Varicocele

[Willsywoo]

I developed a painful and swollen left testicle, went to the doctor thinking it was an infection but was alarmed when he said he was going to send me for an ultrasound. He told me that it wasn't testicular cancer. The form for the ultrasound asked to investigate possibility of a varicocele which is related to something like a varicose vein in the scrotum and according to him can go down as quickly as it came up. Three days later the left testicle seems down but the right one is enlarged and very hard. The whole scrotum is very enlarged and feels full as the blood isn't draining. This is making me anxious. To be honest his examination seems to have made the problem worse as it was very painful and only the left testicle was affected. He put me on Diclofenac anti-inflammarories + paracetamol. I'm no in pain now but worried that it does not appear to be going down and that the right testicle is now large and hard. Has anyone else had this and what were the results? GP says that if it doesn't go down there is a simple surgical procedure - which I hope I don't have to undergo!
Any words of comfort or reassurance would be most welcome.
Thanks everyone!

[bottleblond]

Will move to health anxiety.

[countrygirl]

Words of comfort are that it is highly unlikely to be cancer as they generally produce painless lumps. Being a female I cannot speak from experience! of this type of problem but a friends son had sudden hard swollen testicle and it was a varicocele that cleared up on its own.

Obviously you will not look forward to any surgical proceedure in that area but at least if it is the above its easily treated and not life threatening. Can you go back to GP as other one is affected and see ifyou can get an emergency ultrasound to put your mind at rest?

[guitarpants]

They are pretty common. Some resolve on their own, some don't. It's not anything dangerous. The surgery is a common and simple procedure, you can go home the same day. The only complication that can occur is it may affect your sperm count and ability to have children because of the heat of the blood in the enlarged vein. However, this is completely repairable and reversible. Some 15% of all men have these.

[Willsywoo]

Thanks to both Countygirl and NinjaXero for their replies. It was really comforting to read them both and especially to learn that a varicocele can go down of its own accord. I think the swelling has gone down a bit but I'm having a problem with the Diclofenac which makes me very dizzy so I don't like taking it - but that's another story. Just got the ultrasound to get through next.
Thanks both again for your help.

[Mogwog]

Hi

Just wnated to offer you some reassurance.

My husband has this, he has had an ultrasound and everything was fine.

His sypmtoms were as you are decscribing.

Laura.xxxx

[bad nuts]

Hey Varicocele sufferers,

Please read further. Dr. Gat of the Gat and Goren Clinic Isreal presented a research article a couple of years a go that presented evidence that strongly suggested that Varicocele is the cause for prostrate enlargement and if left untreated, would lead to Prostrate Cancer.

Dr. Gat also published a research article that presented conclusive test results that also proved a connection between Varicocele and Serum and Free Testosterone drop and testosterone deficiency in many sufferers.

There have also been several articles published that prove that varicocele is the cause of male infertility.

I strongly suggest that any one who suspects they have this condition that they get themselves a Doppler ultrasound of the testes and possibly even their abdomen (as obstruction within the kidneys can also causes testicular shrinkage).

Doppler Ultrasounds are relatively inexpensive and will put your mind at rest.

If you do have varicocele, even a smaller one (less detectable by examination).
Then I strongly suggest that you look into getting the varicocele repaired.

There are several medical procedures to repair this condition, some that are more dangerous than others.

Some that are more expensive that others.
Dr. Gat and Dr. Goren of the Gat and Goren clinic have developed their own medical procedure called the Gat and Goren method that sounds to be less risky than most other procedures.

It also sounds like the most painless, physically and financially.
Still, the procedure, isn't cheap, at $16k for the procedure, which is performed in Israel.

Still, if Dr. Gat is right, it will not only save your life by preventing prostrate cancer, but will improve your life in general, by returning your testosterone levels to normal, removing all hypogonadism type symptoms (including anxiety), making you more fertile, and curing prostrate enlargement and even cure premature ejaculation.

So, perhaps the money will be well spent.
Hope this info helps.

[smartgig]

I think large varicocele can cause anxiety too :

patient.co.uk/forums/discuss/manhood-sapped-by-varicocele-37265

Probably because the testosterone is low in people with varicocele.