One Month Later ... A Dull Ache!
DIY
mine on January 10th. Same day as ROB, I believe. Really enjoyed reading
his posts. Experienced the same nerves beforehand, humor during and relief
afterwards. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences. Mine was a
traditional closed vas using the scapel. As I said, I only discovered the
group just before my surgery....
My problem is a dull aching/pain in my testes, especially when touched/moved
(as during a shower). I experienced almost no pain in the days afterward.
Never took any of the pain killers and felt fine (except for the usual
visual cues of discoloration and being shaved!).
At the end of the first week I began feeling a dull ache. Doctor checked it
out and said everything appeared to be normal. He gave me the green light
to resume my running, cycling and general training. He did advise me to
stay away from mountain biking until the 3rd or 4th week.
Now it's the end of 4 weeks. I've been running and wearing supportive
underwear (boxer briefs and other stuff I usually wear for sports) most of
the time. I never experience pain during a run or while working around the
house or while lifting anything. However, often during the day I get this
pain. Very dull, but persistent. At times it feels more like lower abdomen
than my balls, but it's definitely there.
Has anyone experienced this type of pain? Did it go away or did you just
get used to it? I'm back to the doc tomorrow, but it's been a while since
he had his vas!
Thanks.
Don
trifold
I had the closed ended procedure, too, over 4 years ago. For the
first year, I would sometimes get a dull ache on the right side the
day after particularly good sex (long delayed ejac. or multiple
ejacs.). Also, occasionally the epididymi would be a little swollen
and tender. If I poked at them I'd notice. I'm guessing you are
experiencing something similar, maybe aggravated by your exercise
regime (I mostly just swim, which is easy on the balls!). You are
doing the right thing asking the doc., but I bet things will settle
down on their own, as they did for me. Lots of men seem to have a
"break in" period that can go on for several weeks. An old fashioned
jock strap that I use when I play squash helped me alot. Maybe you
need something more supportive than you usually wear. Good luck. And
let us know what your doc. says.
trifold
ROB
Hi Don,
I'm with Trifold on this one, it could take up to several months for
it to go away. What you are describing is the reason that I went with
an open ended and the reason my urologist will only do them ! Closing
off a system that is normally open is not a good thing. With that said
there are gents here that have had no problems and are quite happy.
ROB
TEAM VAZUKI YOU CAN CUT US, BUT YOU CAN'T KEEP US DOWN!
DIY
especially because I want to chork when I look at a diagram and get a
graphic description of what was cut and what is left.
He did a lot of prodding and ruled out all sorts of things (infection,
cysts, unexplained swelling, etc.). The best he could determine was that
some inflamation near the epidiymi (I think) was causing the pain and was
being referred to my testes. He said that the "staple" (he cauderized,
sutured and stapled...those suckers aren't going anywhere!) although small
might be rubbing and causing the inflamation. Of course my training was
probably compounding the problem. He wants me to lay off running, cycling
and other abdominal stuff for a week or two and take Vioxx. I guess scar
tissue will develop and it will get less inflamed?
I'd rather lay off sex than running! I can run anytime I want and for
however long I want. Either way, a few good snow storms and sub-zero days
and two weeks will pass in no time.
I'll keep you posted.
Don
"trifold" <trif...@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:f6289b53.0302...@posting.google.com...
Giraud
Sounds *very* similar to me. I had my vasectomy in September - closed
ended, cauterized, clamped. Over the first two months, I had a dull ache
on the right side and rare pulsing sensation on the left.
At 3 months, it was much better - usually no pain at all, but sometimes a
feeling of pressure or slight ache.
Now on some days I feel a little bit of ache, but the usual case is none,
and the pressure seems to be subsiding.
Also, I have had that same shower experience - when I manipulate my balls,
they feel tender. I still feel that, but to a lower and lower degree.
