Epididymitis - views/thoughts?

Feel ya man, the pain comes and goes, for me at least i get a few months of rest from the pain, but like clockwork it comes right on the third month after the 2 months of rest.

You are taking too small of a dose of Cipro. You should be taking atleast 1000mg a day for atleast 2 weeks. That's how my Epididymitis was cured. Then again everyone is different.

You don't even know if it's epididymitis - not even the doctors know this when they diagnose it from intrascrotal or testicular pain. Real epididymitis that's treated with antibiotics usually yield positive results for bacteria in the urinalysis. If there's no definitive way to know you have a bacterial infection, then taking all those antibiotics will actually cause a lot of harm.

I'm 16 and have just been diagnosed with epidydimitis, after 5 days of a fading in and out ache in my left testicle. The only thing I can say is take your antibiotics/inflammation medication as prescribed and drink lots of water. Urinate as much as you need to and if you feel the urge to ejaculate, do so! Hope this helped

Hi Welsh Guy
I had two cyst removed on Dec 2nd in the right scrotum and for about a 2 weeks everything was pretty sore and then subsided to where I was real happy with the results. I went in for a check up after 4 weeks and he grabbed and squeezed things and now there is constant discomfort. Not as bad as before but he did cause some problems inside. I hope it goes back down. If you think it might be caused from cysts I would follow up on it as it is possible and do not let them convince you otherwise. Just be real careful with the followup and do not let them squeeze things like I did. Good luck
DJA

Those testicular exams by the surgeons can be a bit aggravating. One guy pinched my epididymis and I was in pain for the next week or so. Another did a check-up for a hernia by pushing his finger or thumb hard into the superficial inguinal ring - that hurt like a b!tch for a week, as well. Personally, I've gotten a little better at checking with some minor aches and discomfort, but nowhere near as bad as when the specialists do it. A lot of the pain has been reduced to aches and discomfort. The best part is I'm not taking any medications other than vitamin supplements and probiotics. However, I still have to wear scrotal support and everything still looks twisted and outta place, so my physical activities are limited (no running, jumping, bending, etc.). It's been one year, exactly, since all of this happened hahah!

I'm glad to read you're doing a little better, DJAA. I hope everyone gets better, one way or another.

Hi guys, I am too suffering with this it's been over 2 months now, So i went to A&E last week after getting mixed signals from local gps. They diagnosed it as right testicular torsion and I had it operated on (scrotal exploration and bilateral orchidopexy 3 point fixation), 7 days later and the swelling from the op has nearly all gone, but as that heals the more the old pain and discomfort comes back. Has anyone had any luck with their situation? I've read this thread from start and it sounds like we all have the same issue. I don't want to live with this much longer it's ruining my life!

That is very strange. You had testicular torsion that lasted for more than two months? It doesn't make sense because, in cases of torsion, it is a matter of hours before the testicle becomes unviable and has to be removed. You mean to tell us you had a torsed testicle for two months and the doctors did an orchidopexy on it? Either you had intermittent torsion, a Bell Clapper deformity, or you are the first case of torsion I've read where the testicle was viable after 24 hours (two months!).

At the very least, you won't have to worry about torsion of the other testicle. The pain itself should subside over time... a long time. It could be weeks, sometimes months, or even a year. The body itself has a way of adjusting and recuperating itself sometimes. I can tell you from personal experience the pain has gone down significantly. I'm not full, 100%, and my testicles still hang in an awkward position, but I don't have the same level of pain I had a year ago.

JCA

Oh, and can you tell us more about your exploratory surgery of the scrotum - tests, diagnosis, times, preparation, post-op care, etc. It would be really valuable to other readers here, including myself. I'm actually considering having this type of surgery as a last resort, although for me it's more a matter of discomfort and repositioning the testicle if that is actually possible.

Hi JCA Thats exactly what I thought, I went to A&E saw a nurse then a Dr who then sent for a Urologist I told him everything I was going through, I said how some days it was bearable and others not and how the right teaticle kept sitting at different angles and higher up. 3 hours after going into the hospital he was prepping me for surgery. The notes I received after were poor diagnosis was right testicular torsion and the outcome was exploration and bilateral fixation, . I can't even remember much of what he said to me the morning after as I was still not with it after the op but he did say it was twisted 180, the last week has been painful! But as the swelling from the surgerygoes down the more I can feel the discomfort from the Epididimytis before hand.

Just a quick update, the pain seems to be gone, I do get a dull ache when I'm up and about but I'm pretty sure that's just from the boys rubbing on my legs. As soon as I lay down flat though everything seems to be perfectly fine. The surgery itself was pretty straight forward and was my first time, I think the pain I was experiencing in my last post was just from the swelling and the stitches, all the best guys!

Wow, I'm glad that was resolved.

