Hydrocelectomy



Definition

Hydrocelectomy, also known as hydrocele repair, is a surgical procedure performed to correct a hydrocele. A hydrocele is an accumulation of peritoneal fluid in a membrane called the tunica vaginalis, which covers the front and sides of the male testes. Hydroceles occur because of defective absorption of tissue fluid or irritation of the membrane leading to overproduction of fluid. In addition to filling the tunic vaginalis, the fluid may also fill a portion of the spermatic duct (epididymis) in the scrotum.


Purpose

A hydrocelectomy is performed to correct a hydrocele and prevent its recurrence.


Demographics

Hydroceles are found in male children or adult males (usually over 40). They have no known association with a man's ethnic background or lifestyle factors.

A hydrocele is a pocket of fluid inside a man's testicle (A). To remove it, the surgeon cuts through the skin and tissue layers (B), then drains the hydrocele with a tube (C). The hydrocele is opened completely (D), and skin and tissue layers are stitched (E). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
A hydrocele is a pocket of fluid inside a man's testicle (A). To remove it, the surgeon cuts through the skin and tissue layers (B), then drains the hydrocele with a tube (C). The hydrocele is opened completely (D), and skin and tissue layers are stitched (E). (
Illustration by GGS Inc.
)

Description

A hydrocele usually appears as a soft swelling in the membrane surrounding the testes. It is not usually painful and does not damage the testes. It typically occurs on one side only; only 7–10% occur on both sides of the scrotum. Inflammation is not usually present, although if the hydrocele occurs in conjunction with epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis), the testes may be inflamed and painful. The main symptom of a hydrocele that occurs without epididymitis is scrotal swelling. As the hydrocele fills with fluid and grows, the scrotum itself gets larger. Some men may have pain or discomfort from the increased size of the scrotal mass. Hydroceles are usually congenital, found in a large percentage (80% or more) of male children and in 1% of adult males over 40.

The most common congenital hydrocele is caused by a failure of a portion of the testicular membrane (processus vaginalis, a membrane that descends with the testicles in the fetus) to close normally. This failure to close allows peritoneal (abdominal) fluid to flow into the scrotum. Although surgery is the usual treatment, it is not performed until the child is at least two years of age, giving the processus vaginalis sufficient time to close by itself. More than 80% of newborn boys are reported to have a patent (open) processus vaginalis, but it closes spontaneously in the majority of children before they are 12 months old. The processus is not expected to close spontaneously in children over 18 months.

In adults, hydroceles develop slowly, usually as a result either of a defect in the tunica vaginalis that causes overproduction of fluid, or as a result of blocked lymphatic flow that may be related to an obstruction in the spermatic cord. Hydroceles may also develop as a result of inflammation or infection of the epididymis; trauma to the scrotal area; or in association with cancerous tumors in the groin area. A hydrocele can occur at the same time as an inguinal hernia.

Hydroceles can be treated with aspiration or surgery. To aspirate the collected fluid, the doctor inserts a needle into the scrotum and directs it toward the hydrocele. Suction is applied to remove (aspirate) as much fluid as possible. While aspiration is usually successful, it is a temporary correction with a high potential for recurrence of the hydrocele. Aspiration may have longer-term success when certain medications are injected during the procedure (sclerotherapy). There is a higher risk of infection with aspiration than with surgery.

Generally, surgical repair of a hydrocele will eliminate the hydrocele and prevent recurrence. In adults, surgery is used to remove large or painful hydroceles. It is the preferred method of treatment for children over two years of age. It is also standard practice to remove hydroceles that reoccur after aspiration.

Patients are given general anesthesia for hydrocele repair surgery. A hydrocelectomy is typically performed on an outpatient basis with no special precautions required. The extent of the surgery depends on whether other problems are present. If the hydrocele is uncomplicated, the doctor makes an incision directly into the scrotum. After the canal between the abdominal cavity and the scrotum is repaired, the hydrocele sac is removed, fluid is removed from the scrotum, and the incision is closed with sutures. If there are complications, such as the presence of an inguinal hernia, an incision is made in the groin area. This approach allows the doctor to repair the hernia or other complicating factors at the same time as correcting the hydrocele. Some surgeons use a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach to repair a hydrocele. The operation is performed through a tiny incision using a lighted, camera-tipped, tube-like instrument (laparoscope) that allows the passage of instruments for the repair while displaying images of the procedure on a monitor in the operating room .


Diagnosis

Diagnosis will begin with taking a careful history, including sexual history, recent injury, or illnesses, and observing signs and symptoms. Hydroceles can sometimes be diagnosed in the doctor's office by visual examination and palpation (touch). Hydroceles are distinguished from other testicular problems by transillumination (shining a light source through the hydrocele so that the tissue lights up) and ultrasound examinations of the area around the groin and scrotum.


Preparation

The patient will be given standard pre-operative blood and urine tests at some time prior to surgery. Before the operation, the physician or nurse will explain the procedure, the type of anesthesia to be used, and, in some cases, the need for a temporary drain to be inserted. The drain will be placed during surgery to reduce the chances of post-operative infection and fluid accumulation.

Aftercare

Immediately following surgery, the patient will be taken to a recovery area and checked for any undue bleeding from the incision. Body temperature and blood pressure will be monitored. Patients will usually go home the same day for a brief recovery period at home. Follow-up appointments are usually scheduled for several weeks after surgery so that the doctor can check the incision for healing and to be sure there is no infection. The patient may notice swelling for several months after the procedure; however, prolonged swelling, fever, or redness in the incision area should be reported to the surgeon immediately.


Risks

Hydrocelectomy is considered a safe surgery, with only a 2% risk of infection or complications. Injury to spermatic vessels can occur, however, and affect the man's fertility. As with all surgical procedures, reactions to anesthesia, bleeding from the surgical incision, and internal bleeding can also occur.


Normal results

Surgery usually corrects the hydrocele and the underlying defect completely; recurrence is rare. The long-term outlook is excellent. There may be swelling of the scrotum for up to a month. The adult patient is able to resume most activities within seven to 10 days, although heavy lifting and sexual activities may be delayed for up to six weeks. Children will be able to resume normal activities in four to seven days.


Morbidity and mortality rates

Chronic infection after surgical repair can increase morbidity. There are no instances reported of death following a hydrocele repair.

Alternatives

A hydrocele is most often a congenital defect that is commonly corrected surgically. There are no recommended alternatives and no known measures to prevent the occurrence of congenital hydroceles.


Resources

books

"Disorders of the Scrotum." Section 17, Chapter 219 in The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy , edited by Mark H. Beers, MD, and Robert Berkow, MD. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 1999.

Sabiston, D. C., and H. K. Lyrly. Essentials of Surgery . Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders Co., 1994.

Way, Lawrence W., MD. Current Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment , 10th ed. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1994.

periodicals

Chalasani, V., and H. H. Woo. "Why Not Use a Small Incision to Treat Large Hydroceles?" ANZ Journal of Surgery 72 (August 2002): 594-595.

Fearne, C. H., M. Abela, and D. Aquilina. "Scrotal Approach for Inguinal Hernia and Hydrocele Repair in Boys." European Journal of Pediatric Surgery 12 (April 2002): 116-117.

organizations

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. 31 Center Drive, MSC 2560, Building 31, Room 9A-04, Bethesda, MD 20892-2560. (800) 891-5390. http://www.niddk.nih.gov .

other

Dolan, James P., MD. Hydrocele Repair . http://www.kernanhospital.com .

Men's Health Topics. Hydrocele . http://www.uro.com/hydrocele.htm .

L. Lee Culvert

WHO PERFORMS THE PROCEDURE AND WHERE IS IT PERFORMED?


A hydrocelectomy is performed in a hospital operating room or a one-day surgery center by a general surgeon or urologist.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE DOCTOR


User Contributions:

1
Dennis
I wish I had known about and read this info before the surgery. Post surgery very uncomfortable and difficult to deal with. Was not prepared.
2
Alberto
It helps me to be prepared for my future surgery in April.
Thanks
3
Ken
I just had a hydrocelectomy and was under for the whole surgery. No pain for the surgery but woke up sore. Very sore for about 7 to 8 days and felt much better after that.After you get through the first week after the surgery its down hill from there. Just remember Vicodin is your friend!Good luck to anyone having the surgery.P.S. I also had a vasectomy with it which may have contributed to the longer recovery.
4
Ken
Sorry guys, I meant UP hill from there!No worries, get it done it's worth not having to deal with an oversized testicle. (My wife is much happier as well!)
5
Augustine Dharmaraj
My son is about to meet a Hydrocele surgery tomorrow. My son is in Sri Lanka and I'm in Doha. One week since, my mind is struggling thinking about the surgery. Your article in this regard really makes my mind clear. Thank you for your excellent service. Augy.
6
peter norton
I too had not read about post-surgery recommendations after hydrocele surgery. Nor was I given any advice by the hospital, altho' they did provide a jockstrap to wear at home. After two days the jockstrap was way too small and the swelling trying to escape sideways. So I had to take it off. After 3 days the swelling had reached the size of an orange and the pain was enormous too, so my GP referred me back to the hospital where the surgery had been carried out. After some prodding and then a scan the doctor decided that there was no haematoma but some post-operative swelling of the epididimis. It's the 7th day since surgery, as I write this. The pain is tolerable and the swelling may even be diminished. My post-surgery advice - now - would be: stay in bed for two days; apply ice packs; if you take pain-killers be prepared for some constipation; drink loads of water and walk with short steps. Seems to me that periodic aspiration is the low risk option while dashing to surgery is the really dodgy option.
7
Richard
I had the surgery two weeks ago. The pain was minimal and the swelling is not so bad. The bad part is the oozing which occurs on a daily basis. It is a pain to keep changing pads with the strap they provided. I am told the oozing can go on for two months. Not looking forward to that. Still I do not regret getting the surgery.
8
Sam
I had a Hydrocelectomy 4 days ago (friday 3rd august). I had to wear a "jockstrap" for the first couple of days like peter. yesturday i had to take it off because it kept rising and catching my stitches, even with the padding. The day after my op, it was the size of a small grapefruit, but each day it halved in size. I haven't suffered any pain other than when i forget and drop the remote on my crotch. In fact i'd say my recover has been quite "pleasurable" not in the sense that i'd recommend it for the crack of it but i have suffered minimal discomfort. Each day there has been a little blood on the pad but nothing major. I haven't needed any ice packs although i have been taking painkillers and once again i have to agree with peter lol. A good tip i found though when i got rid of my support was to wear tight-ish boxer briefs with some padding under the balls. it feels like i'm wearing a nappy, but it's better than the strain on my stitches without it.

Must add now though, my good recovery may lead to the fact that i'm only 18 and at the peak of fitness. I usually recover from most things within a couple of days. All i can say really is that i'm pretty lucky. Sounds like some other people haven't had it as good. My sympathy goes out to you guys
9
glenn
THANKS TO ALL,I am having this done aug 22.your comments make me feel a lot better and a lot less worry
10
Nuelo
I know this question is a little inappropriate for this site since most people here are either getting their hydrocelectomy or have already had one.
I was told by a doctor that the use of hydrochlorothiazide could reduce the amount of fluid in the hydrocele. What do you guys think of this solution?
11
Nuelo
I know this question is a little inappropriate for this site since most people here are either getting their hydrocelectomy or have already had one.
I was told by a doctor that the use of hydrochlorothiazide could reduce the amount of fluid in the hydrocele. What do you guys think of this solution?
12
Simon
Was diagnosed with this today by my GP and am seeing a consultant next week to arrange the operation. The article and comments have very useful. If I have anything useful to add will do so when its sorted
13
Role
I just got diagnosed with a hydrocele on 12/22/07 will be operated on 12/26/07. Hopefully it will go ok and I will post my recovery here on a daily basis.
14
Tim
Had my hydrocelectomy on 12/26/07 and was informed I also had a spermatocele. I'm going to the urologist to have my drain tube remove today 12/28/07. I'm having some pain and insomia. He has me on vicodin for the pain. He also put me on an antibiotic called cephalexin.
15
Tim
I'm feeling much better since my drain tube was removed yesterday and didn't realize how long it was (about 5 in.) Urologist prescribed lunesta for my insomnia. Third day of surgery and not feeling any pain this morning. I'm oozing a brown substance and very swollen.
16
role
I had my hydrocelectomy on 12/27/07,went good and they did not put that drain that everyone has had.I am a little swollen but not as bad as I thought I would be and no oozing iether. I will see my Urologist in 2 weeks and its been 2 days since my operation and I feel soar but other than that I feel good. Also I have no stitches to be removed.
17
role
I forgot to mention that I also had a vasectomy four day before my hydro. And I do not regret it.Feeling preety good 2 days later and taking vicodine.
18
tim
Role, your procedure seems different from mine. I have stitches down the middle of my scrotum and two small incisions below each testicle. I also have a cut on the side of my right scrotum that is oozing. I had a vasectomy back in Aug. of 2004 and I believe that may be the cause of my problems today. But to be honus I had forgot I had the vasectomy until I stated feeling some discomfort in August of this year. I'm praying to eventually be pain free and be able to see my testicles again. I'm feeling pain in the same area I felt(the base of my penis top of scrotum)before the surgery.
They thought the ultrsound identified two hydroceles, a small one on the left and a big one on the right. I ended up having a hydrocelectomy on the right side and a spermatoceletomy on the left. I noticed I had swelling back in August of this year and started geeting insomnia and depression in October. Guys I know its only the 4th day post-surgery and I need to give myself a chance to heal and have faith in God. I will keep you posted on my progress and my eventual complete recovery. :) Let's all keep the faith, especially me. My goal is to be drug free by Feburary of 2008 i.e., no pain killers, no sleep aids, no antibiotic, and no antidepresants. I didn't take any medication before I was diagnosed with my hydrocele. Never had any problem with sleeping. Lookinf forward to having the old me back. Must have FAITH IN GOD.
19
tim
Role, are you saying you had a procedure that didn't require stitches or your stitches will dissolved and not have to be removed??????
20
Tim
5th day of post-op and seeing improvement but still on pain pills. Scrotum has gotten smaller and pain is minimal. Happy New Year!
21
Role
Hey sorry took so long to read this post,but I really did not have any stitches at all. They stitched the inside of my testicles, my cut runs down the middle of my scrotum. Today I am not taking any Vicodine, and my swelling has gone down so much,I say 1 more day and i'll be good as new. I can stand up now for a significant amount of time but after a while I start feeling my cut throbbing.I wish you and the others the best on recuperation.
The doctor mentioned that he would put stitches on the inside so as to heal better and faster and so that I wouldnt have to worry about the stitches getting cut up the underwear,plu i never did wear a jockstrap.I did also hve a vasectomy and I think thats why I was a little more soar.This is my 4th day post op. and doing well. Tim you have the right attitude, you keep having faith in God and he will hear you out (without God we are nobody).
22
rolerios
Tim feel free to e-mail me, I dont think all my comments are being posted or taking to long.
23
Tim
6th day and no pain this morning. Took a pain pill at bedtime and hope I can get through today without pain medication. The right side of my scrotum is still bigger than it was before the surgery.
24
Tim
6th day of surgery an left side of scrotum is still swollen. Not much pain today, so far, and trying to get through today without pain pills.
25
TJ
I had my hydrocelectomy on Dec. 26, 07. My incision is now red and itchy. Still oozing just a little. Never had any pain. Never took a pain pill. Like Tim said, the drain was very long. My wife cut the stitch and I pulled the drain out. So far, so good.
26
drew
Great summary; answered many questions for me. Thanks. My hydrocelectomy is scheduled for 1/21. My pain is mostly in my epididymis, which I hope will improve after surgery.
27
drew
Update: I started having second thoughts about the surgery because the pain changed. It became less intense and more of a radiating "toothache" type pain through my groin. But I went ahead with it anyway. The surgery was supposed to take 45 minutes, and ended up taking three and a half hours. Surgeon completely removed the right testicle and some other infected tissues. He said it was a very involved infection, so he consulted with my wife about the option of removing it or trying months of antibiotic treatment (and likely having to remove it anyway). We had discussed it ahead of time, so she told him to take it. I don't know if it was a hydrocele and then migrated into something else or if it was always just an infection. I'm on the mend and glad to know it's taken care of. Still bruised and healing, but better.
28
alex
Thanx.Its nice site wish knew it wn i was still doing my undergraduate. but need more details about the procedures
29
Nuelo
I had my hydro removed 3 days ago. This morning I am feeling much better. Last pain killer I took was last night and this morning I have no more pain in the balls. For the past 3 days it basically felt like someone kicked me in the balls. I had the procedure done at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. The surgeon mad an incession about 1.5 inches long down the middle of my scrotom. He remove the fluid (there was a lot about the size of a small melon) and then he said that he inverted the tunica vaginalis and tied it off so the fluid would not come back. This morning I took my first shower and remove the gause pad. I was surprised that it looked really good. Except for the size of my left testicle (the one with the hydro in it) it seems just a little lighter then before the surgery but definetly less tense.
30
ALEX
Thanks,for the comments. I will be having my hydrocele on the 22nd of february. I'm very nervous and reading this comments made me feel better. in my case i'm having some pain on the left side of my leg and up towards the left side of my stomach. Nothing major but enough for disconfort and to make me very worried. I guess now i know what to expect from reading these comments and are looking foward to not having all this constant
disconfort and light pain. It feels like recovering from a kick in the nuts that does not end.
31
matt
I'm glad to read these posts, because I'm reseaching for a good surgeon that's done these procedures well. - One question: how did anyone here decide on the right one? Was he/she recommended? Just curious. I'm more than ready to have mine done !
32
Hal
I wish these all went well. I had my first hydrocelectomy October, 2007. I did not trust the Dr. and should have followed my instincts and found another. Anyway, six weeks later the incision was healed nicely and I was in constant pain - the scrotum was as large or larger than ever. I fired Dr. #1 and went to a general surgeon - who suspected a communicating hernia had refilled the scrotum, and a good Urologist who wasn't so sure. Despite no sign of a communicating hernia via CT scan, I had dual surgery on 1/2/2008. The general surgeon dug a hole into my groin looking for the hernia that turned out not to be there - thanks doc. That is now healed eight weeks later. The Urologist then reopened the scrotum and did a "re-do." "Total mess" was his comment. "Severly inflamed and full of coagulated blood." Took him a few hours to make it right. Have now (March 2008) been in constant pain since October 2007. The scrotum healed fine again and is now normal size - some progress. But the pain is tough and I've been on Hydrocodone since October and need to get off it before I become an addict. Urologist #2 has little to offer me other than Ibuprofin at this point - which does not work at all. "Give it a few months - it will probably resolve." I'm not feeling lucky. The second surgery was done the best way: went home with the scrotum under a lot of compression and a drain inserted - which collected a lot of fluid that would have coagulated in there a second time. After three days the drain was removed and the surgery was a success - except for the nerve impingment left over from the first, or second, surgery. I'm one of the 2% who would never have done this if I known what was coming next. Good luck everyone.
33
Terryll Rainey
I'm very upset about my recent (5 days ago) surgery. I was in a lot of pain post surgery and am still in a lot of pain despite large doses of ibuprofen (helps the most) and oxycodone. Just sitting here sort of examining the area now that I can stand the touch, and my testicle seems quite firmly attached (stitched) to my scrotum. It's really pissing me off. I had in fact asked the surgeon during my follow-up the day after the surgery if he hadn't accidentally stabbed my testicle during surgery (which he of course denied), but now I see I was absolutely right. Bas$#$@ sewed my scrotum to my nut. No wonder it hurts like hell. Any comments?
34
Terryll Rainey
I'm very upset about my recent (5 days ago) surgery. I was in a lot of pain post surgery and am still in a lot of pain despite large doses of ibuprofen (helps the most) and oxycodone. Just sitting here sort of examining the area now that I can stand the touch, and my testicle seems quite firmly attached (stitched) to my scrotum. It's really pissing me off. I had in fact asked the surgeon during my follow-up the day after the surgery if he hadn't accidentally stabbed my testicle during surgery (which he of course denied), but now I see I was absolutely right. Bas$#$@ sewed my scrotum to my nut. No wonder it hurts like hell. Any comments?
35
Rich
10 Days now since my right side hydroselectomy oporation. I had no drain tube, dissolvable stitching. Incision about 3 inch / 20 stitch approx. Under general you feel nothing, wake up feeling like someone is squeezing your testes, (dull stomach pain I complained of) so, ....I.V. was still inserted in arm, and a shot of morphine made it all better immediately, wife said later that day, "I was high alright" haha. One hour later, getting dressed / going home, wheelchair to entrance, wife and car waiting, no trouble walking or standing. Sent home with antiinfection Nova lexin? and also Tyynol 3 painkillers prescription, wife pick them up. take 3 a day, ...It's been 10 days now, and about 4 days ago finally found lost ball, floating freely around once again in a deformed, puckered stitching of skin. after 10 days, bag is smoothing out into proper shape , stitches healing with very minimal leakage, not brown and dark as some others posted, tiny red blood spots from couple of stitch. I have no idea how long before these stitches desolve, but they will drive you crazy if you try sitting too long/! lay down and relax! I was told 5 days, and good as new, well, by choice, I missed these 10 days at work now, because those darn stitch whiskers keep catching on every clothing you wear, which is very irritating! No swelling now, only first 6 days. No dressing to replace as some mentioned, I had a patch stuck on from surgery, peeled it off on day three, took two days because of hair adhesion...tender! and fear of damaging stitches. Also, I removed it in pieces, as soon as I was able to peel one corner back, I carefully cut the centre out with sciccors to expose to the air, (important, let the wound breath). Hope this helps others, really not a bad experience at all, relax and get it done.
Rich
36
QUEEN
NO SEX AFTER THE SURGERY, MY HUSBAND SAID THAT HIS BODY HAVE CHANGED.CAN YOU TELL ME WHY.SURGERY WAS DONE IN 2006 AND IT NOW 2008
37
Dave
Hi there. I was wondering how large a Hydrocele people had before they had it removed. Mine is about 100mm (4") by about (2") and has become awkward and somewhat painful, especially after sitting for a long time. I can get it done privately now or wait until it gets to about 150mm and get it done at a public hospital. I have several unrelated surgeries so I'm well familiar with post-operative recovery.
38
Michael
I had mine done two weeks ago. My right size was about the size of a small orange--the result of sugery in 2002. Really couldn't be comfortable in jeans or anything slightly tight because of it. Surgery went fine. Had the drain removed the day after surgery, and went back to work two days after surgery. Took some vicadine, but really only 3 a day right afterwards (I was told I could take 6-8 per day), and stopped taking any within 4 days. Pain wasn't bad. Right side was swollen, but it now seems to be lessening. At any rate, its definitely smaller than before the surgery. The incision was on the right side, about two inches, and the stitches have already dissolved. I tend to heal quicly, and I'm 42.
39
Richard White
I just underwent the procedure and your information was very inportant to me. Now, when I have my post-operative visit I can be armed about questions of my urologist.

Thank you!
40
greg
i am just wondering after surgery will the testicle be the same size as the other one after the swelling how long will it take to fully recover? and be completly normal?
41
Scott
I had surgery on the right side two weeks ago. The surgery went fine. After the first week, the stitches were coming off and I thought everything was returning to normal. Within the next 4-5 days, the same testicle (right) had returned to the same size that it was prior to the surgery (about the size of a handball). The doctor said that it can return and he wanted to wait a few weeks and schedule another ultra sound. I'm worried that it returned so quickly. Has that happened to anyone else?
42
pb
I am in my late 30's and I had mine done about 1 year ago. No real issues except that I was paranoid as anything of the general anesthesia. I had a small hydrocele on my left side which the Urologisy (Dr. Buckley) in T.O. fixed up no issues in the O.R. for about 45mins chatting with the anesthesologist about my paranoia then he put me under (tricked me, but that's ok).
Post-op I had the chills and felt like I was severely hung over (without the headache), They said i could have demoral which might help, but I said no it's not that bad.
Nobody told me why until it was time to go home and changed into my clothes I realized I had an ice pack on there (hmm that might give me the chills). The nurse was really good though she kept putting warm blankets over me which helped with that. I also didn't fell like sex for about 6 months, maybe my body saying hey you need to let this heal somemore? Other than that a full recovery. Oh one other thing, they left my wife waiting for over 2hrs as I was late going in and no one told her when i got out until about an hour after i said where's my wife? They said oh didn't anyone go and get her yet? Yeah lets's see I hopped out and went and got her.
43
mw
Hi all,
I had bilateral (both) hydrocele done last Wed (Aug 20). The surgeon actually said I had spermatoceles, not hydroceles, but didn't know that until he had me open. Well, as of today (Aug 30), I am still bleeding from a small spot in the center of the incision and it requires me to change my pad/gauze every couple of hours.......very very inconvienent!!!!! I am a very quick healer and this bleeding (not oozing, not brown, but regular blood red) makes no sense to me. I went to the doctor this past Tuesday and proceeded to bleed onto the chair in the waiting room (had to wait 1 hour). The doc just said "yeah, sometimes it's like that" and that the bleeding would "probably" stop in 3-4 days. Well, he's wrong...still bleeding at the same rate. I also still have quite a bit of pain on my right side (it had the bigger spermatocele) and quite a bit of swelling, but primarily if I try to stand up. Luckily I can work from home, but I have been virtually bedridden for almost 10 days now....this is a joke. I'm on antibiotics, but still running a low grade fever (98-99).
Maybe this will all calm down in a week, but it has been a huge hassle for a procedure that supposedly would have me back up and functional a few days after the surgery. I have had surgeries larger than this and the bleeding usually stops at day 3 or so. I wish I had gone to a couple of Urologists and gotten 2nd/3rd opinions and asked for patient referrals (probably wouldn't have gotten them).
Think real hard before you get this surgery and quiz your doctor about his experience!!!!
44
Tamra
Thanks to all who have posted comments. My husband is having this surgery on Tuesday. It will ease my mind and his too I'm sure.
Thanks
45
John
All I can say is that from my point of view it's worth having done! My hydrocele, which was on my left testicle, had grown to almost the size of a tennis ball and was getting very uncomfortable. This was causing me to panic but there was no need for me to do so. The surgery was relatively straight forward (it was my first ever operation, I'm 26) and the area was naturally very painful for 2 days after. The area was still uncomfortable post-surgery for a few weeks after, but I only needed to take a week off work. After a few weeks I saw a specialist as I was worried it wasn't returning to normal. But it was fine really and it was just a matter of time before everything would be back to normal. After 2 months everything was indeed completely back to normal, apart from a minor scar on my scrotum, and my sex life is currently great!
46
Ed Nartowicz
I have had hydrocele since 1955, unfortunately I was on the USS Lexington and a group of VIP's were coming on board when we pulled into Hong Kong. I was assigned to my berthing comaprtment and therefore had to clean the aluminum ladder "steps." I was given a can of Lemonade concentrate and I applied this to the steps and wiped with a rag, amazing how bright they got, however, I was called to the flight deck for a trining session and during the training session my testicles swelled up like a baloon. I reported to sickbay and they put me in bed and treated it without draining or surgery, the rest of my life I went on like this in the military, military doctors Navy and Air Force saw my condition and stated what it was but took no action. Had I known then, this condition would have been attacked many years ago. It was finally four years ago I got to see a Urologist and he explained the details, the sack was drained by use of the needle, but recently I was on a flight from down south to way up north and when I got off the plane I felt pain starting in the groin area, for three days after the pain was so bad and the swelling of the testicles, I had a very hard time to sit down or even get up. I kept this to myself because of embarassment and after five days the swelling when down a little. When I returned home I contacted my Urologist and he examined me and stated that surgery would be the answer to keep this from repeating. I had surgery eleven days ago, still a little tender especially when sitting down ot getting up. It is feeling alot better. By the way I was up in Rhode Island on my vactation and when the swelling came, I went to every pharmacy and sports store unable to find a jock strap, couldn't belive it. However, after surgery, yes they give you on of those thong looking jockstraps, fine but get rid of it and buy a jockstap or two, in the bottom of the jock strap place padding or 4x4's. Makes a big difference in the healing process.
47
Mari
My 7 month old nephew is scheduled for this surgery on 10/31/08. Looks like he’s going to be in a bit of pain.
48
Hydrocelectomy-Vasectomy
I had a Vasectomy and Hydrocelectomy of my left testicle four days ago. The surgery itself was a breeze; the surgeon placed me under general anesthesia, made a 2 inch "vertical" incision in the center of my scrotum (about 1 inch below my penis). He them snapped the 2 vas diferens' and removed the hydrocele sac. He then applied "glue" that will dissolve in 10 days. I was told I could shower the next day and that I could have sex a week later.

I was given NO jockstrap and NO aftecare instructions. I was antibiotics for 3 days and given Vicodin which I took every 3 hours the first day and stayed in bed all day... The next day, I needed the Vicodin 2 times, and on day 3, I took it once before I slept.

The first 2 days, my left testicles was swollen a bit... and I felt my entire body aching... my knee joints that have a very mild arthritis were very painful but the Vicodin helped. I kept the scrotum clean to the extent possible... I also used a "Hospital antiseptic spray" on the scrotum... and surprizingly the ice packs were critical in reducing the swelling of my testicle and I guess the vas diferens. The part behind the incision seems to be lumpy for some reason (is this normal?).

Now 4 days later, my left testicle is almost normal size but very tender with some pain, and I guess the inner pain in my groin area is a result of the snapped vas diferens' that are still healing.

I took Vicodin 3 hours ago (it no longer makes me sleepy or drowsy)... I will take another one before I go to sleep. Hope this helps.
49
ebosiam
Hi, it's about 6 days after my surgery and I have to say they definately did not prescribe me enough demerol, LOL! The pain is minor today, moreso just irritating but the past two days I definately could've used a painkiller or two. My question is: They say NO SEX for 4 weeks but I am wondering if this includes oral or masturbation? I honestly do not think I can last 4 weeks!
Also, to anyone debating having this done: It's well worth it. I feel lighter and more aerodynamic already!
50
Hydrocelectomy-Vasectomy
(continued from above) Almost 3 weeks later, the "glue" was simply "very thin" dissolvable 2-O chromic stitches which are nothing but catgut stiches that my body dissolved in 10 days... The lump inside my scrotum was diagnosed as haematoma (blood clots)... It was big and painful.. The urologist said that in 5% of surgeries, haematoma occurs due to blood after the surgery (why couldn't he take extra measures?).... The body should dissolve this haematoma in 6 weeks following surgery.. .so I have 3 weeks to go. He said that if it did not go, and if it bothers me, I will need to go through an entire surgery agian to remove the haematoma that resulted from the first surgery (WTF?)... I never though of asking him what guarantees do I have that I will not have another haematoma that will require a 3rd surgy... and so on... he also mumbled something that the haematoma may liquify and that WILL cause the left testicle to get bigger and I will have to live with a larger left testicle like the one I had before the hudrocelectomy... WTF? why did I go through the hydrocelectomy in the first place? Anyway, the urologist put me on 600mg Iboprufen (200 mg in the morning and 400 mg at night)... Luckily, my cousin is a surgeon and he told me to apply heat to the haematoma... and it started to get smaller in the last week. The strange thing is that when I apply heat, the haematoma becomes very soft and liquid like... and when it gets cold again, it becomes solid... No idea what that is... My hope is that in 3 weeks the body will totally absorb it...
51
Lucky aka BobA
It has been four weeks and I still have seepage from the drain placed in my scrotum. The incision from surgery has been problematic and remains large and swolen. I would recommend laproscopic and not traditional surgery. Do yourself a favor and seek a Dr. that does the procedure laproscopically. Good luck!
52
Jim
My surgery was Nov 6th.....15 days ago. I too ended up having a hydrocelectomy on the right side and a spermatoceletomy on the left and I have stitches down the middle of my scrotum. I thought this surgery would be a cakewalk because it is outpatient surgery with a small incision, no rehab afterwards etc.etc.
I've had plenty of surgeries: Pins and plates in leg, knee and 2 shoulder surgeries as well as 2 back surgeries with the last time fusing the spine. I was not ready for what awaited after this "Procedure". Everyday I wake up feeling like I have just gotten kicked in the testes and that wonderful feeling lasts all day long. I went into see my Urologist today because I am so swollen I thought something might be ready to rupture and it is very unpleasant to walk and it it is very painful to be sitting as it puts more pressure on my scrotum. (BTW: I am 5ft 7 inches, 165 Lbs and in fairly good shape so I am not overweight to add any complications to things) And like one of the other comments about his testicle being sewn onto the scrotum........My swelling is so bad that the teste is pushed to the top of the scrotum actually rubbing on my left leg when I move (Hence the sick to my stomach feeling I have had every day so far. YAY!) so the testicle is not sewn but I think maybe the spermatic cord is what is sewn as it is firmly planted right against the front of the inside of the scrotum and pulls all the way up into my stomach.
I was never made aware that the swelling could be quite large and go on for possibly 2 months or more.
I guess I am over the worst of it but he said it may be 2 months or more before the swelling goes away. I hope there is nothing else critical he omitted from the info he shared with me. I really feel he should have shared these valuable pieces of info with his patient ahead of time.

I feel as if I found out more here than what he told me before the surgery. Glad I found this place, just wish it was a few weeks earlier!

Good luck to all.

Jim
53
MBS
Had my operation (left side) three days ago. Mine was the size of a large orange. The surgery was painless. Went to sleep and woke up high as a kite with a bunch of stitches in my scrotum. They put in a drain but it was removed yesterday. I am glad that they put in the drain as it seems to have prevented swelling somewhat. Had to take pain medicine (oxycontin) for 2 days, but am off of it today. Pain is noticible just when walking or getting up/down. My scrotum is already a LOT smaller and I seem to be healing really quickly (I am 37). Assuming that I have no ensuing complications, I am really happy that I did this. One note of advice is to get yourself a good ice pack and make sure you have plenty of ice on hand. It helps more than I can say :)
54
MBS
It is now 6 days after my operation. I can almost walk around and get up and down without any pain. No longer using ice for the swelling. The stitches are still annoying, but otherwise I seem to be on the road to recovery. Going back to work tomorrow.
55
AG
My husband was diagnosed today with a Hydrocele and goes in a week for an ultrasound and then schedule for surgery. We do not have any medical Insurance and I haven't been able to find out anywhere about how much it costs to have everything done. Can anyone tell me a ball park figure of how much the surgery actually runs????Thank you and good luck to all of you, I know it's a painful and long recovery.
56
Josh
Well I go in for surgery tomorrow morning and I am scared shitless. My first surgery and the general anesthesia is what scares me. I do not know what to expect really. Just scared to not wake up. I do have faith in our Canadian doctors but there is always the paranoia sitting in the back of my mind. Anyways I will keep future readers on my progress, wish me luck!

Also, am curious to know how long till I can have sex again! Gf and I have an amazing sex life that I do not want to be away from for too long :D
57
Ron
I had right side hydrocele, about the size of a tennis ball. Had the surgery about a month ago or so. Surgery was fine, they have nice drugs, I was in the operating room but I never saw it. My incision was horizontally which doesn't seem to have been mentioned in any of the other notes above. Recovery was fine with some vicodins, went back to work (office work) on the 3rd day after surgery. The first day back was pretty tough, but just taking it easy is the best plan.

Now, 4 or 5 weeks later the incision is healed up just fine. The testicle is still pretty large, urologist says that swelling could last up to 6 months. It doesn't really give me any trouble at this size though, it is much better than when it was at it's largest. I do seem to have the attachment to the inside of the scrotum too which isn't bad but every once in a while I feel a little pinch at that spot. If it continues or gets worse, back to the doc maybe.
58
Josh
Well my surgery was a success and really not all that bad! Well worth it, my right nut is now half the size it used to be. The doctor did an amazing job! The worst part for me was the annoyance of the IV lol. They however did trick me in the OR saying they were going to give me a mild sedative to get me started. Turns out it was the actual anesthesia and I was out in a matter of seconds. Last thing I told them was that they tricked me lol. I was not scared though for some reason, possibly because of this site.

I woke up laughing obviously not in the right state of mind. First thing I saw when I woke up was a guy in the bed beside me. First words were "man, feels like someone kicked me in the balls" Had everyone laughing lol.

I have very little pain due to the t3's and the swelling is minimal. I was a little sick to the stomach at first but time made that go away. I have been resting all day and using bag after bag of frozen vegetables. Finally putting them to good use. I am overwhelmed with joy knowing that I will be able to streak freely and not be embarrassed by the deformed orange that swung from side to side.

Guys, it is scary to think of surgery but really, it is a very fun experience with all the magical drugs they give you. Maybe I'm just typing this cause I feel as if I am up in the clouds. See if my opinion changes soon. Don't be scared and Get R Done!
59
Josh
So I really need to ask! It's my second day after surgery, and the gf and I engaged in some fooling around. It really hurt since it's only been 2 days since my surgery. How long do I have to wait until I can finish the deed? Manually or with her?? Anyone know??? The pain in general today was not severe at all, only took one T3 all day and it made me right sick. I have been feeling sick all day due to these bloody pills. Oh well, another day has passed and the improvements are remarkable. Even though now I have ice on me to numb the pain.

Is it safe for me to engage in sexual pleasure?? Ill ask the doctor and let you all know I guess!

Cheers to another day lol
60
MBS
Several people asked about the "how long before sex" question. For me, I was ready to go about 7 days after surgery. Just waited until I had an erection and felt ready. Told the wife to "be gentle" :) Everything was fine and worked as usual. Been 15 days since the surgery now and more or less back to normal besides the gnarly scar.
61
Mom
My son is 16 months old and he was diagnosed with Hydrocele last night. He'll have to have a Hydrocelectomy, I'm very scared. He is my only son, and he still a baby. I am getting as much information as I can about this to help him and to make him feel better. All of these comments have given me an idea of what to expect before and after the surgery. I will come back and write how it went, hoping that it will be helpful to anyone looking for information about this like me.
62
Josh
Well it's been 11 days and the pain has been gone for a few days now. I haven't taken any pain pills in about 5 days! I finally was able to relieve the pressure in my bowels lol. I was able to have sex on the 8th day without any pain what so ever. Mild discomfort after but I think we were a bit too rough. The swelling is starting to slowly go down. I show everyone my bad ass scar even if they don't want to see it lol. The experience was worth it. So don't be scared and Get R Done!
63
Dr.Ed
Thank you. It helped me to do the surgery on one of my patients.
More pictures would help.
64
Don
Just had the surgery completed on 1/9/08. Appreciated reading comments before I went in, so I feel obligated to leave my feedback. The surgery lasted approx. 25 minutes. I also have the horizontal incision, about 1.5 inches wide. My hydrocele was left side, about the size of a tennis ball. Day of surgery was bad, home by noon with fairly significant pain & very nauseous. I figured out the pain meds were causing the stomach issue and switched to ibruprofen on day 2. Much better 2nd day & the ibruprofen seemed to alleviate pain well. Still a little difficult to walk (and pee). Not nearly as much swelling as I expected & left side appears to be about 1/2 size it was. It's now day 6 and I'm feeling decent. Back at work on day 4, with just minor discomfort. Still moderate swelling, but I understand that may last for up to a month. I can really tell that I'm much lighter, which was my reason to get the surgery. Looking forward to a better marathon time without the additonal weight!
65
Chrissy
My son was born with this and was made to wait 7 years to have the surgery. So it's safe to say we're really concerned about any complications stemming from a long waiting period. He was also in a wheelchair for almost 2 weeks (completely incapable of walking without excruciating pain that the meds didn't help)
66
DelilaH
We just took my 9 yr old son to our GP and then to a urologist about his swollen looking testicle. He will be having the surgery during Spring Break as I'm a teacher and will also have the time off. I'm glad to have found this site and all of your comments. I'll post a follow up when we know anything. At least my mind is eased somewhat.

Chrissy - our urologist said that the Surgery is considered "elective" in children however, insurance will cover it as it is can prevent problems in the future. He told us that there was no rush to have the surgery that it will just need to be done. If you choose to not have the surgery - as they grow older into men, complications could then arise. Good LUCK to you!
67
Motorcyclegurl
Thank you all for your comments, good bad & ugly. The old man is going in for the surgery a week from tomorrow and we learned and laughed a lot from your comments which helped alleviate some of the apprehension most men feel when their man-parts are going under the knife.
68
donald
i had this done & was in more pain & swelled up even more after.
this happend right after i had hernia repair
69
Adam
Very informative guide and some eye opening comments which i enjoyed reading.

It is the day after my surgery and things are still swollen, though not quite as bad as yesterday (i think, was out of it for a good 3 hours after i was brought round). I was given a 'jock strap' to hold them up and close to my abdomen, but it doesn't seem nearly big enough considering the swelling which is about the size of my fist. Strangely, i was told by the nurse at the day unit i could take the strap off during the night, however after (carefully) removing it before bed i needed the toilet before being able to drop off to sleep. After spending 15 mins struggling i found i couldn't get it back on (and also dislodged the associated dressing which i was told to keep on for at least 24 hours).

So it was a trip back to the hospital to be manhandled back into the thing. It actually felt a relief to have to have it back on. I was told on my 2nd visit that although i've been told to keep it on for a week, i may end up taking it off after a couple of days as the swelling goes down and have been given some special undergarments which can press the dressing onto the wound (which i've been told is what its there for, along with some meld improvement to comfort, NOT for helping the swelling go down as the nurse at the day unit told me) which will last me a week. I've also been told if i take it off again (which i shouldn't do) i should leave it off and not try to get it back on. He didn't quite understand why the first nurse told me i could take it off at all.

I've been told i don't need to go back to the unit, and i never had a drain inserted (didn't know they did that until i checked this site!) and any problems i'm to see my GP. Was told just to rest it, and spend the first day in bed. Strangely, i've been signed off work for 2 full weeks, eventhough i was under the impression everything would be more or less back to normal within a week.

Pain was deathly after i got home and the morphine wore off, but even today there is already an improvement along with a slight reduction in swelling. My wound is about 2.5 inches long down the middle of my scrotom and i've been given dissolvable stiches which should be gone in 2 weeks. Only thing i'm dreading is going for a number 2. Not looking forward to it at all and scared i may do some damage.

One thing i'll add which i haven't seen in the comments, is that along with the swelling, my scrotum along with my penis are 'black and blue' along with the latter being heavily swollen too (which is strange since it was 'normal' yesterday after having the surgery.)

Good luck with anyone having theirs!
70
kurt25
It is almost 3 weeks after I had a hydrocelctomy performed on the left testicle. All the pain and bruising has gone by now; except for the testicle volume which is still kinda large, about 4 time the size of the right normal testicle.

Is this normal? I was thinking that after the surgery the testicle should have a normal size.
The volume seems to be slightly getting bigger and changing shape from triangular to circular.

today it s slightly feeling painful.

Please advise
71
Marc
Felt compelled to contribute as I read this forum prior to surgery. I'm 55 and had the procedure done yesterday morning 8am on a right hydrocele that had no pain, just unsightly and uncomfortable, about the size of a baseball. I was "under" for about 40 minutes. The pain didn't start to kick-in until later in the afternoon. Best way to describe it is being kicked in the jewels and the pain never going away. Lying down and sitting - almost zero pain and am not taking pain meds (though they were prescribed). Standing and walking (I hate lying down for extended periods - am too active) - pain reduces after about ten minutes, but never completely subsides. Though pain today not as bad as last night so I hope tomorrow is better yet. I know it's early yet and plan to post here about every other day. Going in tomorrow morning to have drain removed (seems early) but it is what my urologist always does according to him. He told me to be prepared for more swelling but it is not the hydrocele coming back it is post surgery - normal. Would I do it again? The jury is still out, but most likely. I asked the urologist what is the largest hydrocele he ever worked on. He said mine was about the average and usually when men decide the uncomfort isn't worth it, but the largest he did the procedure on (no joking he said) was about as big as a grapefruit and hung down toward the guy's knee. I couldn't imagine that!