Also, I have to give one more important piece of info: about 20 years ago,
I experienced ache (sometimes rather annoyingly severe) in my right
testicle and epididimus. The doc (at my college clinic) tried everything,
including antibiotics - they always assume STD in college! Nothing helped
but time. Finally, months later, one doctor told me that I may experience
aching from time to time for years, and the cause is relatively unknown
(maybe pressure?). So I wonder if I had a blockage on my right side many
years pre-vas.
Anyway, the ache, over the years before my vas, subsided to pretty much
nothing probably 15 or more years ago, but it came back to a small degree
the week *before* my vas! Was this my mind starting to focus on that part
of my body? Who knows - interesting though.
So I can't definitively relate my ache to my vas completely - it certainly
makes the "blockage" more definite, but again, this ache has come and go
with me for 20 years (mostly in the first few of those years). I can say
from experience that mine did subside over time, and now that I am 5 months
post-vas, the ache has slowly but surely gotten better.
So in summary, hang in there. It can and does (as evidenced by myself and
others here) take time sometimes - not the couple of weeks that some people
report! Also, my data point shows that there can be other causes of this
kind of ache not related to vasectomy at all. In my case, I'll probably
never know the reason for the non-vas ache: maybe the cause was
physiologically similar to a vascetomy's effect, but maybe not.
Giarud
ROB
Did you urologist say anything about the difference in sizes of the
vas deferens? My left side was 1/2 the diameter of the right! I had a
problem when I sneezed, it felt like someone was stabbing me in the
right testicle!!i had it checked out when it first occured and it
wasn't a hernia and it was on the opposite side of the pain. That
would seem to me to rule out the pressure being the cause from an
under sized vas deferens. Just food for thought or something for Don
to ask his urologist on another visit.
ROB
Giraud
> That's positive. And the love life?
No complaints! ;)
I will say that there is one difference: unprotected sex used feel more
"forbidden," since it was limited to "safe" times, etc. Now that there is
no worry there anymore, it has less of that taboo feeling. So having the
worry gone is great (relaxed, etc.), but with that is gone the "forbidden
fruit" aspect, not that I enjoyed the worry or "risky" feeling - those were
unpleasant. Along with the worry usually came a hightened awareness or
sensativity physically with sex or something, as if part of me wanted to
stop because it might not be a good idea. Not being relaxed about it made
it more intense, but not entirely in a good way. Hard to explain!
This is something I did not expect! But I don't know as I'd call it a
"drawback" of vasectomy - just an interesting effect. I think more than
anything it takes getting used to a different mental model of sex: one in
which sex does not equate to potential pregnancy. It really makes you
think about it - what a weird physical act sex is (there were times, years
ago, when I'd think this too, and too much thinking about it makes it kinda
strange)! Even though for so many years I went to great effort to prevent
pregnancy, it's different when it's entirely disconnected from it. I think
that this is the core of what makes some men have trouble being sterile.
Even though I like being sterile (it makes me feel very free - I now look
at other men and think, wow, they [probably] have to worry about this!), I
can understand why it might really do numbers on one psychologically, since
it's an unexpected mental and philosophical shift. It has made me do a lot
of thinking about what sex is and what we are as sexual beings. I think I
am now "growing into" my new vasectomy in some regards, getting used to
this new reality. I guess what I am saying is don't be surprized if
vasectomy hits you mentally more than you expected. The end result is
good, but it changes the way you think about things a little!
Giraud
David
Good to hear that things are going well. It seems to me that this would make
a good addition to your story on the website.
David
www.vasectomy-information.com
"Giraud" <gir...@BOGUS.skyrush.com> wrote in message
news:yQb4a.33$eZ6....@news.uswest.net...
Giraud
> Hi,
>
> Good to hear that things are going well. It seems to me that this would
> make a good addition to your story on the website.
Feel free to add it as an update! Also my previous post about the status
of my epi, etc.!
Joe
Giraud
> Unless you mean feeling pressured in some way. That can kill the moment
> sometimes.
