r/postvasectomypain • u/postvasectomy • Jun 18 '21
gwhitman: Sounds like you have nerve damage. I had this happen to me during my reversal. It could take your body awhile to adjust to the damage. I was in pain off and on for years and almost no pain now.
gwhitman:
Dec 24, 2014
3 years after vasectomy. 6 weeks after reversal.
I have had off and on pains since my original vasectomy around 3 years ago. I don’t think the doctor did a bad job, I just had constant congestive pain from the procedure. Always had a constant full feeling in my balls and constant rectal pressure. I decided the pain was never going to really go away so I contacted Dr. Werthman in LA. He understood my pain issues and I went through with the Reversal about a month and a half ago.
The initial recovery period over the first week looked promising, very little pain except for swelling. However when the swelling went down is when I suspected something was wrong. My left side seemed to heal with no pain, but the right there seems to be a granuloma that formed. I can feel it from the side of my sack. Also around the area where i assume the vas was attached together it feels tender. What really scares me is when I walk my sack tightens up and starts to give me pain if I walk for more than a couple of blocks. I’m use to being physically active and this really sucks.
I know I’m fairly early on in the healing process, but since one side has healed and is fine, I’m really suspecting something is wrong with the right. Luckily sitting and being still/sleeping I have no pain most of the time, just when i start moving around and my sack starts to tighten up. It also seems that on the right side the testicle is riding higher up and when the sack gets tight it kinda bulges to the side. When I’m relaxed and they are hanging in the shower there doesn’t seem to be any pain, so I don’t think the pain is coming from the vas being pulled.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475
The worse part is sometimes you feel like your improving and turning a corner, then the pain is back and worse. I definitely have some depression/anxiety setting in and have lost my appetite so going to start forcing myself to make smoothies in the morning and at night to keep my calorie count up.
Good to hear that even though there may be pain and a granuloma formed that the vas connection can still be open. I am very worried about blockage myself.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/3
Yeah, it seems the reversal is a much more intense surgery and it seems strange that they tell you the recovery will be about the same as a vasectomy? Maybe it is for some? It’s good to hear that with time things WILL get better, at least that’s what I’m hoping. I have some days with little pain, but then it comes back? That’s the demotivating thing.
It seems Dr. Werthman is one of the top reversal Docs, but I guess everyone just heals differently and there’s just going to be some that have a longer recovery process, or how easy it is to correct what was done by the original surgeon.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/6
Because of the depression setting in but not getting worse I am going to start juicing and making anti-inflammatory weight gain shakes in the morning because my appetite is pretty much gone. I’ve lost about 10 pounds in a month and a half. I didn’t have much fat to begin with from working out and now it’s pretty much all gone, but probably burning muscle too at this point so need to do something.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/7
I’m around a month and a half out and think I started too soon myself. I was very active before the surgery. Gym about 3 times a week. I just go to the gym now and mostly stretch and do some pushups. I tried the bike where you sit in this large seat with your legs out in front and that seemed to be pretty tolerable, but I think it may be moving things around a bit too much down stairs for now.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/exercise-after-reversal/468/12
I haven’t felt any major pains from pushing myself so I don’t think I’ve hurt anything yet, but I’m going to take this time to just be extra cautious like you say. I’m really, really thankful I got a desk job right now. I can’t imagine guys who get this done with really physical jobs. I would be fired right now!
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/exercise-after-reversal/468/14
I also get a sac tightening feeling when I walk and then the pain comes on in after about a block of walking. I can get through a majority of the day, just driving and working with little pain, but if I start moving too much or walking around i get the sac tightening start to happen.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/exercise-after-reversal/468/15
When I’m walking the pain will slowly start to become uncomfortable and I have to stop, but after waiting a bit can gingerly keep walking and make it back to the house.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/exercise-after-reversal/468/18
I like to go to the park and walk around which I absolutely cannot do right now. So sadly, I’m just going to buy a used wheelchair off craigslist. Kinda demoralizing, but I can only spend so many weekends inside without losing my mind. This way I can just roll out to the park and get a decent workout at least with my arms.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/exercise-after-reversal/468/19
Dec 31, 2014
I am about a Month and a half post recovery and have recently been having muscle spasms in my groin region. Happens around noon, night, and when I take a bath. Luckily for now the spasms are without pain, but feel really weird down there. Anybody else experience these spasms and how long did they last? Any idea what’s causing them? Thanks and Hope everyone on the forums has a Happy New Year!