Good luck to those going in for the surgery.
72
Steve
Lots of good comments here. I'm 60 and have had discomfort in my left ball/groin/lower abdomen for years...sometimes feels like I got kicked in the chops. It gets worse with heavy physical exertion, I thought it was a hernia. Doc did ultrasound and CT scan, and said it's a hydrocele. Mine isn't large, just painful. Doc says simple procedure but recovery is a bitch. He also said, in about half the cases, the operation does not make the pain go away. So the decision is whether to continue living with the pain or go for the surgery and hope it makes the pain go away. The way I figure it, without surgery I have 100% chance of pain because I have it now, and with surgery at least there is a 50% chance I'll be pain free (after the recovery). Any of you guys have the procedure done because of constant pain? and did the surgery make the pain go away? Somebody tell me YES.
Thanks for reading.
73
Michael
I had the surgery done a week ago and the pain has gotten progressively worse. If you don't have to get the surgery, don't do it. I have had 4 other kinds of sugeries, and compared to this, the recuperation was nothing.
74
Doug
Today is March 18th, I had the surgery on March 5th. As of Monday the 16th, I was OK'd by my doctor to get back to the GYM to continue my cardio workouts. I do suggest the following: 1) Throw out the Jockstrap and wear snug fitting underwear. 2) Ice as often as you can, my doctor suggested 1/2 hour iced, 1 hour no ice. then repeat as often as you can stand to. 3) Stay as flat in bed as long as you can, I was asked to stay flat in bed for 4-5 days. I think the advice from my doctor for the bed rest and ice was my reasons for such a fast recovery with no issues. As I write this, The stitches are almost dissolved (more than 40) and I have minor post op swelling (which the Dr. say's should go away within 6 weeks). I am very happy with my doctors expertise and this procedure thus far. Regards Doug
75
Kevin
I recently received the results of my ultrasound and I have 2mm (right) and 3mm (left) cysts within the head of the epididymis and a small (right side) and moderate (left side) hydrocele. I had a laproscopic Inguinal hernia repair in April 2008 and have had pain in my lower back and groin area since the time of that repair. I was wondering if others who have had similar issues as me have had lower back pain in addition to groin pain and if any have had hernia repairs that might have contributed to this issue? I am scheduled to meet with the Urologist next week and have appreciated the information on this site to prepare me for this appointment.
76
BNelson
I had Hydro surgery done three weeks ago...My testicle was the size of a patatoe... Here are some before surgury recomendations....1.Shave your whole area down there, it makes for easier removal of the tape underwear "I didnt" ouch! My wife had to use the sizzors with my legs up in the air. Eat a steak dinner the by midnight the day before surgery, it will help on the hunger the next morning. Request for the anestesia after the pretty nurse cleans the area down there, the expierence will help get your monies worth. Bring jogging pancts or very loose clothing...After the surgery I would recomend the following...Get a copy of your favorite video game or tv series for the couch time. Dont get to hasty and move around to soon, it prolongs the soreness. Get non stick pads...these keep your stiches from pulling out prematurely cause they got stuck to your underwear. Get neo sporen and diaper rash cream for the inner thighs. And some extra strentgh tylonal incase the percaset makes you sick, I barfed the following morning, it sucked. Oh yeah I almost forgot, for the first few days dont fart, sneaze, burp, caugh or laugh. Trust me. Good Luck
I had hydro surgery last year. Since then, my erections have become painful. It's almost as if there is not enough skin to hold my erection, and my penis has become "crooked" when erect. Has anyone else noticed this? Can it be corrected? The surgery itself was a godsend - but this is awful.
Hi, I had a hydrocelectomy three weeks ago on my right testicle.
Two times in the past three weeks some of the fluid has come out of the incision.
The testicle is still fairly swollen three weeks later I was wondering if this was normal?
Sounds liek an infection? if teh incision is oozing, u better check with your dr.
good luck
80
Steve
I consulted with a very prominent and well respected Urologist in NYC, who determined that my Hydrocele is not the cause of my discomfort (see my earlier post on 3/12/09). The condition I have is called Epididymitis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epididymitis
The upshot is he doesn't recommend surgery for this because the results are generally unsatisfactory. It may be something I have to live with and manage with pain meds, warm baths, etc. Said it might be urine back-flow into the sperm duct so he put me on Flomax to see if that will help 'loosen things up'. I have a follow-up appointment in 3 months.
hiya, I had My hydrocelectomy almost a month ago now, about 3 and half weeks, ive barely felt any pain what so ever since the operation, Im very lucky. I wore my jock strap for about 5 days, then i took it off and wore some fairly tight boxers, now everything has gone fine, apart from one thing i thought it was really bad, my stitches had dissolved but a very small area of the incision is slightly pussy and hard, it weeps sometimes in the day still but i think its becuase it is the deepest part of the incision, i saw a doctor about 2 weeks ago and it was still like this, he said everythings fine and i told him it is weeping but he said everythings fine, its decreased in size but its still about almost double the size of my left testicle, my doc said it would take abut 2 months to go back to normal plus you have to consider your skin being stretched so that has to go back to normal, any advice has anyone had this problem with a slightly yellow pusseee area??? if you have this problem i think its best to get it checked out again just in case any advice for me???

thanks good luck for you guys, it a a fairly nice operation and im greatful and feel for the guys having it :)
82
frank g
today is 10th of april..i had my surgury on 1/28/09. my left testicle is as large if not larger than before the surgury...it is also hard as a rock...i'm going in for am ultra sound in 2 wks to determine whether i have to go in for more surgury...has this happened to anyone?
Are you talking about the testicle itself, ot the scrotum, because the swelling maybe in the cords or veins and due to the reverted tunica. how big it is compared to the normal side?
84
ABC
Hello all! Read all the comments before my surgery and felt the need to contribute as well! Surgery was early in the morning. They took me in and hooked up the IV and wheeled me off to surgery. Drugs knocked me out quick!! Woke up and made it back home rather drowsy. No pain for about 12 hours. I was throwing up pretty bad from anesthesia (apparently this is common?). Didn't sleep great the first night. Second night was much better because of the drugs! (They are your friend). About three weeks after surgery and things have healed nicely! Almost no pain now whatsoever. Tight fitting boxers are a must. Still need to schedule my post-op check up! This was my FIRST surgery ever, and it couldn't have gone better! GET YOUR JUNK CHECKED!!!
85
James
Hello Everyone,

I wish I had found these pages before the op (15 days ago) as the procedure was not well enough explained to me! Still, no regrets thus far.

My story: one side was the size of a small apple and was aerated twice with precious little success, the other side was starting to show signs following USscan. Into Day Sugery (eventually) and no complications and was let home early that evening.

Back to surgery (urology ward) first thing next morning as some of my sutures came apart overnight (not overly painful, just a bit bloody) and kept in til the next afternoon.

Initially my scrotum was the size of a bull's but has settled now after a couple of weeks though still larger than it should be. A little oozy as others have stated but less so daily. Bathing in sea salt has helped, though I would try to keep the wounds dry for the first week or so.

Have been signed off by the doctors for a third week. Still some discomfort sitting though not in the scrotum itself which just itches to blazes.

Things to bear in mind: we all heal at different rates, but give yourself 3 weeks to get back on your feet and longer (6-8 weeks) to "fully" recover. Stay on your back, don't overdo it - I'm watching Deep Space 9 in it's entirity, yes all 7 series, for the duration. Don't worry about oozing pus and blood too much but if the wound temperature feels hot or you are running a temperature then get it looked at immediately... they're our most prized possessions afterall.

Good luck all!
86
Simon
I have been diagnosed with the Hydrocele about 8 months ago. There is just a slight discomfort sometimes when in the throws of passion but tolerable. There is just a small bump on my right testicle that had me worried and thats when I went to my primary care who then preformed the Ultra Sound. She said that I should see a urologist to have it treated. Still vascilating on weather to go or just deal with it.

I am 39 years old and I am in great shape. How many of you have noticed any changes after the surgery? What made you decide to get the surgery?

Thanks
87
dee
After the procedure was done 2 years ago,i have had 3 episodes of deep veain thrombosis i wonder if this has to do with the anaesthesia or the stitching. It hurts.
88
EOD
Had hydrocelectomy on Thursday(three days ago) all went well and had the drain removed Friday. Developed a real bad headache on Friday afternoon, surgeon said it was a spinal anesthesia headache.
Felt much better laying down, surgeon said rest until monday and if headache reoccurs I will have to have the anesthesia doc give me a blood patch.
So far so good no headache and wound from hydrocele healing nicely
I wii post a follow up. GOOD LUCK TO ALL
89
EOD
Returned to work yesterday (7days after surgery- desk duty) and I'm feeling pretty good. A little soreness when standing but no pain at all when sitting.Wound still oozes a little each day but nothing too bad, waiting for stitches to disolve. Still pretty far off from returning to normal activity, I think it will probably be at least 4 weeks. All in all surgery was fine except for the headache from the anesthesia, and fortunately that didn't last long. Good luck to all and don't worry about having the surgery, the worrying is worse than the procedure.
90
D Bart
Now recovering from a hydrocelectomy... woke up after surgery... Nut hurts a bit but have used very few pain pills.... walk funny though... its just day three after surgery and walking much better... still hurts a bit but alot less than expected...Don't be afraid to get it done....
91
Tim H
I'm having my hydrocelectomy tomorrow . . . will report back when it's over! Thanks to all for the useful info.
92
daz
just had this done and i am in immense pain if i knew how bad it would be i would not of gone through with it
93
Matt
I am 7 days into a hydrocelectomy and my testicles are very hard and my scrotum is hot to the touch. It feels like the doctor replaced my testicles with rocks. It's really horrible.
94
mad
i also wish to have this surgery,coz it hurts. im a nursing student, but its also hard to have this so called oversized testicle.
95
larry rodgers
hi,this is my first time posting here,i have had a grapefruit size hydrocele on my left testical for almost two years,nothing but trouble and in the way,had to stretch all of my shirts just to cover up to keep from being notice,sex was almost impossible,the reason it took me so long to have an operation was because of all the horror stories i have read online.Maybe some people had the wrong doctor a i really don't know,but anyway,it got so big,i just had to go for it.To make a long story short i had the operation on 7-20-09 without all of the complications a lot of people say they had,thanks to the good lord.Here it is 7-21-09 doing fine,just had the drain tube removed,just a little pain not very noticible,but i know ihave had surgiry,wearing gauge and support strap.No major swelling,have pain pills but take only one a day,just about don't need them,all i have to do now is keep it clean,no lifting,pushing,pulling,no sex for a while and i will be a new man,so i advise anybody who has tis problem to get it done,and get things back to normal,you will be glad you did.
96
John Welch
59 and in good physical condition. A vasectomy 25 years ago apparently created the initial damage. I had a successful reversal 5 years after that, with no change in the hydrocele size. Bilateral (both sides). My scrotum has been grapefruit size for most of that time. 10 years ago urologist wouldn't do the op. 7/8/09 same urologist did op. Size had increased measureably over that time (ultrasounds both times). Two 3"+ incisions. Uncomfortable, but I wouldn't call it that painful. I used ice packs for two days, stayed off my feet (mostly). Darvocet (half dose) about 4-6 times daily for almost 1 week was fine. Turns out I had an unrelated viral fever spiking to 100.5 every day for that first week, making me feel worse, but not more painful.
After 2 weeks swelling is still about 1/2 what it was prior tothe op. Urologist stated "very difficult cleaning job on both sides". Did he finish the job, or run out of time? Seems like there's original 'hardness' left over. Since swelling can go 1 month or more, I'll give it a little time. Really not that difficult an operation. Uncomfortable yes. Wearing a jockstrap daily is uncomfortable. Pain? Hardly. To finish the task I'd go through this again.
97
larry
third day after operation,no swelling,testicle back to normal size,a little bit sore,just enough to let me know i have had surgury,jock strap a little uncomfortable but i thank god i don't have to carry that big mass with me now. get it done guys
98
larry
this will be my last post,10 days after surgery feeling fine,no pain,no undo swelling,incision looking good,seems to be on the right track to a sucessful healing,no more hydrocele,feel like a new man,i even wake up aroused and ready to get it on but i know i had better wait,see my doc tommorrow,hope for a good visit.All i can say is,i wished i had got it done a year ago..best of luck to all
99
Ken
Hi there. I've had a hydrocele for the last 6 years. I didnt have it fixed then because I was concerned over the price since I had no insurance. Now, it's such an embarrassment and pain and inconvenience that I basically have no choice. I just gotta know; how much does the surgery cost without insurance? If anyone can tell me soon I'd really like to know what price I'm looking at.
100
Simon
isit ok to ejaculate after surgery, for me it has been 10 days since surgery?
101
JP
Ken, It seems the price was in the $1300 range. They should be able to tell you from the start.
102
henri
Aged 60, I had the surgery in March and all comments here helped me alot. Everything went good at first, no pain no trouble, but after 2 weeks the scrotum started to enlarge again, and after one month it was the size of a grapefruit again, reddish and hard. I was sure the operation had failed. So I went back to my doc who said it was only blood swelling, and that I needed some compression to get rid of it. I had some doubts, but I bought very tight elastic jockey underwear and the famous "athletic support". It took 3 weeks to start reducing size, and now 3 months later everything is ok, back to original size. My advice: Follow all instructions carefully!
103
hopsosj
I am a 37 year old white male and was diagnosed with a hydrocele about 4 months ago.
My left testicle was swollen to about the size of a tennis ball which I believe was caused from horseback riding. I was afraid it was testicular cancer and was very relieved when my doctor told me that my condition was annoying but not dangerous. I asked about needle aspiration and he said that it was only a temporary solution which might cause an infection. He said that I could either tolerate the discomfort or have it surgically removed. I told him I would think it over and get back with him.

After doing quite a bit of research I finally decided 3 and a half months later to go ahead with the procedure. The night before the surgery I read all of the posts on this forum and my mind was made up that this was what I needed to do. My only regret was that I had not read all of these posts much sooner.

I had my hydrocelectomy at around 9:00 am yesterday morning.
I was to report to the outpatient surgery clinic at 5:45 am for paperwork processing. Around 6:30, I was told to dress in the hospital gown, blue hairnet and hospital socks. I was asked a number of questions from allergies to medicine to previous surgeries that had occurred in my family history. The main concern of the staff was to make sure that I had no family history of negative reactions to anesthesia. I was told that I would be given a sedative consisting of Versed and Fentalyn and then would have an LMA tube placed in the back of my throat. I was glad to know that this would be used instead of an intubation tube which could have damaged my vocal cords.

20 minutes of prep. time, 45 minutes of surgery followed by 20 minutes in recovery before I awoke.

I was given an I.V. in my left arm. As my sedative started to take effect, I joked with the doctor, asking him if he had gotten plenty of sleep the night before. I drifted off to sleep and when I awoke after the surgery, I was in no pain. I was given a prescription for Lortab 10mg for pain and an antibiotic called Keflex. I have been taking the Keflex 3 times per day with meals and the Lortab every 5 hours. I had some discomfort in the suture area, intense pain in the left testicle and a dull to sharp pain in my lower left abdomen area felt very similar to the radiating pain feeling you get after being kicked in the groin.

My incision was vertical, about 2 1/2 inches long in the center of the bottom of my scrotum. Dissolvable stitches were used and surgical rubber tubing was placed at the very bottom to allow for drainage of the oozing fluid. The doctor told me that he would completely remove the tunicas vagallis (fluid sac) so that I would have no more build up of fluid around my testicle. After surgery they placed gauze over the site and supported my groin with a hospital issued jock strap that was open in the front. This made it easy for urination while still keeping my parts supported. I changed the gauze to another 3 layer thick gauze 4x4 after 24 hours. I kept changing it out every 3 or 4 hours today, noting only a small amount of blood seepage from my incision but a notable amount of yellow liquid coming from my drain tube. I have been lying on my back in bed most of the time, cautiously moving to my feet for trips to the bathroom and an occasional 5 minute walk outside to get some sunshine. I was able to take a shower this evening with no assistance and felt so much better after shaving, putting on clean clothes and changing my dressing. I go back for a follow up visit in the morning (48 hours after surgery) for the removal of the drain tube.

I must say that I am extremely please so far with this procedure. Thanks to the skills of a great surgeon, the care of my wonderful girlfriend, pain medication and my many nervous prayers by God, I believe that I am on the road to a good recovery.
104
hopsosj
I am a 37 year old white male and was diagnosed with a hydrocele about 4 months ago.
My left testicle was swollen to about the size of a tennis ball which I believe was caused from horseback riding. I was afraid it was testicular cancer and was very relieved when my doctor told me that my condition was annoying but not dangerous. I asked about needle aspiration and he said that it was only a temporary solution which might cause an infection. He said that I could either tolerate the discomfort or have it surgically removed. I told him I would think it over and get back with him.

After doing quite a bit of research I finally decided 3 and a half months later to go ahead with the procedure. The night before the surgery I read all of the posts on this forum and my mind was made up that this was what I needed to do. My only regret was that I had not read all of these posts much sooner.

I had my hydrocelectomy at around 9:00 am yesterday morning.
I was to report to the outpatient surgery clinic at 5:45 am for paperwork processing. Around 6:30, I was told to dress in the hospital gown, blue hairnet and hospital socks. I was asked a number of questions from allergies to medicine to previous surgeries that had occurred in my family history. The main concern of the staff was to make sure that I had no family history of negative reactions to anesthesia. I was told that I would be given a sedative consisting of Versed and Fentalyn and then would have an LMA tube placed in the back of my throat. I was glad to know that this would be used instead of an intubation tube which could have damaged my vocal cords.

20 minutes of prep. time, 45 minutes of surgery followed by 20 minutes in recovery before I awoke.

I was given an I.V. in my left arm. As my sedative started to take effect, I joked with the doctor, asking him if he had gotten plenty of sleep the night before. I drifted off to sleep and when I awoke after the surgery, I was in no pain. I was given a prescription for Lortab 10mg for pain and an antibiotic called Keflex. I have been taking the Keflex 3 times per day with meals and the Lortab every 5 hours. I had some discomfort in the suture area, intense pain in the left testicle and a dull to sharp pain in my lower left abdomen area felt very similar to the radiating pain feeling you get after being kicked in the groin.

My incision was vertical, about 2 1/2 inches long in the center of the bottom of my scrotum. Dissolvable stitches were used and surgical rubber tubing was placed at the very bottom to allow for drainage of the oozing fluid. The doctor told me that he would completely remove the tunicas vagallis (fluid sac) so that I would have no more build up of fluid around my testicle. After surgery they placed gauze over the site and supported my groin with a hospital issued jock strap that was open in the front. This made it easy for urination while still keeping my parts supported. I changed the gauze to another 3 layer thick gauze 4x4 after 24 hours. I kept changing it out every 3 or 4 hours today, noting only a small amount of blood seepage from my incision but a notable amount of yellow liquid coming from my drain tube. I have been lying on my back in bed most of the time, cautiously moving to my feet for trips to the bathroom and an occasional 5 minute walk outside to get some sunshine. I was able to take a shower this evening with no assistance and felt so much better after shaving, putting on clean clothes and changing my dressing. I go back for a follow up visit in the morning (48 hours after surgery) for the removal of the drain tube.

I must say that I am extremely please so far with this procedure. Thanks to the skills of a great surgeon, the care of my wonderful girlfriend, pain medication and my many nervous prayers by God, I believe that I am on the road to a good recovery.
105
Matt
Had a hydrocelectomy on aug 31st. If you are reading this and your nervous, DON'T BE!!!!!!!!! This was my first surgery, im a 22 y/o man in the US armed forces and i have control issues. Anasthesia scared me but it was great!! Surgery is cake and then you wake up and it's OVER!!! wee after surgery sucks.(gravity will not be your friend)
106
Paul
I am 18 years old and for four years I was terrified of the increasing size of my right testicle. It gradually increased in size from the beginning of puberty to around the size of a grapefruit before surgery. I was completely convinced it was testicular cancer and spent an awful four years hiding from the problem and trying my hardest not to notice and hiding it as best I could from my girlfriend at the time. It wasn't until the beginning of this year when i finally faced the problem and visited my GP. To my great relief and in some levels annoyance I found out it was in fact simply a hydrocele and could be easily remedied by a surgery. I waited until the 3rd of September before my surgery and was pretty nervous. Thankfully reading these comments gave me good advice on what to expect post surgery. The surgery went perfectly and I woke up 45 minutes after being knocked out in no pain whatsoever and only the grogginess of the anaesthetic to contend with. I was home an hour later feeling very little pain around the area. The next three days I recovered well only with minor pain when walking about. I even managed to engage in some minor sexual activities by the fourth day with reasonable success! The incision is pretty unsightly on close inspection but can go unnoticed for longer and is much better than the very noticeable tennis ball sized testicle that was previously hanging around. All in all I am very happy and relieved with the procedure and am looking forward to making a complete recovery and leading on the rest of my life without the horrible worry that has plagued me for the last four years.
107
l. rodgers
you go paul,thats what i am talking about.....get ur dun
108
john
Did any of you guys have pain or only swelling. I am going to to the surgery soon not only because of swelling but also because of pain. How was it afterwards? No more pain?
109
bertdw
I just had the hydrocelectomy on Sept 21/09 around 8:00AM. Surgery went well. Woke up and felt no pain. Went home around 12:00 noon same day. Felt no pain for about 4 or 5 hours after that. Then a little sore, nothing serious, pain medication took care of it. I am able to walk around and get up and down stairs no problem. Going to the bathroom is not a problem. Bleeding is minimal... small blood spots on the gauze pads. So far so good... made the right decision to get it done. Will let you know how recovery goes.
110
bertdw
Forgot to add to previous post that I am a 42 year old male in good health.
111
JR
Had mine done Thurs Oct 1 and everything went well. Had it for 10 years or more.
No Pain! A little swelling. No problem walking or getting up the stairs. Feeling very well two days later.
112
Sk
I have a son who is 8 years old. He has been diagnosed as a having a hydrocele on the left side. We have seen a pediatric urologist and a general urologist. They both gave us the same diagnosis and recommended surgery. We have another appt next week with a pediatric urologist at Duke University Medical Center for one last opinion. We are just very apprehensive about this surgery. Most of these testimonies are from adults. Were any of you aware of having this condition as a child? Are there any parents out there that have been through this with their children. If so, what was your experience like and what are your recommendations? Thanks... from a concerned parent that is trying to do the right thing!
113
Daniel
i just had my hydrocele removed a week ago. i had it on my left side and it had become the size of an apple. right now its back to normal size but theres still some soreness and im out of pain pills, i can barely sit down because its pretty tender. i explained to the doctor that it feels sore in an odd way but he didnt seem to care. oh well ill wait it out.
114
Mario
It's been 1 day since my hydrolectomy(L). Before I agreed to the surgery my left testicle was the size of an orange. I tried to postpone due to the fear I had of the assumed pain. Unfortunately, there is no other alternative.I am so glad I went through with it. Of course when you go under you dont feel a thing. The surgery is a 30-45 min surgery. Surgeons learn hydrolectomies in the 2nd year of internship. It's a very simple proecedure. Once you wake up and 4 hrs later you dont feel pain becuase the drugs are still working. After that, pain meds and bag of ice are your best friends. Dont try and be a super hero and reject the pain meds; they're prescribed for a reason. I tried to not take pain meds this AM when I woke up; it felt like somebody kicked me in the gnads. It is tolerable though with pain meds. I am so glad its over with and you will be too. Dont procrastinate like I did. The procedure is not half as bad as our wicked minds makes it out to be. I will repost on day 3 on my recovery.
115
Mario
Its been 72 hrs since my hedrolectomy(L). The 3rd day is the charm. The pain level is 50%-60% gone. Everyday that goes by gets better. I am completely off my pain meds and I'm walking alot better. Results may vary. I came into the surgery with a large scrotum and little to no pain. My scrotum is still swollen and seems the more I walk the more swollen it gets. The key is to stay off your feet as much as possible, do nothing, and just heal. I do apply ice once every 3 hrs for 20 mins. It helps the swelling. I hope this info has helps your decision making. Feel free to ask questions.
116
bertdw
Had the surgery on Sept 21/09 as stated in my previous message. On the second day there was some swelling which I expected to happen. By the fourth day the incision was starting to drain a lot of fluid and there was a bad odor to it. This led me to believe that I had an infection. Around day 5 I was experiencing a lot of pain only while standing and the pain meds were not really helping. Sitting or lying down was not too bad. By day 7, my stitches had come undone leaving a fairly large open wound on my scrotum and there was a lot of pus in the wound. I was pretty worried by this time so I went to emergency and they had an on call urologist look at it. He said I had an infection and gave me some antibiotics. The doc said there was no point in re-stitching the wound because it was infected. He said it would close up eventually. At that point I began to aggressively clean the wound 2 or 3 times per day using a spray bottle with saline solution which I made myself (distilled water and salt). I continued to take the antibiotics for the next 10 days and kept the wound covered with gauze at all times. By day 19, the infection had cleared up pretty good and there was no swelling and I was starting to feel a lot better. No real pain to speak of. It's now been 32 days and the wound is healing up nicely, probably another week or 2 and it should be completely healed. My experience was not pleasant but I am glad I had it done.
117
ROYAL PHILLIPS
DURING HYDROCELE SURGERY, DO THEY COVER PENIS AREA WITH TOWEL OR YOU LAID OUT ON TABLE FOR WHOLE WORLD TO SEE?
118
mybook
Besides the Dr and Nurses, Who is in there with you?
You want your Dr to see what he is doing don't you?
Don't worry about it. Get it done. Mine's healing quite well now 4 weeks out.
119
Jim Ferner
I had the surgery two weeks ago. Things were pretty good for the first week, some swelling which I expected to go down. By the second week follow-up, fluid had accumulated to the point where the size of my scrotum was as big or bigger that before the surgery. The current advice is to give it a few weeks to see if the fluid accumulation goes down. There is a distinct possibility according to the Doctor, that the surgery will have to be repeated. Luckily, the incision healed well and I have no pain, other than discomfort when things rub against the scar tissue of the incision. Still wearing the athletic supporter, primarily to prevent chafing. Will see how things go for a few days. If the swelling goes down - good. If it does not go down or gets bigger, we will have to do something.
120
Randy
I had a hydrocell removed Oct 14 th and am still recovering from it .It was located left side and size of a apple up to a softball. I had been dealing with this over 3 yrs but last spring it went into overdrive. I waited 6 mos too see speciast but was operated on 30 days later. I was told I could go back to work in 3.5 weeks but as my job is quite physical there is no way yet. it is healing nicely but the first couple of weeks were really sore. I had a fair amount of swelling so ice was my buddy. the swelling is down now but I know when I have over worked myself. the big thing is when to have sex again,all the articles say wait 30 days but it still seems a little tender to gop the distance. all in all much better off now
121
ron
Hey I am going for a hydrocelectomy tomorrow and I was fine until today. I am very nervous even though I was told i will be asleep the whole time. Hopefully I culd have the same luck as alot of you guys and not have to much pain. I was told I culd go back to work in a week. Luckily my job doesn't require lifting, but i wont be able to pickup my son for at least 2 weeks i was told. Wish me luck
122
F.C.
A very informative site. I wish I had found it before my surgery. I am 77 years old and have lived with a very uncomfortable hydrocele, for over 6 years, which grew to softball size. Finally had the surgery last week and with my results, I am sorry I waited so long. It has been 3 days since the surgery. Has been uncomfortable but Pain was minimal with no blood and slight fluid discharge. Have applied ice pack frequently and swelling is gradually going down. I would recommend to anyone having an uncomfortable hydrocele.
123
shai
Is anyone w/ hydrocelectomy has had problem having children after surgery?
124
Eric
I was diagnosed with a hydrocele of the right testical about a month ago. The hydrocele was about the size of a pear and caused frequent discomfort and occasional pain. I am 24 years old and am in good health. I had my hydrocelectomy on December 10, 2009 in a Chicago hospital. It is now the evening of December 12, 2009, just about two full days after surgery.

All medical personnel who saw my hydrocele, including my family doctor, urologist, and the woman who did my ultrasound agreed that the a hydrocelectomy was necessary. I scheduled an appointment for surgery and was moderately anxious.

On the day of surgery I was asked to change into a hospital gown and was given an IV almost immediately. After filling out paper work, I was wheeled into the surgery room, given anesthesia, and fell asleep quickly. I woke up with minor pain around my right testical. I was released from the hospital soon after showing the nurse I was able to eat and go to the bathroom.

The pain worsened later in the evening, probably because the anesthesia finally wore off. I took one of my pain pills, Tylenol 3 with codeine, and went to sleep for the evening. The next day, I had minor pain while laying down, but severe pain when standing or walking. Therefore, I spent all day in bed, but opted not to take a pain pill since I was relatively comfortable while laying down.

Today was basically the same. I have noticed that pain is less severe when standing and walking, but is still very uncomfortable. Bleeding along the incision, which is about 2 1/2 inches, has almost entirely stopped. A runny brown fluid does secrete from the drainage tube which is near my anus and will be removed in four days.

Advice -- (1) Plan for good amount of time to recover. I feel that my doctor led me to believe the best case scenario, which is also unlikely, saying I may be able to return to work after four days of recovery. My job requires a lot of standing, walking, and minor lifting, so I am saddened to have to tell my employers I will be missing much more work than planned. (2) Lay down and rest as much as possible, keep the jock strap on, and ice! This helps with healing and swelling. (3) Plan for someone to help you. I live alone and am lucky to have a great friend, as degrading as it is, help me with things like getting me ice, answering the door when I order food, etc. The less I have to stand up -- the better my day.

I'll write more about my experience in the days to come. Overall, I'm happy I had the surgery and look forward to healing. This is my first surgery and I would be lying if I said it was a good experience -- it's been tough and I look forward to getting back to a normal life.
125
John
@Eric

Great read. Please keep us posted on your recovery. I am going in next Monday for Hydrocelectomy, wondering what to expect afterwards!
126
Les
I am 59 years old had the surgery on December 4 and am very happy with the results. First let me say I had procrastinated doing this for about 4-5 years, in the meantime my left testicle had grown to the size of a pineapple and I couldn't get an erection. I didn't do the surgery because of fear and because there was no pain...I even came within 2 days of doing the surgery a year ago then panicked. Well in the last few months my attitude changed, I was hating the uncomfortableness and the fact that sex was out of the question. I also did alot of research on the surgery and reading of others experiences on this site which was VERY helpful and calming. Anyway on November 23 I went to the urologist(who commented it was the biggest one he's seen in 28 years of practice lol)and scheduled the surgery for December 4. I actually looked forward to it because this was going to change my outlook on life. I went into the outpatient center not at all nervous, the surgery was like flipping the remote on the TV, one second I was asking the anestesiologist a question, the next second I was in the recovery room..had no pain, no swelling, and felt fantastic, my cousin doctor drove me home, I ate lunch, then lied down. The only major problem I had was that the doctor left a tube in my sac and alot of blood drained which I wasn't really prepared for. My bathroom was a mess until I took the doctors advice and had my friend bring me female sanitary pads and a second jockstrap...so once I got the routine down of changing the pad 2-3 times a day things improved. I probably overdid it the first day with too many friends visiting etc., so days 2-3 & 4 I basically just chilled in bed. Still no real pain, no swelling, took the percussetes which were prescribed mainly to relax. I work at home so was back in my office for duty on day 5. Also able to drive by day 5. Yesterday the doctor removed the tube thank god, still using the pads and jockstrap for support, hopefully my visit to him next Monday will be the last time. Am going to Las Vegas for New Years and planning on using my new found genitalia at that time lol. My advice to anyone who is on the fence is DO IT DO IT DO IT. My doctor is the best I'll be glad to recommend him to anyone who writes(I'm in South Florida). Thanks so much to all of you who posted on here,your experiences have really helped change my life.
127
BB
Has been three days after my surgery and things are going good. My hydrocele was the size of a grapefruit and had it for 3 years. My question is and hope someone can help me with this is with the excess streching of the skin in your scrotum will it ever go back to normal?
I had my hydrocelectomy December 21. I went into the hospital at 7.15am fairly nervous. I was scheduled for an 8.30am surgery. I was brought into my room and had to undress right away and change into a hospial gown. Then I was given an IV. I had the surgery with a spinal anaesthesia so I was fairly awake during surgery. I listenend to some music though. I did not feel anything at all. After about 30 minutes the surgery was over and I was brought back to my room. Until I was feeling my legs again it took maybe 2 more hours. I had minor pain while laying but severe pain while standing or walking. I remained in the hospital for one night and was released the next day. The first night was awful since you can only lay on your back and can`t move to much. Back at home I spent almost all day in bed too. Now it is 48 hours after surgery and thing are slowly going better. Swelling and pain are moderate but I would suggest to take your prescribed pills and ice every couple of hours. I had a drainage tube the first night which was removed the next morning. I am going to report back in a couple of days. Merry Christmas!
129
ananga
On 30 Nov. 2009 (just two days after my 40th birth day) my left testacle was too painful and swollen (size of a mango fruit). I was then diagnosed with epididymitis, was admitted for four days, put on anti-biotics before being discharged with reduced pain but increased swelling of my left testacle.I decided to consult a urologist who diagnosed me with hydrocele on 16th Dec. 2009. I was booked for hydrocelectomy on 18th. Dec 2009 at 1.00pm.

Reaching the hospital I was ushered into the ward where I was counselled, asked anumber of questions before being given "theatre pant and coat". I was so nervours. Within 45 minutes I was interacting with two surgeons and four assistants as they explained to me every part of the procedure. The last word I heard before the procedure came from one of the surgeons who called me by name and said "please sleep well" as they put me under general anaesthesia. I'm tolt the procedure took 30 minutes as I woke up 1hr 30 mins later. I spent one night in the ward before being dischared the following day 19th Dec. Pain was very intense the first and second days. Today is exactly one week after the operation, the pain is very minimal, my left ball reduced drastically and now I walk rormally although within the compund. I'm still taking my antibiotics and pain killers as I dont want to take chances. I think what has enhanced my quick recovery is that I deceided to take full (I mean) TOTAL BED REST-NO MOVEMENT EXCEPT when visiting the wash room. I'm still indoors but When I look at it I love it as it looks too impressive. Atleast I took off that extra load. My libido also seems to have shot up from the look of things an any SMS or phone call from my wife makes my penis wake up from its previous slumber. It behaves with an unusual aggresion I haven't witnessed in the recent past. I can't wait to test it after two weeks.
For those with hydrocele please go for the procedure as you stand to gain from it. The whole process is painless as you will be put under the right conditions. I'm happy I went for it.
130
Mike
I'm 17 years old and I've had a left hydrocele for about 3 years (ever since puberty). When I decided to talk to the Urologist about my problem, he insisted that we should operate on it.

I did a lot of research on the internet and made sure that it was the right decision. One of my main reasons for getting it fixed, besides the discomfort, is that I had a large bulge in my pants. I could not let my penis hang normally like everyone else. I had to put it in the waist band at all times, so that people wouldn't think I was walking around with an erection. This was very embarrassing for me and it was very annoying. Does anyone else have these problems? I'd appreciate the response.

Anyways, I got the hydrocelectomy done on December, 29. The surgery was the same as everyone else that has posted on here. The first day home from surgery was not very fun. I layed in bed all day with an ice pack. It was also very hard to sleep that night due to the limited movement and pain.

The morning of the day after surgery (Dec. 30), I removed the tape dressing. It was a little painfull due to some hair pulling. When I first saw the incision, I thought it looked pretty bad. It was kind of red and irritated. I also had a lot of blood on the first gauze pad from surgery. So after a shower, I put on a jock strap and tight underwear. By the way I did not use any painkillers besides Tylenol every 4 hours.

I'm now on the 3rd day after surgery and I feel a lot better every day. I'm able to walk around and move a little more. I walk kind of funny though since my testical is very sensitive. I'm hoping I can walk normal by January 6 since I have to return to school.

My Urologist said I can start lifting weights again about 2 weeks after surgery. I don't know if that will be possible. I'm hoping I will be well recovered soon. I have a Post-Op Appointment on January 11. I'm really hoping I don't have any complications like some other people's posts. I also would like to see the swelling go down and the stitches to start looking better.

If you have any questions about my operation or experience just ask. I'll be checking back on here for the next few days. Wish me luck!
131
Mike
It's now been almost a week after surgery and I'm feeling a lot better. My incision has almost stopped bleeding at all. I can walk normal again with minimal pain. I still have some swelling though. I hope it will go down soon.

Doctors appointment in a week. I'll probably post again then
132
CodyCO
hey whatsup i had a hydrocelectomy on 1/14/2010. it is the day after and all i can say is this is not fun at all! i can barely walk ive been in bed since ive got home. and was up all night in pain and trying to get comfortable. i changed the gauze and applied triple antiobotic ointment this morning and there was very minimal bleeding from the incision. however they did give me hydrocodones the strongest available and it does help but the more of them i take for the pain the sicker i get. so either way it just sucks. i know in about a week it will be feeling alot better and when im completely healed i will look back and it will be worth it. i will be posting another after my dr appoinment in about a week.
133
CodyCO
hey it is now day 3. i woke up feeling much better than day 1 and 2. i was able to walk around without it being unbearable. i also was able to take a sh** which made me feel way better to get that pressure relieved.i heard day 4 is even better so hopefully its uphill from here. also im 19 and about as healthy and fit as you can get. the week before surgery i made sure i took vitamins and ate really healthy so my body would be really healthy to make the recovery quicker. im still appplying the triple antiobodic ointment twice a day. the wound isint bleeding or oozing anything as others have mentioned. im still a little swollen but ice packs are helping that. and the pain has dramatically gone down since day 1. im now only taking half of a hydrocodone10 every 6 or 7 hours.
134
Jim
Had surgery on a Friday, stayed on the couch for 2 days with ice. Only took ibuprofin occasionally for a little discomfort (mostly from the tape pulling my skin). Today is Monday, I am moving around the house normally, very little swelling. However I am very black and blue. Planning on returning to work on Wednesday. No longer wearing the JockStrap. Keeping the incision covered with gauze and wearing briefs. I am 40 years old and in average condition. I have had the condition for over 7 years. It has not been uncomfortable until the last 6 months, I was running out of streachable skin.
135
CodyCo
hey it is now a little over two weeks since the surgery and im doing much better. the incison is still nasty looking and a little sore if the stiches rub again my boxers. the best advice i could give would be.. always have a ice pack and pain meds on hand. and if you have someone who can get you things you need instead of having to get up thats great 2. it was a miserable 2 weeks just because i hate not being able to not do anything and just had to stay at the house the whole time. there is still some swelling which im guessing will go down over the next month or so.. but hopefully after the swelling goes down i should be back to normal other than this gnarley scar i will have. it sure beats an embarrising oversized testicle i had though. good luck to you guys having the surgery. its worth it in the long run!
I posted about a month ago on my hydrocelectomy. I had my operation on 12/28. I'm almost at a full recovery. At the Post Op appointment they said everything was looking good. All of the swelling has gone away. I still have a mark where the incision is. It's not completely healed yet. I still have some extra skin on my scrotum. Will the skin ever be normal again?
Had op on the Wednesday 24th Feb...

First two days in bed - try to walk around as little as possible and stay on those pain killers during that period. Mind you don't get addicted though! I'm currently on Codydramol and Paracetamol. 10/500mg. Was given a pressure dressing and scrotal support (jock strap). Make sure you drink plenty of H2O, eat healthy salads and plenty of protein.

Day 3- More movement now. Can walk and stand up for longer. I tried to remove the padding this morning to have a shower, but I starting bleeding all over the place. This is expected but perhaps its not ready to be removed. I put the pressure dressing back and am going to leave it for one more day before venturing into the shower.

This is my third op on testes in 15 year. First op at 15 then trauma at 19 set it off again. Now I'm 32 so I'm really praying this is the last one. Great to read everybody's thoughts, because its pretty bad on your own. Thank God the Olympics is on!
Follow up...1st March.

Managed to change dressing this morning (Sunday) but then had pains in my penis.
I discovered blood in urine and had to be re-admitted to Hospital.

Doc checked my prostate (not for the faint-hearted) and notice swelling around testes. Reckoned I had a infection and prescibed two sets of antibiotics plus diclofenac to ease pain.

So, spent the night with aches and pains and fever. Waiting for the antibiotics to kick in.
Monday - feeling better. Still mild fever and aches, but seems to be on the mend.

Make if you get any abnormal aches in kidneys, blood in urine or fever symptoms that you get straight back to hospital. Oh, and get plenty of DVDs in.
139
Doug in Missouri
I just had hydrocele surgery on March 8. I've been reading all the posts, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Had I not had an unrelated complication (undetected heart issue) I would have been back to work on March 10. This was way easier than my vasectomy. No pain pills needed. Yes it hurt a little for about 24 hours but once I got that jock strap and extra padding out things settled right down. I was able to sleep on my side with my legs together that first night. Worst part was they weren't able to use normal stitches due to suddenly unexpected heart issue so to speed up the surgery they used staples. Surgery lasted less than an hour and had I not the heart thing I would have been home by lunch. Don't wait, get if fixed. Mine was the size of a tennis ball and my clothes fit better already. For laughs take before and after shots. You'll be amazed. I didn't realize how big I had gotten over the years. BTW I'm a white male, 45yoa, non-smoker, desk pusher that works out regularly.
I had my hydrocelectomy on Dec 18th. I read these comments before and some of them had me a little worried about it and some were comforting. I told myself that I would come back and post my experience.

My repair has went almost perfectly. I only took one of the pain pills. I iced it a lot. I mean constantly. I mostly used a bag of frozen corn. I also used those blue gel ice packs. The worst part about mine was the irritation from the incision and the stitches. It drove me crazy for about 24 hrs and then kind of subsided a bit. It took about a week before it didn't really bother me anymore.

My follow up went well. I didn't have much post op swelling and it is still gradually getting smaller. It is still a little tender and as I read here it seems like the testical has sort of attached itself to the inside of the sack. I asked my doctor before the surgery and he said it may happen and it was normal. He said it would not be as mobile as before because it doesn't have any fluid to move around in.

I am so glad that I had it done. I would encourage others to have this done. Thanks to the many that have posted here.
had hydrocele correction 0n tues 30th march.everything seems ok so far.a bit of swelling and seepage from the stitches.a little pain but nothing to severe.had a shower on wednesday morning and felt a bit faint but i think that was due to the general anisthetic.before the op it was the size of a goose egg,hopefully once swelling is down it will br its normal size again first time for about 6 years.let u know how i get on.au the best.
142
Curtis
I had a hydrocelectomy Feb 19 2010. My left ball was the size of a softball pre-op. Recovery was fairly speedy with assistance from pain medication! So that is it, all is fine and better now right? Wrong! I noticed the end of last week my ball was starting to increase in size. Too long after surgery for the standard swelling. Luckily I know that it is growing again and I have scheduled an appt. with my urologist for tomorrow. I have learned that they can be recurrent, so I will find out if I am going under the knife again. I can tell you this time it hurts worse because the area that was stitched is still fairly tender and the ball is expanding and pushing on it. I can only pray that it is taken care of this time.
8th april 9 days since op.sore and swollen seeminglay have a haematoma,blood clots,sore stomach this is caused by the spermatic cord getting streched by the weight of scrotum which in turn is very uncmfortable and makes u feel sick.signedof work for another 2 weeks.cant wait to pain is away.taking arnica to try reduce swelling and bruising see if this works.
My operation takes place tomorrow, about 12 hours from now. Thanks to everyone who took time to share your experiences. It has been very helpful and reassuring to know what some of you have experienced, and I hope within a couple of days I'll be able to share my recovery situation with you.
I had my surgery on April 14th, out of recovery and hospital at 8:30pm that night and have not had to take any pain meds since 5:30am the next morning (15th). I had it for the left side, and my was the size of a baseball. It is now the 18th and I haven't had any major problems. I'm driving, going places (church, work etc -- of course my job is an office job though) and little to no swelling. The main things I've done is keep ice on when I'm sitting watching TV or whatever and I bought the underwear briefs with the atlethic support. This helps hold everything in place and not pull on anything while you are standing and walking. I am sore but again, the underwear makes all the difference. You can buy them at select sporting goods stores for about $11 for each one. Hope this helps. I will post updates as I go further along.
I'm scheduled for a hydrocelectomy tomorrow (Wednesday, 4/21/2010); I will have an inguinal hernia fixed at the same time. I have a slight hydrocele on the right testicle, and a much larger one (orange sized) on the left. Two doctors will team up for my surgery; the one who specializes in hernia repair will take care of that part first-the hernia is on the right side in the groin area. Then, the other doctor will use that incision to fix the smaller hydrocele on the right. He will then make an incision in the scrotum to remove the larger hydrocele on the left. I've read all the posts here, and I hope mine goes as well as some I've read about. I'm 58, in otherwise good health, and have had this problem for several years, so I'm nervous but glad to be finally getting everything put back in order. I'll post again after a couple of days on how things went.
147
garth
Hi everyone, I'm glad this is over with and now I am continuing to recover. I'm not sure how much age factors in to hydrocelectomy, but I'm 69 and the surgery was a breeze. Surgery began something after 9:00 am last Wednesday (April 14) and I was home soon after 12 Noon. My recovery continued well for the next couple of days and I am relatively pain-free now, except where it catches now and then.

I think my surgeon must have done a lot of tugging and pulling at one spot, because that spot has been consistently sore. The surgeon said he pulled off a bit more than 600 CCs of fluid, so it was not a small item. The only real problem I'm having now (a week later) is that I still feel some nausea. The nausea may be because of the anesthetic, but it feels like the pain a man or a boy would have after he gets kicked between the legs or gets hit with a ball - happens to everyone I guess, but I had fortunately forgotten what that feels like, until now. Anti-nausea pills help that pain. The drain was there until yesterday (I went in to have it removed on Friday and they said it was still draining too much, so I went back yesterday and had it removed.

All in all, I am glad to have this behind me. I have no idea what may have caused it, but it had been bothering me for about 2 years, and got gradually worse until it reached "the tipping point" and something had to be done.

"Mike E.", best wishes tomorrow - I hope your hospital staff are as wonderful as mine turned out to be. They were thoughtful, pleasant, helpful and considerate in every way.
well, my days continue to get better and better, still pretty sore though and have noticed a spot or two of blood from the cut area, but nothing major(I had hydrolectomy on left side on April 14th. Forgot to mention I am 39, almost 40 years old in my first post. Still applying ice when I over do it, which is alot with me. I'm not the type of person to sit down, I'm always on the go. Mike E, good luck tomorrow, hope everything goes well for you. I will check in again in a few days. I'm suppose to get my stitches out this Thursday(22nd).
Well, I had my surgeries today (post 145 above) and everything went well. I arrived at 9:00 a.m., was prepped and given a fluid IV, and relaxed for an hour and a half while my doctors, anesthesiologist, surgical nurses, etc., all came in to talk about what would take place.

At around 10:45, I walked down to the OR, climbed up on the table, got comfortable (nice fold-out armrests on the table), and a few seconds later, I was out. I woke up in the recovery room after what seemed like a few seconds, but was actually about 3 hours. The actual surgeries took about 1 hour and 20 minutes, I was told.

After a half an hour, I was wheeled back to where my girlfriend was waiting for me (a longer day for her than me, I think), and the doctors stopped in to check on me. As the anesthesia (I chose general) wore off, I noticed some pain in the hernia area, none in the scrotum. More pronounced when in transition from lying to sitting to standing, etc., but not as bad as I thought.

