Vasectomy experience with varicocele – Euan’s story

Here is my story so far…

October 15, 2002

I am 37 years old and have two kids. I have a varicocele on my left side and was assured that would not affect the operation which would be straightforward. I had my vasectomy 12 days ago.

Initially, after the operation, I felt okay because the anesthetic was still working. However on the following day, I noticed that my testicles were bruised, and I felt pain and discomfort at the bottom of my stomach at either side of my groin as if my “tubes” had been yanked violently.

I went to my GP a week after the op and she gave me antibiotics as she thought the stitches on one side looked a bit weepy and told me to take pain killers for the discomfort. Since then the swelling has gone down. My stitches are still a bit painful and stingy, but it’s my testes that are so painful that I really don’t want to move. At this moment in time, I regret my decision to ever have a vasectomy.

Update of 27th October 2002

I returned to my GP, 16 days after the op. He examined me and referred me to a Urologist at the hospital. After some consideration, the hospital urologist decided I should be given further antibiotics (ciprofloxacin 500mg for 30 days) however if there was no improvement after 48 hours I should call the GP back and he should get an appointment at the hospital.

Needless to say, there was absolutely no change whatsoever after 48 hours and so on Friday morning I contacted my GP informed him of this and he contacted the hospital who instructed that I attend at the outpatients and would be examined by a urologist.

I went up there and was initially examined by a junior urologist who could not feel anything wrong and suspected epididymitis although the plan was to give me an ultrasound to check me out for damage to confirm this.

I was admitted to the hospital and later underwent an ultrasound examination. The radiologist stated that my varicocele was one of the biggest he had seen but also that he could not see anything untoward. There were no signs of infection or damage. This concerned me as I wondered how I could be in so much pain and there was nothing to see and if it was epididymitis how come he could see no infection.

He stated that as I had been on the antibiotics for 48hrs that could have reduced any swelling and signs of the infection. I wasn’t convinced.

Anyway, I was sent back to the ward where I was later seen by another urologist who told me that they thought I had an infection and to keep taking the tablets and resting. Also to take ibuprofen twice three times a day and hot baths. He told me it could take another couple of weeks to improve.

Needless to say, the two weeks are all but up since then and I feel no different. The pain is specifically on my epididymis particularly on the left side at the bottom of the scrotum because it hangs lower and gets moved or touched more by my clothing.

In fact, that is wrong, I do feel different. I feel depressed – totally deflated.

The urologist at the hospital did say to me that having the varicocele did not increase the risk of the operation however would cause recovery from any complication more difficult “but you would have been told that”. I wasn’t, and I had specifically asked about it when consulted prior to the operation and told it would be absolutely no problem during or after the operation. If I had been told that the varicocele “might” cause problems I would not have gone through with the operation.

Update of April 19, 2003

I had further consultations at the hospital and they decided there was nothing they should do as the pain had faded considerably and medical action may cause problems.