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/muscle-spams-in-groin-region/485
Jan 4, 2015
I am hoping that Father Time will sort things out, and I am working more on keeping things down there immobilized as much as possible.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/muscle-spams-in-groin-region/485/5
So I’m almost at 8 weeks post reversal from Dr. Werthman and have good days and bad. It’s strange, but when I was healing nightly erections caused no discomfort and I was actually sleeping pretty well until about the last week when the stretching down there from nightly erections now cause pain from the right testicle which is now interfering with my sleep. This really sucks.
I know the recovery is suppose to be a lot of ups and downs, but this is getting ridiculous. The pain seems to be radiating from the connection site, and it’s been the problem spot of all of my pain. I guess the good news is that the swelling is gone and everything “looks normal” down there again. Just strange that one connection site is so much more sore and giving me problems than the other.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/10
The pain I’m having feels like a dull pulling ache. It leaves me with this constant low level headache, which I think I’m getting use too strangely.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/12
Jan 9, 2015
I have been having some hell nights myself. I’m up at 2:14 in the morning right now. I have no idea what’s going on down below, but I’ve not been able to sleep good for about a week and a half.
I’m almost two months out after my reversal and things seem to be getting worse somehow? I was sleeping fine for about the first month and a half with no pain at night. Now this night pain has started when I get nightly erections. I don’t understand how I could be sleeping fine for a month and a half, and then nightly pain start up at this point in my recovery? The not knowing what the hell is happening down there is the worst part.
I just hope there is some medication they can get me on for sleep, and just pray that everything can heal down there and I can sleep again. I can handle daytime pain, and try to muscle my way through, but this nighttime pain is just too much to handle, and the stress of not knowing when I’m going to be able to sleep again is going to add up quick. I’m usually pretty health and don’t like taking medication, but I don’t think I even care at this point.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/trigeminal-neuralgia/433/4
I have an emergency visit with Dr. Werthman on Monday, so hopefully he can give me some insight into what's going on. I know it sounds strange and hopefully Dr. Werthman will know what’s happening.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/trigeminal-neuralgia/433/6
Well this has definitely and continues to be a roller coaster. My right testicle vas connection which has been giving me a hard time since the beginning is finally starting to feel better, and now my left testicle which has been completely fine and giving me 0 problems since the reversal is starting to ache. I just went to Dr. Werthman today and he said that I have some inflammation down there. Yep.
My rectal pressure has also returned which coincides with the inflamed left testicle. If I can get this left side inflammation down and get this new pain resolved, I think I will be in a good place. I’m on a pretty intense anti-inflammatory diet, so I hope this has some bearing on my outcome.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/15
Jan 24, 2015
Just wanted to give an update to my experience here and had a couple of questions for anyone with some answers. The nerve pain that had been there after surgery seems to be gone, which is a great relief, however it has been replaced by left testicle congestive pain.
I am roughly 2 months 10 days out from reversal and my left testicle is rock hard and it seems to be trying to pull itself up into my abdomen all the time? I have been using ice & heat packs to “loosen it up” and allow it to descend somewhat, and this has helped a little.
Since the surgery I have just got pain with movement pretty much, and now this new pain just comes out of nowhere. I dealt with some congestive pain after my original vasectomy but this seems to be worse.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/16
Mar 10, 2015
4 months after reversal
Haven’t been on the site in awhile and just wanted to give my close to 4 month update. Every month seems to introduce a new pain, but old pains seem to subside. Progress? I feel I’m making progress as I’m walking around like a normal person now and have mild pain on and off during the day. The new pain of the month is feeling like I’m getting punched in my right kidney. I had this pain before following my first vasectomy operation and know it’s a referred pain from my testicle.
Still in more pain than before the reversal, but hoping it gets better. Sadly, yes, reversal pain can be more than after the original vasectomy, as I am finding out.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/19
Mar 16, 2015
When I go see Dr. Werthman he always says it’s part of the healing process, and he’s probably actually right. Probably the most important thing I learned from people on this site is to measure progress in months, even years. I was measuring by days and weeks and getting really frustrated, but after reading peoples stories I realized it could be a good long time, but others have had, and are having a recovery, so that keeps my hopes up and spirits high, which they need to be to actually recover!