I was given the jock strap, and some soft material that fits inside called 'scrotal fluff.' Dissolving tape over the incisions is covered by 4 inch gauze pads. A drain was not put in, so I don't have to worry about going back to have that removed. I had to show the nurse I was able to urinate; no problem there, but it took awhile to get started, I think, due to the area just being a bit numb. I got dressed, and was wheeled out to my girlfriend's car around 3:30. I got prescriptions for 800mg ibuprofen, (3 times a day with food), a generic 500mg Vicodin (Hydrocodone), to be used if needed for pain, one every four hours.

I've been home how for a few hours, taken an ibuprofen, and have a bag of frozen corn on the area; not much pain and no problems yet--we'll see what happens when general numbness goes away later tonight. Scrotal area is totally pain free right now--I'm expecting that to change, but so far so good.

Instructions are to wear the jock for two weeks, keep the fluff in for only a couple of days, and remove the dressings day after tomorrow and take a shower. I have follow up appointments after 1 and 2 weeks with my 2 doctors.

Hopefully all these details will help someone who's awaiting having this done; I'll post again in a couple of days with a progress report.
I had hydrcelectomy 8 days ago for the second time. The first one was performed 16 years ago.
My question is when I can resume my sexual activity, the doctorgives me 3 week sick leave and I shall avoid any heavy lifting. What do you thinl...I am recovering at home...
Anastas
I seem to be recovering pretty well, going on two weeks since my surgeries (posts 145 and 149 above). I never had much pain or swelling, except in the area where my inguinal hernia (done at the same time as the hydroceles) was fixed. Still a bit sore and swollen there, but I've been out walking a couple of miles a day, and otherwise feeling pretty good.

I went back to see the hernia surgeon last week, and he told me everything looked good; I need to stay away from lifting, golf, etc., for a couple of weeks yet, but otherwise, I'm working, driving, and off of all medications.

I will see the other surgeon who did the hydrocelectomies in a few days, and I will have one question for him; maybe someone here has had the same experience. My left testicle is now normal in size, and hanging correctly; the right side of the scrotum, however, where the smaller hydrocele was, is just loose skin, and the right testicle is up very high, right below the groin area. Sometimes it even seems to be partially up inside the groin. There is no pain, and it, like the left one, seems normal sized. This is the same side where the hernia was fixed, just an inch or so above.

I'm hoping this is normal, and that the testicle will eventually drop somewhat lower. Could this be caused by swelling in the hernia area above? Was the right testicle this high previously, being held up there by the hydrocele below it? Or is the hernia swelling possibly causing the spermatic cord to be holding the testicle up higher than normal? I seem to remember reading somewhere about someone having this happen and I think they said it took a few weeks to drop down to normal; I hope that happens with me, but as I said, absolutely no pain or discomfort there.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'd appreciate some reassurance. Thanks.
151 posts, some good, some scary! I'm still none the wiser of the cause (and therefore prevention) of hydrocele.
I'm in the Philippines, tomorrow at 7am I undergo spinal anaesthesia (no breathing complications) for lhs hydrocele. It seems ice is important, along with extensive bed rest. I hope I don't need a draintube fitted (didn't know about these until I found this blog).
I'm encouraged by your posts, thanks gents.
Cost of my surgery is estimated at U$1500-1800, cash.
My hydrocele is extending up towards my belly, an avacado shaped swelling, fairly hard, taught. I shall be eating plenty of avo's afterwards, they cost about 10 cents here!
Wish me luck.
Had my hydrolele repair two weeks ago seemed okay at first apart from looking beaten up the it improved for awhile but then the swelling got really bad ,untill it looked like one big hard grape fruit walking even a little bit made it swell much worse. Went back to the urologist who drained 200ml of pinkish fluid from it(and it went back to nearly the normal size) he said would test the fluid to see if the blood flow is getting to the testicle,Five days later it is one big grape fruit again going back to specialist today may need draining again yeeeha !.Im over it starting to regret getting it done ,should of just cut the bloody things off.
154
Big Nutter
PART I

Hi everyone, 32 yo male here, married, doctor, one child so far (geez, this is turning out to be a personals ad), had surgery last Thursday (May 6, 2010) for a complicated hydrocele/spermatocele/juicy thick-walled everything-cele, and thought I would write a bit about my experience. I've REALLY been enjoying your responses along the way. Comfort and smiles while I’m laying here in bed chillin’ with my ice pack. They should have chat rooms for this.

THE SITUATION. I had a vericosectomy about 10 years ago. Basically a coil of spaghetti noodles at the bottom of my left nut about the size of a lemon. Surgeon went in on my belt line, and snip, snip, problem solved (for a little while anyway). About 5 years ago, I noticed that my left nut was starting to get a bit bigger, and about 2 years ago it was big enough (the size of a small orange, not quite one of those California navels YET) that I had to do something about it. Had two sonograms, and both revealed a healthy testicle caught up in NUMEROUS thick-walled cysts. The urologist agreed to try and aspirate (drain it), but warned it would be tough to do since I had so many pockets of fluid, AND the fluid would likely come back. What have I got to lose, I thought? Drain, baby drain! So, he went in with a big, sharp straw-like needle (ok dramatic effect here, not a milkshake straw, more like a juicebox straw) and took out about 40CCs from one pocket. But when he tried another pocket, he had problems getting the needle in, and when he did, he got some nasty pus-like fluid. End of story. Time to operate. BTW, fluid came back about 3 days later.

THE SURGERY. My urologist expected 45 minutes to remove the lil’ citrus fruit, but it ended up taking him a little over an hour and half. Said it was like peeling back layers of an onion, and described all of the tissue he removed as being about the surface area of my chest (I’m 6’5 and 250lbs) and once he got to the center (which took him about an hour!), he was able to drain and snip out the beast in about 5 mins.
155
Big Nutter
RECOVERY. Urologist left the drain in until yesterday (4 days), since a healthy amount of pink/yellow fluid was still trickling out onto the pads. Virtually no pain as long as I am lying on my back in bed (Thank you Netflix Play it Now movies!), but plenty of pain and swelling if I get up and walk around or even just sit up for a bit. The swelling has subsided significantly here on day 5, but I still ice frequently (mostly because it just feels nice under the warm covers). Virtually no pain when I'm on my back in bed.

TIPS FOR THOSE IN RECOVERY.
1. Buy some thick menstrual pads with the sticky backing. This is the ONLY way to go. The gauze just catches on your stitches and rips the flesh when you change the dressing. The pads are nonstick on one side, and the sticky backside keeps it in place in your underwear.

2. Throw out the boxers and buy some briefs. I got some boxer briefs, and they help keep things in place when I’m moving around. I wear a jockstrap over the top of my briefs when I’m walking around the house or at work (today was my first day back at work).

3. Ice that baby. The gel-packs do wonders.

4. Take a dump with a plastic container to collect the pee. One of my biggest fears was pissing on my stitches while I was laying out a monster, so I decided to catch the urine in a plastic container. Works wonders! Use one hand with a pad to hold the nuts up while you are sitting on the throne, and other to focus the urine into the container. You’ll be surprised how well this works! Feels like the old days of pissing in a bottle in the back of car on a road trip!

5. Find yourself a good wife or partner. Turns out that my special wife started her period the day after my surgery (phew, no pressure for another few days; we’re an everyday kind of couple…). She has been great to give me a few strokes here and there (what a relief that the beast is still straight as an arrow, and seemingly harder than ever!), words of profound encouragement (what I am I going to do NOW, you’ll be driving deeper than ever!, etc.), spreading the Neosporin on the stitches, bringing me everything I desire, and just lying here with me in bed and watching my scifi flicks that she hates (it MUST be love).

Go get the surgery guys! And give yourself plenty of ‘on your back’ time! Your balls will be free in no time!
156
Big Nutter
RECOVERY. Urologist left the drain in until yesterday (4 days), since a healthy amount of pink/yellow fluid was still trickling out onto the pads. Virtually no pain as long as I am lying on my back in bed (Thank you Netflix Play it Now movies!), but plenty of pain and swelling if I get up and walk around or even just sit up for a bit. The swelling has subsided significantly here on day 5, but I still ice frequently (mostly because it just feels nice under the warm covers). Virtually no pain when I'm on my back in bed.

TIPS FOR THOSE IN RECOVERY.
1. Buy some thick menstrual pads with the sticky backing. This is the ONLY way to go. The gauze just catches on your stitches and rips the flesh when you change the dressing. The pads are nonstick on one side, and the sticky backside keeps it in place in your underwear.

2. Throw out the boxers and buy some briefs. I got some boxer briefs, and they help keep things in place when I’m moving around. I wear a jockstrap over the top of my briefs when I’m walking around the house or at work (today was my first day back at work).

3. Ice that baby. The gel-packs do wonders.

4. Take a dump with a plastic container to collect the pee. One of my biggest fears was pissing on my stitches while I was laying out a monster, so I decided to catch the urine in a plastic container. Works wonders! Use one hand with a pad to hold the nuts up while you are sitting on the throne, and other to focus the urine into the container. You’ll be surprised how well this works! Feels like the old days of pissing in a bottle in the back of car on a road trip!

5. Find yourself a good wife or partner. Turns out that my special wife started her period the day after my surgery (phew, no pressure for another few days; we’re an everyday kind of couple…). She has been great to give me a few strokes here and there (what a relief that the beast is still straight as an arrow, and seemingly harder than ever!), words of profound encouragement (what I am I going to do NOW, you’ll be driving deeper than ever!, etc.), spreading the Neosporin on the stitches, bringing me everything I desire, and just lying here with me in bed and watching my scifi flicks that she hates (it MUST be love).

Go get the surgery guys! And give yourself plenty of ‘on your back’ time! Your balls will be free in no time!
55 yr old 6'4" 240 lb wimp here. Had a right hydrocelectomy 4.5 days ago Friday May 7th at 7am, was home 9:45 am. Must have been a bit giddy being wheeeled to the car; wife said I was telling everyone in the hospital corridor "I just had ball surgery"
Have had this problem 20+ years with very gradual growth until maximum size of an orange. Florida juice orange, not one of those monsterous delicious California navals I miss so much. Surgery was a breeze, no drain, no complications. pain minimal, ate only 3 oxy-codiens on saturday just to be sure. Never felt as bad as getting kicked in the nuts for me. Kept it iced up as directed. Still swollen but much smaller now. Wife tested "Mr. Happy" this morning just to see if he's still interested. He is the went back to sleep, needs to hybernate a few weeks before he can come out and play. With all kidding aside, this is very safe surgery and the benefits outweigh all the risks. Stay positive, be nice and smile at all the medical people and take it easy. Lets just hope this is the worst thing we have done to our bodies. One final note, the incision area looks a bit nasty today, the scar might deserve some bragging rights. Enjoy.
Tomorrow will be 4 weeks and I have had no complications and I am almost totally healed. The only two things I haven't done yet are heavy lifting at the YMCA and having sex. I plan on taking care of one of those by the weekend. The heaving lifting is still a couple of weeks away. I hope everyone's surgery and recovery go as good as mine did. Best decision I ever made, just wish I had made it sooner.
159
Larry
Had hydrocelectomy two days ago. Age 40, no other health issues. Had a large hydrocele on right side, about the size of a softball. I also had pain above the scrotum in the groin area for the last few weeks, which was likely from a related inguinal hernia. It turned out there was no hernia, the pain was from a nerve that had somehow got attached to the sack and then got pulled when it grew so large, or something like that. So they put the nerve back where it belonged, and removed the hydrocele. I was fine after the surgery, had some vicodin. Yesterday I felt pretty good, had a vicodin in the morning but it made me a little nauseous so i stopped. Most of my discomfort was from the ton of gauze in my jockstrap, my goodies were all scrunched together. So I took out all the gauze, and the drain. Put a small cloth inside jock strap for cushion. Slept in loose boxers so everything wouldn't be so tight for awhile. Today, everything the same, area is a little sore, certainly tender to touch, but no pain per se. The cotton strip over my stitches was no longer staying put, so i took it off. Jock strap too tight, so switched to some snug briefs with cloth inside. Not taking any pain pills. Not really draining anymore, no bleeding. My right side is still larger than normal (or at least my left) but not much, based on what I understand its normal swelling that should subside. Area is tender, but thats pretty much it. So count this as a 100% success story so far. In fact I was thinking about going back to work earlier today, but I got comfy on couch and came to my senses.
I had my surgury 5 months ago. Everything looks and feels great. The scar is barely visible and my nut feels fine. It is also regular sized now. This surgery is worth it. Though the first couple weeks after really sucks
Ref post #151.
My b.p.spiked to 190+ when they gave me the spinal anaesthetic. Surgery took 1hr, 1litre of old tea drained. Have 9cm cut in centre of scrotum. Apart from getting pissed off with disturbances every 3-4hrs, hospital stay was fine (3 nights, private room, en-suite). Two days later surgeon removed 2 drain tubes - each 15cm long. Where the heck did they fit?! One week of antibiotics, nominal pain relief, no pain, only discomfort from having to lie on back all the time. PLENTY of ice applied. Ladies pantyliners perfect, I didn't know they are tacky on one side to grip your underwear - clever. Using iodine style fluid to keep pantyliner 'wet' so that it never sticks. Longer time periods now with no covering, letting air at genitals to dry them out. Walking, driving ok, except maybe a bit hot here for prolonged activity. Cost was p75,000 (about U$1650).
Overall I'm satisfied with results, looking forward to sex, swimming and scuba diving again. I may well use pantyliners when cycling. Good luck everybody, I hope I don't come back here with bad news...
I had my hydrocelectomy 3 days ago. Most of the entries here cover the important information well. Great blog and thanks to all. I would just like to emphasize the following:
1) after you go home (I went home same day), ICE, ICE, ICE... for as many days as you can.
2) start your stool softener immediately after surgery; you'll be taking pain meds and they will constipate you. Trust me.
3) I am appalled by the stories above indicated poor orientation on the part of urologists and hospital staff. I have to say that my team has been wonderful. I felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen and how the post-op would probably unfold. If you are NOT getting a clear overall picture as you approach your procedure, CHANGE TEAM!!!
Right now I am dealing with localized pain (getting better, but still there after 3 days) and swelling (to be expected). I have stopped the vicodin and am taking an occasional alleve. And I NEVER leave my groin free of an ice pack: I ice continuously all day long.
I had my hydrocelectomy 3 days ago. Most of the entries here cover the important information well. Great blog and thanks to all. I would just like to emphasize the following:
1) after you go home (I went home same day), ICE, ICE, ICE... for as many days as you can.
2) start your stool softener immediately after surgery; you'll be taking pain meds and they will constipate you. Trust me.
3) I am appalled by the stories above indicated poor orientation on the part of urologists and hospital staff. I have to say that my team has been wonderful. I felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen and how the post-op would probably unfold. If you are NOT getting a clear overall picture as you approach your procedure, CHANGE TEAM!!!
Right now I am dealing with localized pain (getting better, but still there after 3 days) and swelling (to be expected). I have stopped the vicodin and am taking an occasional alleve. And I NEVER leave my groin free of an ice pack: I ice continuously all day long.
I had my hydrocelectomy 3 days ago. Most of the entries here cover the important information well. Great blog and thanks to all. I would just like to emphasize the following:
1) after you go home (I went home same day), ICE, ICE, ICE... for as many days as you can.
2) start your stool softener immediately after surgery; you'll be taking pain meds and they will constipate you. Trust me.
3) I am appalled by the stories above indicated poor orientation on the part of urologists and hospital staff. I have to say that my team has been wonderful. I felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen and how the post-op would probably unfold. If you are NOT getting a clear overall picture as you approach your procedure, CHANGE TEAM!!!
Right now I am dealing with localized pain (getting better, but still there after 3 days) and swelling (to be expected). I have stopped the vicodin and am taking an occasional alleve. And I NEVER leave my groin free of an ice pack: I ice continuously all day long.
I had surgery when I was 14, and then again when I was 17. I hated it! Now at 27 Its back and I am really not happy. Having an enlarged testicle has put a damper on my sex life and even the way I sit down. I know that my parents spent a lot of money trying to fix the problem and now I am having to dish-out the money.
Refs #152 (not 151) and 161;
Now 19 days since surgery. My sac is an odd shape as different areas lose their post-op swelling. Skin is still odd shades but this is returning to normal too. Stubble is a bit uncomfortable. Wound is still a bit open and I wear a pantyliner moistened with anti-bac cream (Dettol) which cools, moistens, protects. I've been lucky as I have had no pain (except when a child collided with me in a mall, ouch!). I'm hoping to go swimming in the ocean today or tomorrow. I feel a full recovery is close. I have resumed sex without problems, just some laughs about finding the right position and movements!
This is my last post, good luck all.
(It's odd to look around a crowded mall (for example) knowing there is probably another guy or two with the same condition...)
167
Brad
My hydrocele had been growing ever since my hernia surgery almost 3 years ago, but I kept putting it off...the embarrassment of it all...the pain of surgery...you know. But I finally had my it taken care of 4 days ago. I have had virtually no pain at all. My surgeon was surprised at that (as I was), and he wondered if I have a high pain tolerance. I don't know that I do, but I do know I thank God for no pain. I have had little energy since the surgery, which is typical for me whenever I've been sick or had surgery. I did have a slight fever the past 2 afternoon/evenings, but nothing serious.
Doc told me to keep it iced and do NOT do much activity through the first 5 or so days. I've been fairly obedient to that, although not having pain makes it tempting to be more active or forget about the ice.
If you have been procrastinating like I did on the surgery, just get 'er done.
I had hydrocele surgery in an Australian Public Hospital on 16 June 2010 and after waking from anasthetic and looking down at affected area saw that I was totally BLACK and BLUE WITH BRUISING, my penis was totally distorted and to urinate I had to pee in a bottle then empty it into the toilet as I couldn't direct the stream of urine...it just came out in a straight stream and overshot the bowl. My testicles and scrotum are still badly bruised and swollen six days after surgery and still very painful and I still have to pee into a bottle. My lower stomach is also still very purple with bruising. My scrotum is very swollen (about 4 times normal size)and my testicles are both enlarged. My surgeon has entered into no discussion about any of these details so the only information I have is that things are very painful with no immediate prospects of getting any better for some time (I don't know how much time!).
hello, it's been 2 years after i have my hudrocele surgery and i'm still in pain every day . my doctor do not see any thing wrong with me i have all possible tests done and no one give me an advise of what need to be done next . please help me with advise and suggestions

thank you
170
Jay
Hello, im 33 years old and was told i have a hydrocele on the left side.I have an appointment next week to disguss surgery. I am really freaked out.Some comments make me at ease but then some freak me out. One of my main questions is, does your testicle sack go back to looking normal after awhile?. What is the best method for a full and best recovery? I am really freaked out about the healing process ( infection / pain ) looking normal again. I feel like a freak show when im in the mirror.
I was nervous as all hell about getting this surgery, but it's been almost 5 days now since I had it, and I'm definitely feeling better now. It was very sore for the first 3 days, yesterday was getting better, and today is even better. I'm sure that by somewhere around the 7 or 10 day mark, I'll be fine without any pain pills, and I'll be able to walk normally. I'm a 20 year old in good health.

I'm already down to two vicodin pills a day, probably only need one tomorrow. The swelling is not that bad, better than it was before I got the operation (hydrocele was about the size of a very large egg). I've been taking it really easy since I got back from the hospital, and I've been laying on the couch for the most part, only getting up for bathroom breaks.

Some operation information:
1. Hospitals freak me out. The IV was the first thing to be done. I didn't like it, but that was the worst part.
2. An anesthesiologist came in to tell me what was up, and then my surgeon came in, and explained the operation.
3. I was wheeled off after getting a "relaxing dose" and then once I moved onto the operating table, I was given a second "sedative" but that one was the general anesthesia... I waited until they emptied the syringe, and quickly counted down from 10 (without being asked) and succeeded! I then said, YEAH! and then I was out.
4. Woke up after 10 minutes in the recovery room and didn't seem high at all like others have said. I asked how it went, and was ignored, but after the doctor came in, he said everything went great. I felt sore, and they gave me a vicodin pill while still in the hospital... no more syringe drugs.
5. Got wheeled off in a wheelchair (which took forever to arrive) and that didn't feel too good, but I managed.

Some post-op tips for those getting the operation:
1. Recovery is a long road, but it does get better eventually (might not seem that way during the first 3 days)
2. Vicodin makes you constipated. This constipation has probably caused me more discomfort than the hydrocelectomy. Take your stool softeners.
3. Rest up (lay flat), and ice as much as you can... this helps with the swelling, and reduces your recovery time.
Had my operation on Monday 12th July 2010. Guys it's really not that bad..I don't like hospitals either but the doctor and nurses were so comforting that I was really at ease. The anesthesiologist explained everything to me and so did my urologist about where he was going to cut and so on. It's been 1 day post-op and I'm feeling fine little to no pain at all and I didn't even use an ice pack. I am using Augmentin antibiotics for a week and Ponstan Forte painkillers three a day..but I have only used two. I can walk around with little discomfort but spend most of my time in bed watchin tv. I live in a country called Trinidad which is in the Caribbean and I'm sure some of you guys have never heard of it. My urologist is UK trained though and very good.Anyway I read this forum and it helped alot to be at ease for my surgery..Guys I know all the stories of having a hydrocele the embarrassment it causes..I used to wear long jerseys and shirts to hide the bulge and used to avoid certain social gatherings because of it. Get the surgery done trust me..I will post more on my recovery later on. Im still heavily bandaged so can't see the stitches yet.
173
ivan
huh in Bulgaria this operation(hydrocele) cost to me only 50 leva which is around 35$, and this was only for the bed in the hospital(because i was there for a night).But i am a student.So my question is about my sex life after the surgery...Im on the 8th day,i can live a month(as the dr. says)without sex, but without any pleasure...So in one sentence, how many days after the surgery i could try to masturbate?I wonder if there are damaged any organs with this intervention or it is kind of externally for the organs?I hope you can get the sense of my question...sry for the bad language.
I had this surgery two years ago (June 16, 2008) when I was 16. The hydrocele recurred.

I had the same surgery (even the same surgeon) a few days ago on Monday, July 12, 2010. The recovery has been practically pain free, it seems even more painless than last time.

My concern is that there is some swelling, which makes me worry that my hydrocele might recur again, but I'll wait this out until I'm fully recovered and my doctor takes a look. Here's hoping I won't have to do this a third time.

As for people who are nervous, don't be, the process is relatively pain free. And for those wondering about masturbation, as a teenage male I can tell you that it is fine to masturbate the day after surgery. Avoid sex for a couple weeks though (although, then again, I feel up for it tonight).
175
Akash
#174 Jack

Can you give more details about when your hydrocele returned. How long after the first operation did it recur? Was it smaller, the same or bigger than the first hydrocele? What did the surgeon say caused it to recur? I always thought that the surgery when they stitch the tunica vaginalis the other way around this stops the fluid fro accumulating because it can now be absorbed by the tissue in the scrotum..Thanks in advance man and wishing you a speedy recovery
176
bob
Almost a year has gone by since Ive had my surgery and i'm still in pain. i'm very active and I am always sore after lifting weights and running. Good luck to anyone who has this done I hope it turns out better than mine did...
Hi Andy,
Im bert from the Philippines.I read your hydrocelectomy experience. And good results.May I know what hospital you underwent your surgery and please tell me the name of your urologist. I'm planning for hydrocelectomy and like you, I'm very afraid.
I hope you will provide me the hospital and the urologist. You can reach me thru my email
Thanks,
Bert
178
Purple
I underwent the procedure a few days ago. I'm almost entirely purple in the groin area. Scrotum is purple, Penis is purple, incision area is purple.

Been walking slowly, but OK. Even carrying grain for animals. But Got a bit of a fever tonight. Result of the surgery? Probably. I recovered from hernia surgery in 2 weeks. I fear this will take longer.
179
Akram
Well it has been two weeks since my surgery and things are progressing well. No pain except if I bang my crotch with something..lol. There is minor swelling which my doc says is blood and should go down in about two months (remember you have to give your body time to heal). The stitches are still there and there is a slight ooze from the incision..no big deal. I'm 37 and in good health so maybe that helps. Anyway my scrotum is about a quarter the size it was post-op and that alone makes the surgery worth it. Clothes fit better and I'm more confident now than when I had the enlarged testicle. I've read some guys carried this thing around for years..I've only had my hydrocele for 8 months. I just could not take it anymore physically and psychologicaly. Aspiration was never an option for me because of the high rate of reccurence. Guys just do the surgery and get rid of this thing once and for all. If it is done properly the chance of reccurence is almost nil. Man I fel so good about myself now that if it ever came back I would do it all over in a heartbeat. If you have any questions just post here and I'll be glad to answer as best as I could..but remember I'm no expert I can only answer based on my own experience.
After my hydrocelectomy in may 2010 I experienced an immediate reacurance, including a complication with the epididymis cord(left side surgery). Three months later the doctors finaly performed another opp(hydrocele swelling was increased by 50% after first opp. and complication to the epididymis, it was much worse than before?). The late july 2010 opp. resulted a in better healing process, no hydrocele but the blood clot like comment 50 experienced was noticed and my one week follow up concluded that it was exact, a large blood clot. This is number two for me. What was comment 50's results? Maybe I should try what he did. The doctors dont tell me much, I learn more on my own and they are insecure when I know what is happening(I had two ultra sounds performed). The doctors never seem to do much as far as attention or ideas. I have seen a number of them at the same urology hospital so it seems to be that it is repititional to let something continue until it is certain it is time to open it back again. I dont know but this is getting very problematic for my life. Im in a 2 to 4% failure two times possibly. I know two people who had quad bypass heart surgery. As this is not life threatening I would like to know what are they doing wrong. Some people have it much worse than my situation and it could be worse but what is the problem? I have two seperate complications from two seperate sugerys that fall into the risk factors(no infections thankfully)! I am aware that there will be bleeding ect., but why after the seccond opp. special measures couldnt be practiced, not just another cut and stitch? This clot is too large to be absorbed in two or three weeks(plum size). I took every inch of care to let myself heal with all supports. What happens now, what do I do. I am 6ft3in. 180lbs with a remarkable heart rate. Healthy is my thing. Thanks.
Had mine done on the 28th july 2010.Jabuoley to the left and Lords to the right.Woke up starving.They fed me and sent me home.My wife picked me up and we stayed in town for the night.
Next day drove 4 hour home.Felt fine.Took it easy for 3 days but still mucked around home doing light duties,wearing the strap and taking Panadol and Codiene. Op Weds @ 5pm. Home Thurs 2pm, mucked around thurs afternoon,Fri, Sat, and Sunday morning.Been in bed ever since.Now the following Monday 12 days after the op. Wound healed, no seepage or bleeding.Right testicle where the less invasive lords was performed is fine and right scrotum is back to normal.My left side which had the larger Hydrocele is swollen.The Testicle has swollen inside the scrotum and when I stand there is pressure on the recently healed incision (bout 2.5 inches horizontal)which is very uncomfortable but not "painful".Also may have made silly mistake and had sex on the Fri after my op, tho it felt good at the time.I have no bruising and my surgeon who has performed over 300 of these procedures has basically said Ive learned the hard way.I should have gone home and put my feet up for 10 days.My slant is "Its a simple op to get rid of a pschologically dibillitating anominally and you should get it dealt too and rest till you are 100% again.Dont learn the hard way like me.Good luck and get it sorted
182
cliff
Hey Iain25 glad you are recovering well. My hydrocelectomy was also done in July 2010. Best choice I ever made. Surgery was ??? I don't know I was out cold..lol. Recovery, hardly any pain..rested for first 3 days. It is now 4 weeks into recovery, stitches gone..incision healing nicely and right side swelling going down. Man am I glad I don't have to deal with this problem anymore. I like what you said about it being "a psychologically dibillitating anominally." This thing palyed tricks on my mind as I felt people were always staring down there..and they were. Even fully dressed there was no way of hiding this bulge. Clothes fit better and my mind is at ease. The only thing was the cost of the surgery which easily ran into 15k. Thank God for insurance.
HELLO IM 25 YEARS AND MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT I HAVE A HIDROCELE CUS MY LEFT SIDE IS LARGER THAN MY RIGHT. HE SAID I NEED SURGERY BUT IM REALLY FREAKIN OUT CUS I DONT KNOW IF THATS GONNA AFFECT ME IN THE FUTURE OR IF IM GONNA RECOVER AND BE OK..
Day 15 and coming right fast!!! bin the ice cubes and go the spa bath.Warm moving water relaxes everything.Im getting 4hour of joy out of every 15 mins in the tub thank god.Everything returning to its natural state.So worth it.
Day 24.Good as gold.Still have one slightly swollen nut but no pain and swelling diminishing daily.Never mentioned this but Im 44 and reasonably healthy if this helps anyone on timing.Im sure any young pups will heal faster.Best thing I ever did..Next to marrying Kelly and having the kids.Well thats me no more posts. Good luck to everyone having a hydrocelle and dont put it off for as long as I did 5 years. Cheers Iain25
186
Jay
OK, I had my surgery August 18th. It is now day 3 post op. You guys, i wish i knew then what i know now. I would of done it sooner, and i wouldnt of thought twice about it. Im 33 years old and believe me i was terrified. I found out i would be having ht esurgery and all that it would entail back in the beginning of June. The hard part was that i had all this time to dwell on the surgery and i got myself in major distress. Im not going to lie, it did hurt after, but not as much as i thought it was going to. I am a real baby when it comes to pain, so if i can handle it i think anybody could. I went in to the hospital at 5:30am and was home by noon. The only reason i was there long was because they do not let you leave until you have urinated. I am going to go through everything, i am a control freak and it did help reading others experiences.

1. Got to the hospital and changed into hospital dress. The nurse took blood pressure and asked the same questions you got asked in your doctores appointments.

2. Later on my doctor came in and went over the surgery again. I had no problem telling her that i was really freaked out, and she again made me feel at ease.

3. The anesthesiologists came in.I explained to her that this is what freaked me out the most. Going under freakes me out, She told me that she could numb me fromt he waist down and drug me so i was pretty out of it if i didnt want to go under completely, but that i would be here longer so it would wear off and there was more of a risk involved as far as complications. She really put my minde at ease. She explained to me ( because im a control freak ) the things they do if there were any complicaations while i was under. Made me feel good that this was explained. Knowing more made me feel better. I had to take out my contacts for my surgery and she offered to keep my glasses with her and when it was all over she would put them on so when i woke up i would be able to see right away.She was great!

4.They came in when it was time for the surgery. They gave me something through my IV and said it was to relax me. Within 40 seconds i felt relaxed. Im sure they slipped me something else because i do not remember even going into the the operating room.

5. It seemed like 10 seconds later and i was awake in the recovery room. The nurses were all speaking to me and telling me everything went very well. They asked how much pain i was in and if i needed more pain med. When i woke up i was not in pain but i was sore like someone just got done was on my junk. I was taken back into my room. I was in there until i urinated then they sent me onmy way.

I am so happy i got ths done. My hydrocele on the left got to the size of a large potatoe, and i had a small one on the right side. So i had it double, and it sucked. I feel so much better mentally, i cant even explain. Im not embarresed and freaked out that it is going to get bigger, im not paying attention to my crotch area everytime im sitting to make sure a bulge isnt showing for the world to see. I use to look around and feel like i was the freak int he room because of this and now i am so glad i had it taken care of. I really do think that your recovery is based alot on your doctor. If you dont feel right about them you need to switch. It is all about there credits and feedback from others, and their bedside manner. I will post more furhter into my recovery. I really hope i helped someone. If you want ot ask any questions send me your email and i can answer based on my experience. Take care and please do not think twice about getting the surgery.
Has reality set in yet Jay
Best thing you could ever do but put away a month for complete recovery
A month for piece of mind and confidence.No worries
188
Jay
OK, day 11 post op. Again, i can not stress how great it feels to have got it done. You guys, if you have any worries please dont. All you need to do is take it easy and follow the rules and you will be fine. I have no pain at all. Just some sore spots.It really does get easier each day. Still wearing the scrotal support and i think it really helps. The sweeling is going down and i dont feel like a freak when i look in the mirror. I will post more after my 2 week check up. Just remember to take it easy and that you will feel like a new person whenit is over
189
Cliff
Glad to know that your recovery is going well Jay.
190
Joe
I had a hydrocelectomy done on my left side on August 23. The comments on this blog helped me feel somewhat more at ease prior to surgery. My recovery seems to be going well and similar to the other people who had good outcomes on here. It may be due to being young, in my thirties, in good health without any problems other than a simple hydrocele.

The first 2 days after surgery were very painful for me. After the surgery I had to walk to my car and I felt that the pain meds were not helping at all. I felt like someone was squeezing my balls with every step I made. Once I was home in bed with ice packs, all the pain seemed to be alleviated. I was told by the doctor that there would be swelling but luckily the swelling has been relatively minimal. The bruising looks pretty bad but this should go away in a few weeks.

It has been 6 days post op and I have been able to walk with minimal pain for the past 2 days. I have been taking Vicodin a few times a day and it has basically helped me to relax and make the recovery time fly by. I was advised by my doctor not to have sex or exercise for the next three weeks and I plan to follow his advice. I do not regret having this procedure done at all. As long as you are prepared for the recovery and have a helpful person to care for you (my wife) you should be fine.
I have a small left side hydrocele that doesn't hurt & I'm wondering about surgery. Since there is no pain and, unless it grows, does it make sense to have surgery.
192
cgrox
Hey guys. having my surgery in a few days and scared sh*tless! ive gone under before for a small wrist sugery, which i was also scared sh*tless about, so at least im past that phase. believe me when i say SCARED SH*TLESS.

My biggest fear now is the pain recovery that really freaks me out... i dont do pain well and believe it or not, never had my junk kicked in my life, so its gonna be an experience and im nauseous just thinking about it. thanks for all the tips and advice from everyone, i think in these circumstances this kind of forum is really great except some of the horror stories ive read :(

anyways, i also decided to have this done because of the mental games as others have mentioned and of course the size/weight issue. have had mine for about a year i guess and is now the size of a lobsided racquetball or pear. i will post recovery updates for the next guy. see you on the other side.
193
Jay
CGROX...i saw your post.I am just like you. Im not good with pain..and i was scared S*&tless also. But i will tell you that you will fell 100% better after it is done. The first 3 days will be rough, but each day it will get better. Just take your pain med and take it easy and it will all turn out ok. Once you wake up it will all be over. Take care and i cant wait to hear your success story.
@ JAY: Thanks for the response & support buddy. I am curious how you dealt with the first few days of bandage changing, oozing, ice packs, bathing, etc. I'm sure everyone's different and just letting it rest is the best course, so just looking to get your feedback on all that (I like how detailed you were in your earlier post, I'm the same). Also, what did you find out about the sac going back to original size after being stretched out for so long? Were your stitches self dissolving? Will check posting again on Monday night (last day before D day!)
Thanks again dude.
187
moha
Aug 18, 2009 @ 8:15 am
I had Hydro surgery done five month ago...My testicle was the size of a patatoe... now iam feeling well but the question is will it come back this problem again after some years or a months or once get surgery never come back this diseases hydrocelecomy otherwise thanks for reading
196
JAY
@ CGROX - My surgeon told me that it will go back to the original size after some time. Mine has already started to change slowely back. It will look really odd shape and misformed but dont worry. My first time showering was really hard. I could barely stand up it hurt so bad and the water felt good and also hurt a the same time on the area. I had to hold my stuff while i was showering because i was starting to get a sick feeling when it started to move. I didnt really have to much blood or oozing aftert he first day, my surgen said that a little bleeding and oozing is ok as long as it stops after you apply pressure for 15 seconds. Like i said before, the first 3 days are really hard but after that it started to get easier. Just take it easy and remember that it will take time to heal. I cant wait to hear your success story. Good luck tomorrow.
I had my surgery on 08-20-10 went back to work on 08-30-10. By the 28th I was pretty much pain free while walking. I was sleeping most of the time, as long as I was in bed the pain wasn't really noticeable but I was taking about one of the pain meds once a day (the first two days it was 2 pills at a time). They gave me 5mg Hydrocodone with 325 APAP, the last time I needed the pain meds was on 08-26-10. At this point I have been back at work I do have to still wear the support until 09-10-10. I can go for a few hours without wearing it before getting any pain. The incision looks fully healed but is still sensitive, also the testicle I had the surgery on is also sensitive but not painful.
The surgery went fine and I was never in tremendous pain, any pain I was in was taken care by the pain meds. I did not have to have a drain put, overall the surgery went fine and I am glad I had it done. My testicle is still a little bigger than the other one but much smaller than before the surgery. A ice pack helped reduce some of the swelling, I may have healed more quickly if I had not tried to get up and walk around every time I woke up. I did have some sexual contact about 3 days after the surgery, you will not be able to have regular sex right after the surgery but with some help you can ejaculate. Although I was a little sore after she took care of me so if you can go without all the better.
ADVISE AFTER THE OPERATION

After the surgery expect some swelling. It will really hurt when you urinate for the first time. You might struggle to urinate, but keep trying and trying until it comes out. Once you urinate for the first time it becomes easier from there on.

The first day I would not wear any form of underwear, just stick to the bandages the surgeons put in place. I would not touch the wound, because it can really hurt.

When you sleep for the first couple of days you will have to sleep looking upwards and not on your side.

After the first couple of days I used a pad and used it for support underneath so that gravity did not take it's tole. This helped me feel little pain. With this in place I was able to now sleep on the side of my bed. I also recommend plenty of pillows, to prop yourself up.

I would not really get out of bed for the first 2 days, only to go to the toilet. This will become your worse place to go, mainly because you will feel pain when getting up.

I did not wear the scrotal support at all, only initially after the surgery which I kept on for 2 days. I did not want anybody to change it. After the first 2 days I could shower lightly (LIGHTLY). So basically get my area a bit wet, alongside with my hair and body.

I mostly watched television during my recovery, so you might as well do the same.

You have nothing to worry about, this surgery is really not that big, and the recovery is fairly quick too.
Just had the surgery done on Tueaday. Was also under for the whole surgery. Been a little uncomfortable, but the pain has been minimal. The discomfort is not much different than having a testicle the size of a tennis ball. Wish I hadn't lived with this for seven years and had gotten it taken care of earlier. Some limitations of movement, but mostly I have just tried to take iteasy and make sure that I don't have any major physical activities coming my way for the next couple of weeks.
I agree with Josh, I wish I hadn't let it get so big over the years. Mine was the size of my fist and therefore required a bigger incision. I had mine done yesterday and have constantly had that painful feeling just like after getting kicked in the nuts. This might sound weird but I actually enjoyed the hospital, the general anesthetic was awesome and so are the dihydrocodeine tablets! I can't yet stand up straight and am walking like John Wayne but Im optimistic that I'll be improving by the day.
Hey guys (and JAY). Im back and my experience was great. practically no pain and recovery seems to be very very good. I used ice packs (peas) pretty much NON stop day of surgery until bedtime. 2nd day had slight kicked in nuts discomfort (but i welcome that compared to what others have gone through). day 3 no problems and today (day 4) I go for the shower to remove bandage but I dont expect any trouble. 12 dissolvable stitches Im told. no swelling, very light bruising. my tips are this... be nice to the surgical team pre-op (they are in fact working on your junk), ice ice ice, & stay down! my surgeon is a 2nd generation urologist and pretty much told me that this would be my outcome (which i didnt believe because Im a super psycho baby and pain fearer) so perhaps recovery has all to do with the surgeons skills (and tlc), or im just lucky... i feel very lucky. good thoughts to all those that are preparing for the surgery and thanks again to everyone for posting (especially JAY for responding). feel free to email me for support.
I had undergone Hydrocele surgery. Yes there was pain but for few days and require pain killers. Feel far better than before. Go for it...few days of pain is better than years of discomfort.
I'm About To Undergo A Hydrocele Operation On The 12th Of October - Three Years Ago I Had It For An Inguinal Hernia (Operation On The Abdomen) And The Hydrocele Returned But On The Other Side (I'm Only 15!!)
Alot Of Comments Have Made Me Feel Better, Though Alot Have Made Me Really Scared Of It - I Fear The Complications And The Pain.
Does Anybody Know If Younger People Seem To Heal Alot Better Than Older Patients? It Seems To Appear So On The Comments..
Thank You.
204
Steven
Had my hydrocelectomy yesterday. It went very well, no complaints. Coming out of the general anesthesia was quick. Then had more than moderate pain which the post-op nurse took care of. I've had little to no paine since (while taking oxydodone), but the side effects of the narcotic are strong--very drowsy, little appetite, and completey constipated (just don't have the urge). I've quickly cut back the amount and am now down to half a pill 24 hours post surgury (I don't see why people get addicted to this stuff--nothing pleasant about it). One great piece of advice my doc gave me was to wear very tight fitting underware and apply ice as well. I've got no swelling at all. There was also little bleeding. Compared to how crowded things had gotten--it made normal intercourse uncomfortable and I'd begun to have some aching in the area generally, I'm already very pleased with the surgury. My wife and I are both looking forward to resuming normal activity. If you're wondering whether or not to have the surgury, I say, "Relaxe and go for it!" BTW, I'm 46 and don't recover like I used to.
On Thursday, I'm going to have surgery on my hydrocele on my right testicle. At the same time I'm also getting a circumcision as I've wanted one for a while now and my doctor and myself decided that this would be a perfect time to have that done since I'm going to be out and If I have to recover, I might as well only recover once. I've been reading these comments and I was just wondering what is the average recovery time is and what are some things to consider when recovering e.g. ice or no ice, do you need to buy a jock, how much extra pain will come from the circumcision, when can I go back to school etc. I'm almost 15 if that is any help in estimating recovery time.

Any answers would be greatly appreciated, thanks. :D
206
ronnie
i was hesitant at first to undergo this surgery. i had the surgery done 2weeks ago and i can say that i dont regret it. im satisfied with the result. my testicle size is normal now compared before when the right side is like the size of an orange. the swelling and discomfort is minimal and i now resumed to normal activities ,except lifting weights in the gym and sex,which my doctor said is ok after a total of 1month after surgery. my advise is if you have hydrocele and you feel uncomfortable with it, surgery is a good option to correct it. by the way, im 31 yrs old.
After Comment 203 - I Had My Operation Yesterday And It Was A Success, Though I Was Very Hesitant And Afraid Of The Outcome And How Much Pain I Would Be In - Wasn't In Much Pain But Was Given A Scrotal Support To Wear For 4 Weeks. Quite Swollen But That Was Expected And Been Told I Can't Play Sports For 4 Weeks, Can't Lift For 4 Weeks And Can Go Back To School When I Feel Comfortable Enough To Do So.
In Pain When Not Taken Painkillers So I regularly Dose Myself Up To Avoid The Pain Which Works Well. - I'm Going To Start Taking Warm Salt Baths Tomorrow, Will Updae Later On To See How I Go.
I'm Walking Fine And Sit Fine, Though I Keep Changing Posters (About Every Hour Or So) As It can Get Uncomfortable.
So Glad I went Through With It Already And Can't Wait Until I Heal. Thank You For Reading..
The operation/process was much easier than anticipated.Have an aspirator,supporter, found no need to use pain killers.aspirator to be removed in 5 days. I am 60 yrs of age
After Comment 203 & 207 - 5 Days Post Operation And Things Are Starting To Look Good - The Skins Sealing - The Swelling Goes Down Every Day By Little Amounts, Put Ice On Today And You Could Tell It Helped There And Then. Fantastic Results So Far. The Support Gets Annoying But Now In No Pain At All And Want To Return To School.
Can Run Up Stairs And To Normal Activities.
Brilliant!
Well Enough To Go To A Concert On Tuesday (1 Week Post Op) So If You Can Go To A Concert, You Can Do Alot Of Things!
210
User_7
I had this done about 6 months ago now, when I was 19. I came out of the operation with my testicle much smaller than before but very sore and of course with stitches. Over the next few days it swelled up to much bigger than before and soreness persisted. Size and pain made it very difficult to get around. After maybe four days it started to get smaller slowly but I began to notice it was a slightly funny shape and the testicle appeared to be stuck to the scrotum where the stitches had been. The soreness had decreased significantly after about 8 days but not completely until a couple of weeks in. But the reduction in swelling continued to be very slow. About a month after the operation I had more or less reached the state I'm in now. The testicle is roughly the same size as before, but where originally it was a fairly regular egg-ish shape, it is now a very bizarre lumpy shape with varying tenderness on different sections. It also remained stuck to the scrotum for a while but has since released. I haven't yet had to time to go back and get this seen to and am left without a clue what's gone wrong or where this now leaves me... So yeah, just thought I'd share seeing as I seem to have had a fairly unique experience with this procedure.
im going in for hydrocele repairment this friday and am petrifed i got told 3 days max before ill be good as new.
im scared more so due to the fact on the 13th of this month i have a knee operation which im still recoverin from so hopefully wontbe any added risks.

ive been suffering with a hydrocele for 3/4 years ive had it aspirated 8 times and due to that ive had a huge infection which has now left a right testicle the size of a very large orange
or a small grapefruit
thank you for all your advice
i had my hydrocele operation yesterday and touch wood it went all well i had to hernias as a result but the pain is nowere near intense as some have stated or as i feared i have taken no painkillers although recommended.

the surgery itself was bwt 90min and was worth all the worrying and anticipation i have to thank u all for ur comments and advice prior to my op it preparied me well.

thank you
213
braden
where exactly do they make the insicion? im finding all of the information a little confusing
214
braden
where exactly do they make the insicion? im finding all of the information a little confusing
braden the incision is quite big as i found bwt 4.3cm long (yes i measured)
it is towards the bottom of the scrotom but comes up to the side touching the leg. its been exactly a week since mine and the pain in minimal it has been for a few days but i haveent taken any pain killers after monday tuesday.. just remember after you had it done dont make the same mistake i did spend 3/4 days in bed 5/6 if u can with exception to goin toilet get ur dinners brought to u my mum n gf brought mine to me and it should be a very pain free experiences
evernight i also have a 20/30 min hot bath (but start of luke warm then add more heat) with rock salt becasue its purer it cleans the wound coz u cant wash it for a few days n it goes mingin lol
you should be fine
can the physican undergoe the hydrocelectomy and varicocele at the same time one surgical operation i am wr years and have moderate hydrocele in the right side and varicosele in the left side ?
I had my Hydrocelectomy Tuesday 11/2/2010 on the right side. This is Monday 11/8/10, six days later. It was the size of a tennis ball and needed correction. As with most entries here, it was an outpatient procedure and I was in at 8:15 AM and went home at 1:00 PM. This was not a big deal, as I have had shoulder surgery twice and that is a significantly more painful experience.