I forgot to ask how your scrotum looked when you went to the emergency room - if it was swollen on the right side or if the testicle was raised within the scrotum. At any rate, it's great to read you're recovering well.

Hey hope all is well, My scrotum was normal, but my testicle was higher yes, it was really tender to touch and I wanted to vomit everytime something touched it. I read on your posts about your testicle contracting during activities I didnt have this happen to me, although every time I've been on a run and and hiit training in the past they have shrivelled right up. Apparently I'll still be sore up to 4-6 weeks after surgery. But once I've gone out and about or been driving I get the same feeling as I did back in December, I went back to my gp on Monday and she needed to speak to a Urologist to figure out what it is. So back to the hospital tomorrow for an Ultrasound to check for an inguinal hernia. Fantastic! I Feel like I'm falling to pieces!

As I said, sometimes the pain, aches, and discomfort can last for days, weeks, months, and even longer. You just have to soldier it through as best as you can. However, you have to keep in touch with your GP and surgeon in case something goes really wrong and make sure you come well-prepared to your appointments with all sorts of questions. I know there are doctors and others who discourage reading things on-line, but I think it's best to know what they are saying in order to fully understand the implications of treatments and surgeries, esp. in a precarious area such as the yarbles!

Hm. Right now, I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos on scrotal exploratory surgeries (e.g., orchidopexies, hydrocelectomies, orchioectomies, spermatocelectomies, torsions) and reading articles on inguinal hernias. There's A LOT of good video information out there - just don't freak yourself out whenever you see or read about the symptoms and conditions.

I'm trying to narrow down what I might have down to:

- right inguinal hernia that is coming from the back of the right testicle.

- a hydrocele or spermatocele at the back of the testicle stemming from the superficial/outer inguinal ring.

- some other type of cyst or growth at the top right behind the right testicle (maybe an enlarged varicocele).

This growth, mass, or whatever it is does not feel hard upon touching/palpating it. It feels kind of "squishy." I don't press on it too hard for fear it will trigger pain, though. It seems to come down when I sit or stand up after a few minutes and I can sort of reduce it by pushing it back gently with my fingers when I have my pelvis raised upwards (I'm on all fours on the bed or floor, or I am bending over... ugh!).

I think the mass is external to the testicle or epididymis, but whenever it comes down into the scrotum, it pushes the right testicle forward and up and the testicle twists here and there, which causes a lot of aches and discomfort. I sleep on my back with a heating pad near my right pelvis and right groin area. This helps keep my right testicle relaxed and down instead of tensed upwards. If I sleep on my right side, the right testicle will slide forward completely, as if there was nothing attaching it to the scrotum the way it used to be.

This used to be real sensitive to the touch, but the pain has waned down to aches and discomfort over a one-year period, which is how I can sort of do a testicular self-examination. I think I can handle having an overactive cremaster reflex, but the scrotal mass pressure sensation in the scrotum and the aches along the spermatic cord from the testicle slightly twisting are driving me crazy! This is why I am considering the possibility of having an orchidopexy along with the removal of the scrotal mass or having a herniorraphy, if it turns out to be a hernia.

As for the left testicle, which started this whole mess for me, I've all but given up on what happened there. It hangs really low, but - surprisingly! - it does not hurt anymore. There's a slight discomfort, but I'm guessing that whatever muscle or tendon tear or damage that happened there is slooooowly healing itself. All that's left there are an obvious hydrocele, varicocele, and a small 3mm cyst. I can probably live with this damage.

As always, I wish everyone here to get better or find a solution to their problem.

hi guys..

i've had this for about 2 years now. when i went to the urologist for the first time, he immediately diagnosed it as epididymitis so he gave me antibiotics for 2 weeks. i got better taking those but the lump is still noticeable. doctor said it would take months for it to be completely gone. what i did for the discomfort was i kept on wearing supporters like sports supporters and it worked well it drove away the discomfort and since then i was back on the track from playing basketball to drinking coz i just love to drink. haha but now, it feels like it's back and i have now this new lump more in the groin area, back of the testicle right side near the end of your penis and it's giving me discomfort now. i am now taking cipro this is for 2weeks twice a day. my pain's really not that painful but i'm afraid it will get worst. when i first had this my doctor didn't even suggest  for an ultrasound. i also remember in between from the first time i got this till now, i visited my doctor maybe twice coz of fever and some discomfort from the area. this is now my 2nd doctor and after this course of antibiotics w/c will be 6days from now, i will have my first ultrasound. i'm starting to feel worried now and anxious but i'm trying to control it and i am a very anxious person. i just came across this forum and read from start to end and it really helps. i hope my ultrasound will be fine and i hope everyone here will find an end to this battle. i'm really sorry bout my message it's everywhere i really don't know where to begin and how. 

-pilipinas