on an inversion table 3x daily, My hydrocele feels reduced after I get up and off inversion table, then swells back up. I am beyond nervous. Is there anyone who has had similar and can advise me my Dr says removing the testicle is the best route. I'm not sure I agree with a second hydrocele in the other testicle.
m27374 pf7
Posted
hey
sorry I'm a mum to a 5 Yr old who's post op 6days with a hydrocele they said it wasn't connected and they had stretched something inside so it would be easier to get to if it came back
After he woke up from anesthesia they looked like a normal pair though they where a bit saggy as they'd drained the fluid but within 2 days it looks exactly like it did before, im hoping this is normal can't bare him to have to go through it again it took us a year to get the op done with covid
pf7 m27374
Posted
I dont know which procedure he had but with mine there was a LOT of swelling afterwards so i wouldnt worry about it just yet give it a few weeks and see if the swelling goes down. In the meantime icing it really helped me, I also wore tight briefs for a few months.
Lu92 pf7
Edited
Hello everyone, I kind of read a lot of the replies here. And seems like most of people had a lot of troubles and even didn't get better after the surgery.
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I did the hydrocelectomy surgery on April 13, 2021. It has been 10 days PO.
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My situation is really bad. Even though I don't feel almost any pain, just discomfort, and the incision quite healed very well and fast, My hydrocele area looks worse than before.
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The size is same as before operation, but now it feels like its smashed and twisted. Even my penis went to the left side. Meanwhile, my left testicle (normal one) went down, and the right testicle (the one with hydrocele) its in a big mess now.
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I went to my doctor yesterday. He didnt say much and just gave me some more medicines for 2 weeks and that I should come back at that time.
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However, I am feeling so stressful and depressed. I dont know if its really going to get better, or will I be like this twisted and smashed shape forever? the swelling is only on the right side, maybe thats why the left ball went down. But damn.. I really dont know what to do~ please someone give me some console or advice..
pf7 Lu92
Posted
Give it some time it took like 3 months for my swelling to start to die down, in the mean time ice and tight briefs helped me.
Lu92 pf7
Posted
Thanks for your answer. Since my doc didn't say anything, could you tell me what's the function/need of using tight briefs or jack straps?
pf7 Lu92
Posted
Helps with the swelling, my testicle got really big for a while after surgery for a few weeks so the briefs also helped with pain as it wasnt just hanging about like when i wore boxers.
Lu92 pf7
Posted
Thanks for your reply. So, looks like holding the testicles up enhance the healing process, right? Hopefully it works. Not that comfortable wearing these jack straps for too long.
sal29967 pf7
Posted
Had my right Hydrocele operation 4 weeks ago!! Not much pain,but swelling of right testes about the size of an egg,and it sits up high! Putting ice pack on regularly,and this forum has eased my mind a bit!! At first I thought my doc blew the whole thing,but now I realize others have the same problem!! I'm 78 years old,and had a prosectomy 9 yrs ago with nerve bundle saving through microsurgery at the Robotics Institute in Celebration,Fl. Still sexually active! Glad I found this forum!
tonny41780 sal29967
Posted
Hello everyone from Australia.
I am very concerned by how many people are having multiple surgeries for the same condition.
I think it is time to find better professionals- let me explain.
When my Hydrocele developed, my Urologist advised me to try and live with it.
Well after 5 years of living with a testicle that became the size of a softball (larger than a baseball) , firm and the need for tight underwear 24hrs a day to hold it out in front of me not to mention the fact that i started to have pain in the testicle continuously led me back to the Urologist.
He sent me to the Radiologist where he removed 150 ml/cc which unfortunately started to refill in as little as 12hrs.
My Urologist was concerned by this and discussed this with his colleagues. His General surgeon colleague advised that if only a Hydrocele surgery was performed, it would definitely return. An Inguinal Hernia surgery was required at the same time as the Hydrocele procedure to completely rectify the problem.
On the 1st December 2020 the general surgeon performed both procedures under general anaesthetic and 1 night in hospital.
I had no pain in the wounds and did not require pain relief after leaving the hospital.
2 weeks later i went to see the surgeon as i was concerned the 2" wound in the testicle was opening up. The surgeon reassured me this was okay as it was only the outer layer of stitches that had dissolved but the inner layer would hold.
For 6 weeks i need a loose dressing against the wound due to weeping but at 8 weeks the wound had completely healed over.
It is now 5 months since the surgery and i do get the odd period of pain in the testicle scar and still have some swelling of the testicle itself but not from fluid.
When you think of how long the testicle was under pressure, it is only natural it will take time to resolve. If the swelling is still there after the 1 year mark, I will visit my Urologist.
Maybe one day I will be able to wear jeans again.
david67062 tonny41780
Posted
Two weeks after the surgery, the wound was still "leaking" -- blood mixed with clear fluid. Then, one day, the leak turned into a flood and soaked my pants as if someone had poured a bottle of water there. The doctor said it wasn't too abnormal, rare but okay, not a negative, might relieve the swelling. One more smaller flood a couple days later, then no more. However, the wound continue to bleed. Finally, I called the surgical nurse at about three weeks and she said to let the wound "air out." I had been wearing tight briefs. Apparently, that tight fit was irritating the wound, because the wound healed up within a couple of days wearing loose boxers. Now, at six weeks, the interior feels lumpy, meaty, and low-level aches. Still the size of an orange. I will have to trust that time will resolve most of this, as my next appointment is in 3 months.
david67062
Posted
I would add that the swelling has altered the physics of the plumbing, so it is difficult not to make a mess when urinating -- standing, difficult to aim, lots of dribbles on the floor. Sitting, have to point down as the swelling props it out straight and urine can escape between the bowl and seat. And then, the dribbles go down the swollen scrotum, so extra clean up is needed. Just had a Rezum prostate procedure so force and volume are not an issue.
jacob92348 david67062
Posted
same thing. you wont bleieve what happened, it swelled up after TWO hydroceletemys again. I had one, fluid came right back, then second op and afer tube was taken out after a week , the fluid was right back buiilding up, it build up for 2 weeks then exploded at work. It was alot of fliud that came out and i squeezed it dry haha(it swelled to like size of nice size orange). its same kind of fluid. no bad smell to it. like a tint of blood with clear liqued. it wont stop producing fluid though and there is a hole that it is coming out of which im on anti biotics for and i keep clean. i want the hole to heal up but then i dont want fluid to build up. im on motrin 800 mg three times a day and strong anti biotics. but do i squeeze the fluid or still or let it just build and see what happens. MY urologist thinks that im still fresh out being that im 3 weeks and 3 days out from my second hydroceletemy. (i had two ops within 3 months) He thinks these anti biotics and anti inflammatory will stop it. He says that fluid is just anti inflammatory fluid and its not infection fluid most likely because there is no smell. My question is why after 3 weeks amd i still producing fluid ? i feel like this s**t will never end but i feel fine honestly and im sleeping well. Just am confused.
jacob92348 david67062
Posted
anyway. how did you heal up and what eneded up by happening if you dont mind sharing ? really interested
mark0707 david67062
Posted
I've had this issue as well. Started a year before I had the surgery, and now that I'm over a year after the surgery, I'm still having the on/off swelling and dribbles. No issue urinating other than that, though, it can be more frequent on some days which was an issue before I even had the op done.