Anyhow, this is how it went: Surgery was painless with general anesthesia. In recovery, before they took out the intravenous tubes; they gave me a dose of morpheme that eliminated any pain making the ride home painless. I recommend this. I took one Percocet at home around 5:00 PM and slept very well that night. The jock strap and padding they provided gave the support needed for the first and second night. I used plenty of ice from the time I got home and for the next two days. I think this was a major factor in reducing pain and swelling.

My doctor did an outstanding job. Morphine in recovery room and one Percoset at home later is not a lot of pain medication. After that I needed no more. I am an aged (66) athlete and pain is normal… I prefer pain over meds as long as I can sleep. It is Monday 11/8, 6 days later and everything is going well, again with very little pain. I started lifting heavy firewood and other chores and felt almost normal today. Tomorrow I will try more physical activity, which I enjoy.
218
Avinash
My 3 year old son has been diagnosed with hydrocele and the doctor has recommended hydrocelectomy. Although I have read all the comments here and it seems like a safe surgery, I'm really worried for my son. Here are my questions:
Is it really necessary?? It doesn't hurt him and the size is also not that bad (about twice the size of the normal side). Will it grow in size as he grows up? Isn't there an alternative to the surgery?
I'm really scared to put my otherwise very normal and very active kid through the pains of a surgery!!
Any inputs/suggestions you give will be more than welcome!! Thanks in advance to everyone here...
219
braden
so i had a hydrocelectomy done about 11 days ago and i think my surgeon sewed my testicle to my scrotum when he was sewing me up. Is that supposed to happen? Im really confused and starting to panic.
@braden

Yes they do. My urologist explained to me that he would stitch my testicle to my scrotum and it would not be as loose as before. The reason he explained is that if it is not stitched to the scrotum then the testicle will keep twisting and eventually cut off the blood supply which would lead to the testicle dying. Hope his clears it up for you so there is no need to panic. BTW I had my surgery done in July this year and everything is back to normal, scar is hardly visible I don't have this extra bulge and weight and most of all I have peace of mind. Hope your recovery goes well..just relax and in no time you will be back to normal.
a friend of mine had hydrocelectomy done.more than one month after surgery,the scrotum is swollen and its as if the testicle is attached to the overlying skin.what could be responsible although i told him to go back to the doctor who did the surgery
i jus took an excessive amount of painpills i barely remember that whole mounth
223
Conan
OK, so I too felt compelled to share, as this site helped me to prepare for this surgery. I am 49, lift weights 2x/week, sporadic cardio - in average shape, but overweight. Recover about average from surgery (I've had too many surgeries for 49).

I noticed my (left side) hydrocele in September of 2010 - I'm sure it was there before, but I never really noticed. At that time, it was the size of a chicken egg. When I felt it, I freaked, called the Urologist right away (thinking cancer, even at 49). He got me into the hospital for a scrotal ultrasound that afternoon, saw me at the end of his day - "just" a hydrocele. He described the surgery, and I said No thanks (he agreed) - we decided to let it be for the time being, as it wasn't painful, and didn't really cause me any issues.

Fast forward to December, and the SOB is now the side of an ostrich egg (if you could have made it round, about the size of a softball). Now it was a problem - not pain, just fitting in jeans, having sex with the wife (I think she was afraid of it too - ha ha), etc. Second scrotal ultrasound, see doc, we decide on surgery on 1/4/11.

The surgery itself was uneventful, plenty of descriptions of that by others here. I come out of the fog, not really hurting much at all - they tell me (as they always do) that I have to urinate before I can go (the implied threat is that they will put a catheter in you if you don't - barbaric as hell). Now - I tell the nurse that I *know* from experience that narcotic pain meds make it hard to go (she had given me 2 Percocet, to stay ahead of the pain. Oh no, she says, that's not true. And I want to tell her, Bullshit - it's true, I've experienced it (Doc confirms later that I'm right, for many people this is true). And you already have General anethesia issues on top of it.

Long story short, this Day Stay Nazi Nurse corps, wanting to go home for the night, keep calling the doctor, asking when they can cath me. I said, why not just admit me, I'll piss eventually if I stop taking pain meds - oh no, no beds in the whole hospital. So they essentially force me to get a cath, everybody telling me no big deal, pregnant women get them, doctor will come in and do it if we don't, etc. BULLSHIT. Very Nazi-like manner to these "nurses" - you can tell they're pissed with the resistance. Don't ever get a catheter, unless you're going to die otherwise - make them give you alpha-blockers like Flowmax or Tamsulosine instead - Tamsulosine worked great - piss like a race horse, even on pain meds - of course, I didn't get it until *after* the catheter was taken out the next day. They don't numb anything when they jam it in, and it's right up there with the worst pain I've ever experienced. I yelled every curse word in the book as they crammed it in. Hurts to piss for days after it's out. BARBARIC. What century is this??

That aside, the recovery from surgery itself has been pretty easy. Surgery was Day 0 - it's now Day 4 and I still have swelling (I was told chances are it will swell up as big or bigger than before the surgery - and it did). You ice a lot, take it very easy, take painkillers when you need them, and take stool softeners - I got percocet, and it stops you up big time - you don't want to strain when you're having a BM and you are sore down there. For me, post-surgery swelling includes the penis - and it's messed up, because it looks like a damn pig in a blanket - the skin (I am circumcised, but you wouldn't know it) hides the penis itself - at one point, I lost the head in the swollen skin - that's an adventure - you have to fish it out to take a leak.

I will post more every few days, so you guys can have another data point. Right now, jury is still out - still not sure this was better than periodic drainage for the rest of my days.
224
Conan
Update from previous post. 24 hours later now, and swelling has started to subside. Scrotum is getting that lumpy/dented appearance some folks have mentioned. The side where the problem was (left) is hard and riding high, while the good side is all loose and hanging low (lots of skin) - maybe TMI, but I figure anyone considering this surgery needs details.

Oh - I did have a drain, it was taken out yesterday (surgery on Tues., drain out Friday). I had asked the doc about the drain before surgery, and he said, " I've never regretted putting one in, but I *have* regretted *not* putting one in. "

Still have that pig in a blanket phenomenon with the penis, though less so today.
this is the operation that dave needs to get all better
Hi all,
I was diagnosed with a hydrocele about 2 months ago (about the size of a large orange). My surgery was actually scheduled for today. However; my insurance company will not approve the surgery. (various reasons: not a covered service, needing some non-existent "previous medical records" etc...) Its beginning to look like I'm going to have to pay for this myself. I hardly ever have any money left over after I pay my bills each month. The doctor’s office is being quite cagey with what the surgery will cost, I don't even know if doing a few fund raisers is a reasonable possibility to cover the cost. They want me to wait through an appeals process before they give me any info. I am completely out of my depths in this arena; I mean is it like $2,500 or closer to $25,000? I'm located in the state of Michigan. Could someone out there please give me some hard cost numbers on this? Even if it was paid for by your insurance company you still get a final bill itemizing what everything cost.
Whatever the cost I have to get this fixed, I simply can live like this for the rest of my life.
Thanx in advance!
227
uko,mark
You did not mention invagination of the sac during the repair.Is it old fashion?
Hello Dean-

I'm having a hydrocelectomy done on January 19. My insurance company is covering the procedure. The cost for the surgeon and in-house surgery center is $1,201. The anesthesiologist will bill separately and I don't know what that charge will be. I live in Georgia.

I'll post my impressions and experience after the surgery.

John
How many days to recover from hydroceel sugery.and normal size?
230
AJ
I had the surgery 5 and 1/2 days ago. My scrotum is a little swollen (a little bigger and fuller than normal) and little bruising... Icing it does help, I usually ice it a couple times a night. I have been taking hydrocodone.. but not really needed too much, more for enjoyment. But The surgery was in and out, as soon as I pee-ed for the nurses, I went home. Got there at 10:30, surgery @ 12:30, and then left the hosptial @ 4:30. I was a little nautious from all the drugs the first night, but other than that I have been fine. I really recommend boxer briefs with some gauze down there.. a little cleaner ( I only bleed for a day) and supportive and comfortable. Taking small steps helps, but you will find it to be more involuntary than anything. I go back in two days for my follow up appt. I have a feeling everything is going well fingers crossed.
I visited this site first(Very helpful thank you.)than read some more and don it. Mine so far was the good version of the stories I have read so far. I am 44 momentarely not really fit and still had an ok experience so far. The hospital just parked me in the "wake up" room and when I was up just sent me home with a ride but never told me what to do when I got home. Just a "Take it easy" a paper with very little instructions and good bye. I suggest to leave it alone for the first day, and minimal movement also to avoid ematomas or internal bleedings. Vicodin, movies, ice pack reduced the swelling dramatically and the pain as well, antibiotic ointment makes the skin not attach to the bendages and keeps the stitches from pulling. It is more than a week now and I still have some lumpy swelling, minimal bleeding, minor pain internally. I have read that it takes about 40 days to make a full recovery and go back to exercise but ask your doctor to be sure. Interesting I woke up in pain like I was in a traffic accident and they said it was the position I was in. In a couple of days the pain went away. Also I still can not really understand what they did to me. They cut the scrotum than the tunica vaginalis, drain the fluid, take the testi outside cut the tunica vaginalis (how?) and than put the testi back in the (what?) tunica (how much of it is still there?) and or scrotum and stitch is all up.
I am going to the doctor for a follow up the 24th of Gen 2011. If I learn something ineresting I will post it. I also have no idea how much it is going to cost me.

Paolo
I visited this site first(Very helpful thank you.)than read some more and don it. Mine so far was the good version of the stories I have read so far. I am 44 momentarely not really fit and still had an ok experience so far. The hospital just parked me in the "wake up" room and when I was up just sent me home with a ride but never told me what to do when I got home. Just a "Take it easy" a paper with very little instructions and good bye. I suggest to leave it alone for the first day, and minimal movement also to avoid ematomas or internal bleedings. Vicodin, movies, ice pack reduced the swelling dramatically and the pain as well, antibiotic ointment makes the skin not attach to the bendages and keeps the stitches from pulling. It is more than a week now and I still have some lumpy swelling, minimal bleeding, minor pain internally. I have read that it takes about 40 days to make a full recovery and go back to exercise but ask your doctor to be sure. Interesting I woke up in pain like I was in a traffic accident and they said it was the position I was in. In a couple of days the pain went away. Also I still can not really understand what they did to me. They cut the scrotum than the tunica vaginalis, drain the fluid, take the testi outside cut the tunica vaginalis (how?) and than put the testi back in the (what?) tunica (how much of it is still there?) and or scrotum and stitch is all up.
I am going to the doctor for a follow up the 24th of Gen 2011. If I learn something ineresting I will post it. I also have no idea how much it is going to cost me.

Paolo
I had the surgery in about 1985, all went well but in recent years I am noticing the enlargement of the same testicle. I hate having to do surgery again. Is there any alternative (medication to remove this extra fluid?.

Thanks much.
234
H White
I had this procedure done 3 days ago and the discomfort from the surgery is less than I was having before the surgery. I was having pain from when I woke up in the morning untill I went to sleep at night. I wish I had insisted on the doctor doing this several months ago but he seemed to think that the hydrocelle was not causing my problems, At first I was on antibotics for a month, no change, put on rapiflo, no change. I finally insisted on the surgery. Evidently the way my hydrocelle was it was causing pressure on the uretha restricting flow, constantly felt like my right testicle had pressure on it and it was allmost the size of a tennis ball. I am sore now but I feel better than I did before.
hey charles or anybody who has had this surgery done. Have you had kids afterwards. I am scheduled to get this done in 3 days but am skeptical because of having another kid. The only reason it bothers me is to lift my leg up to put on socks. get back to me at willvespe82 yahoo thanks
236
Wayne
does anyone have experiance with an Endoscopic Hydrocelectomy? Where could I have it done. I've read a stury with the following conclusion on the aproach; "Endoscopic method is a viable option in the treatment of hydrocele. Outstanding feature of the endoscopic method is an earlier achievement of a better cosmetic outcome and a comfortable postoperative period when compared with the conventional (open surgery) treatment". I had a hernia repaired this way 10 years ago and I had little post-op pain, little scaring, and still sucessfull.
i just had a hydrocelectomy done on 1 27 11 and it went very well with dr. seftel in cooper hostpital in nj. The pain was not as bad as i thought it would be still recovering but feeling better each day.
238
KevinK (UK)
Hi I was diagnosed with this problem about a month ago after hiding the fact that I had a swollen testicle for 10 years and thought it would go away on it's own. I did not go to the doctors straight away when I first noticed it as I suffer from nerves and am very shy even though lam 45 years old.
The reason that made me go to doctors to get problem examined was that I walked into a piece of wood at work and after a couple of days the swelling got larger and became un comfortable at times.
I will be having my pre op on the 09/02/2011 and hopefully soon after will get the appointment to have surgery to fix the problem.
After what I have been through and talking to friends who have gone through the same sort of problem lam lucky that I did not have any thing other than a Hydro cell or I could be dead by now if I had left it as long as I did before seeing a doctor.
After the operation what is the suggested time to rest before starting work again , as where I work I do allot of heavy lifting and I know that for the first couple days you are suppose to rest up and do no heavy lifting but was wandering after the first couple of days do people go straight back to work or do the take at least a week off work before returning to work.
239
Mark in Japan
After having a hydrocele aspirated dozens of times over about 10 years, I had it fixed in the day-surgery centre of Chiba Nishi General Hospital (near Tokyo, Japan) on 10 January 2011. Having read accounts of post-op pain, I was terrified. My fear was unfounded; I've had no pain at all (not even immediately after the op), so I haven't needed to take any painkillers. The only drugs I'm taking are antibiotics and something to reduce the risk of bleeding. I wore a man-size diaper for a couple of days in case of bleeding and/or seepage. I then switched to wearing a sanitary pad (the kind ladies use during their periods) in my underpants. I must go back to the hospital to have the stitches removed in a couple of weeks.

If you're contemplating having a hydrocelectomy, I hope my experience encourages you to go ahead.
240
Mark in Japan
After having a hydrocele aspirated dozens of times over about 10 years, I had it fixed in the day-surgery centre of Chiba Nishi General Hospital (near Tokyo, Japan) on 10 January 2011. Having read accounts of post-op pain, I was terrified. My fear was unfounded; I've had no pain at all (not even immediately after the op), so I haven't needed to take any painkillers. The only drugs I'm taking are antibiotics and something to reduce the risk of bleeding. I wore a man-size diaper for a couple of days in case of bleeding and/or seepage. I then switched to wearing a sanitary pad (the kind ladies use during their periods) in my underpants. I must go back to the hospital to have the stitches removed in a couple of weeks.

If you're contemplating having a hydrocelectomy, I hope my experience encourages you to go ahead.
241
Keith in US.
Had my hydrocele removed 3 days ago, just a discomfort after surgery,Next day however,I started wondering if maybe the DR. had dropped it on floor,by 3rd day was wondering if maybe they had played kickball or something with it,taking plenty of lortab-vicodin,helps pain mostly,still concerned with pain & discoloration,both sides, seeing DR. again tomorrow.hope this is normal after this procedure. after reading your comments I'm more assured that pain & discoloration are a normal, temporary effect of this procedure.all in all very glad I've had this done. Thanks everyone. will comment again after I see DR. tomorrow.
Best article about the Hydrocele procedure I have read.

Research I've done tells me that John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore Maryland is the best place
to have it done.

I live in Las Vegas. The urological ratings here are very poor.
A Laparoscopy & Robotic surgeon who just finished his residency was recently hired here.
I'm thinking of seeing him.

OR SHOULD I GO TO JOHN HOPKINS?
243
Johnny B
Glenn-

If you are going to have a hydrocelectomy, I don't see any reason to go to Johns Hopkins unless you want to see Baltimore in the spring. It is a very minor surgery and I'm sure the urologist who has been trained on the Da Vinci robot will do a good job.

I had my hydrocelectomy performed about 5 weeks ago and was really a piece of cake. I was scared to death going in, but the staff and doctor really made me feel at ease. (Athena Urology, Athens, GA) I was uncomfortable for about a week, but the healing process was very fast (I'm 56 years old). Plan on being mildly sore for about a week and buy a jock to use for several days after that. I used Lortabs for about 3 days after the surgery and after that I used ibuprofen occasionally. By the 3rd week, it was business as usual and now at week 5, I'm good as new. I can tell you though, I would definitely not have wanted to have to fly from Baltimore to Vegas during that first week!

Hope this helps.
244
Conan
OK, I'm at the 6-week point. See my previous posts (#223, 224) if interested in the whole story.

Everything is close to normal - the testicle that was operated on is still a bit enlarged and firm, which doc says will still take more time - but even if it stayed like this, it's *way* better than before the surgery. No pain, good result. Only complaint is some extra skin, but I didn't have a facelift, after all ;-).

I'd say go for it if you've gotten to where I was (Softball) - it's worth getting rid of the beast.
245
Ray
It's been 4 weeks since my surgery. Right side was the problem. I really let it go on way too long before going back and having surgery. The scrotum was swelled up to way larger than a softball. My urologist thinks I set a record for the amount of fluid buildup. After the surgery there was a lot of excess scrotum skin because the skin got very stretched out from so much fluid buildup over a long period of time (over a year). It was ugly. 1 week after surgery the scrotum skin was already starting to shrink. Had the drain removed at 1 week. The drain didn't seem to work very well. Had very little drainage to empty. Still have some swelling but the scrotum is starting to look more normal now. Still have some pain but it's manageable and stopped taking the pain medication after the first week. Going back to the urologist at the 7 week point for a checkup. Oh, by the way, Conan, I can relate. Mine was a beast too.
246
jack
I just had it done on 2/24/11 Yhey kept me overnight,because they installed a tube for continued drainage,mine was the size of a grapefruit,very painfull,will see Dr. on mon.Vicodin is my friend,had to stop it for a day as it causes costipation,while off of vicodin I ate alot of salad and got things moving again,only using pain med. at night to sleep good.At 53 its my only surgery since 21,so I consider myself lucky and tell everyone it was my 50 year tune-up,After full recovery I'll be ready for another 50! !
I too wish I had read this before I had the surgery. I also had a hernia on the same side. My general surgeon did the hernia and my urologist did the hydrocelectomy. I have a five inch long incision across the lower right abdomen for the hernia. I have a one and a half incision on the right side of the the scrotum the urologist used to repair the hydrocele and also a half dime size hole in the bottom of scrotum that had two tubes he inserted to drain the hydrocele.

The hydrocele was not removed. He just slit it and put in the tubes to drain the fluid. The day after the surgery, the tubes were removed and the hole was not closed. It is still draining from the hole and the hydrocele has refilled itself with fluid in just two days. I wish my doctor had read this article before he did the surgery. I know the hole will have to be closed someday and the sack will have to be removed also. One simple procedure has turned into a real pain. I'll also have to pay him to do it again someday SOON.

Just like the general surgeon did to me. He did the left hernia a couple of years ago when I was having some trouble already on the right side and refused to do both at the same time. Doctors think two surgeries are better than one.

Having had both procedures done at the same time has made the pain three times as painful, not two. I am also worried about an infection setting in where the hole is. I'm not scheduled to see him again for six weeks. I don't think I can wait that long.
248
Richie
How long of a recovery do I have to have before I can ride my bicycle. I have several 100 mile rides plan next month.
Richie-

I was comfortably riding my mountain bike 5 weeks after my surgery.

Johnny
I've just had mine done a week ago, I'm getting married in 6 weeks so I thought I'd get it done, now it's a little infected and sore as hell. I wish I waited as now I fear I won't be ok untill a good couple of weeks maybe longer past our wedding and honeymoon if you know what I mean. I was told it was a standard opp and would only feel a little dis-comfort, that couldn't be further from the truth. I've got stomach cramps, swellling, a weird rash but could but side affects from the anaesthetic, and lots of pain. I hope all this has been well worth it, I'll let you know the out-come when I'm fixed.
I had my hydrocele surgery and have a lot of draining, changing gauze pads a lot and under ware. Can anyone tell me how normal this is? My surgeon said I would have drainage but wasn't expecting this much. Also very swollen and could take a couple months to go down
im a filipino from philippines and i have the same situation like you guys and im worried about my coming operation... im thinking about the cost of this surgery and my work. because im a working student... i hope it will get better..huhuhuhu help me God!!!
I had my hydrocelectomy yesterday morning. Mine was between the size of a lemon and a pear. The hydrocele was the result of having a varicocelectomy in June of this past year. The complication rate of that surgery was about 10%. Lucky me, I was in the ten percent.

As far as the surgery went, I was shaved, taken back, and woke up very lucid this time in comparison to my last surgery. I was in some slight pain after the surgery (the kicked in the groin feeling), however after some demerol it subsided. Once home I had a nice nap and woke up to slight pain, so I took some percocet. All in all the pain has been very manageable. I did try to go to the bathroom and almost passed out, so I've been feeling up a cup and sending it to the toilet via my wife. Swelling thus far has been minimal, however I do have some bleeding and I'm currently in hospital issued jock strap.

I will update tomorrow. Good luck to anyone else who is in this position.
254
Ron
I had my surgery 10 days ago. So far, I would still recommend having this done. I mean, seriously, letting this go until I was walking around with a softball in my shorts was not an option. I had been watching it for about 8 months and it had gotten to the size of a tennis ball (though not the shape, obviously).
I was on pain pills around the clock for about a week. I had drainage tubes in my scrotum for 5 days. It is still draining through the seam where they sutured the scrotum back together and the drainage tubes were. They did not cloes them, just left them to close on their own.
I found that sleeping on the couch so I did not move around much, and keeping a pillow between my legs so I didn't squash anything was helpful. Also, even now, laying down as much as possible reduces the drainage.
When I can, I wear boxers just to let everything breath, but tighter supportive underwear with a gauze pad to absorb the drainage when I am up and about. Returning to work in a couple of days, will be taking it slow. That's all for now. If you are trying to decide, I say go for it. There is no other treatment that I could find.
255
fender30
So this is day three after surgery. I got out of the house today although I'm walking a little slower than normal. I was lucky and didn't have to have a drainage tube put in. I'm off the pain pills now and have been relatively without pain today as long as I'm not up walking around. I have swelling but its no worse than what I had with the varicocelectomy. Jock straps are a must so that gravity doesn't cause pain. As of now, I've been very pleased with my recovery time. Its hard to tell at this point how successful the surgery was, I guess I'll know a month or so from now.
256
fender30
I'm now a little over two weeks out and things are going well. They started to improve dramatically between days 8-11 and not really sure why. I read that warm baths nightly should help with the swelling, so maybe that was it. I've been virtually pain free for 8 days now. Not really back to normal as far as size goes, but things are much better than before. I will not be visiting the urologist until week four, so I'll give another update then. Hope all is going well with everyone else who is dealing with a hydrocele.
Hey guys,

JUST GET IT DONE! I'm 29 year old guy with a tennis ball sized hydrocele on left side for the last 5 years or so. Finally got the surgery 8 days ago. Kind of a veteran with surgeries (deviated septum and varicocele) so knew what to expect with the anesthesia and post-op procedures. Once you get the anesthesia, you're good to go. Don't stress out too much. I went to the hospital all by myself as a result of changed surgery schedule and checked myself out after docs said my vitals are normal. Took a cab, came home. 7 days of rest. Cabin fever, it is. Many tv show marathons after I'm doing pretty good. Left testicle is smaller than pre-op. Swelling is going down. No infection, no oozing, no pus. Nothing at all, thank God! Stitches are a bit itchy but using an anti-biotic ointment to take care of that and to keep it infection free. I didn't have tubes to drain the hydrocele. It was all sewn up when I woke up. Wearing a jockstrap is a MUST! You have to support your boys. Even when you're lying down-which you should do for the first few days at least- put a ball of socks or a towel between your legs-under you balls to support them. Ice pack works pretty good as well as painkillers. I took a shower the second day after surgery and let the soapy water run over it as doctor advised. Keep it clean, apply the antibiotic ointment and keep them supported. You're good to go.

Not having sex? Doc told me to use my own judgment and avoid it until it feels fine. She said any rough movement would prolong the recovery and further damage the already damaged tissue. So i personally think this rules out masturbation. A month without any sexual activity?? I mean c'mon...a week felt pretty long enough :)

I feel pretty good about it. Still have a very slight pain when I stand for a long time but nothing unbearable. Actually didn't have any unbearable pain at all, except for right when I woke up after surgery and even then a shot of painkillers through IV took care of it.

Don't forget that everybody has a different metabolism and a different recovery speed but I personally had no problems and everything worked out perfectly. I had more and longer pain when I broke my toe few months ago.

A small note. My surgery was at 9.30am and I didn't eat or drink anything at all after 8.30pm the previous night. So there was a 12 hour window between food consumption and anesthesia. It worked out perfect for me. No nausea, not vomiting, nothing at all. Just follow your anesthesiologists pre-op orders and you should be fine.

Just get it done. (IMHO) it looks awful and feels unhealthy.
Hi guys, I had the operation on april 19. Got to theater 2.30pm woke up in recovery 3.20pm. No drips only a little drain which was removed the next morning. Unlike other guys I had no pain after surgery whatsoever. The surgeon attached a special dressing like a rubber patch you use on the bike inner tube. I was up and walking 30minutes after the operation. The only support required was a good fitting pair of underpants. Today as we speak the wound (4 inch) has healed and most of the activities back to normal.
I have one now and 16 years ago i was told it was a small inguinal herniea and not to fix it unless it hurt.well it's so big now it's uncomfortably and leaves rashes when i walk.i'm schedualed in 3 weeks to have it looked at.what i want to know is i'm 48 years old and don't have kids and most likely won't want to have any.will the doctor tell me if i'm fertile or i can't ever have kids?and if i can't have kids will i still be able to perform sexually!need to know soon and thank you for your time mr>Short
I am seeing that the size of my hydrocle is increased littlebit within last few feeks and now i am shoked that how it is increasing the size what to do right now i am 32 years old Right can u help me right now waitting for you soon response.
261
toadle
I'll have my surgery on 23rd of May, after my hyrodele grew to a "handful"-size at the end of last year. Hoping for the best, but am quite positive since most reviews seem to recommend it. Wish me luck, guys!
Just had my hydrocelectomy today. Had to be at the hospital at 6:30 am, but this was a blessing as I was home by noon. Today I stayed on the couch and walked around some. I am wearing the support they gave me and it appears I have a tube. I walk like a penguin! Also, I was so freaked out about having general anesthesia so i opted to have local anesthesia with a twighlight. To tell you the truth, I say that is the best way to go. I dont remember any of it and it felt pretty much the same as local but you get to leave instantly after you pee! (and you dont have to worry the risk of post op nausea).

I just came home from college and im actually looking forward to just laying around/not having to work. And if you are worried, please dont be! Just know that NOTHING once you are given a sedative will freak you out. The most likely time that you will be scared is prior to the point where they give you that sedative. The sedative makes all the difference and you are well on your way!

And yeah, it does feel like I got kicked in the nuts but I really dont mind that much. When I preoccupy my mind with other things and take the meds, it definitely bare-able.
263
Stephen
I just had this operation. When I woke up I was surprised I had even had the surgery done due to lack of pain. During the whole recovery, I could only say that I really felt discomfort, not pain. The only pain felt was from the muscle which supports the testicle (it hadn't moved in a while...). Two and a half weeks out now, and still a bit of swelling, but it really only prevents me from running. If you go into the surgery expecting it to be unpleasant, you will be pleasantly surprised.
264
john
I had this done the other day after nearly 3 yrs of waiting and am delighted to be rid of my huge sack.The op itself i knew nothing about as was knocked out and didnt have much pain when woke,Nothing like what was expecting.Dunno if was the same for all of you guys but i was so self conscious of it i thought people could notice it throught my jeans. Just a matter of taking it easy for a week or two now and back to normality i hope,Not that painfull im delighted i was preparing myself for much worse, Get it done if required there is nothing to worry about
265
toadle
I had mine 5 days ago and to summarize it: Would do it again immediately, if the alternative is to live with a water-balloon between your legs. I never had any unbearable pain. All the pain I had is somewhat known - like a fresh skin-wound, when you hit the ground as a child. Nothing unknown or scary. I hadn't have the feeling of having been kicked in the groin at any time.
Expect 1-2 days of little pain and uncomfort. After that you'll see progress every day and from day 4 will be quite well.
Nothing to worry - hop on!
266
Matt
I am an 18 year old kid and I had my hydro done on May 26 (5 days ago). Surgery lasted about an hour and a half and after about an hour more in the recovery room I was on my way back to my house. Walking and moving around at all was very difficult at first. As time has progressed, walking is still a bit difficult as the swelling from the surgery is still there, but I can make it from my couch to the refridgerator and bathroom and thats about all I need. I was hoping to be a lot more active by this point, but beggars can't be choosers. I had my tube removed today which helped with drainage but wow it was uncomfortable. I plan on taking it easy the next two days but I have prom in two days and graduation in 4! Hopefully I'll feel better for those two events. Ill post again in a week or so with an update!
MY SON WAS BORN WITH A LEFT HYDR0SEAL, BEFORE AGE 13 HE HAD SURGERY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM,, NO PROBLEM OCURRED AFTER THAT,
MY QUESTION IS: WAS TJERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME? I DID EXPERIENCE SOME PAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE KIST AFTER CONCEPTION, BIT IN
TIME. THE PAIN WENT AWAY. I NOTICED A VERY THIN PIIECE OF SEEMED TO BE WIRE, VERY SHORT IN TWO PLACES. THAT HAS REMAINED HIS ENTIRE LIFE AND HE IS 64YEARS OLD AND HAS A BOY, SO I CAN ONLY ASSUME, I WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS. PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG.

THANK YOU.
I had the hydrolectomy on July 6, 2011 on the right side. Unfortunately this is surgery no.3 for me and hopefully the last. Although for different procedures. I am still recovering now. I was apprehensive first time I found out what it was. I waited that was over 2 years ago hoping that it would disappear it did not, in fact it got larger about the size of a baseball. I had a general surgeon but he scheduled a second opinion with a urologist. I asked about two alternative procedures the needle aspiration which according to the doctor could return in 3- 6 months or sclerotherapy which made me feel more comfortable. Problem was urologist told me he does not do that procedure any more and does not know of doctor in the area that does it. So after great apprehension I had it done. After the surgery I had no drain, no swelling just an ice pack and two prescriptions an antibiotic and pain pill and a jock strap. I finished the 5 antibiotics they gave me. Took one pain pill and that was it for me. I think the antiobiotics made me feel nauseous. I Feel lighter, much smaller. I'll check back with doctor in a couple weeks. Be blessed.
I really like the camaraderie in the comments here so decided to tell about my experience also.

I'm a reasonably healthy 20 year old student and had the surgery yesterday (16 July) on the NHS - the hydrocele was a bit larger than a chicken egg. I decided on the surgery in the end because it was unsightly and I thought that if it continued to get bigger then with my age it would eventually become very uncomfortable. As it was it was never painful or even particularly uncomfortable though.

Probably the most painful thing about going in to hospital was having the straw inserted into my hand for the anaesthetic. Happily it was removed shortly after waking up. At that point I had swelling so that it was perhaps a touch larger than before, but hard to tell as I kept the gauze in place. I didn't take any painkillers after waking up for several hours, and didn't have ice either but so far it's been more discomfort than pain, although with the odd twinge. When I was allowed to go home I felt well enough to walk almost 3 miles home (didn't have much choice) and this didn't seem to do any damage, although probably a damn stupid idea. The pain/discomfort got worse as the day wore on, presumably as the anaesthetic worse off, but still nothing that paracetemol can't handle.

As things seemed to be going pretty well I decided to leave the arrangement alone until I could take a shower (tomorrow). I don't know what the best advice is, but my opinion is to mess around with it as little as possible.

So far I'm pleased with how it has gone, especially given some of the horror stories I've read about. Anyway, based on my experience I'd definitely recommend the surgery. It's free in the UK and my urologist had apparently done lots of the procedures before, and especially if you're young the recovery isn't anything like as bad as having the problem for the rest of your life.
270
Stephen
Great information I really am glad there is info. for anyone to understand. Great for Pt. teaching
My son is a wonderful special needs angel of 19 years of age.Approx 10 mths ago we noticed his right side,was swollen.The Dr said it was a Hydrocele and to just wait a bit to see if it went down on it's own,it didn't. In fact it became the size of a very large grapefruit, and became painful.The Dr said no point to just draining it, because most when just drained come back.So we said lets just have it removed.The chance of a recurrence after surgery is only approx 2%. After having to wear very loose pants,and very long baggy shirts to cover the obvious bulge for so long, we wanted it gone.He had his surgery, with a general anesthesia on July 13,2011. We arrived at day surgery at 6:45 am. Because he is hypoglycemic, they put his IV in immed to keep his blood sugars up, since no food,and only enough water to take his meds with.The operation took place at 7:30 and took approx 50 minutes.My son rested in recovery for approx 5 hours, and then his IV was removed and we were off home.He was given a pain meds (which he never took even one pill of) and colace (stool softener) which he took and I recommend all have and take. Not once did he say it was hard,nor did it hurt to either urinate, or have a bowel movement.His Urologist DR.Grabowski (Ajax Ont) who is an amazing man,said go home lay down and sleep and ice as much as possible for 3 days. He did.I used frozen peas to ice,they go soft as they thaw and mold to your body, and do not weigh much.He had a light supper at about 6 p.m, with no nausea at all. My sons incision is on the right scrotum approx mid way down,running horizontally, and is approx 1 inch in length,and he has only 6 dissolving stitches.The Dr placed a small piece of gauze over it, with a piece of clear saran wrap type of bandage over the gauze, that had no glue on it at all.It merely clung to him, but they had also shaved my son in case.
He had no pain,only discomfort,and only had a bit of pain when he put on the jock strap they had told us to purchase. We tossed it off and out within 5 minutes.. and put on his stretchy boxer shorts, which held him firmly in place.(My recommendation,stretchy boxer shorts,that fit very snuggly but not to tight.and lots of ice.(frozen peas are awesome) and, lay flat for at least 2-3 days if possible,only get up to use the washroom. When he did want to lay on his side, he said it pulled a bit and hurt a bit,so I solved that by putting another pair of the amazingly supportive stretchy boxer shorts on over top of the ones he already had on,and put a frozen bag of peas again in between the two pairs.This gave him the extra support so there was no pull, plus the added benefit of ice also. Guess you can tell I am a big advocate of frozen peas, they work for almost anything you need ice for.I always keep several small bags around for migraines or strains or breaks etc..The amazing part was, before surgery as I said he was the size of a really large grapefruit, immed after surgery he was more like the size of a orange.Day 3 he was up and had a nice long very warm shower, and he took the gauze off, and I put a new piece of gauze on it for him. The bruising was just then starting to come out.(remember he is special needs and I am a nurse also).
JUST had mine done on 7-20-2011 - contact me if you have questions...
my dad had a bilateral hydrocelectomy done on Friday July 22nd 2011 and he has since noticed that the one that was larger is now very hard and sore he was wondering if anyone knows if this is normal or not?? if you know could you please email me at ironmaiden1979_79@hotmail.com or post here and let me know so i can tell him!! thanks!!
Im gonna do this a bit differently just to get down to the cold hard facts for those who want it blunt.

Surgery date: July 28 2011

Location: Alberta Canada

Age: 17

ORIGINAL SIZE:
tennis ball size, but shaped like a oversized BLACK BEAN

DRAINAGE TUBE:
NO

STITCHES:
straight down the middle and slightly on the left

SWELLING:
still swollen after 4-5 days, not noticing any dramatic decreasing

BRUISING:
hell yes, black and blue after day 3

PAIN:
testicles (duh) lower stomach/ab region, my left arm where the IV was placed has been sore and weak for the past few days

PAIN RATING:
OP day 5/10, day 2 3/10, day 3 7/10, day 4 1/10

PAIN KILLERS:
percaset (hardcore stuff, expect to be dizzy) and Tylonel

NAUSEA:
Yes, felt it after surgery and slightly during the day after

SUPPORT SYSTEM:
Standard hosptial issued Jock strap (the swelling caused me to start spilling out of the sides on day 1)

OOZING:
not significant after the first 2 days. Only swapped padding once so far.

COMMENTS:

So I went into this surgery not knowing much about it mostly so as to not worry myself by knowing the details. I had first started noticing a size increase about 8 months ago but figured It was just a part of puberty so I let it go. after noticing this wasnt normal I sought a specialist who, after many tests, scans, etc., it was a hydrocele. He scheduled me for surgery and soon after I got in, and got it done. Simple as that. If you live in Canada this surgery shouldnt cost you a penny so go for it. Do not hesitate at all. The pain isnt so bad if your on pain killers for the first few days, and I sleep easier now knowing that in a few weeks I can be walking around not worrying about the grapefruit in my pants. Im still early in my recovery stage so Im not sure about how the rest is going to go, but if its anything like the above posts, Im not worried.

One thing to note that happened to me that was VERY SCARY was that the day after my surgery I got up to go the bathroom and started feeling dizzy. I quickly tucked myself away and attempted to lean against a wall but by then it was to late and I literraly BLACKED out in my bathroom slamming my head on the sink and shreading the side of my body. My sister had to come and wake me up as I was unresponsive, had purple lips and fingertips, and white as a ghost. The worst part is I dont remember anything past tucking my junk away in the jock i was given at the hospital.
Am I the only one who has gone through something like this? It was something that really frightened me as it was the same sensation as waking up from the OP itself. Complete lack of awareness to where you are or whats going on.

Overall, Im happy that I got this done and only regret not getting it done sooner. Apart from fainting in my bathroom, its been a rather easy recovery.
Hi I had this procedure done this month about 11 days ago i was sent back twice to hospital for a lot of bleeding from my incision (where they cut me open) but the second time the doc told me that was bound to happen I am still bruised and swollen and I am due back to work on august 16th can anyone tell me if the swelling will go down soon or if the bleeding from my incision will stop or any sugestions that will help me out to make the swelling go down or bleeding stop honest true answers only please

thanks
Obriena
what is the recovery time for aperation of a hydrocele
I had a hydrocelectomy on my left testicle 8 days ago and am in recovery now. my stitches are disolving ones. I have had the problem for over 6 years and have been getting it drained every few months since then. i had tried to get an operation done through the public hospital and saw a surgeon 2 years ago but he as not a urologist and referred me to another hospital but the was put on another waiting list which did not move finally last year i got private hospital cover and waited my 12 months got a referral from my doctor to the specialist and hospital of my choice. My faith in God has helped pull me through this. I would say get the surgery if you can. Draining is a nuisance an needles in this area are not good! I still have swelling on the left side but most of the bruising is gone. I also had internal bleeding after the op and had to go back in for a second one to fix it the same day - 2 generals not so good! But I pulled through. My girlfriend was amazing support - this helps heaps! We are no engaged! Looking forward to having a normal size testicle. I want to start jogging again in a week if possible. See how I go.
I had my hydrocelectomy august 11th and everything was fine. woke up from surgery a little sore, got my lortabs and slept the next couple days. my stitches dissolved too early and left an open cut and i cann see down to the 2nd layer of ballsack. if anyone else has had this happen to them, please email me at andrewblake93@hotmail.com and tell me what i should do about it
I have a cyst sebaceous and will probably have to have it removed by surgery what should i expect before surgery during and after surgery is it going to hurt a lot bearable i am 17 I am really worried people who have gone through surgery and done the surgery please help thank you vary much.
My husband has had this problem for over 3 years, at first the dr. told him if it didn't bother him to leave it alone. It is now the size of a large orange, or small grapefruit. It is in the way and a bother. We just came from the dr. after a ultra sound and he will be having his surgery on 9-30-11. Of course he is scared to death, this is a man who does not like going to the dr., worse yet the hospital. I have read almost all of these posts and we both feel a lot better now, well, I do anyway. There are many good suggestions, like ICE, and a jock strap or snugger undies, but I do believe everything will be good. We have a good urologist so I believe all will be good in the long run. Of course we will come back to comment on the afters, but thanks to all for sharing and easing our minds.
P.S.
He is still scared to death, but has vacation time coming so it will be good to stay down for a week.
Hi , im ram i have Hydroceles Problem from childwood.so any affect for making child (sex)pregnancy. please clarify my problem
why has my sons urine been dark since the surgery for hydrocele
I had a hydrocelectomy some 5 years ago. I get itchy during summer due to sweat and in winter due to dryness. Scratching agravates the condition. Please help.
Sept 1 2011 had a hydrocelectom but they put a tube in after a great amount drain out. He said this may not work because he had to drain 4 to 7 pockets. I was to keep track of the amount of fluid that drained out. Idrained the ball each time and squessing it so it would suck the fluid in. Things were looking good I though. VA doctor called me 9/6 ask question said come in to VA to see him. Well on the 7th about 4 to 6 hrs after his call. It wasn't draining like it though it should be but I tuffed it out got there early on the 8th. He didn't even sit my up an appointment,. Finally got to see him, he said we did several of the and they all worked. Well i was swelling up big time and hurting. He gaver me infection pills and pain pills. I am not sure that this fluid in these area is good for my body there. Told me to set up an appointment for ultrasound i did in Sept 26th and an appointment to see him at a different department on Oct 17. I know it's the first day. Got the chills layied down for a few hours checked my temp its 103.3.
I just don't have the $$ to call an ambulance. Don't have any insurance to go to a hospital I retired a 62 so have money coming in to pay the necessities. SS let IRS know and they proceed to tak out 15% $171 and i think that i have to pay taxes on that and or an money over a limit. They set it at an amount where they don't have to give me food stamps which i appled for and got $16.
285
Jon
The deed was done yesterday in Orillia. Very professional and caring hospital. General of course, woke up funny feeling hard to put into words. Bit like a mild kick in the scones but nothing serious. Gave me T3's and antibiotics. Yes I've got "Gorilla Balls" about the same color too but really they're shrinking as we speak. Water works work, thank God but basically no pain. Have stopped the 3's. Feels more like constipation than anything else. So the Hydocele was about the size of a tennis ball but elongated. Wasn't a lot more room in there and I'm ecstatic to be able to dress normally, sit on a motorcycle and not have to move them every time I roll over in bed. Wasn't painful just a nuisance. All in good time. Nurse come tomorrow to remove the drain. There was a fair amount of bleeding but changed pad last night and not much now. I'm 60 and this has been with me since my 20's good it's gone. Recommend it to anyone with the need. I had double hernia repair at Shouldice 5 years ago. Now that was major, the "Shouldice Shuffle" no laughing and god forbid you should sneeze. But they're the best in the business, in and out in a week, milk and cookies every night. Actually had a great time!
286
joe
i had a hydrocelectomy about a month and a half ago the swelling from the surgery has mostly gone down but the skin on my scrotum is very saggy because there is so much of it does this go away? i had the hydrocele for a while so the skin got pretty stretched out im just wondering because it looks kinda weird please help thanks
Husband had his surgery on 9-30-11. It was a long day to start, surgery @ 2:30pm, arrived at hospital @ 1pm, with nothing to eat or drink after midnight. Take him to the pre-op at 1:30, we sat in waiting room (his sister was with us) watching the screen for progress. At 3pm he was still in pre-op so I asked someone and was informed his Dr. was not there yet. Meanwhile, he is sitting up in the bed watching people coming and going, his Dr. finally arrives around 3:30 and a nurse comes over and puts something in his IV. He opens his eyes and the guy next to him was gone, and he was supposed to go before him, he thinks he dozed off for a minute and they took that guy first. He stops a nurse and asks when am I going in for surgery? She picks up the clip board and looks, and says " You're already done". He lifts up the sheet and looks down and sees he now has on a jock strap when he had nothing on before. All he could think was "I don't have to go in there"!! This is day 3 and he actually feels pretty good. Has only taken 1 pain pill and takes the antibiotics as directed. Alittle pain getting up and down, but doing quite well, hasn't even used a ice pack. Has the next week off work so he can rehab longer. So all in all he is glad he did it and feels better each day.
288
Ashley
My husband had Hydroceletomy surgery on August 31, 2011. It's now been over a month of recuperation, but we're noticing that his left testicle, (the one that had hydrocele) has swollen up to even larger than his hydrocele was. The swelling goes down in his sleep and when laying down it recedes and becomes "Normal". His doctor is going to see him again in just a few weeks, but from a personal standpoint; Is this very common after surgery? Have any of you gentleman experienced this? Has the swelling gone down? Also, is it just because the swelling inside the testicles is due to the surgery? Please give me thorough answers and be as detailed as possible! Thank you so much, and Good Luck! :D
I have right side hydrocele problem last 10-11 months size is not big. I read all most the article but i did't found no any surgery only trough use niddle.If u have any idea about that share with me.
I had my surgery 6 weeks ago and everything that could go wrong did. The swelling is enormous as the surgery left me with a large hematoma. Also contracted a staff infection in the surgery room and found myself in the ER 5 days after surgery. Have a PICC line in me now and have been infused with an antibiotic daily for a month. Still so swollen I can not wear slacks, and have to wear loose gym shorts. I am in sales and have not been able to work for over a month now. This really hurts my income. Have an infectious disease specialist monitoring the infection and the Urologist does not know what to do about the hematoma but wait for it to be absorbed (another month?] I am furious about my treatment and am talking to attorneys
I had my hydroceletomy on thursday of this week. Drainage tube was taken out one day after surgery. I find it odd that the dr. did not stitch of the hole where the drainage tube was. I now have a hole on the bottom of my right testicle that is oozing. Was this the case with everyone else? I feel like he should have stitched it back up.
I had a hydrocele on Left Testicle and large Spearmtocele on Right testicle removed 3 days ago. I have had very little problems except dealing with the blood tube. I have to change the padding atleast twice a day because of the blood tube. All in all has not been as bad as I expected from a pain point of view.
i had a hydroctimy a ten days ago.i am getting better. but still there is enlargement.before the operation my left side which had the hyrocele was 3 times bigger than the normal side.well i feel now no more fluid,but i could tell that my left testicle is 2 times bigger as my right size. knowing that before they were normal except for the hydrocele size.so now after the hydrocele is gone. would every thing go back normal and the enlarged testicle reduce to normal.
i had a hydroctimy a ten days ago.i am getting better. but still there is enlargement.before the operation my left side which had the hyrocele was 3 times bigger than the normal side.well i feel now no more fluid,but i could tell that my left testicle is 2 times bigger as my right size. knowing that before they were normal except for the hydrocele size.so now after the hydrocele is gone. would every thing go back normal and the enlarged testicle reduce to normal.
295
Unkle83
I just had Hydrocele surgery 3 weeks ago today, Im still swollen and the incision is normal I guess. I came to this site to find out how long it would take before I would fully recover. After reading the comments it made me feel a little better about my recovery process. However I do have a question:
My hydrocele was on my right side and was the size of a softball believe me when I say it was huge. Im now in my 3rd week of recovery and like all men I get a hard on. When im fully errect all seems to be normal but when i shift it to the right or left I feel a sharp pain in my penis that goes all the way up to the head of the penis.
My question:::
1. Is this normal and will eventually go away?
2. Is it to early in the recovery to worry about getting a hard on?

