Testicular tenderness post prostatectomy

Posted , 13 users are following.

I had my prostate removed (robot assisted prostatecyomy) nearly three weeks ago and 8 days ago had my catheter removed (11 days post op). Coincidental with the catheter removal, I began to get very sensitive testicles which have got no less sensitive over the eight least eight days.

Looking up vasectomies (another procedure where the spermatic cord ends up with a dead end!) I discovered that in one study 18.7% and in another 14.7% of men had new onset scrotal pain post vasectomy (due, it seems to: increase in pressure within the vas deferens on the testicular side; the epididymides of vasectomized men often being swollen and distended from backpressure effects; and the efferent ducts and seminiferous tubules of the testes beingimpacted by backpressure).

Talking to my nurse, she says very few men complain of tenderness. I'd be fascinated to hear how many of you have experienced this and for how long (it can be very long tern in casectomised patients).

My own tenderness by the way does not result in continuous pain but demands careful touching when washing and protection from being squeezed in any way. My explanation for it beggining 11 days post surgery is that that was the time needed to begin to build up back pressure.

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  • Posted

    I am 2 months post op and have not had any tenderness issues
    • Posted

      Have you had an orgasm yet? For me it was seemed to build up after having an orgasm. My tenderness issues slowly disappeared as an issue though I have never allowed a long time beteeen orgasms since that first post operative period when I had the catheter in place.
  • Posted

    I had my RP 2.5 months ago. Still have this same tenderness..I just assumed it's a matter of time.

    You guys got me worried that it could be a permanent thing. I will check with my urologist when I see him in weeks.

    I have attempted sex with the help of Vivanza.. no luck.. will try again.. so no orgasm yet.

    Though, I am not quite sure I understand the link to orgasm or sperm and ejaculation and retro ejaculation, since to my understanding there is no more ejaculation or sperm post RP?

    Enlighten me guys.

    • Posted

      My tenderness went reasonably quickly and seemed (unlike yours) to be associated with ejaculation of sperm into each epididymis - especially when I had not had an orgasm for several days. Each vas defferens is tied off so sperm cannot reach the urethra but sperm is still produced and goes nowhere (other than to expand the small tubes in the epididymis) - it is resorbed over a day ir two.

      Sex is possible for me but only I have little confidence as I don't ever get rock hard and the hardess I have begins to disappear after 10 minutes or so! The vacuum erection device (VED) prescribed by my surgeon has helped a little and certainly the rat studies whow real long term benefits especially if you had a nerve sparing RP (I lost one neurovascular bundle).

      If you have a permanent tenderness it needs diagnosis (possible causes are listed by the Mayo Clinic under testicular pain - look up "Mayo Clinic testicular pain".

    • Posted

      For what it's worth, I had all sorts of discomfort post RP, including regular but not severe testicular pain, and found that low doses of Amitriptyline, 10mg twice a day worked well.

    • Posted

      Sorry for the late reply.

      I did try it during the short period while I had testicular pain. Mine was centred in the epididymis and it had no effect. Amitriptyline is only effective really with neuropathic pain (where nerve fibres are damaged and sending errant signals - sometimes leading to referred pain, ie pain that seems to come from somewhere else)

    • Posted

      Your comment on neuropathic pain makes sense given I assumed the pain I had was either from the bladder or the testes. In retrospect it was referred pain in the testes that originated in/ near the bladder.
    • Posted

      I agree that really does make sense of why it worked in your case.
  • Posted

    Your concerns about testicular discomfort and the chain of replies was very helpful to me. I am just now going into week for since the robotic prostatectomy and have been experiencing the same tenderness so much it's uncomfortable getting in and out of a chair. Hopefully you're still on the site and all is well but wondering how long this lasted for you as your original post was some 11 months ago. Thanks much

    • Posted

      Hey joe76929, I was also reading the posts.  I am 2 and a half weeks post surgery, a week and a half since my catheter was removed and have been having the same tenderness in my testicles .  Getting up and down from chairs and washing is where I notice it the most.  Hoping also that this is part of the healing and is just temporary.

      I still have not found a reason for the tenderness.  If you find out any additional info, post it. Thanks

    • Posted

      guys,I am in the same boat--it comes and goes--certain chairs are very uncomfortable,but sometimes my discomfort is bought on by urinating-which I don't like--today for some reason I'm very uncomfortable

  • Posted

    i had robot assisted Prostectomy 14 days ago and my testcles hurt so much. I too had a vasectomy just over a year ago. pain meds arent helping. I'm still leaking urine but doing Pelvic floor exercises. Quite depressing to see you have this pain that far along. Hope mine and yours eases soon .

    • Posted

      Now I see the difference b/w robotic surgery and radical robotic surgery. Mine was the latter which included a vasectomy as part of the process.

      As to your leaking, do not worry too much. Many, like me took 3 months to get back to normal. If you don't get back to normal 3 mths AFTER surgery, then and only then start to worry.

      Good luck to you.

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