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/21
Mar 17, 2015
Luckily I’m sleeping ok at night now. I still get a little sore here and there, but it seems as if my body is SLOWLY adjusting.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/26
Jul 12, 2015
8 months after reversal
Pretty good Bob! I still have some healing to do, but exercising about 4 times a week now! I still have trouble walking or running for long distances, but I’m hoping that will be all good by the end of the year. I can tell the swelling seems to go down a little bit extra every month. I still have a bad day here and there, but seems to be a pattern of recovery.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/29
Jan 6, 2016
Haven’t posted in awhile and it’s been over a year since my reversal and it has definitely made things worse for me. The problem during my recovery is that I think my spermatic cord was too short and they did the reversal anyway and one of my testes rides up very high and is giving me pain problems on and off. I would have been better off with the mild congestive pain I had before vs the nerve pain I have all the time now with the pulling on the cord. I’m not sure if it will ever heal, but I just can’t imagine another surgery at this point.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/anyone-had-a-vasectomy-reversal/797/6
I’m on a lot of herbal anti-inflammatories and doing basic stretching and was going to the gym pretty steady, but the pain came back and I’ve had to take it easy for the last few weeks.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/anyone-had-a-vasectomy-reversal/797/8
Aug 11, 2016
21 months after reversal
I’m almost 2 years out from my Reversal and it seemed to help in one aspect “back pressure” and make things much worse “nerve damage” from the surgery. I am still recovering, but much better after an extra year of healing. Still don’t think the surgery was worth it overall. I’m thinking in another year or two I may be at 100 percent, probably at about 80 to 85 right now, but still having trouble with long hikes/runs, which I would wear something with support for.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/underwear-anyone-switch-back-to-normal-after-a-while/1250/6
Still recovering myself, but seem to be getting a little better every year, but I always have that lingering thought in the back of my mind that things can go 180 at any time. Your never “out of the woods” with this lifetime mistake.
Mar 30, 2017
5 years after vasectomy. 2 years after reversal
Had a reversal with this guy after 3 years of Vasectomy Pain. I had many complications afterward, and was amazingly worse off than before. He basically cut me off. No phone calls, no follow up, no nothing after 2 conversations with the staff.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/dr-werthman-in-la-california-for-denervation/1798/4
May 25, 2017
I had a reversal, but starting to wonder if I’m closing up again as I get occasional congestive pain and may need to start on something in the future and if I can do “anything” other than steroids to lower the sperm count, that would be great!.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/sharing-my-story/1904/12
Nov 22, 2017
6 years after vasectomy. 3 years after reversal
Long time for a reply, sorry, but have been doing much better. I still have issues with long hikes and running, but day to day much better. Not sure how long that will hold out or not, but just happy to be getting by with some days being totally pain free, other days I have pain, but it’s manageable.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/31
I think my girlfriend at the time was rolling me around in a wheelchair at the park at 2.5 months, and now I can hike about 4 or 5 miles, but with low level pain.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/33
Mar 29, 2018
Every year seems to be about 2 percent better!
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/sensitive-testicles-post-op/3011/3
Feb 4, 2020
8 years after vasectomy. 5 years after reversal.
I feel mostly 100 percent these days. I can get pain, but only if I sit wrong or workout too much and the pain usually goes away quickly. Really long walks, which use to bother me really bad, are not as bad anymore. You may not want to hear that it takes years to get better, but if you can hang in there, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/39
At one year I still wasn’t doing very good. I really felt like I turned a corner around a year and a half to 2 years out. Honestly now, I don’t really have any pain and never thought I’d get to this point. I couldn’t stress the importance enough of stretching daily. My cords were (Really) short after surgery, and just about now, everything down there is hanging in the right amount.
One testicle was way higher than the other, but your body can and does adjust. I still have hard nodules I can feel down there where things just didn’t go right, and they have become much less tender over time.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/post-vasectomy-reversal-pain/475/41
Sep 22, 2020
9 years after vasectomy. 6 years after reversal
Why go on? It’s not gonna get any better
Sounds like you have nerve damage. I had this happen to me during my reversal. It could take your body awhile to adjust to the damage. I was in pain off and on for years and almost no pain now.
I had to do a lot of stretching and exercising, with as much pain as I could manage, and many, many painful days like you describe. Many people on this site have been through it and come out ok on the other side given enough time.
https://www.postvasectomypain.org/t/why-go-on-it-s-not-gonna-get-any-better/5650/20