Everything else is normal, I can walk with no pain the incision looks normal, the only issue is getting comfortable at night before going to sleep.
I just want to talk to people that can relate to my issues and have been thru this surgery like me.
Please email me at yunique_services@yahoo.com and I will respond asap. Im 28 and I live in Dallas, TX. Today is 10-28-2011
296
Fox104
I am 53 years old and this is my story – so far! In December 2010 I noticed one of my testicles was considerably bigger than the other and was causing me some discomfort. This was just before Christmas so I waited until January before going to the doctor as trying to get an appointment in the holiday period is hellish. After an examination the doctor diagnosed I had epidymitis and prescribed pretty strong antibiotics for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks there was no difference so back to the doctor who referred me to the hospital for a scan and this took place in February. Back to the doctor for the results and by this time I knew it was a hydrocele as I’d done a bit of internet research and the radiologist had said as much. After discussion with the doctor it became clear that the only permanent way of dealing with the problem was by surgery. I had to wait until June to see a consultant surgeon at the hospital finally getting an appointment for surgery on the 24th October by which time the affected testicle was even bigger.

As well as a bi-lateral hydrocelectomy I also decided to have a vasectomy at the same time as it was something I’d been considering anyway. I was in the operating theatre for about an hour in a day case unit so was going home the same day. The incision in the scrotum was horizontal and about 3-4 inches long and I was advised they’d used dissolving sutures which would last about 10 days (looked more like 20lb fishing line to me). They warned me there would be some bruising and they weren’t wrong. Almost my entire scrotum is bruised and about half my manhood which I wasn’t expecting, it made me wonder what the hell they were doing when I was taking a nap. As the drugs wore off I was pretty sore and couldn’t even put my own socks on when it was time to go home. They gave me pain killers in the form of Co-Dydramol and Ibuprofen to take home. I had to stop the Ibuprofen after a week as it was upsetting my stomach. I fully expected to be going back to work after a week but my testicles had really swollen up and I was still in a lot of pain so off to the doctor again. I was prescribed more Co-Dydramol and given antibiotics as the doctor suspected there might be some infection.

That was 2 days ago and there’s no sign of the swelling going down and it looks like fluid is also gathering inside my scrotum so between my enlarged testicles and the fluid my sutures are pulling and causing discomfort plus the wound bleeds a small amount almost all the time. I’ve followed all the advice about baths and supporting underwear but the way things are I’m going to end up at A&E (E.R.). I’m fed up walking like John Wayne and keeping my fingers crossed I didn’t catch MRSA or another of those horrors at the hospital. If I could turn the clock back would I do it again? At this point the answer is definitely no but I don’t say that trying to put people off as reading the other posts here there are far more success stories than otherwise. There’s no going back and I will try and remember to post the outcome.
I am 55. I was scheduled for hydrocelectomy on 11/8/11. Surgery has been postponed until they can get my high blood pressure under control. Does anyone know the world record for size of a hydrocele? Mine is slightly larger than a 1 Liter bottle of scotch. Just wondering.

Jake
PLEASE,AFTER THE SURGREY HW MANY DAYS WILL THE SCROTUM COME BACK TO ITS NORMAL SIZE?
299
Mary
17-year-old son took a hit to the boys playing basketball late 2010. By about March his left testicle was about the size of a VERY large lemon. Saw urologist who recommended surgery but said it was no rush if it didn't bother him and there was no risk to waiting. Sports kept him going until he experienced a football shoulder injury in late August 2011 so he moved forward with the surgery the first week in September 2011. Surgeon also put dissolving stitches in and actually stitched his sack to his abdomen and put a suction drain in (he went home that night and they removed that stitch to his abdomen and the drain the next day at the doctor's office.) Very swollen and very painful--not at all what we'd read was the "normal" 3-4 days of discomfort. He did everything he was supposed to---elevated his sack with a rolled up towel, lots of ice, laid around (no activity), wore a jock all the time-- but just sitting up caused him lots of pain. He took pain meds and even had to get refills. He's a tough kid-3 sport athlete who's always going, takes the hits and gets up again--but this one was tough to watch. Right from the get-go we felt like something wasn't right--so much so that we called and went back in to the doctor twice. It was never even close to the original size at any point after the surgery. Were told that he'd just have to wait it out for the swelling to go down--probably a month or two. He continued to wear a jock--too painful not to. After a month he was still struggling--i.e. sitting was uncomfortable and running was not an option. After just over 2 months the size hadn't decreased at all. Called Dr. again and they repeated the ultrasound--and low and behold the tissue had regenerated and ANOTHER hydrocele had reformed. Son was devastated! Dr. did a needle aspiration and took out over 300cc's (over 1 1/4 cups) of fluid--not counting what was running all over the place. Within 24 hours his one side was right back to the size of a large lemon. That was Friday--it's now Tuesday and we're going back in for another surgery tomorrow and they are going to place a hole in the bottom of the scrotum with a drain that stays in longer--like several days to a week--till it heals from the inside out. Praying this one has a better outcome... Just a note--after the first surgery the doc mentioned that when the sack is stretched for so long that after surgery all of the extra skin can be rather unsightly and just cause the area to be less compact and get in the way. As part of this surgery they are going to resect some of the extra skin.
300
CyclingKen
I'm a 73-year-old white male who underwent a hydrocelectomy 3 days ago. To start from the beginning: twelve years ago I noticed a small lump on left side of scrotum, slightly smaller than testicle. Urologist monitored it annually, telling me that when it got really annoying he could remove it in an outpatient surgery center.
Finally it got annoying enough: I'm a cyclist and the skin started to chafe. The hydrocele was about the size of an egg by then. I stopped taking aspirin 10 days before the surgery. Day of surgery was similar to what's been reported on this site. Checked in at 7:00 AM, operation at 8:30 for about 45 minutes, home by 10:30. Great anesthesia drugs! No pain, no hangover, very easy. Took a Percocet when I got home. For the next two days I lay around with ice bags. The doc told me that ice was good for the first 24 hours but did no good after that "but use ice if it reduces the pain." Also, he didn't think there was much correlation between how much walking around I did and the amount of swelling I would experience. "Some people swell a lot (bigger than before) and some don't swell at all."
I took a painkiller three times a day and had very little pain. Today (3 days post-surgery) I've not taken any painkiller. Yesterday there was a little bleeding (about 5 cc's or a teaspoon) and I think that was due to the shower I took the previous evening. The doc said I could shower 24 hours after surgery, but I waited a day and I half. I wish I had waited a little longer to shower so I wouldn't have bloody briefs. They supplied a jockstrap which made things much more comfortable the first night. I've slept well every night, by the way.
Today I'm going to do errands, driving a car for the first time. Pain level is at about 2 or 3, and is focused solely on the incision. None of the "pulling, kicked in the nuts" pain that you have read in other posts. Swelling is minimal, and seems to be decreasing, but I know it could get worse.
So it was an easy procedure. Yes, I'm in excellent health, have great health care (in San Diego) and didn't have the hernias and other issues described in previous posts.
Conclusion: Don't be chicken. If you have a large hydrocele that's embarrassing or painful in any way, get it removed. Piece 'O cake.
hi it has been 3 weeks since my hydrocele repair i have still got alot of swelling plus my right scrotum is very hard .the hospital staff were brilliant in rotherham .my hydrocele was discovered over xmas 2009 so you can imagine how big it got .the surgeon told me in the recovery room that they removed a pint &half of fluid or 900 grams in weight .what a relief to not wear jumpers &shirts down to my knees anymore.i just hope it goes back to its normal size&and doesnt return which ihave been told to be aware of.
302
Sam
My son had his hydrocelectomy 3 days ago and for the last 24hrs he hasn't had to take his pain meds, at all. He is walking around very good and he says that he isn't hurting at all. He is 8yrs old, by the way. I would say, do not be afraid. If he is able to h=get through it, anyone can. He has stitches that doesn't have to be removed (because they will dissolve on their own) and the stitches are covered with surgical tape (sutures) that will fall off in roughly 10-14 days. The only mild discomfort that he is really having is Itching at the incision area. I found that a "warm compress" has provided great relief to the sutures and to help keep swelling at a minimal.
I found this site researching hydrocelectomy surgery because I am now considering the surgery because I have a tennis sized left testicle.. I had it aspirated but eventually it returned to its original state. I am a 53 yr old black male in SoCal in fairly good shape I work out at least 4 times a week Thanks to all the wonderful posts I will be calling my Doctor to deal with this ASAP. I also have a question especially since I have this condition. How often do you go to restrooms where the toilets are very shallow bowls and even without this condition your boys get wet? Just wondering.
304
pooja
thank you for sharing ur valuable info with us which u have provided it has been very useful to us
On March 11,2011 my husband who is 54 had a Inguinal Hernia & Hydrocele repair.On May 5 he had to have a nerve block because of continuous pain & discomfort & on May 6, they had to repair the hydrocele again as it had come back.Since his first repair in March he has been in constant pain & discomfort & on Nov 14, 2011 His right testicle where the hydrocele was had to be removed because of scar tissue along with the nerve to help get rid of his pain, he has still been in pain & taking lortab several times daily & has been seeing the surgeon weekly, as of yesterday he looks like someone kicked him between the legs and now looks like an inner tube is around the bottom of his penis, we are waiting on a call from his dr but i was wondering has anyone else had these complications, i am extremely worried.
306
blank
I first want to say to Ashley #288...ur husband has to wear fitted underwear at all times! Icing when he's just relaxing and at nite while sleeping. That helps with the swelling a lot. I had the surgery last year and everything was fine. The doctors ruled out anything major like cancer which was a concern. I was very afraid but the worst was to come. After the surgery I found that the surgeon removed my testicle. Which was fine!!! I have not been right since. I'm going throught some very weird mental changes. It has been a very difficult time for me,so to any men having this surgery done check out the doctor and ask tons of ?'s. Remember its ur body not there's! God bless.
307
slater
I had this surgery done about 4 years ago when I was 18, the recovery period was one of the worst experiences of my life. Another hydrocele developed on my right side about two years ago and I have finally decided to go through hell again and will have the surgery today. My advice don't settle for the codine ask for the good stuff.
308
blank
I pray all goes well Slater...and pls excuse my typos it was rather late when i found this site and wanted to share my experience.it is truly helpful and What I meant was its not their body. At all!
309
mamabear
my 2 1/2 year old son just underwent this surgery Nov 29th. His mass was the size and shape of a large white grape. Being that he is a child, this mass is bigger than his testes itself. He is non verbal/special needs, but he did seem to notice it, so I assume it hurt on occasion. His mass was located on the left side. He was put under using general and has a scar about 1 inch long that runs horizontally in his groin. He was stitched internally using dissolvable stitches and had dermabond placed on the exterior. Dermabond is a fancy surgical grade super glue. When I had my c section with him, I was internally stitched with dermabond on the exterior also, so I can tell you it holds and heals wonderfully! This was a day surgery, so We went in at 7:30 and we were home by 2:00 pm. Surgery took only about 45 minutes, but he needed a lot of recovery time. Anesthesia can be rough on the little ones! We were given some tylenol with codeine to dispense for pain. He took one dose the day of surgery, and that was it. I tried to keep him relaxed and resting for as long as possible, but the next day, he was climbing up the arms of couches, running across the living room, and being a typical 2 year old no matter how hard I tried to keep him seated! There probably isn't as much pain when you are 2 1/2 compared to an adult, but I was seriously shocked with how well he has recovered.
310
omar
is there any one how had children after doing his hydrocelectomy surgery i mean did it effect your productive system ? pleas send on my email oyousif@saudiairlines.com
311
Kenneth L
Going to have surgery December 19. Lots of good info here will follow up next week.
312
Chris
Day two since my right Hyrdocelectomy. Mine was size of an orange. I have a small vertical incision towards the base of my scrotum near the center. No tube that the others speak about. No real pain, just a little tender. Never needed to take the pain killers that were prescribed, just have been taking regular Tylenol. Some have posted about taking ibuprofen, you should not take ibuprofen post surgery, as it acts as a blood thinner, and interferes with healing. Stick with Tylenol or pain meds from the Doc. I ice every 30-40 mins for about 20 min sessions. Get a gel type ice pack, helps to wrap around scrotum better. About 1/4 of the swelling has gone down, but still swollen, yet smaller than when I had the hydrocele, so looks like an improvmemt to me. Had first erection this morning. Seemed stronger and more powerful compared to when I still had the hydrocele. Will update more later. Definitely worth getting this done guys. Wish I had done it sooner. I'm 37 and live in LA, CA.
313
Chris
Continuation from post 312

Day 3, feeling much better. Swelling has continued to go down some, but still there, mainly towards base of scrotum. Took my first shower today, seemed to do alright. I have a bandage over my stitches, then the entire scrotum is wrapped in this clear plastic that sort of looks like Saranwrap. Assume this is to keep bandage dry. Noticed a little bit of blood as I was drying off, but think it was just residual blood from the surgery and don't really appear to be bleeding. Went to grocery store for first time today. Was able to drive, felt a little uncomfortable but nothing unbearable. Kind of hobbled around grocery store but felt good to get out of the house. Still on Anti Biotic but did not need to take Tylenol today! Still icing a lot. Each day gets so much better.
314
Chris
Continuation of post 312,313

Day #4 since surgery. Each day gets better and better! Went back to work today. I have a desk job so wasn't too bad. Felt a little uncomfortable to be wearing pants, but got through it. I missed not being able to Ice at work. Bandage was beginning to fall off from showering. Called Doc and said to take it off and just let it breath. Saw incsion for first time, was bigger than I thought, about 2 inches. A little black and blue near incsion area. Feels so much better to have that plastic wrap stuff off my scrotum now. Swelling has gone down some more. Feeling good guys. Don't be afraid, get it done.
315
Kenneth L
Had surgery today. Very little pain or discomfort.
316
Kenneth L
Day 1 all is well. Low grade pain. Very little discomfort. I actually drove to my UPS box to pick up packages.I spent most of the day on the couch watching TV. Im 53 and live in Pasadena CA
317
nandy
I had hydrocelectomy 9days ago. With in 7 days the swelling has reduced to minimal. But i am confused, that my left scrotum is littlt bigger when compared with right scrotum. Also heard that always left scrotum will be bigger when compared to right scrotum, is it true ? Please tell me am i recovered from hydrocele completely or not.
318
Kenneth L
Its been a week. Still no pain, swelling is greatly reduced. Will see the Doc tomorrow for follow up.
319
Kenneth L
Its been a week. Still no pain, swelling is greatly reduced. Will see the Doc tomorrow for follow up.
320
Chris
Continuation from posts 312,313,314

Hi guys. Day 13 since my surgery. Feeling really great. Back to walking normal. Shower with ease. Wear pants. Have traveled over the holidays, no big deal. Still taking it easy, not doing anything crazy at all. Swelling has gone down a lot, still some there though, towards the base where stitches are. Stitches are showing signs of dissolving, but still can see some of them. Incision healing very nicely. Most of the bruising and black and blue has all gone away. No pain to speak of. At times I can almost forget that I even had this procedure done. All in all a really positive experience for me. I have Doc post op follow up after the new year, and will report back afterwards.

Questions for the group:

How long did you wait to masturbate? I get holding off on the real deal, but kind of need to take care of business. Doc says I can go for it when I feel ready, but have been holding off.

I'm a really fit/active guy and miss working out. Does anyone have any advise on how or when they incorporated exercise back into the mix?

Thanks!
321
Brian
Had right side hydrocelectomy and vasectomy on 12/28/11 in California. Went in at 5:30 am, surgery at 7:00 am, home at 10:00 am. Ultrasound a month or so earlier showed ~ 140 cc of fluid, about the size of a tangerine. Had plenty of discomfort that varied in intensity over about 7 years prior to the surgery(worse for a month or two each year, and getting progressively worse every year). I'm an otherwise healthy 35 year old.

Expected recovery to be fairly straightforward and to be back to work in 4-5 days based on many other's experiences here. However, day 8 and I'm still home, taking vicadin and staying off of my feet as much as possible. Pain is mainly when standing and is a burning sensation mainly near the location of the drain (removed after 24 hours). No signs of infection (redness, fever, puss, etc.), so doctor (urologist) says it's likely just the pressure from the post-op fluid buildup in the scrotum on the healing wound. Fact that it doesn't hurt lying down suggests he's right. However, it's pretty intense - I'd say my pain threshold is average, and I can't stand it for more than a minute or two. Expecting another few days at least of this. Also have two small benign cysts (spermatoceles) on the other side that are not worth worrying about or removing, but the added pressure definitely makes them uncomfortable.

Reading posts here makes me realize there is a range of recovery times that could be based on a wide variety of factors. My doctor said that the membrane of the tunica was pretty thick, which could be part of the story. But definitely need to be patient - he says 6 weeks is a better time to evaluate the success of the surgery. I'll be using that as my reference point to decide if I made the right decision on the surgery (although there's obviously no turning back!). May also reconsider what it means to have "minor" surgery.

Good luck to anyone else going in for this.
322
Chris
Continuation from post 320 and others for those following along

Sorry for the delay. Had my post op follow up visit on Jan 3rd, which puts that about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks from surgery day. Visit went really well. Stitches have all dissolved, and everything looks to be healing very nicely. My doc was really awesome, not sure what it's called exactly, but there is a natural vertical line on the scrotum, that sort of divides it in half. Well he did his incision exactly on this line. So the scar sort of blends in perfectly, kind of cool. I still have a tiny bit of swelling, I would say maybe 10%, doc says this will go away in a few weeks. I received the green light to begin jogging on a treadmill and light to moderate weight training, super excited about this. Ran a few times last week, and did upper body weights this past weekend, which was at the 3 1/2 week marker. Took it easy nothing crazy.

Sexual activity is back to normal. Feels awesome, erections look a whole lot bigger when that massive testical is out of the picture. In response to my previous question, I masturbated at week 2 and it was awesome.

This is the best thing I have ever done. Clothes look so much better, don't have to be worried about looking like I have this huge bulge in my pants. My confidence and self esteem have greatly increased.

I realize my results are not the same as others, but hope this info is helpful to some as you debate having this procedure.

Good luck!
323
Michael
I had a dual hydrocele operation plus large ruptures on both testicles repaired on January 6. Both testicles are swollen but urologist told me they would be. Urologist made long incision under my penis in my bag which is 3 inches long so there will be swelling there for awhile. Following doctor's instructions and using ice packs and staying lying down most of the time really has helped. Am off prescription medicartion today and taking Ibuprofen. This is my second operation to repair hernia on both testicles but first for hydrocele. Will keep you posted on how things go in a couple for weeks. I am 26 years old. Dr. told me to maintain a positive attitude and that would help. Good luck to all of you men. Go have the hydrocele surgery and you will feel better in the long run. Each individual is different and it make take some men much longer for full recovery. I had first double rupture on testicles operated on 3 years ago and it took 2 months before I felt 100% like I should. It just took me longer.
324
Still swollen
I had right hydrocele surgery almost 3 weeks ago Dec 21st, rather large hydrocele about baked potatoe sized and shape. I am concerned that the procedure did to work. My right testicle which I found but it is much much larger that the left and my scrotum is still swollen to the point to where it looks similar pre hydrocele surgery. I saw the doctor two weeks after for concerns with the stitches and oozing, all looks good in that regard and he tells me that it will take 4-6 weeks for everything to look get back to normal. Can anyone please tell me if they have had similar results as I am experiencing? I have no pain feel good physically, just frustrated that I still have this giant lump between my legs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
325
Lorenz
Note to Still Swollen: I had hydrocele on both right and left operated on in July, 2011 and it took me 12 weeks to get back to normal. I have diabetes and am 34 years old. Diabetics take longer. My neighbor had his done 5 years ago and he told me it took him 8 weeks to get back to normal. each man is different so be patient and things will gradually get back to normal. I had very little pain but some discomfort. My left testicle has always been some larger than the right one. When I had a check up again in Dec. the urologist was pleased but he wantes me to return in early march. There is a rupture developing on my left testicle and getting to be a size. Has nothing to do with the hydrocele. Had a second opinion. So I will may need another surgery. Swelling in your testicle will gradually go down and remember some men have enlarged testicles. Please post again in a couple of weeks and let us know how you are doing. We men support each other. This website has been a greatr inspiration and help to me when I was anticipating surgery last July. Good luck.
326
Stil swollen
Lorenz,

Thanks for the information, I guess it's good to hear that what I am experiencing is "normal". I still am concerned because it seems like the scrotum has fluid in it still and the testicle is seriously the size of an egg. It's very frustrating when I am icing, wearing an uncomfortable jock strap and sitting as much as possible for work and it still seems like it's not getting any smaller. I do remember that the doctor said it would take some time and too also be patient because mine was not a normal case the hydrocele had calcified and that he had to use scissors which isn't usually used to cut the hydrocele out, after reading so many posts about a couple weeks and everything is normal got me really frustrated about the surgery and if I would need another etc..

I will post more info after follow up on Jan 27th I am hopeful more positive news and "back to normal"
327
Daniel
Unkle83

Just pulled up the hydrocele website. Had not seen it since last July. Hope you will post how you are feeling and doing now. How old are you? Age and other health factors can make a difference in recover. I am 32 years old. I had a hydrocele the size of an orange on my left testicle and one much larger on the right one. Had surgery on May 1, 2011. My surgery was somewhat different than most men's. I had a rupture on both testicles the doctor fixed and healing took much longer. Two weeks after surgery I was getting "hard on" and doctor told me that was fine. He told me to massage my penis and get a good release as often as I needed. However, since I had a double rupture fixed he did not me engaging in sex for 3 months. The ruptures should have been fixed much sooner as they were big. My ruptures were really causing problems. I had numerous erections but was not able to masturbate. Semen was going back into the kidneys and out. Two weeks after surgery when I had erections I had no problems either but if I moved my penis on the right or left I would get sharp pains which the doctor said some men get. I had a much longer incision in my scrotum than most men need since I had ruptures fixed. It was well over 2 inches. My scrotum was very swollen for a good month as were my testicles and then gradually swelling went down. I took Ibuprofin for 5 weeks. 0nly took prescription pain killers two days. Healing took longer for me since I am diabetic. It took 4 months before I felt good enough to have sex. Doing fine wih sex now and masturbating good. My testicles have been somewhat enlarged since I was 25 and still are but not nearly as large since the hydrocele deal was fixed. My scrotum is still sensitive but not sore when I or my partner feel it. Dr. says that will take a long time after a long incision right down the middle. I hope you will post how you are doing and how long it took you to get back to normal. Wish I would have had the surgery several years sooner. Talked to a 42 year old man who said it took him 6 weeks to get back to normal after his singele hydrocele surgery. Another 23 year old man had double hydrocele surgery and went back to work 6 days later and was masturbating very well in a week. He started having sex again he third week. It all epends on the individual, how fast they heal, how much discomfort they tolerate, etc.
328
Kenneth L
It's been over 3 weeks since my surgery i never had any pain. Uncomfortable for a few days. Other than that no problems. I even drove to the store and my mailbox the next morning like nothing occurred.I had a hydrocele the size of an orange fixed. Most of the stitches have dissolved and my Doc said to take daily baths. I am 53 in pretty good shape. Still a little swollen but a hell of a lot better than it was before.
329
still swollen
So, had my follow up appt today, still as big as pre surgery. After meeting with doctor my fears were right, the scrotum filled back up with fluid and the testicle which is really really large still. He told me my case the hydrocele sac calcified and bc there was some blood flow to the testicle he tried to save it. I have now a second surgery in a week, this time to again fix the hydrocele and now remove the testicle ugh...said this time a drain will be put in for a few days and removed and also can remove all the calcium etc from the hydrocele and be best bet for it not accumulating fluid again. I really hope this is the answer, very frustrating two surgeries in a month, atleast I know what to do and expect this time.
330
Lorenz
Still Swollen
Please keep us posted after your surgery this week. Will be thinking of you. You have a good support system from this website. Hope the surgery for hydrocele and removal oe one testicle solves the problem.
331
Teacher
I have had my hydrocele for about 30+ years. I am in my 60's. I think it started shortly after my vascectomy as I had great pain and have had a large lump in my spermatic cord ever since. I have often been embarassed to how it looked to others. I had seen several urologists over the years, but none had really encouraged me to seek surgery. About 5 years ago, I went to the VA and a urologist that was working that day (from Argentina) insisted on aspirating it. The hydrocele came back within a few weeks and actually was bigger that before. I decided to see a urologist for another consultation. He did an unltrasound and confirmed that the hydrocele was quite large and would recommend doing a hydrocelectomy. I went in for surgery on Tuesday (Jan. 10) and the surgery was mostly a non-event with very little pain following the surgery. I took vicadin for that day and at night for a few days following the surgery and placed ice packs on the scrotum and wore a jock strap. The jock strap is very uncomfortable but I have continued to wear it day and night since the doctor recommended it. It is now 5 days after the surgery and the scrotum is very large and hard on one side, but no serious pain. I guess this is normal and I hope the swelling goes down soon - although several have said it may take up to a month or two. I will be seeing the doctor for follow-up in another week. I am not sorry I had it done as it was very uncomfortable with a hydrocele about as large as an orange. I found it especially uncomfortable when riding horseback or a bicycle. The bleeding has basically stopped but there is a lot of bruising to scrotum and some to penis. Leet me know if you feel this sounds normal compared to your experiences. It will be nice to be able to have sex without the hydrocele in the way as I am a happily married man. I wonder if it will have any effect on my libido after this heals.
Teacher, I also had my hydrocele for ±20 years and i got larger and larger as the years proceed. I am 62 and had my hydrocelectomy doen at the Pretoria Urological Hospital in South Africa. The procedure took 45 minutes flat. I did not have intense pain the first two days after the surgery, but on the third day the swelling started and my scrotum is the size of and orange - latge orange. The doctor drained 350ml fluid from the hydrocele, which is the same amount than a can of beer. I did wear a jock strap, but it was just to uncomfortable and I swoped it for tight boxer umderpants that is doing the job just fine. No bleeding. No trougble to pee, but after 5 days post-op it is still very uncomfortable to sit and walk. No pain on the surgery line and no pain also if you put pressure on the scrotum or testis. Over all the pain is 5-6 out of ten and is not really that intense, but you do feel it if you are on your feet for to long. Ice packs on the scrotum on a very regular basis is the answer. I only take pain killers (Tramaset) at night to be able to sleep.
333
Teacher
Thanks, Johan for your response. Today I am having a fair amount of discomfort on the side where I had the surgery. It seems a bit smaller, but is quite hard and about the size of a large egg.When I press on it then it is somewhat painful. I am also having a bit of bleeding at the incision on the underside of the scrotum. I am using ice packs during the day and wearing fairly tight briefs (instead of the jock strap) as the jock strap wasn't large enough to contain the large scrotum, etc. I find I am basically pain free when sitting or laying down, but have some pain when standing or walking. I guess this is all normal for this kind of surgery. Thanks for all the encouragement.
334
Teacher
Today the right side is hard and large - perhaps the size of a large orange and I have pain when I stand or walk. I will be seeing my doctor tomorrow to see if it is progressing normally, but I question if it is normal. I had the surgery a week ago today.
335
Teacher
I'm not sure why my last comment was deleted, but I thought I would update my situation. I still have a lot of swellling on my right scrotal/testicle area that is about the size of a large orange and very hard. There is some pain, especially when I stand or walk. My doctor believes it will go down in time, so I am hopeful. It has been about 9 days since my surgery. One of the complications that developed was my losing the drain only about a day after surgery. I continue to ice the area and wear a jock day and night. I appreciate any comments from others who may have experienced similar problems with their operation.
336
Still swollen
Well, back from my second procedure in a month this time with the removal of my right testicle from the first attempt of saving it from the orginal hydrocele surgery. The doctor said that he only found two other cases like mine with the calcification that occurred and removal. He also said that there was no fluid but infact the testicle swelled bc of so much irritation from the first surgery. The good news was no drain was needed bc not much fluid was present which makes me wonder why did my testicle swell to such and enormous size. I am hopeful this will be the end of this chapter and the healing process will begin and be much better. The curren pain level is much worse than the orginal surgery but i assume that's because of the procedure.
337
Swollen2
My right testicle and scrotum are very hard and very large since I had the hydrocelectomy surgery about 10 days ago. It is kind of odd shaped and quite uncomfortable. I wonder if there is anything I can do to help reduce the swelling or will I need another surgery similar to "Still swollen" in time. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
338
Still swollen
So two days after second surgery pain level has decreased dramatically, very bruised and swollen, hopefully a week off my feet will help the recovery this time and finally things will go back to normal minus a testicle. Follow up appointment on Friday will update more once the doctor takes a look post surgically.
339
Swollen2
I have noticed that my swelling has reduced somewhat over the last couple of days - still fairly large, but at least showing some improvement and the pain is a bit less when I walk or stand.
340
Still swollen
Day three recovery pain has subsided substantially, scrotum is very large and bruised especially in the groin area , feels like something very hard inside even though no fluid or testivle is on right side, I'm assuming post surgery swelling. Still very sore when going to bathroom, or if on feet for a bit. Wearing tight underwear and jock throughout the day seems to help but gets uncomfortable, icing still regularly. I'm still anxious to see the swelling go away and scrotum to start to shrink will be weird with only one testicle but haven't lost sex drive woke up and everything was ok but too sore to think about doing anything w my wife as much as I'd like to.
341
Lorenz
Note to Still Swollen. Thanks so much for your update. Please post another update in 7 to 10 days to let us know how things are going. Sounds like you are doing much better after surgery #2. It takes time for swelling and discomfort to go asway. Remember the scrotum is a very delicate sensitive part of the man's body when it comes to surgery, bruises, etc. The fact that you have good sex drive is very encouraging. Take it slow on resuming sex. If you get too horny, for a week, or more do self masturbation. Glad you are doing much better. Hold in there.
342
Lorenz
Note to Still Swollen. Thanks so much for your update. Please post another update in 7 to 10 days to let us know how things are going. Sounds like you are doing much better after surgery #2. It takes time for swelling and discomfort to go asway. Remember the scrotum is a very delicate sensitive part of the man's body when it comes to surgery, bruises, etc. The fact that you have good sex drive is very encouraging. Take it slow on resuming sex. If you get too horny, for a week, or more do self masturbation. Glad you are doing much better. Hold in there.
343
Princess
My boyfriend is 44 and had the surgery 2 and a half weeks ago. He is usually very energetic and doesn't sit still much at all. Surprisingly, his normally high level of pain did not help him with this surgery. He ended up being on the couch for several days and went through two bottles of Viacdin after surgery. Originally, he did not even want any pain meds, as he thought he could handle it! He had no drainage tube, and is still leaking out s
344
Princess
some brownish fluid from the stitches area. Thankfully, he is not black and blue, anymore. He is stll swollen and is gradually feeling a little better each day. This surgery totally took him by surprise on the level of pain and how much it took out of him.

Thanks to all for your comments and insight!
345
Swollen2
I also had surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago. I still have had a bit of oozing at the stitches, although it is basically over now. My right side (side of surgery) is still quite large and hard with a bit of discomfort, but I think it is getting a little bit smaller now. I can get by without any pain pills, but hope the swelling will go down soon. It is about the size of presurgery and very hard. I'll keep you up on my progress.
346
Michael
You are making faster and better progress than me Swollen2. My dual hydrocele and double rupture surgery on testicles has knocked the energy out of me but I am doing much better. Swelling on both sides and testicles feel large but it will take time. Thanks for letting everyone know you are doing better. Let us know in a couple of weeks how the swelling is.
347
Still swollen
Had my one week follow up visit after my second surgery in a month. The dr was please with where I am though I had a list of questions and concerns for him. I told him I still have quite a bit of pain sharp pain in one particular spot and much discomfort all over still. I have both the hydrocele taken care of, extreme amount of calcification scraped away and my right testicle removed this time because it was decided it became diseased after the first surgery, and apparently i am one of 3 documented cases world wide to have this happen. Famous for something haha! Anyway he explained I have quite a bit if edema which explains the swelling and hardness when infact nothing is in the right side of my scrotum. This could last anywhere from one to three months, the brushing is quite colorfful all over but getting better. I too am popin the Vicodin especially at nights to sleep. Overall things seem to be smaller and slowly healing, the one thing I was told is that the bigger the hydrocele the longer it takes to heal. what sounded like a pretty easy surgery has turned into quite the experiment.
348
Lorenz
Really appreciate all the comments from all of you men, not just after surgery but, especially, a month or 3 months after surgery so I know how things are going. This helps me understand what I will be going through and will help prepare me. My July, 2011 hydrocele surgery on both sides went well. Am 34 and with diabetes it took longer than some men to recover. Had some discomfort but not as bad as I anticipated. I have had ruprutes repaired on both testicles twice and that was no cup of tea so i was prepared for whatever the hydrocele discomfort would be.

Had rupture surgery on both right and left testicle at age 16. There seems to be a history of males having had ruptures on their testicles in my elatives. I must check with doctor to see why this might be. Ruptures on both sides came back at age 19 and urologist monitored things closely. Discomfort gradually got worse and truss was not helping hold ruptures up and in. Ruptures were coming down and not staying up when I pushed thewm back in gently as doctor showed me how to do. At age 26 urologist did surgery numebr 2 and used mesh in hopes things would be strengthened and no more ruprures in the future.

I was doing well from July, 2011 hydrocele dual surgery and saw urologist again in Dec., 2011. Was having pain in my left testicle area but uroligist said it had nothing to do with hydrocele surgery. Rupture was developing again and he wanted to monitor it. Wanted to see me again in early march, 2012. Well I was not feeling good and so much discomfort in left testicle. Rupture was hanging and I was having problems keeping it pushed back in place. Some discomfort developing in right testicle now, also. So made early appointment and saw Doc on Jan. 26. He was very concerned andquestioned me thoroughly on lifestyle: lifting, sex, etc. He said there definitwely was a big rupture on left side and one developing on right side. He advised me to quit bedtime activity for awhile till he saw me again. He couldn't understand why the mesh was coming loose. He wants a second opinion for both he and my sake. He says surgery #3 will be a must before long as he is concerned about rupture on right side becoming estrangulated and life threatening. Urologist will not do just rupture repair again as ruptures could return and he said there is no need to put a man through all this surgery so many times. He said onloy way he would do surgery would be to repair ruprures and remove both testicles so ruptures would not occur again. he told me if I was not willing he would advise me to see another surgeon. Feb. 3 urologisy has me set up to see another specialist in cedfar Rapids. 0n Feb. 15 I will see my urologist and he will review what second opinion recommended and decide who is to do what type fo surgery and when.

Am taking things slow as this is somewhat difficut for me thinking I will be losing both testicles. Urologist told me as young as I am I should be able to have erections and enjoy sex but would not be able to masturbate or father children. We are just thinking about starting a family and now this comes up. Urologist wants me to see medical counseling before surgery and to get into a support group. he said support grous for men with male problems have just started in the last several years. he wants me to gather as much informaion as possible, think about things and make a good decision.

I am trying to stay positive. I relaize that many young women have to have complete hysterectomies but why are we men not able to accept our male problems when something arise? I am going todeal with things and hope I don't lose both testicles but will accept whatever happens.

This website is great but need your advice. Pleae help.
349
Dan
I went to the hospital when the swelling started and I had some other issues going on too. They did the utra sound and gave me meds and cream and the nurse said the swelling should go down in 4 to 5 days. It just got bigger to the point where it feels like its gonna burst. Looking everything up on line, seems I've got the truth. I have no insurance and they always treat you like crap because of that. Its been about a month since it started and I am going to go to the hospital to have them fix this, hope they do it right or don't find out I am not covered till after the operation. I will be back to post how it goes.
350
swollen2
It has been over 3 weeks now since my hydrocelectomy. On Tuesday I had quite a lot of bleeding from the area of my stitches and I think the size of the right testicle and scrotum seemed a little smaller, but I still have a rather large scrotum on my right side (side of the surgery) and it is still quite hard and about the size of a tennis ball. The bleeding has stopped. I don't see the doctor for another week and a half. I hope it is smaller by then, but the progress seems quite slow. I have no pain most of the time, but it is still a bit uncomfortable. My wife and I hae engaged in some oral and manual stimulation several times with no negative side effects. I still wear a jock strap most of the day and usually at night per doctor's suggestion. I'll continue to keep you informed of my progress.
351
Still swollen
Will be three weeks this Friday post second surgery, brushing is almost gone, stitches are starting to dissolve, the right side of my scrotum is still large and hard and at times get some pain surges nothing as severe as the first week. I think things are slowily getting smaller but my patience is not what it use to be. But I guess still understandable considering two surgeries and a testicle removal and scraping of the calcium that developed around the original hydrocele and will just take time with the healing process considering the procedures that were done.

Nxt appt in feb 22 hopefully I will have better news once I see the doctor.
352
Dickman
Wondering if you have had surgery\, Dan, and how you got along with noi insurance. Same problem for me and I will be having surgery in the near future for hydrocele on both testicles. Please post and good luck.
353
Still swollen
Well, third times the charm...went to urologist yesterday because of noticeable swelling, discomfort after this past weekend. Found out that for whatever reason, I had fluid build up return being trapped by the edema after getting a cat scan. Scheduled for a third surgical procedure Friday to put in a small drain to remove the fluid build up and pressure. my case has become most frustrating to both my dr and myself. He thinks because I am an active person and on my feet a lot that my body is not healing the same way as if I was an older less active guy. I pray that this third procedure helps and that sometime soon the swelling goes away and I can once again have a normal life and not have to have this discomfort and pain.
354
Nick
You have had a long drawn out rough time, Still Swollen. we pray and hope this third surgical procedure will take care of the swelling. Let us know how Friday procedure went. Being active and on your feet so much could make a difference in the swelling.
355
Jakes
Had surgery several days ago and havent had to use the pain killers except to sleep. So that's been great. I've pretty much been taking it easy and icing it like a mofo all day. The only thing is its gotten bigger and is an odd shape now (I actually get queasy looking at blood and surgical sites so I havent checked much). I'm told this goes back to normal in several weeks, but for now, it's definitely weird looking.
356
Jakes
I forgot to ask this in my last post:

One of the reasons I got the surgery was that my testicle felt like it was getting pushed back and up, and it definitely looked like it had shifted. I saw two urologists and both were unconcerned by this and dismissed it -- which was a bit annoying -- and focused on the size of the hydrocele. My GP said perhaps the hydrocele had pushed it a bit. Has anyone experienced this? Many thanks and quick recovery to all.
357
Sean
Can anyone tell me what the foul smelling seepage is coming from my scar. I had my op last tuesday and the day after i could smell this foul smell and felta oily sticky substance at the top of my scar. Has anyone else had this problem. I would really like to know if this is commom or if its infected. Thanks fellow hydrocelers. haha. Sorry just trying to lighten the mood of this subject
358
swollen2
It's been 6 weeks since my surgery and my right testicle & scrotum are still fairly large, but I am thankful that it is beginning to shrink a bit and the scrotal skin is getting looser than it was. A couple of weeks ago the skin was stretched very tight and the scrotum was very large. The skin is now loose and the size is probably about half of the size that it was. My Urologist wants to see me again in about 3 months and I think it should be back to normal size by then. I will keep you informed.
359
Jakes
Sean -- I'd call your doctor. I once had surgery and the surgeon said, if you aren't sure, call me.
360
Still swollen
Well it's a week after the third surgery and I'm finally happy to report progress has been made. My Dr. put in a drain because of the fluid returning, they drained be 200-300 cc's of fluid from the procedure and what I kept track of for the week. I had it removed Wednesday and instantly saw things improve dramatically , I still have a hard ball in my right scrotum, about the size of a golf ball and the scrotum is loose and strange looking but was told over time that will take care of itself. I also found out after they tested the fluid I had a staph infection which explained a lot of how horrible I felt and all the issues. I had two IV antibiotics and and currently still taking an oral antibiotic. I have to say after the past 3 months things finally are looking up and I finally seem to be on the road to recovery and back to normal.
361
Ernie
Still Swollen---thanks for your update. I had hydrocele surgery twice---once for each testicle. I went home with staph infection which I didn't know for 10 days till doctors drew blood to see why I was feeling rotten. 0ften when going home from the hospital one takes germs. My hydrocele surgeries were 4 years apart at age 21 and age 25. Took over a month each time to really regain strength. Post again in another week and let us know how you are doing.
362
Al
I have hydrocele and almost certainly will need surgery more importantly I am on anticoagulation medication due to an artificial heart valve. A surgery I recovered from quite well. In reading the above sounds like recovering from hydrocelectomy is going to be a lot more painful and difficult. Has anybody on coumadin (anticoagulation medication) undergone hydrocelectomy?
363
Sean
Jakes- I went to the doctor he said he did not think it was infected but gave me a weeks worth of antibiotics anyway just to be sure. Still getting some seepage but not as much and still smells still smells bad though and thats not from the lack of washing because i wash more now than i ever did before. Maybe that's the problem haha. Its not nice. If it continues i will go back to the doc. thanks jakes. Anyone else got any ideas?
364
eric
hello and thanks for all the great posts. looks the surgery is coming up for me. i wanted to know if anyone has heard about excessive aspirations leading to difficulty like more challenging removal surgery? also hear that aspirations can't be done too many times as the tissue layers make it hard to acces the hydrocele with the apsitarting device.
365
swollen2
I would highly discourage anyone from having aspirations done. Because the VA did an aspiration of my hydrocele (which only lasted a few weeks) I had more difficulty following my hydrocelectomy surgery. It has now been 7 weeks and finally the right side of scrotum is getting a bit smaller. The testicle area is still fairly large and hard but is gradually shrinking in size. My urologist says that the aspiration made it more difficult to do the surgery.
366
Eugene
Al---I am on coumadin and have undefrgone hydrocelectomy. Have had heart surgery plus I am diabetic so healing has taken longer and took longer for disocmfort and swelling to go away. This procedure can be uncomfortable but it all depends on the individual; and his age. Some men tolerate pain better than others. Good luck and keep us posted.
367
swollen2
I just want to encourage those who have had the surgery and think things are not getting better because it may have been several weeks and the swelling is still pretty big. I felt that way, but now after almost 8 weeks things are beginning to look a lot better. Every few days I can see improvement and the scrotum and testicle area getting smaller. It is still a bit larger than the actual testicle, but I believe in a few more weeks it will be pretty normal. Don't get discouraged - it will get better. I am already quite pleased the the improvement.
368
Ryan
I had a bilateral hydrocele done in August 2011. I still get sharp groin pains once in a while and sometimes when I stand up and walk it feels like I have weights hanging on my balls - I can feel this pulling feeling in my pubic area. Does anybody know if this is normal or how long I'll have these feelings? It's been 6 months since my surgery. Is this EVER gonna go away? That surgery was totally the worst and it took forever for me to be able to function. The swelling took forever to go down, too. They're still not totally back to normal. Anybody got any information for me?
369
redsolonut
20 years old, healthy.

I had an inguinal hernia repair (surgery) roughly a year ago that didn't go so well. My left testicle was grapefruit sized, doctor said it would go away after a while. For the most part it did, until it stopped shrinking at 3-4 times normal size. I had it looked at again by a different doctor, told him the situation, he said it was a hydrocele.