Nope, not pressured.
> At other times consider that if it feels good, who cares if it's a weird
> concept?
That's the real truth, of course!
> Maybe I should be glad I don't share that sentiment. I don't feel "weird"
> about it.
If you mean about sex, I don't either. It's a funky concept if you think
about it too hard, but I chalk it up to something beyond thinking or logic.
> I never made a conscious effort to avoid
> pregnancy. So I won't miss that aspect.
What you *may* miss is the chance to get pregnant, but as long as you go
into this being truthful to yourself, you'll be fine. Sounds like you have
good solid reasons.
> It's more of a family thing for me. Like how I'm going to announce to my
> parents "no more
> grandchildren."
What I say to that is that it is none of their concern: it's your life and
decision. Might be harsh, but I really hate pressure put on one by their
parents to have grandkids for *them*. My parents gave up long ago hoping
for grandkids. I think pressure from above is bad because you really have
to want kids (more more kids). The worst thing is to bring a kid into the
world due to external pressures.
> The only way I can see it hitting me is realizing that Zophie will be an
> only child
> forever. And if I ever came into big bucks and decided I wanted another
> baby... too bad.
Yeah, that's the catch. I think you should be ready for some after-effects
mentally, even ones you don't anticipate. Not that you can't handle it
fine, but be ready for some internal reflection.
If you know your reasons, and it sounds like you aren't doing this lightly,
then you'll feel good about it in the end, but maybe you'll have some
interesting "pangs". In a way, it's one more way to get to know yourself
better.
Giraud
Giraud
> I think pressure from above is bad because you really have
> to want kids (more more kids).
What I meant to type was "or more kids"...
Giraud
trifold
> pregnancy, it's different when it's entirely disconnected from it. I think
> that this is the core of what makes some men have trouble being sterile.
> Even though I like being sterile (it makes me feel very free - I now look
> at other men and think, wow, they [probably] have to worry about this!), I
> can understand why it might really do numbers on one psychologically, since
> it's an unexpected mental and philosophical shift. It has made me do a lot
> of thinking about what sex is and what we are as sexual beings. I think I
> am now "growing into" my new vasectomy in some regards, getting used to
> this new reality. I guess what I am saying is don't be surprized if
> vasectomy hits you mentally more than you expected. The end result is
> good, but it changes the way you think about things a little!
>
> Giraud
I think you are right that men rarely think about how they think about
sex. So some can be caught by surprise after vasectomy. It's good
you raise these issues here. Probably more should think seriously
about their fantasies etc and what role being a "seed bearer" (or seed
shooter) plays in them.
trifold
trifold
> "forbidden," since it was limited to "safe" times, etc. Now that there is
> no worry there anymore, it has less of that taboo feeling. So having the
> worry gone is great (relaxed, etc.), but with that is gone the "forbidden
> fruit" aspect, not that I enjoyed the worry or "risky" feeling - those were
> unpleasant. Along with the worry usually came a hightened awareness or
> sensativity physically with sex or something, as if part of me wanted to
> stop because it might not be a good idea. Not being relaxed about it made
> it more intense, but not entirely in a good way. Hard to explain!
The closest I have gotten to this is when I've done it where we might
be discovered--my dormroom while my roommate was next door, a snowbank
in a public park, the balcony of an apartment complex while another
guy was reading on his balcony one flight down and just across the
way, the unlocked apartment of a neighbor while he was out "just for a
minute," a public hot tub with people passing by the other side of the
fence, a tent with campers nearby, a motel room on the groundfloor
with the window open, etc. It's weird, I know, but somehow risk can
make you feel it more.
trifold
Linthorn Elentir
wrote:
>On Mon, 17 Feb 2003 14:00:18 -0700, Giraud babbled on about Re: T-minus 5 Days Re: One
>Month Later ... A Dull Ache! proclaiming:
>EPI? Isn't that like a space walk?
That's an EVA.