Testicular pain after varicocele surgery
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Hi, im 24 yo and here is my story.
About 4 years ago i made a trip for 1 month where i had to sit several hours in multiples planes and buses.
After about an hour of being sit, i started to feel and increasing pain in my left testicle to the point where it was unbearable and i had to immediately stand up, and every time i did that, the pain slowly started to relief until it was completely gone.
This happened every time during my trip as long as i stay sit for at least an hour.
I finished my trip, came back home and for the next 3 and a half years i almost did not feel the pain again, sometimes i felt it but it was completely tolerable even when sitting for several hours in my office at work, nothing like the pain i experienced during the trip.
About six months ago, the pain came back, but now it was different, it was like a steady and tolerable but annoying pain always present while sitting or laying down in bed but did not increase to the point where i had to stand up.
Because of that i went with 2 urologists who had the same diagnosis, they found an inguinal hernia and varicocele in my left testicle, which was confirmed after a Doppler ultrasound. Grade 2 clinical varicocele in left testicle and grade 1 subclinical varicocele in right testicle.
The first doctor said that laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair would take the pain away and help to relief the varicocele which didn’t need surgical treatment… honestly I didn’t like that idea at all, because the pain I was getting was from the varicocele exactly in the testicle, not the inguinal area.
The second doctor told me that it was unlikely the hernia was causing the pain, but still needed to be fixed in order to avoid a possible strangulated hernia in the future.
He proposed an open inguinal hernia surgery with mesh repair where he could also perform the varicocelectomy in the same procedure to relief the testicular pain and avoid future infertile problems or testicular atrophy, so I agreed.
Also, we agreed to not make any procedure in the right testicle since it was subclinical varicocele with no symptoms at all.
I had the open inguinal surgery to fix the hernia and the varicocele about a week ago. Everything went fine and just as planned according to the doctor.
I’m still taking antibiotics and painkillers.
I know that one week is still too soon but my postoperative recovery is starting to alarm me because my testicular pain is worse than before the surgery.
Since the anesthesia effect went away, the worsen testicular pain started and stays at all times while I’m sitting or laying down in bed. When I stand up it reliefs a lot but doesn’t go away completely. The pain I’m feeling is like swelling, cramping, congestion, inflammated, heaviness, numbness.
Still no masturbation or sex since 2 days before the surgery.
By the way, the pain in the inguinal area because of the surgery is getting a lot better each day so there’s no problem about the hernia imo.
Yesterday I went with my doctor to tell him about this since I did a lot of google research and found out that sometimes varicocelectomy is not effective for testicular pain relief, or sometimes there’s post op hydrocele, damage or pressure of the vas/spermatic cord, etc.
He performed a Doppler ultrasound and he told me everything is absolutely fine with the vas/spermatic cord, testicle, veins in general and that the varicocele was gone. He also found a small hydrocele (1.5ml) which he told me that didn’t cause the pain and I had nothing to worry about that.
He also did like a touching exam where he pressed some points of my testicle and around it but that didnt hurt at all.
After this, he told me that my pain was probably normal because of the open inguinal surgery and that I should let it recover more time before worrying about something else.
On the other hand, he said that maybe my pain was neuropathic, something like pain memory.
He prescribed me 1 more week of anti inflammatory medication (serratiopeptidase), and also 2 months of venotonic (diosmin/hesperidin) and 1 month of pregabalin for the nerve/neuropathic stuff.
Been taking it for 1 day and no pain relief at all.
I know I may sound desperate or ridiculous by worrying like this when it has been just 1 week after the surgery, but I’m genuinely scared that the testicular pain is worse and not decreasing, so maybe I might have this pain forever or I will have to go all the way to a denervation of the spermatic cord or the nerve of the testicular/femoral area.
I’m really not trying to be dramatic at all, but I read similar posts in this forum about people being in this pain for months/years with no solution at all which makes my anxiety even worse, at the point where it’s starting to affect my mental health/wellnes because I’m thinking and worrying about this all day as long as I’m awake.
What’s your opinion on my situation? Is this normal? Should I go for a second urologist opinion about my post op testicular pain? Should i just wait? Is there risk of my situation getting worse if I just wait?
I deeply appreciate the time you took to read this and hope I can get some advice.
Thank you all!
0 likes, 1 reply
mike10256 Jt56
Edited
When there's significant pain and you're being told to give it time, I think a second opinion is justified. I mean, you're looking for a second opinion here, why not get one from a doctor? Unless insurance is an issue, I guess.
I had torsioned testicles (bilateral) congenitally, which caused all kinds of pain when I was a kid. My family was very dysfunctional so I never told my parents about the painful episodes (which were much like you described, except the only thing that relieved me was either a long hot bath or just laying down on my stomach for a while.
Anyway, when I was 16, I had an episode that didn't resolve itself and I waited too long to tell anyone. Lost my right testicle by strangulation. I did have the left side corrected, at which point I was told I had a varicocele as well. This was 35 years ago...not sure if they even corrected a varicocele back then, to be honest.
For a few months after the surgery, I distinctly remember having considerable pain when I became aroused (which was pretty much all the time at 16) and just general discomfort when I was wasn't. So, just to give you some peace of mind, there's a lot of...adjusting...that goes on any time there's surgery in that area. I expect it will subside.
I'm not surprised you're feeling pain. The degree of pain is probably what would motivate me for a second opinion if I could.
For what it's worth, it took me a long time to work up the nerve to masturbate. But my surgery was rather extensive and severe. I assume you'll be fine but I know how hard it is to imagine being "normal" again. I'm now dealing with Peyronie's disease...not sure if I'll ever be normal again. Don't let it drag you down man...find someone to talk to and get connected.
hope that helps. Hang in there.