I was told there was an operation to return it to normal size and scheduled the operation. I had the procedure on the first of March (last week) and I'm healing slowly but steadily. It looks like a rotweiler got hold of my left nut with all the bruising and bleeding, and people look at me like I've been raped when they see me walk. Other than that, I take the meds they gave me when it hurts.

What I don't understand is people walking around with a pineapple sized nut when there is an operation to fix it. With such a small recurrance rate and few risks there should be little reason not to have the operation.

Just do it.
370
nick
If you take only one piece of advice from me, go buy at least 2 under armor (sporting clothes company) jock straps to alternate wearing. The thread of cloth the hospital gave me looked like something out of paris hilton's panty drawer, I wore it for one day but it was torture and it wasn't able to support well at all. I'm 6 days post op from a left hydrocelectomy. Prior to surgery, my testical was 2-3 times the normal size. Today it is 4-5 times the size (like an oblong tennis ball). Less tender/sensative each day, but swelling hasn't decreased yet. Change my pad each morning and night with minimal dry blood (probably just from scab). I'm 35 and spent first 3 days mostly resting/in bed, days 4-6 were business traveling including 2 flights...I probably shouldve postponed those, VERY uncomfortable and awkward at times. I can wait to return home tomorrow and rest again.
Let me reiterate, under armor jock strap (the micro fiber type) worth every penny! $15 each.
371
swollen2
I agree with Nick about the Under Armour jocks. I had tried several including the ones given me at the hospital and they were all very uncomfortable especially with swollen testicles. I ordered two of the Under Armour jocks and am finding them to be just the thing while recouperating from the surgery. It has been 9 weeks now and I am still wearing a jock during the daytime. My scrotum is continuing to get softer and looser and my testicle is getting closer to a normal size. I don't see my doctor for another 9 weeks, but expect to see my testicle (on the side of the hydrocelectomy) to be back to normal by then. I'll let you know how it goes. For those of you who are still experiencing a lot of swelling weeks after your surgery - keep encouraged. I think my swelling was due to an aspiration procedure done to me 3 or so years ago by a VA surgeon. But I'm thankful for the results of finally getting a normal looking set of testicles and scrotum. It's great to start feeling and looking normal again! My wife is also appreciating the change in my appearance.
372
Randy
I am 22 years old and will be having double hydrocele surgery tomorrow at 6:30 AM. Comments from all of you have been so helpful in preparing me to know what to expect. As nick and Swollen2mhave recommended I have ordered 3 of the Under Armour jocks. They should be here tomorrow or Saturday. Thanks men for the advice. Will keep you posted.
373
swollen2
Randy, Best wishes on your surgery tomorrow. I know you will be pleasantly surprized how much better you look and feel after your surgery is over and you are all healed up. Keep encouraged and God bless you! I am feeling so much better each day and feel like a normal male again!
First of all let me thank you for all of you. I did not think that I will come across a very excellent article about Hydrocele and the treatment for it. As I have to undergo this treatment, I was searching some answers for my doubts to be cleared on Hydrocele treatment as I am a science teacher at the age of 60. In September this year I will be retirering. As soon as got retirement I will undergo the treatment with help of almighty God. I was hesitating to undergo the treatment as I am 60years old. Your article has given me self confidence and courage. Thank you all once again.
375
swollen2
Mahroof, I am 67 and had this procedure done in early January. I had put it off for many years, as I have had the hydrocele for around 30 years. I'm so glad I had it done. I'm sure you will be glad too. Except for some discomfort for a few weeks, the procedure is not that bad. Most seem to have less discomfort than I did, but I think mine was due to a messed up aspiration a few years back. It is helpful to know that others experience similar problems and have come through it well. Keep encouraged and your faith in God! Have a great day!
376
musky42
I had surgery for a left hydrocele on March 12. I am six weeks short of age 70. It was diagnosed about 2 years ago and my doctor advised to leave it alone until it became uncomfortable. It increased significantly in the last six months and was uncomfortable. I have had minimal pain, though the wound seeped for 4 days. I had a Percocet before I left the hospital about 3 and 1/2 hours after surgery. I have used tylenol or advil once or twice a day since primarily for pain along the incision line. I iced regularly for the first two days and then tapered off, but if it feels uncomfortable I ice again. I also apply antibiotic ointment to the wound 3 times a day. The surgeon recommended wearing briefs that are a size too small for 3 weeks and I am doing that with low cut briefs. There is some swelling where stitches were placed a the groin and a bruise near the bottom of the incision line, but otherwise it has remained soft. This forum was a nice help to me especially the comments about using ice
377
Brendan
I am 24 years old and had a hydrocelectomy in January. I had battled the condition for 7 years. I was talked out of the procedure by several GP's and the surgeon himself, who advised that the recovery may be more difficult to bare, than the hydrocele itself. Let me tell you they were wrong. After insisting on the surgery, the relief was instant. The operation itself was simple, as general anaesthetic was used, and I was in a private hospital. The next few days was tough as movement is limited, so make sure you have someone to help you. The pain is bearable with pain medication (strong panadeine).
Make sure you dont return to activity to soon. I am now 8 weeks after my surgery, and after taking up bike riding again am now off work as my testicle has swollen to about the size of a baseball. IF anyone has any tips on treating the swelling I would love to hear it.
378
Randy
Had double hydrocele surgery on friday and amd having some discomfort but not as severe as it might be. take pain medication only at bedtime. My specialist had this same surgery when he was 29 years old so he has had experience and told me it took him 9 weeks to get back to normal so I am taking vacation time and sick leave. using ice packs. 0rdered some Under Armour jocks which Nick and Swollen2 recommended and they are ever so much more comfortable than the hospital ones. Testicles are both very swollen and a man needs jocks that are comfortable. Am staying positive. Good luck everyone and will keep you updated on progress.
379
Ray
Brendan: Glad you had the hyrdoceleectomy and got along so well. I am 25 years old and had hyrdoele since age 16 and finally decided to have surgery. Glad I did. I had problems after riding a bicycle. Don't know if I started riding too soon or what. i was off work7 days and used icepacks on my testicle and that sure helped. It took the enlarged testicle another 4 weeks after bicycling to shrinkl down to normal. Let us know how you do.
380
Brian J
Hey Fellas I am 50 years of age and a hydrocelectomy has been performed on my left side scrotum on March 9th. Surgery went well due to general anaesthetic 'didn't feel a thing". I was quite surprised how quickly I recovered and in which the pain was minimal. Tylenol 800 was fine a person like me does not need any type of narcotic by only through the "Grace of God". I am 14 days post op and the swelling is present and does not appear to be improving. I iced 20 mins ON 20mins OFF the first 24 to 48hours minimal pain but discomfort. I started walking on Day 10 with no apparent issues; and continue to ice as needed. I have 1 concern the swelling I still have feels like the mass and not the teste. I see my personal Doc on Monday march 26th; and my follow up with the surgeon is April 4th. I am concerned and hope it is just swelling. any others alike?
381
swollen2
Brian J, I had surgery on January 10 and finally the swelling is going down. I had surgery on my right side and it is still about double the size that it should be but improving each week. I think it will be down to normal size soon. I don't see my urologist again for about 7 weeks so hope it will be all normal by then.
382
Tristan
Hello men,

I am 53 years old and had hydroelectomy on both sides on Dec. 28. Hang in ther. It takes more time for some men than for others. I had general anesthesia and was home by 1:00 PM. No pain but some discomfort after anesthesia wore off. I could easily tolerate . Have had several surgeries over the years and this was not bad. No prescription pain pills needed even though Doc prescribed some. Used extra strength tylenol for 4 days at bedtime and nothing now. Both testicles are still swollen but gradually going down. I am not comfortoable to have sex but no problem with that. Good luck to all of you men.
383
MaDi
Hi guys!
today is my 7th day after the surgery from my right side. I feel much better. It still not been at normal size i read above that some takes longer than other. I just want to know what is the normal time length that should take to heal and get back to the normal? Please let me know.
384
Tristan
MADI

It took me 9 weeks to get back to normal. Am diabetic and that takes longer, also.
385
worried mom
My 19 year old son had a hydrolectomy done 7 days ago. The dr said it was the size of a small nerf football and also had a blood clot, from a previous injury , removed. He seemed to be doing well after surgery. He had his drain tube removed 4 days after surgery, and fainted in the dr parking lot after removal. On that same day he started running high fever and dr said bring him into ER because it was after his office closed. Nothing showed up on blood work but they sent him home on an antibiotic, which he has now been taking for 5 days... AND STIll RUNNING TEMP! Brought him back to dr , and he said to continue to take antibiotics and wanted to see him back in 2 days, which is today. I am really concerned there is something wrong. Has anyone else had this problem. Tnanks for all of your post, it has informed me greatly...A teenage boy dosen't even want discuss this with his mother.
386
Nick
I have a long post, but it was declined due to bad language, but doesn't point out the word(s). I've reread it 3 times and can only find correct medical terms. So I am testing to see if any of the following words are restricted. Pardon me if this actually goes through:
testicle, sac, blood, serous, stitch
387
Nick
Ok, let me try this in chunks.

Today was my 1 month follow-up with the doc, but I'll start out with my condition as of week 2. I've had some, but little drainage (medically known as: serous fluid) with a little blood for several weeks from the stitched areas. I noticed a stitch end hanging out and lighly pulled it. A small piece with a knot came out easily (it obviously was serving no purpose at that point). I pulled on another stitch with a loose end, but that was still stuck...so I left it alone. Fast forward to yesterday (end of week 4) and I still had serous fluid and a bit of blood from 3 of the stitch areas. So I decided to lightly squeeze and roll the area with my fingers (cleaned, of course) and a stitch literally popped out of each of the 3 areas (a couple of ml long with a knot). Apparently those 3 were having trouble disolving. Anyhow, those areas seem to be healing better now.
388
Nick
Aside from that, my testicle is still swollen to about 3 times the normal size. And it's adhered to my sac. But I'm a bit scared it won't go away. I called my doc during week 1-2 when I first noticed this adhesion and they said to leave it alone, it's normal. Anyone else have this issue? Did it go away?
389
Nick
For those with swelling, I can't recommend icing (that is, applying ice packs...not cake topping) the area. 20 mins on, 20 min off. I wasn't as regimented, but when I was, the swelling went down.

To Worried Mom, I hope the best for your son. Temps = infection, but you did well by keeping in contact with your Dr. and going to the ER. He's young, so he's better off in the healing and mending department then a lot of us older guys on here.
390
MaDi
Thanks Tristan!today is my 12th day after the surgery, stitches are gone.Back in track but it still swollen not that big like was after surgery but is not normal size. Tomorrow have my first Doctor app after surgery. Keep you posted. hopefully it will get back a normal size before summer
391
craig
Hi, I just had a hydrocele surgry and feel like I need to post to help others.
I delveoped a hydrocele about 2 years ago. It stayed small for about a year, then blew up to the size of an orange. I whent saw a urologist and schedualed a surgery. Then after reading a ton of horablie stuff from people having it done I backed out. Well 6 months later I finnaly decided it was time to do it. I had mine don april 1 2012, I was put under for it and woke about an hour later. Coming out of surgery your so doped up theres no pain. I have a physical job and took a week off. I spent the first 3 days on the couch taking the meds. Your tesical is going to swell and most likly be larger then it was before the surgery. Where a jock strap for support it helps alot. An ice pack will also help with pain and swelling. After the third day I began to feel much better. Its now 10 days since my surgery and I have ZERO pain and the size of my testical is going down everyday. Its now a bit smaller then before the surgery. My doc says it could take up to 2 months for it to get to normal size. Im having a very good experience with this surgery and recovery. I know some people arent as lucky, but im very happy I stepped up and had it done. All the bad stuff I read on the internet swayed me to live with my hydrocele much longer then I should have. If your suffering from a larger unconfortalbe hydrocele, get it taken care of. Heres a few tips I think might help:
Make sure your dodctor is familur with hydroceles and has preferom many procedures on them. My doc said he had dome 100's of these before mine.
If you have a light office job you might beable to go back to work 3 days after the surgery.
If you have a physical job plan for 7-10 days off after the surgery.
Take the pain pills for the first few days. I took them for two days after (helped with sleeping).
Use and Ice pack 30mins on 30mins off.
Get yourself 2 jock straps as they get sweaty and nasty and youll want to wash them. The support they provide helps alot with pain.
392
Ron
It has been 4 days since I had the surgery. This article and all the comments have really helped me, so I thought I'd add my story. I am 45 years old. I am in good physical shape and am told I look younger. I had this hydrocele cyst for 5 years. It started small and slowly grew to the size of a large orange. I always wanted a big package, but this was ridiculous. Be careful what you wish for! I put off surgery because I was in denial. I was embarrassed, not sure how much my insurance would pay, afraid to get cut up down there, thinking maybe it would go away, etc. Finally, saw a doctor because it became uncomfortable and a little sore. He explained the procedure, said he would make a cut in the scrotum in order to drain the fluid. He told me to expect to be off work for at least a week--maybe more if needed. Had surgery on April 10. My surgery was set at 12:30, but they told me to come in at 11:30 to fill out the paperwork. They gave me the anesthesia and I was knocked out. I didn't feel a thing. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room. Actually, the nurse woke me up. It was about 3:00 o'clock now. My scrotum was wraped in guaze and in a jock strap. There was a hole in the jock strap to allow my penis through. I had a drain attached to the scrotum, and it was filled with blood and fluid. The nurse showed me how to empty the drain. They prescribed me antibotics and pain pills. By the time I got home, I was sore. It feels like someone kicked you in the nuts, but I'm not crying about it. I took the pain pills and the pain went away in about 30 minutes. They make you feel really sleepy. Supposed to take one every 4 hours as needed. I stayed in bed mostly Tues night and most Wednesday though I did walk to my mailbox. Thursday, I didn't hurt as much so I decreased my dosage of pain pills, and took one every 8 hours because I it didn't hurt that bad and I didn't want to fall asleep. Able to sit at the computer, and do light housework. Drove to the doctor's on friday for follow-up. He removed the drain and changed the dressing. It is now 4 days later, April 14th and I feel so much better. Able to go to the store, but nothing strenuous. I have a big nasty scar on my sack. Maybe I waited too long? It's still new. I wonder how it will look when it heals? Just grateful to be back to my normal size again. A little swelling but not like before. I go back to work next Friday, but I probably could return sooner. Hope this information helps someone.
393
racer18
I had my hydrocelectomy in 1989, in preperation to join the Army. i was supposed to rest for 7 days, but got bored and went back to work delivering pizza three days after the surgery. I am very curious, however, if there have been reports of reduced testoserone production following this procedure. I was 18 at the time of surgery, and now am 41 and have found out that I do not produce testoserone. All blood tests show that my petuitary gland functions normal, and the testes recieve what they need from it to produce testoserone, but they do not produce like they should. I also have a thyroid problem. Could that be a factor?
394
Loumak
I had hydroelectomy in 1991 at age 22 wile in the militaty. It didn't seem to show up or cause porblems when I had my military physical for joining the Army. I amm 44 now and experienced reduced testosterone production. My testicles do not produce the testosterone they should and I have never been able to father chidren. Do you have children, racer18? I have a thyroide problem and am on medication for it. My doctor tells me that is the reason for my problem.
395
B-Squared
Im in day two after my surgery and things could not be going better. I am a 25 year old healthy male and I had a hydrocele the size of a navel orange removed and repaired yesterday morning. Right after the surgery, I to had the feeling that someone got a free "money-shot" on my jewels, but that pain subsided within a few hours. DONT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR PAIN MEDS! The Doc understands that you just had surgery on the most sensitive part of a mans body. When I was in recovery, my pain was slightly high, so the nurse gave me demerol which got me through til I could pick up the percocet perscribed. So far, Ive only taken 2 of them. (but also had some vicodin left over from pre surgery). I recommend asking for a stool softener, as Vicodin/Percocet has a trendency to stop things up. Im able to walk fine (although i do look like a penguin), use the bathroom, and sleep great. The rolled up towel method works, and dont forget that ice is your friend. Dont over do it either. This sight gave me a lot of insight before going under the knife, so I hope I can help someone else out. Good Luck, and it really isn't as bad, although everyones reaction to surgery is different.
396
bigsack
Thank you for sharing your posts everyone. The information really helped prepare me for my April 20 hydrocele surgery on the left side. Felt nothing with anesthesia and when I awakened I was doing fine but about 4:00 PM the discomfort started. I felt like I had been castrated. First pain pills I neded---took vicodin. Took another one before bedtime. Next day I only took two. Am doing quite well but slow and stiff. Icepacks really help. Dr. removed right nut which never developed and he said this would prevent any problems later in life. Have plenty of sick leave and will take off 10 days to two weeks if I need to. Am 26 years old and doctor said younger men heal faster when we are in good top condition. Swelling is down a little but will take time. About the size of an orange right now.Will keep you posted. By all means, go ahead and have the surgery.
397
bigsack
6 days since surgery and doing as well as I would expect. Am not on any pain meds and only used them for sleepign first two days. Walking, with stiffness between the legs, is not the easiest but I am getting in a walk twice a day. Some men do not tolerate discomfort but I tolerate pain and discomfort fairly well. Am glad I had the surgery. Swelling is gradually going down but has a logn way to go which will take a couple of months. I worked 1/2 day today and will work 1/2 day tomorrow. want to get back into the work routine slowly. Things went well this morning working.
398
mike
Great site. Very helpful. I go in for the surgery in a few days and am wondering if I should shave the area before hand. Thanks.
399
Anderman
Check with your doctor or nurse to see if they want you to shave the scrotum or if they will do it. Surgeon shaved my scrotum for me before surgery.
400
Everett
I agree I would call the doctor and see if he wants to shave you or you have to shave your scrotum yourself. I saved mine and had some small cuts and not comfortabl;e. Very sensitive area. Be sure the testicles and sack are not hanging down. You want the sack to be snug up under your penis and then it is no easy to shave. Good luck and tell us how surgery came out. Things will go well for you I am sure.
401
JimD
Had my surgery performed on 4/30/12. I had an electric drill kick back on me 2 1/2 years ago - hoping the problem would go away (my Doctor told me it would not). Well I finally decided to get it done before my 63 rd birthday. The surgery went well - I was pleased with the lack of pain - I only take one pain pill before I go to bed. Was able to take a shower the next day (and by myself). So, after reading many of the posts, I feel very fortunate that I am not having any complications (so far). I have been very careful about keeping the incision clean. I change the gauze pad and apply the anti-bacterial cream a couple of times a day and always after a bowel movement. I went two days before I had my first BM and it was un eventful - no pain associated with it, ditto when urinating. What pain I do have feels more like a slight groin pull. Swelling is not bad, bleeding from the incision is minimal. I started driving yesterday - I own a 3/4 ton pick up truck - getting in and out is a slight challenge - I need to be careful about that part. Walking has not been an issue, including stairs. I am now into day 6 after surgery.

Bottom line for me is, I feel fortunate that my surgery went well and that my recovery is going well. I now realize that I am not going bounce right back and resume normal activities. That includes jumping on my ride around mower and things like that.

I will post a follow up in a few days
402
JimD
Well this this actually two weeks to the day that I got my operation. Went back to work last week- took it easy for a couple of days, no issues. I was not sore and there was very little bleeding. I was very carefull about lifting heavy boxes, ect.

I went back to normal activities on Thursday & Friday. There was no soreness or any discomfort . I still have some swelling, but nothing like before or after the operation. I have a follow up Doctors visit next Monday.

Bottom line so far is, I feel very fortunate on my recovery, both time wise and the lack of complications.. I do realize that I need to be carefull and not over do it.

Will do a follow up post after Doctor visit.
403
Eric
I had a hydrocelectomy performed on my left testicle and a bilateral vasectomy performed at the same time on 4/30/12. The surgery was conducted on an outpatient basis by a very good urologist who has done hundreds of them over his relatively short career. Prior to surgery the hydrocele was quite large - about the size and shape of a small russet potato. It apparently contained about 300 ml of fluid.

The surgery and recovery were uneventful. Surgery took about an hour to complete both procedures, and I was recuperating at home within 2 hours of completion. I was prescribed hydrocodone for pain and a stool softener to alleviate constipation that often accompanies pain management medication. I took a total of four pain pills over two days and then switched to ibuprofen for a day. All in all, pain was negligible and easily managed with the hydrocodone and ibuprofen.

I spent about two days taking it really easy in bed and on the couch, as I was warned by the surgeon to not be too active no matter how good I felt. On the third day I was considerably more active around the house and took a walk with my wife and kids. By two weeks after surgery I had fully resumed normal activities including running and yard work.

Today, two and a half weeks after surgery, the swelling is almost completely gone and it is great to see two normal-sized testicles after living with the hydrocele for nearly three years. The incision is completely healed, albeit a little sensitive to the touch because of the new skin that has formed.

I would definitely recommend the surgery to anyone considering it. I am very happy with the outcome and feel significantly less self-conscious because the large bulge in my crotch is gone.
404
Peter
I am 76 and had a left hydrocele repair on 15th May 2012, one week ago. Have had it aspirated once but fluid came back after 3 weeks so I wouldn't recommend it. The NHS COnsultant I saw couldn't haver cared less and his attitude was " Have a scan and come back in three months!" No thanks could always be cancerous. Had it done privately for £1700. Local anaethestic used and about half an hour on the table, home same day. Very sore at the moment and what was an orange and a walnut now two black grapefruit!! Was some blood spotting most mornings but this appears to have finished. Am trying the good old Y fronts but not too comfortable. Paracetomol only as co-dydromol give rotten constipation. Wash after each visit to the toilet and use Savlon Cream afterwards, which is soothing. Rest, little or no activity, not much walking. Sex? What at my age!! I found all the posts of tremendous help not only for advice but to allay my worries about my present condition.
405
Hank
I'm 78 and also had a left hydrocelectomy on the 15th May 2012, also one week ago today. They admistered a spinal anaesthetic as opposed to a general anaesthetic, I spent my time talking to the anaesthesiologist about sailing and was home within 5 hours wearing my jockstrap support which was a farce with my jewels hanging out on both sides.. I could not have asked for a more caring professional staff at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. I had been carrying my graperuit size hydrocele for about 7 years and finally built up the nerve to have the surgery done. On the next day I had turned purple/ black and remains that way somewhat.
The pain has been excruciating and remains quite painful, so far I have traded a grapefruit for a small melon, having difficulty walking.
Even with the Tylenol 3's every 4 hours for the first 2 days and now Extra Strength Tylenol every 4 hours. Checked the internet for the Savlon Cream you mentioned, but it's not available in the US or Canada. This post surgery is not coming along very quickly, I'm hoping this will change soon. I'm also finding the posts very helpful.
406
Hank
It's almost 3 weeks post my left hydrocelectomy. The left side of my scrotum is the size of a graprefruit now larger than it was pre-op.
Saw my Dr. and he explained that a hematoma (localizes collection of blood) in the left scrotal testicle. I see him again on June 14th at which time if the swelling has not gone down it will require surgery with 'home care' post surgery.
I wonder why I'm so lucky, but then again I think of what poor old 'Still Swollen' has gone through.
407
Hank Leclair
Could anyone tell me where you purchased your 'UNDER ARMOR' JOCKSTRAP' THEY WON'T LET YOU SEND THE WEB SITE ADDRESS ON THIS FORUM
perhaps you could send it to my email address. hankleclair@rogers.com
I live in Ottawa Ontario.

Many thanks,
Hank
408
Hank Leclair
JEFF 290 OCT 10, 2011
I;m having the same problem would you be so kind to let me know how the problem was resolved please
hankleclair@rogers.com
409
will
Wish I had found this site earlier, lots of useful info. Had the hydrocelectomy for left side, the doc said they drained about a liter of fluid. In the recovery room everything seemed fine and i was thinking this pain thing was overated since it wasn't that bad. Was I wrong, by the time I got home the pain was intolerable (guess anesthesia wore off). Took some percocet which gave very little relief. The first couple of days were extremely painful and I was unable to leave the bed without assistance and lots of pain. After 4th day the pain seems to have subsided somewhat, however still feel plenty of pain after walking short distance (15-20 ft). The jock strap provided by hospital very uncomfortable, will be looking into under armour one you guys talked about. As far as my scrotum, well it looks much smaller but left side still larger than right (post surgical swelling i'm told). It's been 5 days since surgery and theres still pain when I walk, they say 7-10 days and i should be pain free, but at this rate I dont see it, maybe im impatient. I have a job that can be physically demanding when least expected. How long has it taken you guys to recover to the point where you feel normal again?
HAD MY SURGERY MAY 15, 2012. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE DOC INDICATED THAT I HAVE A HEMATOMA THE SCROTUM HAS FILLED WITH BLOOD SIZE OF A LARGE GRAPEFRUIT AND NOT GOING DOWN AFTER 8 WEEKS AS I WRITE.
GOING BACK TO PRE OP IN A FEW DAYS AND BACK TO SURGERY JUNE 15. DRAINS WILL BE PUT IN AND LOOKED AFTER BY "DAYCARE" FOR UP TO 3 WEEKS.
WILL...FROM YOUR WRITE UP BELEIVE ME YOU ARE DOING REAL WELL. 'UNDER ARMOUR' AMAZON IS THE WAY TO GO.
411
rsterman
WOW - you guys have just scared the crap out of me! My doctor (in Atlanta)indicated minor out-patient surgery with minimal recovery time. I'm 63, basiclly in good health. I first noticed the swelling 6 mo. ago, had the exam, ultra-sound and told I could wait and it might go away. Recently, I've started having some pain and maybe increased swelling; so I decided to have the hydrocele surgery sooner, rather than later. NOW - I don't know!!!
412
swollen2
rsterman: If I were you I would have it done. I had had my hydrocele for 30 years before I had it taken care of and I had had it aspirated once and I think that is part of the reason I had trouble with a lot of swelling. I think it is wise to take care of it now. I had mine done in January and quite a lot of swelling for several weeks, but now my scrotum looks and feels normal and I am very glad I had the surgery done. It's so nice to feel like a normal man again with normal looking testicles. When I had the hydrocele I had trouble when I pee'd with urine shooting out from under the stool lid if I was seated and with dribbling on my pants when standing - I no longer am having those kinds of problems. It was well worth some discomfort to get this all corrected.
413
mo
i have had this over grown testicle for over 3yrs now and it is really starting to effect me in many ways i really need to know how much it costs because i dont have insurance and dont have a lotta money so pleas anyone know how much this surgery costs pleas tell me asap thanks
414
Ed
I'm 15 and i had a hydrocele operation 3 weeks ago. At first it seemed ok, but 2 days after the op there was a lot of swelling (about the size of a mango) and a deep redness, almost purple. I saw the Dr. and after a big ordeal - going from Dr. to GP through parents etc. - i found out i had a hematoma (collection of blood) in the testicle.
So a week after my original op i had a second procedure to get rid of the hematoma. This was done to make the recovery time a lot shorter and because i did not want to miss summer with friends, i had it done.
Now 2 weeks after the second op (3 weeks after the first) the swelling is still there, but a lot smaller (about double the size of my other testicle). The skin around the wound is very dry and flaky and the Dr. tells me this is part of the healing process, although i haven't seen anyone on here with similar symptoms. Also the skin is quite mishapen and more wrinkly than normal, but i've been informed that the scrotum is what is called 'forgiving skin' which means that it should all be ok in due time. Numerous hospital staff have told me that the swelling will all gone by the end of the month (July) although i find that hard to believe...
Hope this helped a few of the teenagers going through this, although i've been ensured that i was just unlucky and it shouldn't happen normally! Also wanted to ask if anyone else has been getting dry skin or if i should contact my Dr. again? And does anyone know of any way to speed up the recovery time - just i don't want to miss all of summer! Another thing... How long does it take for the scar from the op to not be too noticeable? Thanks.
415
Malcolm
Hi there. Mike here. I just had the operation done on the 19th. Only four advil separate me from discomfort and aching. The surgery went well from what I was told. However, gauze stuck to the scrotum with the glue. ouch! lol. Day three here. I started pouring peroxide on wound after getting the gauze off. burtal guys. But seem to work. No ice pace as of yet. Thinking about applying tomorrow, day four. The doc inserted a tube underneath the sack. nminumum bleeding now at day three. I took shower daily from day one. really let the warm water hit the area. ah! feel so good. And it help to moisten the gauze so I could remove little at a time. the hanging is the hurt. lying down on back is teh good part. Sleep tends to be challenging at times. I had the left side done and I like to sleep on my right. and on my stomach. unfortunately military have me that way. But it cost around $2000.00 my part. The insurance probably paid more. Still worth it man. I have low testosterone level also. Started taking a shot every two weeks in thigh. Energy level rising amongst other things. Again, works for me. I go to the doc on 23rd five days later to get the tube removed I hope. Minimum swelling now. Now getting honest. A bloody mess the first day with the gauze and pads and all the gouy stuff. Then relief. Glad I had it done. stitches look like ropes and glue invisible. I finally can see everything now that the gauzes are removed. It really not that bad if you have a doc as thorough as I had. He's the best. I will keep all posted on future results. My God bless Mike
416
LCD
I am 29 had my hydrocele for about 5 years! It was about the size of a mandarin. Had my surgery today it went well, haven't got a drain in there just dissolvable stitches. I have an inch cut that is bleeding a little bit on to a gauge. I also have a jock strap on, walked out of hospital with slight pain and a hobble. Going to take it easy in bed for a few days, then try to get out of bed after that, still a little discomfort at home, but I'm not in screaming pain. Using the ice pack today and then they said a heat bag for a few days. Have got pain killers they help out with the discomfort. Have to see the doc in 5 weeks for a check up, don't hesitate about the surgery ,get it done lads you will feel a lot better afterwards, And you have two normal size balls, and can get back to nudity runs ASAP :), all the best guys
417
Mary
Having the same issue as some posts above--webpage is rejecting for bad language but only medical terms or basic wording. I'll try to post in parts.

17 year old son had 1st hydrocelectomy Sept 2011 (see post 299), 2nd surgery Nov 2011 after hydrocele returned. 2nd surgery was a lot less painful than the 1st one, but hydrocele still returned to the size of a grapefruit--requiring a 3rd surgery. Went to Mayo Clinic for this one June 4th and it was a totally different experience--much more like the "normal" experiences above. Mayo stressed the importance of not lifting more than 5 lbs for 4 weeks after surgery and not trying to straddle anything (bike, exercise equipment, horse, etc.) and asked he not lift for 6 weeks due to recurrence. Mike (with 1st doctor's full permission) had started to train on an exercise bike to stay in shape and no doubt lifted well more than 5 lbs--so 3rd time he didn't do anything he didn't have specific permission to do.
418
Mary
After seeing him go through this 3 times, if you're going through this surgery 1) ask/confirm your doctor is using a soft cloth like stitch (dissolving)--instead of the stiffer pokey ones (they catch on everything and it's painful) 2) Ice often the first 4 days and even a few days after--helps the swelling 3) the drain can be a pain, but keeping it in a few days and making sure you walk around (helps move the fluid around) helps diminish the swelling in the long run (but you'll be glad when it's gone...) Mike's drain stayed in a full 7 days because of this being 3rd time and was still actively draining after 3 days (they also gave antibiotics because it needed to stay in so long.) The drain kept the fluid from building up and helped heal it from the inside/out. The drain they put in drained quite a bit the first 3 days (Mon-Wed) and then slowed down--but then picked back up on Saturday and Sunday--must have been because of increased movement. 4) For all 3 surgeries Miralax helped fix the constipation caused by the pain meds and made him a lot more comfortable.
419
Mary
Sorry for the odd duplication--site reposted by use of the back button and notes "bad language" when there wasn't any--but then posted twice.

For the first 2 weeks the jock was more comfortable and kept the drainage gauze in place better (make sure they don't give you a jock that's too small with extra swelling it's very uncomfortable), but then compression shorts were more comfortable (any sporting goods department carries them). Used triple-antibiotic ointment on the gauze and didn't have any problems with it sticking. Iced the most with this 3rd surgery--started right away and used consistently--hospital gave us long tube shaped ice packs you can fill/refill with crushed ice-- that typically tie around the lower back (but they cut off the strings). Worked perfect for tucking underneath (to lift up) and then over the top for complete icing--worked great.) Keeping the scrotum slightly elevated also helps (if not elevated by icing, roll up a hand towel and tuck it underneath).
420
SC
I had a hydrocelectomy completed 6 days ago on August 2nd. I am 53, in generally good health and this was my first surgical procedure. Naturally, I was anxious regarding the procedure, anasthesia and pain afterward. However, all of the family and friends that I spoke with that had surgeries were correct. Once I was given a sedative by the anasthesiologist the next thing I know I am waking up in the recovery room with the surgery completed.

The hydrocele was about the size of a large russet potato and I had it for about 4 months. I also developed hip, leg and knee pain about 5 weeks prior to surgery which turned out to be related to the hydrocele as that pain has diminished greatly. The surgery was done on an outpatient basis at a surgical center. Arrived at the center at 11:00 a.m. for paperwork and pre-operative procedures. Wheeled into the operating room at 11:55 a.m. and waking up in recovery less than an hour later. Dull ache was the pain I experienced about a 4 or 5 on a scale to 10 so not bad. Nurse gave me some pain meds and something to drink. Doc prescribed pain meds and antibiotics and I was out of recovery and on the way home by 1:45. Did not have to wait to use the bathroom to leave and no drain to worry about. The surgeon said about a liter of fluid was removed.

The posts on this site were helpful in preparing for after surgery recovery. Prior to surgery purchased 3 Under Armour jock straps from sporting good store, gauze pads, etc... Used pain meds the first night and about once a day the next two days. Pain level was manageable and relativesly low. I was able to sit comfortably. Iced heavily the first 3 days with two gel ice packs - one underneath and one on top. Then used heat for two days. Doc also prescribed meds to reduce swelling beginning a couple of days post surgery. Since Monday I have been relatively pain free. Also, I had hardly any bleeding at all from the wound - very, very minor.

Go for follow up with surgeon on Friday. So far, the whole process has not been bad at all for me. Seems as though the surgeon makes all the difference.
421
eric
Had my surgery 2 weeks ago 8/9/12 I've noticed lots of swelling but dr said it would go down I'm just worried the hydrocele might be recurring any thoughts?
422
Jonnoan
I had my surgery done on August 14. The stitches have been removed couple days ago and the incision is in a pretty good shape. However I feel like my ball is attached to my sac inside from where the incision is. The skin is kindda puffy there and the ball inside doesn't freely move in the bag. Doctor said I feel like this because I also have stitches inside, on the ball. I know it is strange but I have this wierd feeling that my sac and the ball are kind of welding. Has anoyone had the same issue? Should I be worried about it?
423
Jonnoan
I had my surgery done on August 14. The stitches have been removed couple days ago and the incision is in a pretty good shape. However I feel like my ball is attached to my sac inside from where the incision is. The skin is kindda puffy there and the ball inside doesn't freely move in the bag. Doctor said I feel like this because I also have stitches inside, on the ball. I know it is strange but I have this wierd feeling that my sac and the ball are kind of welding. Has anoyone had the same issue? Should I be worried about it?
424
Jonnoan
I had my surgery done on August 14. The stitches have been removed couple days ago and the incision is in a pretty good shape. However I feel like my ball is attached to my sac inside from where the incision is. The skin is kindda puffy there and the ball inside doesn't freely move in the bag. Doctor said I feel like this because I also have stitches inside, on the ball. I know it is strange but I have this wierd feeling that my sac and the ball are kind of welding. Has anoyone had the same issue? Should I be worried about it?
425
Jonnoan
I had my surgery done on August 14. The stitches have been removed couple days ago and the incision is in a pretty good shape. However I feel like my ball is attached to my sac inside from where the incision is. The skin is kindda puffy there and the ball inside doesn't freely move in the bag. Doctor said I feel like this because I also have stitches inside, on the ball. I know it is strange but I have this wierd feeling that my sac and the ball are kind of welding. Has anoyone had the same issue? Should I be worried about it?
426
Carl
@Jonnoan..It's nothing to worry about. They stitch the ball to the sac so it doesn't twist and cut off the blood supply or something like that. I had the same thing done to me and it doesn't feel weird. Naturally one ball hangs lower than the other so it doesn't look weird. Hope you have a good recovery man.
427
Glen
6 days post op still sore some swelling bleeding/discharge almost stopped two things I do to help at night sleep with a pillow between my knees (I sleep mostly on my side ) also I normally wear boxers or boxerbriefs now at night Im wear boxerbriefs with boxers over them keeps things from flopping around at night when I toss in my sleep. also having some wierd dreems with the vicodin. removing drain tube in 3 days I'll be ready.
428
Jonnoan
@Carl thank you man.Is this permenant? I hope it will gradually go away as the stitches dissolve because when I sit, the ball kindda pushes the sac up and it hurts.. pretty uncomfortable. you know when it is down there, one cannot help worrying. @Everyone, I am sorry for posting my previous message for a couple of times.
429
Chris
I had a hydrocelectomy and cyst removal on Sept. 13. It did not go well. I had the hydrocele for about 18 years and it just became painful this summer. A 1 hour sugrgey turned into 3 hours. The surgeon had not talked to me about the possibility of having to remove my testical if he had problems. He stopped 1/2 way through surgery and asked my girl friend if he could remove it. She did not know so he continued operation as best he could. Inside the hydrocele was "brown toothpaste" which was later identified as coagulated blood. The wall had calcified and was unable to be cut with scalpel or scissors. He was able to clean out most of the "toothpaste" and sewed me up. The "shell" of the hydrocele is still there and I was told it will not go away. He told me the only option now is removal if I am not comfotable with the size. I had a drain tube for 1 week.
430
Heather
Has anyone had this done on a child? I have a 2 year old and am wanting to be prepared for post surgery as he won't be able to tell me what he needs. Would his diaper offer the same protection that a jock strap does?
431
DAVE
BE in for some pain, I'm at 4 weeks and it still is VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, AND DRAINING MY INCISION WAS A GOOD 4''. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT ON DOWN THERE AS I AM GOING TO SEE THE DOC FRI. YOU WILL NEED A JOCK STRAP I WAS GIVEN ONE AT THE SURGERY CLINC, I STILL AM WEARING IT.
432
Angelo
I had my hydrocelectomy Aug 22. Surgery went well and now 7 weeks later the left testicle where the hydrocele was, is doing well . Swelling is almost gone and stitches have disolved . But I have swelling in my inner thigh along with pain when lying down. Standing up I'm OK . Also some swelling in pubic area when lying down then decreses when I get up.
I have a mild stenosis of the lower spine ,so I know that lying on my back during this last 7 weeks has made my siadica nerve act up and I have had pain in my leg after lying down too long. The swelling on my inneer thigh is waht has me worried. Has anyone else had swelling ,after hydrocelectomy surgery, in the inner thigh.
433
John
I had a right side Hydrocele removed on Friday the 19th 2012 at Cape Cod Hospital. The operation I,m told took 1 1/2 hrs all all wen well. Woke up groggy and pained in the balls. I found out after that a drain tube had been placed. The fluid at first coming from the drain was very bloody and lots of it! I had to change auze pads every 2 hrs minimum at first. Its now 6 days later and I still have fluid on and off coming from the drain. Pain is minmal-just some dull aching-I guess to be expected after the area has been opened up and worked on. the odd thing I have going on is that if i press on the drain right next to where it inserts into the sac plenty of elowish-clear fluid drains out. I can do this every hr or to with a decent amount of fluid every time and this is day 6 after surgery! At first I was sold on the idea in my mind that its just fluid from healing and being bruised etc from the surgery. Now im starting to wonder if its the same fluid that created the hydrocele in the first place? It makes me wonder if there is a cross connection-like what i read about on here that can happen if there is a inguinal hernia that is invisble but "there". is there anyone out there with a similar or the same experience?
Hello i had,a vericocele surgery like 4 years ago.like twoo ago my testicle realy swallen again .i went to the hospital they did me a ex ray n they told me im ok if it get worse to go back .after another year i went to the emergency room it was realy swallen agai they put me some shot prescrube me a antibaotics exray again n they told me gk to specialist . I didnt have insurance dat time so my bill was 4000$ n they didnt hel me at all im really worried leaying down on my bed in paint my right testical start hurting from two days:( it fees very soft like never before and it feel like the testical dieing .i have insurance now bt i dont have money what i should do i do for my English .
435
Rudy
I want to say thank you all for the comments on your surgeries. I am going in on Nov 19 for my Hydrocele surgery. Looking forward to getting this over with. At least I know somewhat to except, After my surgery I will give you my comments on how everything went. Wish me luck.
436
Narayan
I want to thank for all the useful information provided above. I am planning to get the surgery done for Right Hydrocele, Right Inguinal Hernia and Vasectomy. I had Hernia and Hydrocele for more than 15 years. When I played Tennis recently there has been increase in the size of the right testis and Hernia. Doctor is going to perform open surgery. Please suggest me how complicated the above procedures are? Is it ok to get all the three done at same time? Can I go for foreign travel after 2-3 weeks of surgery? How long do I need to wait for sex after surgery? Please share your experience if you have undergone the above procedures at same time.
437
Wayne
Hi,my name is Wayne.
I have noted various opinions about undergoing a hydrocele procedure. Mine is scheduled in the middle of February 2013 and should at the very least provide for an interesting Valentines Day. I believe my hydrocele originated from a sports injury "shot in the nuts"! as a 10 year old boy. Subsequently in my late thirties, I had a vasectomy; I remember then my doctor commenting about the scar tissue on my right testicle from my childhood injury during the procedure. I am almost 50 now and based on what I have read throughout these entries is OUCH!
P.S Thank you for your insights...
I will update when avalable.
438
David
Had the surgery done Tuesday, November 27. It's now Friday the 30th and I'm good to go. It's still a little painful with the jock strap and pads, but I'm all set. Easy surgery.
439
farhad
surgery is nessccery for this patient? give me guid line
440
Garry
I'm 59 and had the Fresno Va do the hydrocele surgery, The doctor made his cut right above the left nut. The only pain I ever had was in recovery, other than that, I have had zero pain with my recovery. I just did what the doctor told me. I didn't even need an ice pack. Could be this doctor was really on top of his game.
441
Jason
I have grown impatient of the constant discomfort I have felt since the surgery. In fact the only day I felt ok was right after the surgery before the pain meds wore off. I tried taking just tylenol for pain but after several days had to start taking the vicodin I had left. Still swollen after 2 weeks but there also appears to be a smaller lump on top of the swelling. There is pain in my upper groin/ lower abdomen area. I noticed this the pain the day my drain was removed and is has not gotten any better. The doctors told me it could be several weeks before it is resolved but this is getting old quick! I would have left mine alone if I would have known what a hassle this surgery could be. A vasectomy was nothing compared to this. Not off the chart pain. Just dull annoying pain that takes a long time to resolve.
I'm 47 years old and had the procedure five days ago. The recovery has been pretty easy – exactly the way the doctor said. I think people who read this comment board should be careful and realize that people who've had unusual or bad experiences are more likely to write. I read this and was very scared before my procedure but it seems to be turning out much better than I expected. I would say spend time finding the right urologist and then trust them as to what type of recovery you would expect. Reading these messages will only make you panic for no reason.
I had the surgery 3 days before Thanksgiving and it was very uncomfortable after the surgery. The jock strap didn't help at all, made it worse I think. I ended up back in surgery on Thanksgiving night and had to have the right testicle removed because of infection. Doctor told my wife that it was a good thing that she brougt me in because he said it was very infected. After the surgery I was good to go, ended up staying a few nights in the hospital to recoup. The following week when I went to see my doctor, he had to remove 40 cc's of fluid. It really was worth getting the surgery done even though I ended up with an infection and with one less testicle. I am just glad that it is over with now and I am back to normal. So if you have any questions just let me know. And yes I think you should use ice on them after the surgery. Good luck to all who have to have this procedure done. It really was not that bad of a surgery.
444
shareef salem
i had mine in 2010.i had to have 2 surguries because the swelling came back.second did it.but my right testi stayed a little bigger than the left.the jock strap didnt help nothing.the medicine was off the hook:)
445
frank
I had a hydrocellectomy today. Very painful recovery so far. My advice, do not be honest if u have past addiction problems. They cut into my balls and told me to take ibupophen. I can't walk and pain is unbearable. B/c I was HONEST I'm stuck in my house suffering
446
Mako
I have one of workers who underwent the procedure last October year due to an injury of his scrotums. He still have not fully recovered, just wondering if it takes that long.
447
Kamal
Im going for a Hydrocele surgery tomorrow, im from Sri lanka working in DubaiI pray to god this all will be fine and help me recover Soon.i only have my Wife and she will be staying with me for one day. and rest days i will be alone at home.i wish every thing will go fine and recover soon. Please Pray for me God bless you all
Thank and regards
Kamal.
448
Paul McHugh
Hi, I had the operation six weeks ago. The operation was fine and i was left with no pain. I've never once had to take any form of pain relief. The only thing I have found as with other people who have commented is that I still have a small area which has not healed. There is still a small hole in my scrotem and I still have a discharge of fluid. I have been back to the doctors on several occasions and the advise is it will heal itself.
449
troy
hello,i just had this procedure done two days ago and all i can say is you who have gone through this you informed me there actually is a light at the end of the tunnel.And as for you who are about to get this done i sympathize for it's not painful per-say it is however slightly uncomfortable and makes walking an interesting feat.other then that the recovery is pretty simple just relax and support yourself and dont make any sudden movements they can prove to be not worth it.
450
Phil
Had surgery 1 week ago. Is it normal to have bad pain when going to number 2? Thanks for any reassurance
451
Jay
Hello everyone I've just done my op 7 days ago its simple all you do is go in for your op they put you to sleep wake up and it's done ok there is some pain but come on are u a man or a whimp take your med and you'll be ok pain is not bad at all be a man or be strong but DO NOT GET THE WOUND WET AS THIS CAN CAUSE INFECTION what I did to stay clean was bucket of hot water and a clean cloth cleaned my self with less water as possible and for the wond I gently cleans it with the wet cloth NOT SOAKING WET another way is to boil water put the cloth in the water bring it out leave it for 10 sec and put it over your nuts the whole area it's really soothing try it couple time also keep your jockstrap on at least for 1 half weeks or 2 depends on how fast you heal also drink a lot of water this is really IMPORTANT this defiantly heals you faster and eat a lot off apples bananas
452
cy
I had the surgary done 2 weeks ago I must say after reading some of the post something whent wrong I had pain the first day tuesday I woke up wed no pain at all and none since, but it was hard to walk is bought all. friday are following the surgary on tuesday I was walking no pain , now swelling I must say I had none that I noticed. My doc. told me I was lucky for it all, no pain are swelling. the 3rd week I returned back to work, still feel gr8 no problems. I never took any vickadon
453
Back to where it was
had both sides done on april 4th and has returned to its size before the surgery...now being may 1st
454
Patman
Why are you guys doing this surgery? Sounds like either lack of awareness by the doctor or a grab for money. Surgery should be a last option if the other methods don't work.
Hydrocele Sclerotherapy should be first treatment, then the less invasive scope surgery done through a small incision. Little reason to go through all the pain.
455
Jim
I had a bilateral hydrocelecomy and three small epididymal cysts removed on 5-13-13. I was given the choice of having general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia, and I chose the latter. With spinal anesthesia, the lower part of your body is numbed. They give you some drugs to relax you during the procedure. When I awakened in the recovery room, it took a while for my body to "unnumb". First I could move my legs, then wiggle my toes. They then wheeled me back to my room. In order to be discharged, I had to pass 200ml of fluid. They didn't tell me your bladder is the last part to "unnumb", so I started drinking liquids and I had to have a catheter put in to drain me. Then I had to start all over again!! Don't make that mistake!! The next day, I was sore, but I have NO TESTICULAR SWELLING. The surgical drain the doctor installed is doing it's job, it's kinda messy. The first day there was a lot of blood, but now it is more serous fluid. I am going to have the drain removed today [5-15-13]. Once I get my bill, I will post how much this operation costs. I can see by the comments that a lot of folks ask that question.
456
back to where it was
Refer to my May 1 comment. Now it's may 16 and I am starting to notice some improvement. The swelling has gone down and the area is much softer now. I saw my Urologist yesterday on the 15th and is encourgaged by the decreased swelling and softening of the area. I'll keep wearing tight underwear for a while until the swelling is completely gone... If you guys still have swelling after a month after surgery, wear the tight underwear to compress the area and that should improve the situation.
457
Jim
Added comment onto #455. I received my billing for my bilateral hydrocelectomy that I had done on 5-13-13. Here is the total amount I paid for medical services:

3 office visits: $405 [$135/visit]
1 scrotal ultrasound: $200
hydrocelectomy: $600
Total medical cost: $1,205
I was responsible for paying my in-network deductible of $500. The remainder was covered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. I hope this was helpful to someone.
458
Jim
This is my final posting. Went back to the doctor yesterday and he FINALLY removed my drain after eight days -it was like having a ball and chain removed!! He kept it in due to excessive serous fluid drainage. I asked him if I could finally take a bath and he replied "You can do anything you want." That's all I needed to hear!! I went home and mowed two lawns and this morning, got back on the bike and rode four miles. This is nine days post-op from a bilateral hydrocelectomy. Like others have said, if you are considering surgery, don't let the horror stories of a few influence your decision. I feel great, and I'm glad I don't have to deal with hydoceles any more!! I am 57 years old; in excellent health.
459
Hal
24 male here.

I had a bilateral done on the 3rd June, so I'm on day 6 now. Both of mine were about the size of lemons; not too big, but not small enough to be comfortable anyway. So, went in for the surgery with a general, woke up and the urologist said he found that the left testicle was super inflamed and angry-looking - he's surprised I didn't notice any discomfort in the days leading up to the operation. Anyway, he said he managed to get both of them done, and sent me home with a 3-week course of antibiotics (for the inflammation)and painkillers.

Anyway, my right testicle right now is probably about the size it was before the surgery (was bigger but swelling is finally starting to go down), the left one is probably about double the size and pretty painful to the touch (which I'm guessing that, now that the hydrocele is gone, it's no longer cushioning the testicle itself). The thing that really surprised me for the first 3 days is just how insane the swelling was. Even my penis itself got all swollen and angry looking. Ugh. I'm still resting, and moving around the house very little.

Seems you really can't get enough rest and elevation after this boy; it's a tough one. One thing I'd definitely recommend is shaving (or waxing) EVERYTHING down there before the surgery. Back of your legs, insides of your legs, above and around the scrotum, and the scrotum itself. It'll help keep things clean and help remove the tape afterwards.
460
Jeff
#457 Jim, Where did you have yours done? What part of country? I just had mine done a few weeks ago in AZ and got the bill today and it just over $14,000. Of course I only had to pay my deductible of $500 but curious about your surgery.

Also I would have loved to have not had a full surgery but was told and everything i read was that draining or Aspiration is highly un-effective as it will come back. Everything with my surgery went good, little pain for a week. But my nut feels deformed and like a broken sausage is inside me. Figure its just the sew job he did and it should go away with time? Anyone else have this issue?
461
Joshua
Hello everyone,

I actually came accross this site a few weeks before I was scheduled to have my hydrocelectomy and everything that I read was very helpful. I had my own proceedure done on June 20th but it turned out that it was actually a large spermatocele. The proceedure itself wasn't bad at all. The first day was a bit painful and the 2nd most painful event was having the drainage tube pulled out. I did remain in the hospital a few days because the doctor wanted to keep an eye on things. After returning home I didn't need any more pain medication and I think recovery has been going pretty well. My only complaint is that the little bit of swelling that is still there makes it a bit awakward for me to walk. Parts of mt scrotum where the sticthes still are is still sensitive so I have to walk a bit carefully as not to pull anything. I am looking forward to swelling decreasing a little more so that I can walk long distances again and also get back into the gym.

By the way, the hair growing back down there after it had been shaved was very very annoying. :-)
462
Leo
Hello everyone,
I'm only 25 and I just recently had my surgery done. My Hydrocele was about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. It had become very uncomfortable. August 6th so its been exactly one week. Coming out of the surgery I was in a great deal pain and stayed at the hospital for about 3 hours after until they decided to do an ultrasound and check everything out. Everything looked fine and there was a healthy blood flow to the testicle. I went home after that and was pretty much on bedrest for the rest of that day.
One week later now and looking at my incision which was across my right side, it looks pretty good. There isn't very much swelling and I feel almost no pain at all. The scrotum is funny looking at the moment because of how much it was stretched by the hydrocele. I was told it would return to a more normal looking state. I feel everything is going great, my only worry is my insicion. I don't know if stitches were used or just surgical glue. The glue is coming off now and i don't really like how deep the insicion still looks. I guess I should ask my doctor but I haven't had my post-op yet and I figure since everything else looks good and there's no pain I can wait until then.
Any comments are appreciated and I would be glad to answer questions. I had a great doctor as well.
Best of luck to everyone and wishing a speedy recovery to all.
463
Don Derc
Surgery was scheduled 6 weeks after the initial diagnosis/ultrasound by my GP. In the hospital on July 31st 2013 at 7am, on the gurney by 9am, and home by noon. The initial codiene given to me at the hospital seemed to take care of things. No pain just discomfort. I did not take any of the Tylenol 3's prescribed. Zero pain unless i moved without the scrotal support. I sat in a recliner for 1.1/2 weeks mobile for bathroom breaks and light snacks prepped in the kitchen. Washed out of the sink for three days and removed the bandages after three days. The scrotal support (jock strap) was a godsend. I am in my 3rd week of wearing it. No concerns with urination. The scrotum seems like it will appear "normal" in another 3 weeks. Two weeks after the surgery things are still "tender" but it's been a great recovery. I'm hoping i can get back to the gym 4 weeks after surgery for treadmill work and very light weights for upper and lower body routines. Hopefully i feel like buying a girl a drink soon ha ha but I am not going to rush things. An 8 hour walk yesterday shopping/dining downtown was a breeze. Stitches/incision healing very well. Showering after 5 days. A follow up visit to the surgeon one week after the surgery yielded a very positive response. Even though there was no pain, i was lucky enough to take 2 weeks off from work - highly recommended - rest is the key! A diet of fruits, veggies, brown rice, salads etc let me shed 3 lbs in 2 weeks - the beginning of the new me?? The docs/nurses have been fantastic. Good luck and good health gentlemen - it's a great day to celebrate life!!
464
Saunders Porter
I am 72n years of age and had my surgery on Aug. 8 and to-day was out mowing the lawn . I took Tylenol 2 for two days for the pain but since then the only time I have pain is when I go to sit downas the scrotum is still swollen and gets in the way . The worst is getting into the car to driveas the edges of the seat are raised and you have to get the swollen scotum over the lip and in. This was the second time I have had a hydrocelectomy , the first was 13 years ago and this time the soreness seems to be lasting a little longer .When the doctor did the surgery and they drained off the fluid build up they removed over 500 cc's and the pressure that was removed sure felt good as I was experiencing sharp stabbing pain in the groin ara that would wake me up during the night . If a hydrocele reoccurs I would not hesitate to have the surgery again . God luck to all who may need this remedy.
465
Trev
Had operation 6 days ago On NHS U.K no pain no cost had general anaesthetic no problems. Day case so out in afternoon after I could pee.
First day was mostly sleepy and nodded off due to anaesthetic.
Second day a little bleeding onto a pad supported by an elastic mesh support pant, told I could take it off after the first 24 hours but kept it on as it gave support.
Ok, third day no pain on pain killers paracetamol & ibuprofen alternating every 2hr's this seems to help. All I've had in the way of pain is a dull ache a bit like after being kicked in the clusters :o)), this is worse if you don't use a support pant and the ache gets worse towards the end of the day. Sleeping with a pillow between knees so I can sleep on my side.
Day four same as day three ache had shower bled a little after but very small like a scratch on finger.
Day five when will this ache end. Bruising dark in colour as described in previous posts. Bored so watching walking dead on TV LOL.
All ok but still need support pant I now have this on outside of boxer shorts like Batman.
Day six, typing this email for you all. Never had any swelling or pain don't feel like the elephant man any more.
Conclusion
It's better than I expected BTW no drain tube is used on the N.H.S and any swelling or blood will go after a long time absorbed back into your system that was the advice. Get it done and then get on with your life. All the best Trev.
466
Trev
Update day eleven, 1 Oct 2013
Very little in the way of ache. Also the nut is hard, I was told this is normal as it's been exposed to the air and will take quite some time to soften up so look out for that one and don't worry about it. I've almost completely recovered, I was told that it will be another week before I can lift anything heavy but that's not much of a problem. Not being able to drive for a couple of weeks after the operation is more of a pain than the operation however I feel I would have no problem driving today if I had to. Biggest shock was that small amount of blood on the fourth day after my shower. The stiches are now just about dissolved.
Most important advice is don't push it, even if you feel ok give yourself time to recover.
Thanks to the N.H.S, and thanks to the walking dead for those tips on walking.
All the best, hope you all recover without complications.

Note to Rick blood in water always looks more than it is as the water dilutes it quite a bit.
467
Rick1947
I'm 66 and really appreciate this site. It told me what to expect and the comfort of knowing I was not alone.
My double hydrocelectomy was done three days ago and recovery seems to be consistent with other cases I have read about here.
I was surprised at the small size of the incision, but ready for the blackening and onset of a dull pain. I took off the supporter after getting home. It seemed to be hurting more than helping. Things appear to be going quite well now, and, there seems to be relatively little need for trepidation. At this point I am very pleased.

Thanks again, everybody
468
Michael
Thanks Trev for writing your post. I've had one of these for 35 years and been too much of a coward to get anything done, especially as I get no pain. Just a dragging when I've taken too much fluid or stand for an hour or so. Can anyone tell me the relevant questions to ask when I get this done eventually on the NHS ? Will I need antibiotics afterwards as my other big fear is infection. Also can a vasectomy be done at the same time ? Thanks in advance.
469
Michael
Thanks. I'll note those down. I'm more concerned about infection as well as pain but after 35 cowardly years I'm sick of looking at this lump. I'll put up with some soreness if it means I'll look normal and not feel that everyone is looking at my ball area when I walk down a street and I'll be able to wear shirts tucked in and tighter trousers.
470
Rick
My balloon was on the right side I had the surgery on Wed..Today is Sat. and I was able to shower and get out to the grocery store with little pain.I stopped the pain killers the day after the surgery and had my tube removed.The wound is healing fine but I'm still black& blue whit a nice shave which I don't think I will keep.
471
Scott
I had the hydrocele surgery and a vasectomy completed a week ago today and I must say, it may have been one of the easier surgeries I have ever had. Better than hernia and wisdom teeth removed. I sat around alot for the first 3 days with ice packs and frozen peas on my crotch and wore a jock strap. One week out and I am driving and doing almost everything I did before with no pain. Still hurts to lift much over 5-10lbs. Stitches are starting to itch a bit, but I never took pain meds after the second day. Didnt need to. I would recommend talking laxatives if you take hi-dose pain meds. you dont want to strain after surgery for a few days. I feel alot better and it is nice having testicles the same size again. Highly recommend getting this done if you need it.
472
Steve
My last post was in 2009. I am 65 and reasonably fit. My hydrocele had steadily increased in size until it was about the size and shape of a large potato, and started to swallow all my junk. 3 weeks ago I finally had the surgery and am now feeling pretty good..still some soreness but better each day. Surgery went well, they removed a little under a liter of fluid from my hydrocele. A drain tube was inserted and removed 2 days post-op. First 2 weeks were pretty uncomfortable and I took pain meds to help me sleep. In addition to a sore ball I also experienced scrotal chaffing and skin sensitivity, which made walking uncomfortable. Yesterday I went of a 4 mile hike and no issues. I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal level of physical activity...jogging, yard work and Nordic skiing. Glad I had the surgery. Best wishes to all for a healthy and active 2014!
473
Mike
Wow. Thank you guys for sharing your personal experiences, it means a lot and it helps a lot for others who have had or are in need of this surgery.
I myself had my hydrocelectomy December 16, surgery went well had my left side worked on so i have a 2" incision on the side that arches around towards the front. Before, my hydrocele made my left side about the size of a larger kiwi, while the right is like a nice size grape.
I am now 16 days post op and am feeling pretty good with only occasional groin pain. No need for any pain meds now. I was taking percocet for a week and a half along with staying laid up and icing the boys down. I am a nurse so i have got a total of 6 weeks off due to not being allowed to lift a certain amount weight and strenuous activity.
Luckily my girlfriend and mom are also nurses so they have been keeping good care of me.

Incision is looking good, sutures are almost gone and i have been keeping a generous amount of bacitracin on it.

To help with any discomfort i recommend wearing briefs and if you have gauze, i put a line of bacitracin on it then used the briefs to hold it in place. And ice!

I am currently hobbling around well, no jogging or exercise yet and no heavy lifting. I was told not to drive for two weeks either.

Like i said, still occasional pain at times, but alright and on schedule. Doc said no sex for 6-8 weeks, no masturbation either i guess.

Only had a bit of bleeding for about a day postop, otherwise no drainage.
474
Rich
Had the surgery today. Reported at 8:00 and was on the table by 9:30 .. woke up 10:45 in recovery and out after eating and drinking. I have yet to take any meds ... when I stand up a certain way the pain spikes to a "9" but then calms right back down so I would rather not take meds if I can help it. Only issue is we are expecting snow tonight and obviously I will not be shoveling!

Overall other than those "spike" moments this has been fairly pain free so far ... but years ago I had a vasectomy and the "fun" started the next day. Will report in then. I caught this thing fairly early compared to many on the site as it wasn't nearly as big as others have reported ... so my guess is best bet is to address early and not wait!
475
Rich
Had the surgery Monday and I'm at work on Friday! Went to the Doctor and everything is healing well. Yes ..still having pain but for the most part it is managable. Tuesday and Wednesday were not fun but started getting much better on Thursday. I find that I am walking funny to make sure to avoid contact in the sensitive area and when I first sit down I have a bit of pain but get settled and the pain quickly goes away. While I'm not rushing to do any work (didn't shovel the snow this morning) I'm thinking I should be back working hard in a few weeks.
476
Pegasus4
Hi, I had a hydrocele Repair last Thursday after first being diagnosed with the condition eight years ago. It wasn't that bad back then so the consultant didn't recommend surgery. However, eight years later and after nearly a year of pain in the lower stomach and testicle, I went to GPs, who had me referred to a consultant within a week. The consultant knew he had to operate right away and within six weeks I was on the operating table. The consultant was excellent - directly to the point and answered any questions I had with clear and plain English. Fingers crossed, no complications so far and the discomfort I'm feeling is no worse than what I had before the operation but, at least now, this is expected to pass. I have quite a large scar with dissolvable stitches down the front of the scrotum but it is certainly not as painful as I had expected and more importantly I am now moving forward not back. One recommendation I would like to give is that if you are going for this operation make sure you purchase some boxer jocks or a jock strap - you will need the support. On a last note, if you need this done, go to the doctors, get it checked out to make sure it is nothing worse, and put your mind at rest. I have to say that my care by the NHS has been excellent. 10/10 for patient care and support.
477
Julius
I learned that I have a hydrocele several years ago.. The question I have is, Is there anyone who knows a surgeon or urologist located in North Carolina or southeast Virginia with experience in operating with a grapefruit plus size hydrocele? Support in this request will be greatly appreciated.

Gentlemen, reading your comments has provided me a sigh of relief.

Thanking you all the commentsl

O'Neal
478
Gregory DaSilva
I am a Nigerian and I want to say you guys out there did the magic for me after going through your experiences. Guys it was worth it. Mine started about twenty years back. Woke up one morning with my scrotum hanging down. Over the years, it started growing bigger until 2013 when it grown to size of my fist. Started using tight fitting pants to hide the embarrassing thing. Did the HYDRO surgery on 06/03/2014. I was put on local and was conscious throughout the surgery and cracking jokes. It was not that bad. Had 350cc of fluid drained out and some tissues removed. Felt a bit of pain when the testicles were being put back in position and later in the day. I was strapped up and discharged the next day. Today is 9th, no pain but moving slowly because of the strap. By the way, no swollen and wait for it, had a 'small' erection this morning. Lol. Guess I am lucky. But would not be going into any sexual activity for some time. Guys if you have it, go remove it. Worth it I tell you.
479
Gregory DaSilva
Lucky me, got the stitches removed yesterday. Though painful when been removed, it was not all bad. Six stitches on the whole. One question that I want and answer to very fast is when can I have sex and is there any chance of reoccurrence if I have sex earlier?
480
itzik
Hi, I had a hydrocele Repair on 28/02/14
for the first week everything was going ok,then then swelling started, and after 2 weeks from surgery it was the size of an orange and hard as a rock and the pain was unbearable,the pain was also in the leg and lower stomach.
i went to the ER,and they drained the 200cc of clear fluid a gave me antibiotic,
i feel't alot better.
5 days later i was back at the doctor for a second draining.the doctor say that its taking time for my body to start absorbing the fluid,OR that i will need a second surgery because my body may have grown a new tissue around the fluid, and that if this is the case the he can only operate 3 months after the first surgery,

i really dont want to drain every week now,the process of the draining is very painful !!!

if anyone can help me or as been through the same thing to tell me about
thanks
481
itzik
Hi, I had a hydrocele Repair on 28/02/14
for the first week everything was going ok,then then swelling started, and after 2 weeks from surgery it was the size of an orange and hard as a rock and the pain was unbearable,the pain was also in the leg and lower stomach.
i went to the ER,and they drained the 200cc of clear fluid a gave me antibiotic,
i feel't alot better.
5 days later i was back at the doctor for a second draining.the doctor say that its taking time for my body to start absorbing the fluid,OR that i will need a second surgery because my body may have grown a new tissue around the fluid, and that if this is the case the he can only operate 3 months after the first surgery,

i really dont want to drain every week now,the process of the draining is very painful !!!

if anyone can help me or as been through the same thing to tell me about
thanks
482
John
had the surgery on March 20,2014 and everything is good so far. Had more discomfort then pain but took the pain meds anyway. Was prescribed an antibiotic, Advil and Percocet if needed. Did not have much post surgery swelling but I did follow my doctors instructions to the tee, plus took the best from all the postings.
What worked for me was Ice, more ice and ice again plus Jock straps in 4 different sizes and taking it easy for the 1st week.
Hi,
I just passed one month since my surgery, and I am VERY pleased with the results from the surgery due to a swollen right testicle. It started enlarging about 3 years ago, but in the last year it started swelling larger until it was the size of a small avocado. I would do it again no questions asked! This site was so helpful letting me know what to expect as the surgeon was very vague in what to expect. He made it sound like it was no big deal. Well everything I found here, let me know exactly what to expect and prepare for ahead of time. Below are a few things that might help you along.

1. After the surgery, you want to keep everything in place and not allowed to "Swing" around. As athletic supporters are not very comfortable, I went to the local Jockey underwear store prior to surgery, and purchased 5 pairs of Men's Jockey Bikini underwear. Bikini underwear have come a long way and I was very surprised how comfortable they really are these days. I normally wear spandex blended briefs, but after trying them after the surgery They allowed too much movement. I was VERY glad I got the Bikini's. They were comfortable and held everything in place very well.

3. ICE is your best friend, I got one of an Ice bag with the screw on lid and used crushed ice on it very often for the first 5 days. The doctor said this is probably why I did not have much swelling.

3. I stayed in bed for almost 4 days, only leaving for a small walk around the house, and bathroom and shower breaks. Then started very slowly getting my strength back. I took 2 weeks disability which was plenty as I took it easy after about 10 I really started to notice I was getting better.

4. I read on this blog (But did not follow the advice) that if you are taking Hydrocodone, or any opiate based pain meds, constipation will probably be an issue. Make sure you prepare ahead of time. After day two, After about 30 minutes of pushing and trying I was able to go. That night I went and got some dried prunes (if you don't like them, make sure you have a good laxative). Eating 5 or 6 prunes a night fixed the constipation.

5. Make sure you take care of the scar. I was given triple antibiotic cream and used it after each shower using a Q-tips. Keep it clean and dry. I was shocked at the size and the look of the scar at first. It looked like they just bundled the skin together and was pretty Shocking and ugly at first. As the days go on, the scar settles down and the bunching issue goes away. After 4 weeks, I still have some minor swelling around the incision area but not bad.

6. The Dr. told me I might have significant post op swelling, even larger that I was, but that was not the case in my surgery. Even my wife noted the day after the surgery, that even the fact that I was swollen, it looked SO much better.

7. Full on Sex is out of the question for the first 2 weeks. I had not done anything for about 4 weeks prior to the surgery, but after 5 days my wife gave me a much needed "Massage" with no ill effects.

7. At my 2 week check up my Doctor told me I was doing very well, and could do anything I wanted. As he said, your body will tell you what you can and cannot do. I bought a new roll away toolbox this weekend and that kind of weight was bit too much, but I am okay.

If you are interested in seeing a video of the surgery, go to Youtube.com and search Hyrocelectomy, there are many video's that show you exactly what to expect
My Doctor did my surgery in 16 minutes...

So, if you are having issues with an enlarged testicle, go see your local Urologist and get the surgery. Your problem, in most cases, will not go away. It will only get larger.

When I look at myself after a morning shower, I am very happy I got it done, and my wife is VERY happy!
484
HairBrainman
I go for a hydrocelectomy tomorrow morning May 20, 2014. I guess I am glad I found this site, as I feel better informed, but I am still really nervous. Some of the posts regarding post-op side effects are downright freaky. I only have 3 days before I have to go to work again. I will go with the attitude that I'm trusting a professional and he will make this problem go away, even if I have some weeks of discomfort. Thanks to everyone who posted helpful advice. I've got plenty of ice ready. Even though I'm 68, no sex for 3 weeks seems harsh. I take comfort in the info that no one has ever died from this.
485
arnie
I too had a hydrocele removed..Tues 5-20-14. All went well,no pain or drain tube. I resumed almost normal routine in 2 days.Have surgery done in a hospital, not a surgi-center and don't read the doom and glooms prior to procedure. If you think it will hurt it will. Good luck
486
HairBrainman
One week later, I am walking normally, although will honor the Dr's advice not to swim or surf for 2 weeks. This forum's experiential info was tremendously helpful, in spite of some horror stories, which are more frequently posted than the 95% without complications. My scrotum looks like hell, though. The black and blue has faded, but my normal testicle seems to hang lower, and the stitches and shaved parts itch. Ice was very important at first, as well as stick-free bandages and antibiotic ointment. Very gentle sex was possible after two days and not contraindicated. If the swelling never comes back, I'll be really glad I had the procedure. Still, it feels like a mild kick to the balls when moving, so keeping bikini-style underwear on when active helps limit any pain.
487
Ray
how long did it take for the doctor to set an appointment for surgery after initial diagnosis?
488
Charles
Had a hydrocelectomy in 2010 and experienced honestly not that much pain. I was probably up and running in about a day, and didn't even taken any of the pain medication prescribed to me.
489
HairBrainman
Things are fairly well back to normal a month later. After diagnosis, a physician can drain the fluid, but they will tell you that it's almost certain to return in a month or two...Then you need the surgery. Keeping it clean and dry to avoid infection is key.
490
Barb
My husband is having this surgery next week, and I was looking online for any helpful tips to prepare for his recovery period.

THANK YOU so much to everyone who so generously shared your experiences and advice. This was extremely helpful. Best wishes to all.
491
Pam
notice to all when ever anything is operated on you can expect swelling please use ice daily 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off it can be your best friend. Ice keeps the swelling down and thus helping with the pain.
Please ask for post surgical instructions before surgery so you can talk to your doctor about what type of pain medications you should take if possible pick up the medications the day before surgery so you have them when you get home. Also make sure your discharge nurse gives you an Ice pack with your discharge instructions.
Gentlemen as with any surgery you will have pain. Take your pain Medication as directed.
Plan on being a couch potato for at least a week.
Please contact your doctor right away if if you have any problems that seem abnormal to you. Again make sure you get DISCHARGE INSTRUCTION.

Hope this helps.

Pam CNA Short Stay Surgery Recovery.
492
Josh
I had my surgery 8 days ago and everything went well. I tried having sex today(very cautiously) and my semen was half blood. Should I be concerned?
493
LaddMan
Just had my surgery done 5 days ago. I am 39 years old and in good health. I have had a hydrocele for about 10 years on my left side. It has slowly gotten larger to the size of a small grapefruit on bad days. Makes sports uncomfortable and can see through some clothing. I finally decided to get it taken care of. I went for out-patient surgery at 8:00am and was leaving by about 10:00am. The hospital dressed me in a jockstrap packed with gauze. I have about a 3 inch incision in the middle of my testicles with stiches on the inside and glue on the outside. The first 2 days were really rough. I relied on my pain meds (oxy-codone) and ice. I bought a nice ice pack and would use 15 mins on and 30 mins off. I didn't leave my house until day 4 when I returned to work. I was pretty sore by then end of the day, but ice helped again. My swelling has not been really bad. I would say it's about 1/3 the size pre-op. I have found that wearing compression shorts (with gauze like pad on the incision) then I put the jock strap on the outside of the compression shorts for extra support really works well. I went without the jock strap for a few hours and the pain increased a lot. Wear the shorts and the jock strap.

Overall - yes, it's going to hurt. This is a very sensitive area and cut open, but so far I am so glad I got it done. I should have done this years ago. I am prepared for another week of some pain, but it is getting better each day. I would say day 1 I was about 10% mobile. Day 2 I was 20% mobile. Day 3 about 40% mobile. Day 4 50%. Day 5 (now) about 70%.

Hope this helps someone...feel free to ask questions.
494
Jim
I am 74 years old. I had bilateral surgery 2 weeks ago. Everything went well and the pain was minimal. I took some Percocet, though, to see what it would do. Made me drowsy. I noticed the problem a year ago. My urologist sent me for an ultrasound. I was a bit nervous because I had a very attractive attendant, but I survived. Anyway, I don't believe most people have ever heard of a hydrocele. The you-tube videos were quite the eye-opener if you could stomach them. The biggest problem was the irritation, the itching, and the pinching. So tender and raw. Any movement was a problem. I came home with a jock strap. After a few days I tried briefs, but they were too loose. I didn't use ice, but I tried different ointments. I settled on hydrocortisone. I am still wearing the jock strap. Minor spotting. I am grateful for the surgery, but I have two big gripes: the excess skin and the ugly sutures. The skin just dangles like a big deflated balloon. It's hard to keep it wrapped up so it doesn't get pinched when I sit down. And I can't believe how sloppy the suture work is. My wife could have done better. Anyway, I see the doctor next week and maybe get back to tennis and golf.
495
John
Great info here! Seems like most guys have had good results, all things considered. How did you guys find a good urologist? I will probably end up using the recommendation from my Primary Care Physician. There are about 40 urologists within a 5 mile radius of me. Did you use the internet to research specific urologists? Also, how did your insurance work out for you? Any surprises there?

Thanks
496
chuck
Noticed enlargement about 1 year ago. I'm 74, but play softball, ride bike, and exercise. It was starting to get in my way - so to speak. My primary doc ordered an ultrasound which confirmed fluid build up. Referred to urologist who had removed a kidney stone 11 years ago - so I was comfortable with him. The hydrocelectomy was the most aggressive solution, but described as permanent. So, I am having the surgery Dec 31, 2014 - Happy New Year! Thanks for all the info on this site. I will publish my experiences as they happen during and after surgery. Good luck to all.
497
Anne
Chuck: This is almost funny. My husband turned 76 2 days ago. His hydrocele started exactly a year ago and his surgery is also Dec. 31st
2014. What do you tell people who ask you where you're going New Year's Eve?
He also rides a bike and exercises. He is a bit nervous because he also has a lung problem and is afraid of any repercussions after the surgery from his frequent coughing.
Good luck to you and we will follow your posts.
498
DJ
Had surgery this morning. Did not feel anything. A little discomfort but very little pain. Have had ice packs on area since coming home. So far so good.
499
Rob
I am going for surgery Jan 8 2015. I only noticed the swelling 6 mths ago. It is about the size of a tennis ball. Not painful but I know its there. Reading the comments is reassuring. Thanks.
500
mew
I had a hydrocelectomy done 4 days ago. Mine was rather large. I found the couch when I got home. Felt no pain as long as I was lying down. Getting up was a different story. My discomfort seems to be about 60% better. Looking forward to a complete recovery.
501
chuck
My surgery - scheduled for 12/31 was rescheduled to 12/30 (yesterday). Procedure went smoothly. No adverse effects from anesthesia. Went home with only soreness which has increased this morning as meds wore off. Got percocet - used 1 at evening meal and 1 at bedtime. Going to try to discontinue and rely on ice pack. I find myself very ambulatory. within reason. Can climb stairs and do housework. (For Anne) - I'm still taking it easy on NYE. I live alone and must be careful. Just tell people Happy New Year! My overall health is good, so bounced back well from surgery - vitals all good. This surgery is worth it! Now I can look forward to sports. Yeah!
502
chuck
Now 2 weeks post op. Healing well with minimal soreness - no pain - discoloration going away - just being careful. Glad I got it done. See doc on 1/28.
503
Jack
Been putting off the operation for years and now it's finally time. I'll be 70 in Feb and wanted to have it done prior to my birthday. Most of the comments are pretty scary but I have a friend that had it done and he was hanging out at the golf course a week after the surgery--not playing but driving his car over and having lunch with his golf buddies. His take on it is that the first week is pretty swollen and very sore but after that it is a quick recovery. He said it was about a month before he could swing a golf club. My biggest issue will not being able to work out, which I do 5-6 days a week currently. The only other issue I have is that I've been suffering from spinal stenosis and after 2 epidural shots that didn't work, I've been going to acupuncture and it seems to be helping. I'll only have 4 sessions in when I go into the operating room so I wonder how long it will be before I can go back for more treatments. It certainly is better than going under the knife on my back after having the done-LOL. I'll report back in a few weeks. Good luck to all who are having it done. Jack
504
Douglas Deiterman
My right testicle is about the size of a tennis ball. I finally went to the doctor about it on Monday and they did an ultrasound on Monday afternoon. It confirmed I have a very large hydrocele on the right testicle and a small hydrocele on the left testicle. I have an appointment with a urologist on Friday afternoon.
I found the article and the comments very informative. I'm 53 and I think I can live the time I have remaining without having to endure this procedure.
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has experience managing the condition without having the procedure.
505
Mark
I was operated on 12/28/14,four days ago, and recovery is coming along well. The initial pain was a good bit worse than anticipated; I texted my workmates that it felt like someone was constantly squeezing the affected testicle and squeezing harder when I tried to move. In addition, my lower back and left sciatic nerve were on fire post-op. I had the deep cortisone shot about 10 years ago, and had not had any major reoccurrence of sciatic pain until this, so I wonder just what sort of device was used to position me for the surgery. Also, was not pleased that the hospital staffer made me wait 20 minutes after the initial wear-off of anesthesia to bring me a hydrocodone tablet, when I was already on an IV and a quick shot would have been much more effective. My wife said that in our 30 years of marriage that it was the first time that she had ever seen me grit my teeth in pain. Best wishes to all suffering from the condition, may it work well for you all.
506
chuck
I am now 6 weeks post-op (Dec 30, 12014). Incision has healed. Size of testicle has decreased, with some saggy skin that doc says will go away (like weight loss). I am 74 and so happy I did this so I can play this summer. Prior to surgery I could not bike, hike, nor play softball without major support, and then had to be careful.
507
aj
I had the procedure today. I have had 2 hernia's prior to this. I went in with some level of anxiety having unpleasant memories of the hernia's. I realize it has not been 24 hours yet, but I am amazed. Nowhere near the pain of the hernia surgeries. Not comfortable, but feeling well enough to move around. My hydrocele was not overly large. Perhaps like a large walnut, but causing discomfort. I am doing some research into why my hips had become extremely tight/inflexible at an alarmingly rapid rate last year. I did find an article about referred pain from hydroceles. I am 40 and have had to cut back on many activities. Ready to get back to the exercise regimen...I would not put this procedure high on my list of "fun" activities in life, but it has definitely not been overly painful. However, tomorrow is a new day!
508
Curt
I had my procedure done on Feb 2nd. Had both a Inguinal hernia and a Hydrocele the size of a large avocado. My doctor made only one incision for the repair of the hernia and removed the Hydrocele up and out thru that incision and not thru the scrotum as everyone one else has had done. He was able to remove the whole thing intact,it was at least 6 inches long and almost 3 inches across. Needless to say I was bed ridden for 6 days. My left testicle swelled up from the trauma and was rock hard. I was worried about this but my doc said the swelling would go down in a couple of months. Now at just over 6 weeks the swelling has reduced and I still can't do anything. (going stir crazy). I am a building contractor and not being able to pick up anything is a hard thing to do. Would I do this again.Yes I would. Oh and I only had to use 5 pain pills after the surgery and I took them not for the pain but to help me fall asleep. And make sure to have some stool softeners on hand,they will be your best friend for the first couple of weeks.
509
PINTO
hiii... Actually, I want to ask a question to the uro specialist, its related to me, I am 25 yrs old male, approx 3 yrs ago, i was suffering from hydrocelectomy pain, swelling in my hydrocele testicles after that i was consult the general surgeon doctor, he was advise me for surgery and according to his advise i was done the surgery through him but after sometimes i feel that at the time of surgery, surgeons was joint my both testicles to each other and right now i feel again pain and swelling in my both testis. Is it a complications ? Is it create more problems in future ? Is it sexually harres me ? Please help me. Any possibilities of fitness through the medicine or surgery. Please help any specialist or surgeon to rectify my problem. Reply me as soon as possible on my email id masoom786khan@gmail.com THANKS...
510
Tom Britt
Had surgery on Monday, 4/20/15. Some spotty bleeding and pain. Hard to get comfortable while seated. Lots of swelling and ugly incision. About what I expected.Just be glad when everything gets back to normal. Doctor says 4-5 weeks recover period.
511
lefty
I'm trying to share my experience but you keep telling me I'm using bad language and I'm not !!
512
Stephen
I had a bilateral hydrocelectomy on 4/15/15. Surgery more extensive than planned due to numerous spermatoceles as well. Despite the more invasive surgery, recovery went well. Three days of Vicodin, three days of ibuprofen and then nothing. Ice is the key to reduce the swelling. Now on day12 post surgery, no pain but an occasional pinch at the incision sites. Spend the time to find a good urologist. I believe the skill of your surgeon is critical for an uneventful recovery.
513
Killian
Be very careful choosing a surgeon if you encounter this problem. I had a hydrocelectomy EIGHT months ago and I am still dealing with post-operative swelling. The doctor who originally performed the surgery took a "wait and see" attitude and told me the swelling would subside. After waiting three months for an 18cm swelling to subside I sought second opinions. After waiting months for appointments I was able to find a competent urologist who was able to immediately diagnose the problem. Because of delays in treatment and diagnosis scar tissue developed and a more complicated and difficult surgery is now required. My original doctor was lauded for his technical abilities and competency but he did not know how to handle failure. I suffered for his wishful thinking and lack of treatment. His ego was too large to admit his failure or to refer me to another doctor. It turned out that there was plenty of information on Yelp and medical evaluation websites about this doctor's poor performance following complications. I wish I had seen them prior to the surgery and not relied upon recommendations from medical staff alone. This is supposed to be a simple and safe procedure but make sure it is performed by a competent surgeon who knows how to deal with complications, should they occur.
514
Bilbo Baggins
How do you find a competent surgeon for the hydrocelectomy? Are there any hydrocele centers ? I'd like to go where they do these things all the time and know EXACTLY what they are doing. I found one place so far, Mercy Urology Center in Baltimore, Md. There has to be more. I'm in Pa. Urologists in my area don't have perfect reviews on those online review sites. Hate to take any chances with my family jewels, you know. Maybe I'm just looking for excuses not to have the surgery. Hmmm... Where are all you guys having the surgery? Why the secret?
515
Jimmy
Just thought I should post my experience of hydrocelectomy (Jaboulay's). I trawled through several forums in the lead up to my surgery (3 days ago now). I was dreading the post operative period having read about others experiences of pain or complications. In the event, post operative pain was absent; apart from a paracetamol 3 hours post-op, no analgesia has been necessary. Dressings were removed 48 hours post-op. with a little residual bleeding (possibly from removing the dressing too hastily without adequate soaking in the bath)but has been dry since. Residual swelling and bruising is as expected so it is early days to judge outcome. So overall I am pleasantly surprised/relieved so far and I just wanted to redress the balance.
516
Bilbo Baggins
Jimmy, Killian, Stephen, and others. Congratulations on having the balls to get the procedure done. How did you find your surgeon? What made you confident in him?
517
Art
Asian male 70 years old. Had my left hydrocelectomy two days ago and recovering without much pain or swelling so far but still taking it slow and easy. My problem was post surgery recovery. Because of a heart condition, my anesthesiologist and urologist decided on a spinal block instead of general anesthesia. I was in the post surgical recovery room over two hours. They would not release me until I could bend both knees. When I was finally able to bend my knees they sent me to the recovery room where I was kept until (1) I could feel a cold ice pack from my waist down to my feet along both sides of my legs and (2) pee 100 ml. I was able to pass the ice feeling test in a couple of hours but peeing was more difficult. After over 8 hours of drinking lots of fluids and having an ultra sound of my bladder done to make sure it was full, the nurses contacted the urologists who gave me an hour to pee or they'd have to insert a catheter. Needless to say, I made every effort without success. Finally my wife suggested a strong cup of coffee and with several walks down the hallway, I finally peed with 5 minutes to spare. It was a relief in more ways than one. I was sent home with pain meds, stool softener and bacitracin ointment. It was over 12 hours after I had checked in.
518
Curt
Follow up to post 508. It's been 4 months since my procedure and I am at 99.9 percent. If your in construction type work figure 8 weeks out before you can really get back at it. My swelling has gone down completely and I look normal again. Everything functions and the scar is still pink but starting to fade. I am really happy to have had this done, tho getting thru the first 6 weeks was a hardship. Make sure to save up your money to pay the bills while your out of service. Good Luck to all
519
Steve
I'm 36 and I have had a Hydrocele in my right side for about 4-5 months now and I couldn't schedule the surgery fast enought. Mine was the size of a small grapefruit, very uncomfortable, very noticeable when wearing certain pants/shorts, quite embarrassing actually. I had the surgery on Friday (5/29/15) morning. I went in to the operating room at 7:10am (the last thing I remember) and woke up in the recovery room with little to no pain at all. I was home by 11:00am. Spent the majority of day one laying down and icing. I've been crushing the fluids (water, Gatorade, etc..) and eating fruit like it's my job. I was moving around pretty well on day one considering what had occurred earlier that morning. I refuse to take the Percocet that was given to me because it made me feel like total dog sh!t when I was taking it after my hernia surgery years ago. I have been hammering Tylenol extra strength and taking the antibiotic they gave me regularly. I slept ok the first night, woke up about 3-4 times to take a leak (get used to that if you have this procedure), but slept ok. They left a drain tube in which had been leaking blood pretty regularly the first day, since then, it has ceased. Day two (Saturday) was more couch, bed, icing, meds, and water. Headaches, which came off and on all day were my only real pain. Today (Sunday), I definitely felt better than the first two days. I showered (thank god, made me feel so much better) and layed around some more besides walking around the house every now and again. Tomorrow at 9am I go to have the drain tube removed, which I cannot wait to get that thing out of there. I'm a little nervous how that is actually done as I haven't seen many comments on here regarding the drain removal. Sitting down has been a bit of a challenge. That and the headaches have been my biggest issues. If you are trying to decide whether to have the procedure done or not, I think it's pretty obvious...get it done. You'll be glad you did. I'm three days in and very glad I'm on the road to recovery. I'll report back tomorrow on the drain removal thing... Fingers crossed.
520
Steve
Day 4: Got the drain taken out this morning, it's cake for anyone wondering... Didn't feel a thing. In and out in 5 minutes. Doc said everything looks great so far. Today has been a good day, spent most of it horizontal watching movies. I think I may have walked around a little too much in the am, I was a little sore. Gonna take it easy for the rest of the week.
521
Jim
51 years old male, Had Hydrocelectomy done last night at 6/18/15 5:30 PM. Left testicle was about the size of a tangerine. Surgery was very quick, post op about 45 minutes and was able to stand and urinate within 30 minutes of being in post-op. Slight pain once woken, Nurse administered pain medication, level 1 personal scale pain level. Went home took one pain med at 7:30 then another at 12 midnight. Trouble sleeping last night due to medication and anesthesia, cat napped most of night. Able to walk and function, keeping ice and drinking fluids this morning 6/19/15. Taken no pain medications since last night. No major swelling as of this morning. To be honest my scrotum area is smaller than pre surgery and I feel pretty good so far.
522
Dean
I just got the surgery done like 4 days ago. After the surgery and i woke up. My oversized nut is still big! The doctor told me before i left that it will be swelled due to the surgery and everything, he said it shouldnt be incredibly long that it will be swelled. Going on day 5, and its starting to go down little by little day by day. I just hope it goes down quicker soon! ND BE WARNED IF YOU GET THE SURGERY IT WILL HURT BADLY FOR AWHILE! But in my opinion which would you rather have an oversized nut fir the rest of your life? Or pain that only should last about a week or so?
523
Bill
I am a 66 yr. old male. I had a left side Hydrocele about the size of a softball. After the operation, the Doctor told me he drained over 1,000 c.c.'s, or about a quart of fluid. It has been 12 days since the operation. Big pain for 36 hrs. after. Controlled by Tylenol-3 every 6 hours. I developed constipation , and switched to Advil about 2 whole days after the procedure. Swelling gradually subsiding. ICE, ICE, ICE, is your best friend. My drain was removed on the third day following surgery. All functions working now. I cut the grass, about 1/3 acre, using a self-propelled power lawn mower, 6 days after surgery. I had only a mild increase in discomfort. After I applied ice, it went away. I am a light social drinker, a life time non-smoker. My blood pressure is normal as is my cholesterol and sugar level. I do have infrequent asthma problems, but 1 or 2 inhalers a year keep it under controlled. I functioned with the Hydocele getting larger for about 18 months before I decided to have the surgery. I jokingly referred to my pants as being like a cheap hotel. They had NO BALLROOM. I got discharged last week from my Surgeon. I urge everyone, that when it becomes to painful or discomfortable, have the procedure done. I waited too long. I did not have suffer or limit my life style because of it. Again, ICE, ICE, ICE. And good luck to all.
524
Evan
I am 12 years old and I will have the surgery in about a week and a half and I am to read this before it, it makes me feel a lot better going into and the comments help a lot thank you
525
Mike bogu
Got the surgery done on the August 10. It is 2 days after and no serios pain i dont even take painkillers. Only problem is to change pads, stiches geting stock to bandages. Also i was surprised to see drain tube wich is make a small discomfort. Well im doing ice, lay in bad and every day is getting better. Took me 2 years to man up for the surgery, glad i did. Its all behind now. Cant wait to ride a motocycle again. Probably in 4 month.
526
Frank Townsend
I had this operation. Scrotum was the size of a small grapefruit. The pain is horrific. Scrotum is now the size of a one gallon milk jug and getting larger every day.
527
David Jenkins
After 3 years with hydrocele I finally had to succumb to the hydrocelectomy surgery. It wasn't because of any scrotal pain either. It was because my left leg stopped working properly; I finally couldn't take another step. I am discouraged with the post surgery results. However, my left leg found 100% relief for about 6 days when the sac began to refill. Since surgery on Aug 7th I have suffered two sac ruptures. In both instances the fluid returned. Today is Sept. 14 and my sac is larger then when surgery was complete, also my 6 inch incision is spread open on the left end by 2 inches. It's having trouble healing. The size of my scrotum is a small cantaloupe and very heavy. Without my jock I literally have to carry it with both hands. The surgeon wants me to believe that somehow my body will act as a sponge over the next 2-4 months. I think something went wrong!
528
Nils Kazaks
I am 44 and had the surgery 3 weeks ago on 9th of October. It had reveloped over last 2 years and just was uncomfortable because of size no pain though. I am somewhat glad I have nor read these comment before because some guys really have unpleasant recovery. Could have scared me . I had very fast recovery without any major problem. I only took one pain killer the night after surgery. Even then I was not really in pain but just to make sure I do not wake up of pain at night and have a good sleep. After surgery the swelling made the scrotum basically the size I had before op. Of cause it was a little discomfort with the stiches and painful on contact (and still is). I was back to normal live in 2 days. Stopped using pads in day 5. Stiches were removed day 10. Started to run again in day 12. Was on my bike day 13. It is still a little swollen inside and more painful on contact than normal but doc told it could take around 2 month to get normal. Wish you all good recovery. For me the surgery was definitely the way to go.
529
create
I had left hydrocelectomy on Oct.22, 2015. I am 65 yr. old. Hydrocele was softball size no pain been growing for >2 yrs.
Minimal pain after surgery, spent about 7 hrs total at surgery center. Minimal pain that night at home. Recovery was going
well but after about 5 days the outer stitches apparently dissolved, leaving kind of a gaping wound which then got somewhat
infected. Saw doc and was told it was going to be alright. Pack wound with "wet to dry" dressings and change at least twice
a day. Take antibiotics for a week. Thanks to advice and my wife's nursing skills wound is now closing up nicely infection is
gone (it smelled nasty). Also everything is back to normal size. Expect some blood in ejaculate first couple times - no worries.
I'm hoping to return to work next week so the whole process will be under a month.
530
lee hussin
I just had my second one done and to make things a little easier here is what I do during recovery - in my case the hospital supplied a mesh undergarment meant to keep that area dry I added light day pantyliners and placed them in the crotch of the undergarment, this wicks away moister and keeps any blood from collecting on the undergarment. I change the pads twice daily until the spotting gets sparse then change them once per day disposable underwear can be used in place of the mesh undergarment. gauze pads should be placed on top of the pads and changed every 4 hours until the bleeding, and in case of a drainage tube until the tube is removed. Just the way I do it.
531
Dave B
Had a Bilateral Hydrocele repair, a bilateral spermatacele repair, and a vasectomy on 3-23-16.
I was first diagnosed approx 20 years ago. My sack was the size of a tennis ball. I was returning from a trip to Puerto Rico and while going through the body scanner at the airport I was asked to step back in and pull up my pants. The TSA agent thought I was smuggling something in my pants. He frisked me very thoroughly. It was very embarrassing and I didn't ever want to have to go through that again so that's when I decided it was time.
The morning of the surgery I was very nervous but the nurses at the hospital were very nice and calmed me. They gave me an IV the urologist met with me and explained what he was going to do. They wheeled me into the operating room. I remember sliding into the operating table. Then they told me to think about my best vacation spot ever.
They put warm blankets on me and I went to sleep.
When I woke up it was done. I was surprised at how little pain I had. They gave me coffee and peanut butter crackers. When I went from the bed to the chair it felt like I got kicked in the balls. But then the pain went away pretty much. They gave me a prescription for Percocet. They put a scrotal support strap on me with gauze pads inside.
After wearing that for two days it was extremely uncomfortable so as soon as the 48 hrs was over I took it off and threw it away. After I took the support off my balls felt better until I tried to stand up. It has been a week now since the surgery and my penis is still quite black and blue and swollen. I think my sack has a lot of swelling still and the incision has bled a little over the past few days.
I'm very worried about it still. I find it hard to believe that it will ever go back to normal. There is a three inch vertical incision with several stitches. I've been on the couch every day now. Luckily I own a small business that can function on it own with little supervision.
I had to do this because of not being able to go through airport body scanners without being embarrassed. And worrying about wearing bathing suits, etc. I'm glad I got it done. The recovery kind of sucks but not to much pain just uncomfortable more than anything.
I HAD MY DONE 6 WEEKS BACK AND IM BACK TO NORMAL ,NOT ANY COMPLICATIONS ,GOOD TO GO LOTS OF ICE
533
jake
I had hydrocele surgery recently had no pain from surgery.but a lot of muscle pain from anesthesia for 4 days.everything seems to be great swelling going down.no pain.
534
jake
I had hydrocele surgery recently had no pain from surgery.but a lot of muscle pain from anesthesia for 4 days.everything seems to be great swelling going down.no pain.
535
Williamrmurray@yahoo.com
So today 6/20/2016 I had my right hydrocele removed after 5 years of being uncomfortable and what not I manned up and had the surgery.
My hydrocele was the size of a large avacado.
The surgery it self went well, they gassed me and an hour later I was in recovery.
I feel a slight discomfort down there 4 hours after the surgery and walking is very slow with small steps. Hopefully my recovery goes well.
I will post again in a week.
536
Sanjeev
I had my hydrocele(right side) surgery about 1 month ago.I'm 30yr old.
There is the no pain but the Swelling is till now in right side testics,tectics looking as egg size.
My doctor says hdrocele fullly recovered in 8 to 10 weeks.
Plz tell how many days to recover the both testics are in equal size.
537
Eddie Franco
Had my Hydroceletomy 6/24/16, it is now 7/5/16 .Pain has subsided but still very swollen and some discomfort .Doctor gave prescription for the swelling today after i complained, for anti inflammatory .Not sure why did not get this at the beginning.Doctor said not a fluid came out (good - bad ) don't know.Good luck everyone.
538
sathish
After surgery can the patient walk the same day and if the patient walks does it bleed is there any risk in bleeding
539
Jeff
I had my hydrocelectomy last Wednesday. 3 days after the surgery, my epididymus is very enlarged and very painful. Has anybody else had this problem? I'm getting very nervous.
I had a hydrocelectomy on July 8th, 2016. I had swelling till the 24th of August and went back to the doctor and he performed a hydrocele aspiration on August 26th to draw off the fluid. The fluid was kind of bloody and he said that was from a clot and he figured that was why the swelling did not go down. After the aspiration I felt so much better mentally and physically. The next day when I woke up The swelling was 80% back and growing. The nightmare continues! Has anyone had this problem with the fluid coming back after the surgery?
541
MSN
After his hydrocelectomy on 6/23/16 my husband's fluid returned not as a hydrocele but as fluid in the scrotal wall. His surgeon did not use a drain and wanted to go back in to correct the problem within 5 weeks of original surgery. We wanted 2nd opinion so we went out of town to larger medical community to a younger highly recommended urologist. He always uses a drain and he will not go back in for repair until four months later to let the body heal and avoid scar tissue. Needless to say we will not return to the original doctor. This has taught us the value of second opinions and that a surgeon who is younger but not inexperienced may be a safer option than one who has been practicing for 25 years and perhaps less up-to-date.
542
Richtea
I had hydrocele repair on 21/12/2016, had spinal anaesthetic (feels like a wasp sting and I would say quite painful but subsides). Within 10 minutes after they found the right place to put the spinal anaesthetic lower half went completely numb, had the operation awake. Post op - could not move lower half for 4 hours very uncomfortable, felt helpless and had bad back ache. Once I got feeling come back started to feel pain as if kicked in the bollocks, all I was given was paracetemol and ibuprofen (they refused to give me anything else) it sort of worked... Had the op at 9am out of theatre by 11am home by 6pm. First night was awkward woke up number of times, paracetemol and ibuprofen seemed to help a bit. Next morning barely able to walk also had a jock strap on which keeps everything in place (I find it itchy and annoying) paracetemol and ibuprofen again (quite awful to be honest) still in moderate pain but nothing I can do... My bollock throbs and feels itchy so annoying that you have an itch you can't scratch! Anyway the sack size is much smaller than pre op I must say so far swollen no bruising... Woke up with morning glory too weirdly...and have had two no 2s... Hopefully will be less of a dull ache tomorrow... Even in this much pain etc it was worth it so far. I had 550ml drained and it was the size of a small melon I hope it returns to normal even though I have no idea what normal is anymore...
543
Captain comfortable
Interesting this, should have done more research before agreeing to have the operation. I had imagined that that would be a small wound, a half inch perhaps, or an inch long and that minor tissue reorganisation was the order of the day. Not so.
The incision was at least 3 inches long and is obviously fairly invasive. I was given ibuprofen and paracetamol and a bottle of morphine. My immediate reaction to the morphine was "what do I want that for?" The next day I found out.
The operation itself wasn't a problem. The support put in place was uncomfortable but okay.
The thing that I found most disappointing is that it seems that there are so many different views on how long it takes to recover from this. I have read some that say that you should be able to return to work after four, perhaps seven days. I had two weeks off and am not sure that I should've returned to work after that.
Now some five weeks have elapsed and I am still in some occasional discomfort.
The discomfort generally over the weeks following the operation seems to vary and it is definitely true, in my case, that walking is uncomfortable. Initially I was not able to walk for more than a few hundred yards without pain ensuing. This persisted for several weeks and even now I'm not able to do a good 5 mile cross country walk but this will come.

Best advice I can give is don't leave it too long. Mine has been growing over decades and I should've dealt with it several years ago but the longer you leave it and the older you get the more invasive surgery gets.

Best description I've read above is that is is like being kicked in the bollocks every day, several times a day, but just keep taking the painkillers.

On the positive side it is now healed well and I feel far more comfortable than I did before. It takes of weeks but it does get better.

Good luck!
544
Scott
Had spermacele procedure and I stI'll have soreness, after 1 year, especially after orgasm. Feels like bruising type of pain. Any recommendations. Frustrating...
545
Chadd Peterson
I had surgery back in 2013 for my right side and now going to have it on my left side. I was put to sleep for my procedure. Only issue I had was poor pain management when I got out of surgery. Came out and was in pain of 10+ for several hours. Went in for procedure @ 6am and didn't leave day unit till 2am next day. Dr. wouldn't admit me for pain control, so we stayed till it was under control. Was given a med that knocked me on my ass and killed the pain and was under control. Several hrs later.

I'm worried about the procedure, but only worried about pain management and told the doctor. He assured me that he will have me on pain meds as i get out of surgery.

I've heard where men are too afraid to go in and have procedure done, so they take matters in their own hands. I've read comments where men would drain fliud them selves using needles from auto repair shops breaks.
546
bill
This is my second surgery on the same testicle. First in May 2017 which was a failed process with huge swelling, pain and a six month recovery to get to a point where I could walk without a jockstrap or padding. Within the first week of that surgery I was in the hospital with Cellulitis and E-coli for which I needed intravenous antibiotics. I do not have any understanding as to why there were so many severe complications but I will never enter that hospital or use that Urologist again.
My second surgery by a different Urologist was in early Sept. 2017, one week ago. I have had no pain, no infections and am able to do my normal daily routine. I am wearing a jock strap and some padding but there is no longer any bleeding or discharge. I had a drain for three days. The difference between my first experience and this one is enormous.
My recommendation to any guy needing this surgery is to not be afraid but do your due diligence in selecting a Urologist/Surgeon. For my second surgery I researched doctors in a teaching hospital/medical school and found a surgeon that was a Professor with that teaching hospital. It was located much further from where I lived but for me it was worth the inconvenience.
547
Jay
Hi, I am one of the 1% of males whom had a hydrocele at age 43. I dealt with it for about a year before seeing a surgeon. I had the operation and it was a bit of an ordeal but you will survive. All of the usual, a lot of blood, swelling, ice, jock strap etc. My stick was about 2.5 inches right side vertical. I healed OK, could see a faint scar but eventually everything looked like a normal male outside the fact the surgery side was still a bit bigger.

I am now 55 and had to be the guy whom was the 1% and then became part of the 10% whom operations do not last. I had the second operation 3 months ago and the initial part was easier than the first operation. I had no pain, needed no drugs and swelling went down fast however I was black and blue because a fatty tumor had developed going up around my spermatic chord. This made my procedure more complex and thus more internal blood and bruising.

I feel OK 3 months later however I am concerned now my testicle is not descending. It has been 3 months and I do not remember that being an issue the first operation. I have an post op appt. tomorrow to ask more questions. I feel very lopsided at the moment as my surgery side seems to have gone down in swelling but is not really fluid, almost like stuck in one place. One side hangs down 3 inches further or normal as opposed to the surgery side. I also feel numbness which I was told I would experience but that it would go away. So far it has not.

Being this is the second surgery same side I hope this is not the end result but I am trying to think positive and time will make it better. I'll check back tomorrow.
548
Jay
Just a quick follow up. Saw my surgeon yesterday and he says healing is going well. Feels no fluid accumulating. I still have some internal stitches which can last up to 120 days. I still have concern about the numbness on that side as I have been told it disapates over time. He also is sure the muscles that control the "rise and fall" of the testicle will return to normal as I still have my surgery side not so fluid and riding tight and high.

I honestly think now another 3 months is in the healing.
549
Jose
I'm 36 and I've had a reoccurring hydrocele on my left side that I would have aspirated every 4-6 months over the past 8 years. Every time I would wait till it was about the size of a large avocado and too uncomfortable then have it drained just to wait for it to come back again because I was too nervous about the surgery. Every time I would see my doctor he always tried to talk me into the surgery and finally two days ago I decided to go through with it.

The day of the surgery I very anxiously arrived to the surgical center at 7am, was prepped and operated on by 7:30-8, woke up in recovery pretty looped up not long after and was out of there by 10am. No pain at first but I knew it would be a while before the anesthesia would wear off and the swelling wasn't too bad. The jock strap they give you is a little uncomfortable but worked great to hold everything in place. The feminine pad idea that everyone talks about on here was a great idea to catch the fluid from the drain tube. Ice, Ice, Ice for the first couple of days!

Two days later I haven't had much pain at all, haven't even taken any of the prescribed pills just Motrin for some discomfort. Drain tube was taken out this morning, that was a breeze. Now just taking it easy, trying to stay laying down as much as possible, which is the most comfortable position. I do have a hematoma but that is being worked out with some hot compresses and will hopefully resolve soon and the rest of recovery will be smooth.

The stories on here helped tremendously to have an idea of what to expect after surgery, I read almost all of them in the days leading up to my procedure. However I do feel there are a disproportionate amount of bad stories so I wanted to make sure to add my positive experience so far. If you are debating the surgery as I was, just do it, trust me its not that bad at all and I now think of how stupid I was to not have just done this sooner rather than live with that discomfort for years. I'll check back with any updates in the coming weeks.
I'm concern and have checked with my Urology Surgeon. But!

My surgery was December 28, 2017 and everything went well. I too was rather ill informed as to what to expect post surgery; since, my hydrocele was about the size of a baseball hard ball. The cause of my hydrocele was the removal of my left kidney (due to a 2 cm Renal Cell Carcinoma - yes folks CANCER). As I now understand 20% of all men who undergo left kidney removal get a hydrocele in the left testicle. I got mine.

Today is March 15, 2018 and I still have a post surgery swell somewhere between a hard ball and a soft ball. Ya, larger than first started. I asked my surgeon about it and was told it may be that size for several months. It was suggested; I could expect six months to one year before I would see a change. Yuck, and I still can't swing a bat and my wife is getting "well" impatient.

Praying for a change.
551
Frank T
I'm 70 years old and had my hydrocelectomy done 4 days ago under general anesthesia. Hydrocele was on my right side and about the size of a tennis ball. My Urologist removed the hydrocele and also two spermateceles. Doctor made a 3" vertical incision which was sewn up with about 18 stitches. Very minimal bleeding from stitches and no drain tube. Woke up after the operation, and of course was sore with the pain bearable. Felt like I was kicked in the testicles. The pain meds took the edge off of the pain and by my second day of recovery I did not need any pain medicine. Still sore and tender with residual pain but bearable. Ice packs help with the pain and swelling. Penis and scrotum are swelled up and black and blue in color. Hope both get back to normal size soon. So far so good. Recommend getting this operation done. Good luck to all.
Hello I'm 64 and had been waiting 5 weeks to get my Hydro seal repaired. One week before the surgery I came down with a bad cough & cold which really was stressful because I wanted to get this thing done. Everything I have read including the doctors instructions said this might delay the surgery. Fortunately by the time of the surgery my cold had diminished but I felt obligated with pressure from my girlfriend, to tell them I was getting over a cold. I was relieved to here from the advice nurse that a little left over sniffling & minor cough would not post pone the surgery. Well, had the surgery yesterday, I had absolutely no pain from it at all, really!! Today I know the incision is there, but still no real pain. It is swollen but a lot smaller, Doctor said he removed probably 12 to 16 ounces of fluid, he didn't measure it. I feel great now and i'm glad that I made the decision to get this done. Important side note. I was really on the fence deciding to get this surgery. Why? because going into this I already only had one testicle due a previous incident. The thought of losing my last one due to any complication would be life changing, requiring drugs to have a sex life. My surgeon informed me that there was a 1% chance of that happening and that he performed hundreds of these, and among he and he colleagues, none of them have ever had this occur. All in All in took some balls, or in my case ball, to make this decision lol. Good luck with yours!!
I just got my hydrocele done on Monday tomorrow makes a week and pain did easy up alil but I still afraid of goin to work because of the swelling. My doctor said it may take up to 3-6 months for swelling to go down but by reading other people comments worry me. The size of it went down alil bit but not much and it's a lot of swelling around the penis and makes it hard for a erection. To the new gentleman when waking up after the surgery is gonna be a lot of pressure down there like the pain just thumbing. I had a hard time to urinate because of the pain at the hospital that one of the thing you have to do before leaving the hospital and I'm still having a hard time to pass a vowel movement because of the pain to much straining. My doctor said it because of the muscle swelling and Nomis.
554
Ryan
I'm having the Hydrocelectomy done in a few weeks and I'm doing a lot of research on what happens. Was wondering is it best the first few days to stay on the first floor of the house so I don't go up and downstairs? The first fews days 1st floor only has recliner and couch which is the best option or does it even matter? Also what are some suggestions for what to do after the first few days of minimal activity?
555
Steve
Ryan, I say do what your body tells you, you can do. If it hurts or even starts to hurt don't do it. You could probably walk up stairs but slower than you ever have before. You may find for example tying your shoes is difficult, so put your foot up on something to alleviate to stretch. We don't like to baby ourselves but you have a good excuse. It will get better in time. Mine took a month for the stitches to fall out and the swelling to go down. PS: 2 weeks after mine I felt good enough to think I could ride my motorcycle. It was a bad idea, and it caused me to swell back up again. Your swelling may come and go for a while, but in my experience it well go away.
Hey Ryan somethings to do after a few day are using a ice pack or something cold like frozen bean or something in that category that will help with the swelling and the pain. I recommend u to stay on the first floor if u don't have help. I live on the second floor at my apartment and I had to drag my self step.by step but u might be able to take the pain but I couldn't until bout the 3rd day. I stayed out of wrk for three weeks to make sure I was ready to go back and I was the swelling and stiches were bout gone well all the stiches was gone just alil swelling but now everything is going good
557
Ryan
Thanks Steve and Nicholas for the advice. I had the operation 2 days ago. I've been staying on the first floor of the house in my recliner mostly and getting up to use the bathroom or go to the kitchen. The thing that has surprised me the most is I'm not really in any pain honestly. I was expecting much worse, but from a scale of 1 to 10 its barely a 1. I have used ice packs, and been drinking plenty of fluids. I think I'm going to stay sleeping in my recliner for the next few weeks because two days in a row before my procedure my 4 year old climbed into bed with us and was climbing over me so I'm staying in my recliner until further notice. I'm going to try to do more movement walking around the house and outside with smaller steps. The biggest thing that freaked me out was last night when my wife took the packing off that was weird. I'm thankful I didn't have a drain put in and I'm wearing the jock strap which is helpful. I do have some swelling, but its not as bad or as painful as I thought. I'm very glad I read about others experiences with this procedure it made me feel better and know what to expect. My goal is to be close to 100 percent in a few weeks for my camping trip and be ready to go on the field at end of August for football in scrimmages for officiating, but I'm going to be very cautious.
558
Simon
Had this done today black and blue already 3inch cut on the bag top to bottom. Bleeds every time I use the washroom, feels like I been kicked 60times down there. Good luck all.
559
Steve
Had surgery yesterday morning. I'm 57 and have been living with my fist sized friend for almost 5 years. Had inguinal hernia surgery last year which was a lot more painful and restrictive. For the hydocelectomy, I was in surgery by 7am and home by 11a. Percocet for the first day kept me comfortable, not taking them today because of constipation and also not much pain. I feel well enough to go to work but the wife said no. Sutures are oozing a bit so I change dressing every once in a while. Other than that, looking forward to proper fitting pants and sleeping on my side without adjustments!
560
Mark
Had the surgery about 5 months ago and it was relatively painless, as was the recovery. It was about the size of a large orange before surgery but now is golf ball sized. I still feel like I need to wear a jock strap and the last time I went to the urologist he wasn't there and an assistant seemed to act like all is normal. I'm going to give it a couple more months, but I may have to go and see someone else because I have some minor pain down there that I did not have before the surgery. Overall I'm a little disappointed in the outcome.
561
Rick Barnes
I have surgery scheduled for 12/12.. Have had this enlarged left for 8 yrs. Gotta get it done. I have read most of the 560 comments. Not looking fwd to this.. Update to follow..
562
Mike
I am 62 and had my surgery on 11/28/2018. In my 30s I noticed that my left testicle was getting larger and larger. Went to a Dr. and was told it was nothing serious but to keep an eye on it. Well 30 years later it had grown to the size of a large mango and was getting very uncomfortable. Decided it was finally time to get it taken care of. Surgery went well and was totally out for the whole procedure. Was told I could shower on the 2nd day after surgery and remove my pile of gauze and change it out for some new dressings but I was told not to take the drain tube out. Only down in the pile of gauze was a stick pin stuck through the tube and wrapped in the gauze. Thankfully I was able to cut the tube and shove the end back into the drain hole where it stayed for a couple more days. I was given an antibiotic and the pain pills and was not told what would happen after taking a steady dose of pain killers. CONSTIPATION big time. Wish they would have given me the heads up cause now I think I have a case of hemorrhoids. Am in my 10th day after surgery and still draining and what is left of my left mango is sort of swollen and hard like. Hurts when I walk and I think it is gravity that is pulling it downward. It is now about the size of a duck egg and am hoping that in time it will drop and get soft once again. In the mean time the Dr. told me to use a heating pad now and then to get the blood flowing. The drain hole in the bottom of my scrotum is still weeping and I am hoping it will help drain the excess fluid and shrink the size of the swollen area. Thanks to all those who posted on this subject and it really helps to have some idea what to look forward to and what to expect afterwards.
563
Kevin
I'm 58 and had my hydrocele for about 4-5 years, walnut on one side and a lemon on the other! Finally decided to have the surgery. Surgery went fine, was sort of hurried out of clinic afterward wearing a hospital issued jock strap and some cotton gauze. The ride home in the car has seemed the worst part so far, felt like I was kicked in the balls the entire ride home. Not much pain after I got in bed and stayed still most of the day. Was able to slowly walk to the bathroom that afternoon with minimal pain and have not had any significant pain at any time after the initial ride home. Swelling is worse if I do much walking around but icing seems to help with that. Only took one pain pill after I got home day 1 and a couple of ibuprofins for the swelling on day 2. I only experienced a couple days of minimal blood spots on the gauze dressing and that stopped completely after day 3. I was able to take a shower on day 3 with no pain just let the soap run over the scar with slight rubbing around the scrotum and patted incision dry afterward. Not sure if my surgery is going a little better than some because it wasn't as big in size? My only suggestions would be to begin taking Metamucil fiber drinks a couple times a day before, during and after to help with the bowel movements, it really helps a lot. Now on day 4 and am taking it easy again but will work from home the rest of the week just to help the recovery process. My only worries were the small blood spots on the gauze 1-2 days after but they go away eventually, since I did not have the drain tube I am hoping nothing happens in the coming week but so far everything seems back to normal other than minimal swelling with overactivity.
I would recommend having the surgery, good luck with your recoveries to everyone who has gone through this already!!
This forum really helped me taking the decision to for the surgery. Finally I had it done today. Mine was the size of a large grapefruit, on the left side. Doctor seems to have done a good job as there is not much swelling and bleeding. However, he said mine was the first case where he has seen a milky hydrocele fluid as opposed to clear fluid he has seen in his 30 years of service. It was a quite a large volume as well - 350cc. He has sent it for lab tests to find out the cause of murkiness. Apparently, the ultrasound did not pick this up. He also mentioned that he is unsure about the chances of recurrence as this was a peculiar case. I am hoping there is nothing serious. I will give an update once I receive the lab results.
565
orla
Had my surgery one month ago. I had two surgeries in one actually (one for the hydrocele in my right testicle and one for hernia). No pain from the surgery but unfortunately after some hours i got a big hematoma in the testicle which led to my testicle and penis getting really swollen and blue. The most worrying thing was that my penis got so swollen that i was barely able to go to the toilet. At the hospital they called it the aubergine effect. Good news is that after 3-4 days the swelling at the penis started to go off and i felt a bit relieved. At the beginning the incision was quite clear with no blood at all. After almost 3 weeks the doctor told me that the incision was healed and there was no need for a patch anymore. Next morning i woke up with my underwear in blood at the side of the incision. Now after one month from my operation the incision still spits blood and the swelling of the testicle dissolves really slowly. Today the doctor opened a bit more the incision at the bleeding spot in order to see if it helps with more blood coming out and tomorrow i have an appointment again to talk about maybe having a second surgery to drain the hematoma. I am thinking to postpone it since there is some progress but i am not sure if it is the correct choice. Maybe i should drain it and get done with it but i am afraid that this might not go well either and i might end up in more trouble.
566
John
I did okay with my Hydrocelectomy Surgery, but I want to pass along my idea so that others can use it. I discovered that sitting on a chair on the EDGE OF A ONE FOOT SQUARE THROW PILLOW so that my backside is on the pillow and my testicles are slightly elevated off the chair helps a lot! My doctor also thought is was a good idea. I hope that my idea helps others!
567
Jeff
I'm 61 and had my surgery one week ago. Had a hydrocele about the size of a grapefruit for two years but it was not painful, just awkward. After coming out of general anesthesia I was in a lot of pain but they gave me a couple pain shots followed up with Percocet. The pain was like a kick in the groin so I continued the pain pills for about 2 days and the pain subsided. I was constipated for 4 days even though I was on stool softeners. That part is normal now. They put me in a jock strap with gauze and told me to wear it for 2 weeks but I could shower the day after. I bought another jock strap that was more comfortable and wore a pair of tight briefs over it. That has worked fine. The healing is going well and the doc said the stitches will fall out after 2 weeks. No lifting or submersing in water until the stitches fall out. The size is a lot less than it was. I did ice the area for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for the first 12 hours. That kept the swelling to a minimum. I'm glad I had it done! I highly recommend the icing and a more comfortable jock strap. I cut up a t-shirt and used that as a pad...worked great.
568
Lee
Hey guys, I had a vasectomy December 2018, and my right testicle swelled to the size of a grapefruit on the car ride home. Black and blue everywhere. I was told to expect some swelling but after 3 days of intense pain and no recession of the swelling I went back to the Dr. I had an ultra sound done and it showed a “hydrocele”. He said give it time as it might resolve on its own. 6 weeks later no change and incredibly uncomfortable.

We aspirated some fluid out and it gave me immediate relief. 6 months later it’s still there and causing more pain than ever.

I went back to the urologist department and the Dr. that did my vasectomy is out on medical leave of absence so I saw a new Dr. he had me redo an ultrasound and said I had a “complex hydrocele” which means there is some separations inside the scrotum and said aspiration would not work and surgery is the option. I am worried about the pain. More specifically because Part of my current pain is being caused by the hydrocele pushing on a small epididymal cyst on my left testicle. Has anyone expertienced that before? I’m worried the swelling from the surgery will cause more discomfort by adding more pressure than the hydrocele is.

I am going to schedule the surgery and I am very anxious about lasting pain that does not resolve. Send prayers my way and any advice is much appreciated. I will update after.

Thanks for everyone posting on this board as it is very helpful
569
Martin's
Can a man 9f like 50 plus under go scrotum surgery
570
Lee
Update: I am 5 weeks post surgery of removing a right hydrocele.

Showed up at the hospital about an hour before the procedure, they prepped me, gave me something for nerves and wheeled me back.

Was put under, so no pain during procedure which lasted about an hour. Woke up with a feeling like Mike Tyson used my sack as a speed bag. Was given pain meds through IV and that helped. I was wheeled back the my room, changed clothes (they put me in a jock strap which I used for a week) and left within the hour.

Took the pain meds as required for 2 days then switched to extra strength Tylenol and took pain med at night to help sleep. Had a penrose drain in for 4 days, then went back the the urologist office and he removed it. That drain was incredibly uncomfortable.

My testicle was swollen to about the size of a baseball after the procedure due to surgical edema.

Spent the next week mostly in the bed, getting up for small walks (300-500 steps) couple times a day.

Went back to work two weeks after the procedure. I was still really sore, swollen and uncomfortable.

I am now 5 weeks post op and still have swelling along the incision and on the outside (closest to my thigh) of my scrotum. My testicle is about half the size it was before the procedure. It is still very tender to the touch but especially at these two spots. I still have some achiness that gets a bit worse as the day goes on.
I would not be able to jog right now if I wanted too, but I have been walking 1-3 miles a day this past week.

I am hoping all this resolves in the next 2-4 weeks. I am getting weary of being uncomfortable. I will post another update in a few weeks.

FYI: 34 year old active male
571
Jefe
Hi,
I am in my mid twenties and I had the hydrocelectomy procedure on my right nut. The second one actually. The size before was quite huge due to the fluid, and made me so uncomfrotable because it bulged crazy! I had to draw the fluid myself, frequently. Anyway, it's been 6 months now after the surgery and my question is in regards to levelling up. I mean, when the testicles hang, the treated nut (right) won't hang all the way even after continous jockstrapping, so the left one drops like an inch longer. When should I expect them to be at the same level? Or why is it like so?
Thanks.
572
AL
I am 48 and had a Hydrocele on my left side the size of an orange. I had it removed a week ago. Recovery has gone well this far. I did have a drain that was designed to come off when I pulled off bandages. No issue with removal, except some slight pain removing. Some sourness after a week, but getting better every day. No regrets here...
573
Paul
Just got home from surgery.
Had the hydrocele for 26 years. 47 year old male. About the size of a lemon. Just got tired of the discomfort. Little pain but nothing crazy. Stitches will disolve on their own,No drain tube or pain meds. Just told to elevate and ice. Taking Advil and Antibiotics, I will update in a few days. Glad to finally get the nerve to get it fixed.
574
Lee
Jefe,

I am 10 weeks out from my hydrocelectomy on my right testicle, and it still "hangs" higher than it did before the procedure. It has loosened up a small amount since the procedure, but nothing like it originally was before the hydrocele formed. Even after taking hot bathes to loosen up down there, the left one hangs a inch or so lower than the right. I have no idea what happens down there to cause this, but it seems to be a common thing after the procedure.

My incision also is still sore to the touch and the right testicle is still tender on the right side. Did anyone else experience some tenderness/discomfort 2-3 months out from the procedure on the testicle and at the incision site?
575
Roxi
My partner had this done when he was 2 and ino it effects his Fertility we have been tryin for nearly 2 years how much longer will it take for me to get pregnant.
576
Hb
Had my first surgery one year ago, it remained swollen size of a cantaloupe for a whole year!! Had a second surgery one week ago and swollen once again!
577
Otoide anthony
I am a week post hydrocelectomy. But d testic is still swollen, tender and hanging. Is it part of d experience?
578
65Bones
Just had a Hydrocelectomy on Jan 16, 2020. I am a 55yr old Stage IV Heart Failure Patient who is 100% ICD dependent, so having another surgery was very scary for me. Luckily I consulted with my PC & my Cardiologist first for cardiac clearance for this procedure. I completed a nuclear stress test 10 days prior to surgery where I was cleared for a 7 day window to stop taking both Plavix & Aspirin. Surgery took @3 hours, had a fantastic Anesthesiologist {I was out in 2 huffs}, woke up with a 3-1/2" incision right down the middle with 2 small opposing incisions, all stitched nicely plus a drain tube {getting removed in the morning}. Only in hospital about 7hrs, went home. Pain level was around a 6-7 {I have had 26 surgeries - 4 shoulder + 22 heart, have broken bones, been stabbed, had kidney stones & diverticulitis} so I have developed a fairly high pain threshold. Best suggestion for the first 48-72hrs is 2 x 5-325 Hydrocodone every 3-4hrs on day 1, 2 x every 6-8hrs on day 2 & 2 x every 10-12hrs on day 3 for pain ALSO found that crushed ice in a ice bay placed in a ziploc bag helped tremendously! My hydrocele was @ 4-5" around x @ 6-7" long and extended between nerves on the left side of groin which was an immediate electric shock nerve pain at about a 8-9 level. At day 3 I feel like I haven't in the past 10 months. Also, my Father had one @ 35yrs ago which he had repaired back when you got 2 aspirin & sent home! So I do believe they can be passed on by heredity. Overall, I do recommend the procedure & hope the info helps.
579
BR
Hey all, I had hydrocele surgery January 16, 2020. I had been dealing with this since I was in my early 30’s. At the time I didn’t know what it was and was afraid until I went to my urologist. I’m now 52 and consider myself healthy and fairly active. However over the years the hydrocele grew considerably large to grapefruit size on my right side. Also I developed a smaller one on my left the size of a small tomato. Very uncomfortable, clothes didn’t fit and embarrassing. My wife always encouraged me to get it fixed mainly because she felt sorry for me. I can honestly say thank God I got it fixed. True , I’m in slight pain during certain movements and uncomfortable at times. I would do it again. After surgery I was waking up in pain and the nurse gave me more medicine through the IV. I left the hospital and picked up my medicine and went home. During the last few days I haven’t taken much medicine at all. This is now day five and I only take ibuprofen and hydrocodone as needed. The pain is not what I would consider high but more like 2-4 on a scale to 10. Mostly just uncomfortable with occasion sharp pain. I may possibly add to this post in the up coming weeks with my progress. However I did pray over my surgery and asked others to do for me also. I know it helped me and I had peace of mind. Another thing I did do was look at the farmers almanac and schedule my surgery with the moon signs below the part I had surgery on. Which I believe helps also.I hope this will help and encourage someone because I totally understand what you are going through. I pray for peace and a successful surgery over all who reads this!
580
Dominic
I had my hydrocelectomy 7 days ago, and it has been fairly miserable as far as recovery. Ice, antibiotics, painkillers, but the swelling hasn’t gone down much at all. If you’re planning to have the surgery done, I do recommend it, just be prepared to have at least 3-4 days doing nothing but laying on some ice with painkillers. Also, don’t forget the laxatives, those came in handy around day 4.
Well, I was asked if I wanted to do this awake with local anesthetic and agreed.

They said no pain, some slight swelling expected after.

We'll, that was the most pain that I've experienced in my life. No doubt. I screamed.

I found out afterwards that the testicle accidently got popped out of the scrotum, as the incision was made too small. This put excruciating torsion and pain on me enough to ask to stop.

It was botched. I feel duped and pissed. I could barely drive home as the pain was relentless.

It also caused my back to spasm as I was awake and reacting and bracijf from the horrific pain.

I would never do it awake again nor recommend it in case this happened to you.

Words cannot describe the pain.
582
Do it
Had this surgery today 4/3-2020. My hydrocele was to the right side, and it was almost the size of a tennisball. I was a little nervous about the general anesthesia, but it went really well. Started to feel sleepy and woke up like it was instantly after I fell asleep. Had some pain just when I woke up, but nothing serious, maybe 3-4 on a scale of 10. I left the hospital 4 hours after the appointment. Now it is 12 hours ago since I had the surgery, and I have no pain at all when sitting og lying still, but some minor pain when I’m walking. I have almost no swelling yet, and everything looks good. Im very pleased with the experience so far!
583
Mark Lacose
Day 4 since surgery. All I can say is if you are dealing with a bothersome large Hydrocele and can find a reputable surgeon GO FOR IT! Do not worry. It is much better dealing with the post op issues than dealing with a fat puffy Hydrocele. I won’t criticize some of the descriptions of feelings after the operation, but I feel many are way over the top describing this as a terrible thing. It is not. It takes 20 min to fix. I have no problem with the general anaesthetic at all. I was given a prescription for a very strong opioid that I wish I would not have filled and wasted $50 on. Taking one extra strength Tylenol and Advil together when needed and for sure at bedtime is all you need to go along with your regular icing. For the icing of your surgery area I would suggest bags of frozen corn kernels or peas. Yes there is some pain the first few days, but it’s not unbearable. The testicle on the Hydrocele side will be very tender. You will get pains that extends into your lower abdomen even your hip and the feeling that you’ve been kicked in the sack at times but not in a hugely bad way. By day 4 the bruising gets a lot worse and spreads to your penis. You may get alarming puffy bulges of skin on the bottom side and top of penis with bad bruising. Don’t be alarmed. This is part of the healing process, just like a black eye can look even worse a few days after the punch. Your scrotum sack may look terrible with loose hanging skin that was stretched when you had your hydrocele. This too will amazingly start to re-shape after the IV, and by now your stitches and incision are well on their way to healing and being dry not leaking as much. I feel great as I sit here on day four with slight tenderness on that one testicle but don’t be fooled and try to do too much you need the rest and do not lift anything over 10 or 15 pounds or avoid all of that if you can for probably at least two weeks. Some on here talk about sex, or the need to have it or the ability to want it or that the can with a partner? I call BS. I have a great sex life but there’s no way I’m going there for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Anyway if my lady wants to get turned off quick she would only have to take one look at my junk in its present bruised situation and there wouldn’t be any sex anyway! Ugly!! So control yourself guys. Whether you’re having sex with your loving partner or into masturbation I would not recommend it for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Give yourself time to heal properly, and then just think how good it will feel the first time you premiere your new package to your partner or your right or left hand. Don’t rush things or push it it could lead to a hernia or damage to the surgery area. I’m a very quick healer and I’m seriously going to give myself for a decent weeks minimum. That doesn’t mean you’re bored and not able to do anything. You can still walk and get around and drive but I would suggest for the first four days try to minimize that and rest with a good book or movies or pick your guitar, whatever interests you. I am 100% happy I got this done. Be patient and you will also be very happy with the results. Day 4 and I now realize I’ve had a Hydrocele issue for at least 12 years, which got much worse 5 months before this surgery. So nice to already see a normal sized (albeit bruised) package hanging there now. It’s been a long puffy bulgy uncomfortable time!
584
Charlie
Im curious as to how everything feels a year post operation and once everything has properly healed does everything feel and function normally. Im asking this as i may need to undergo this procedure in the near future.
585
Matthew
I had two hydrocele surgeries before being diagnosed with the real problem, an inguinal hernia that was supplying the fluid. I first went to see a doctor in 2015; at that point had had the left hydrocele for 18 months, the right for six months. This doctor was just a general D.O. who would turn out to be RIGHT! He used TRANSILLUMINATION on my scrotum and said he "saw a hernia" on the left side, as well as hydrocele. He referred me to a urologist. That urologist used a manual exam and then ultrasould, and diagnosed the two hydroceles. Actually it was the PA would examined me and I remember twice asking him about the hernia. He said NO to that. I guess he never read the other doctor's diagnosis. That is where the ball was dropped. Partly my fault, but I went with what this specialist (urologist) said, and forgot the hernia diagnosis. In 2019, after obtaining financial assistance from Mercy, I had my first bilateral hydrocelectomy on October 15, 2019. Within a few days, I noticed the left side reoccuring and within two weeks the right side too. Had another ultrasound at Mercy. NO SIGN OF HERNIA. I switched doctor's and arranged for another surgery. This doctor, she suspected another source of the fluid and I had a CT scan. NOTHING SEEN ABOUT A HERNIA. During her surgery on January 13, 2020, she SAW the hernia on the left side. To make a long story short, on February 7, 2020, a general surgeon did inguinal hernia surgery and THE FLUID STOPPED! I was so relieved. So after two unnecessary hydrocelectomy surgeries, I found the answer. ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO USE TRANSILLUMINATION FIRST!!! Inguinal hernia can't be seen with ultrasound, CT or manual palpitation. TRANSILLUMINATION!!!
586
Lean
Reading so many comments about post-op pain and problems, I'm here to write about my positive experience to all those scheduled to go through a hydrocelectomy. Of course, it all depends on each patient and -from what I'm reading- on the doctors mostly. But I understand we all remember to post mostly when we're not happy.
I had my procedure done on my right testicle at the Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. This is a world-class hospital so the level of attention is beyond most Western hospitals. The anesthesiologist asked me if I wanted full anesthesia or spinal blockage and explained both in detail. I didn't feel like being present at all, so I went for the full knock-out. I woke up about an hour later in the recovery room, and after that rolled up to my room, where I spent the night. I was sent home the day after, with an antibiotic, 3 painkillers and some tylenol. My doctor told me I oculd see some swelling and even bruising during the first week, but I haven't had any of that, thankfully. No need for ice packs either. I took the meds as prescribed, but didn't really feel any pain over 4-5. Right after I took the Tylenol it would go down to a level 1-2. Walking around home for a few days was a bit uncomfortable and there was some occasional light pain, but I've been through much worse. The incision is about 3 inches long and very clean. I decided to take care of the wound myself, as dressing it is very easy.
I can feel some hard tissue right now inside/around the nut, but the doctor (whom I've seen 3 times since the surgery 2 weeks ago) explained it was normal (tissue stitched inside the sack) and it would go back to normal within 1-2 months. The only difficulty I've had so far is sleeping on my stomach. Two weeks after the surgery my testicle is about the normal size with the exception of the hard tissue inside and the scar of course.
I am very happy I had the surgery, of course, because I had a GREAT surgeon who was VERY careful during the surgery and handled "everything" with a lot of care. This makes the whole difference in any post-op pain. The body remembers the handling, and when the anesthetic wears off, the real pain wakes up. If your surgeon handled you like a butcher during the surgery, your pain will be excruciating. I would talk to your surgeon about this and kind of gauge him/her.
So to those about to get through this, just do it but don't be shy and ask your doctor all the questions you can think of. WRITE a list prior to your consultation or you will forget them. It's not a life-threatening surgery so just relax and let the pros take care of it. Good luck!
Please, I have a question. After the surgical operation, my testes swelled, how many weeks will it take the testes to return back to normal ?
588
John knights
I had surgery to my testlies for hydroceles was not put under because of covet 19 the area was numb and the surgery was down just want to know if it is ok to for it to feel hard after and for how long a tube was put in for draining after surgery and I had stitches as well for closing the cut up I still have some swelling I feel fine my only concern is that the area feel hard stitches so post to be dissolved any advice are welcome thank you
589
Tony
Well, I have been diagnosed with a hydrocele on 08/07/2020 and I have an appointment on 08/11/2020 to take a urine test but the guy at the hospital who did the ultra sound test said that I had Hydroceles. So now I will find out after the urine test tomorrow if this is true. I'm a bit nervous because I never had an operation and most importantly not on my testicles. I'm praying that it is not cancerous and I hope everything goes well. I will keep everyone posted after tomorrow urine test, but I'm wondering if anyone else had to take a urine test first? No one has said if they did or didn't but thank you all for your experiences.
590
Pleai am new,
Good day,glad to be on this platform,please I was diagnosed of Hydrocele just a month ago but I've visited several Doctors and urologist but they said it's too small to operate,but my main concern is that the affected side pains me ,the pain comes and goes and it has been like this for weeks,..Can someone help out..please..I have done like 6scrotal scans.
591
Rasaq
I am 45+. I actually didn't notice I have hydrocele until about 4 weeks ago when I visited hospital on my own requesting for wide test. I had earlier read it online that it is good for someone to check himself/herself once in a while . Though hydrocele was not part of the recommended tests for me but the Dr discovered abnormalities in the size of my left testicle when he was trying scan me for prostate.
I told my wife and couldn't make anything about it. I have to inform two of my cousins ( male nurse and Sociologist) who were agemate to open theirs and compare with mine. It was revealed mine was bigger than theirs. I later thought of how some secret admirer female colleagues that my thing is bigger and I will be surprised how .
After confirmation from my cousins, I rushed to hospital with my wife and the Doctor asked me to do ultrasound which confirmed that I have hydrocele.
I moved to my station where work almost 209km from my family and a particular hospital that have my health records to do a second opinion test. Same result but the fluid was also collected and tested with no trace of infection.
I was asked to see Urologist who later scheduled operation for me.
I did the hydroceletomy on 14th October 2020. The surgery was successful with no pain and my eyes were opened chatting with the team. Only my left scrotum were given anesthesitic. It took less one hour. I was told to go home that but decided to take one night rest at hospital because I have done any operation before and my family is not with me.
Post surgery looks of the left operated is scary. It is now harder than before it was operated and have egg shape. Though, it didn't drop down like pr-operateed one.
I visited the Doctor and he told me it will soon change.
Please what is the problem with me.

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