Temp names. When you did have the pain was it in both nuts?
I wonder why my Dr has not tried me on that tablet you took?
I'm glad you have been sorted mate.
Hey, Guest and TempName, how difficult is it over there in the UK (or anywhere else outside of the US) to obtain an appointment with a urologist or to get a MRI? Here in Southern California, the doctors will not order any further diagnostic tests if you don't have money. I keep requesting a MRI every time I go see the GPs and urologists, but they flat out refuse even when they don't know what is wrong.
The healthcare system here is so backwards, they'd rather I end up at the ER 3 or 4 times than to request a diagnostic test to dispel any other potential causes for the disease. It is an incredibly screwed up system that is strictly for-profit. Meaning that if you don't have the money to pay for their overpriced services, they won't give a damn.
How is your condition now?
I went to the ER yesterday for pain and got the same run-around treatment. They completely ignored my symptoms, gave me more narcotics, and sent me on my way home after spending 6 hours there. I don't know how these doctors can look at one straight in the face knowing they have ways of diagnosing things.
All they kept repeating to me was that at an ER, they treat "emergency" cases. I kept responding, "Nobody knows what the hell this is and it hurts a hell of a lot... so this IS an emergency!" The doc just walked out. I just about lost it and started crying inconsolably.
I finally managed to stumble my way back home and slept for about 10 hours hahaha. Maybe these high-power narcotics aren't so bad. Anyway, I logged on and started searching again and again and again. Holy sh*t, man. There are a buncha dudes, girlfriends, and wives out there who are dealing with either the same thing or similar issues. You know, at the same time, I sort of wish my problem would just spontaneously resolve by itself, but it doesn't hurt to look around in the meantime.
I'm trying to read up more on this "spermatic cord denervation," but it seems to work okay. There is pain reduction all around and it is minimally invasive... plus it's not outright sterilisation! Within the same article, you will also note the authors list other treatments prior to choosing this type of surgery. You should look into these, as well, compadres.
Sometimes, in the depths of this pain, I feel like giving up - ending it once and for all. I feel really down on myself. On the other end, I feel inspired to raise hell. I want to expose a lot of these f*****g urologist frauds for their incompetence and at least get a sense of satisfaction at being arrogant and an insufferable bastard right back at 'em. I've booked one appointment for next month with one of these arseholes and am looking at scheduling another appointment with another (hopefully sooner) to discuss the options they willfully don't mention to me (and others).
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Wow... 6 months?! You are a much stronger and patient man than I could ever hope to be, Guest. Here I am cursing the Gods that I got an appointment for next month with UCLA's Clark Urology (purportedly one of the top 5 urology centres in the United States). Hell, I'm gonna push and insist on seeing another urologist before that... just to see who can actually think outside of the box and not give me the same "epididymitis" shitte.
JCA ,Welshguy here. I cannot understand why the hospital was not more helpful you told them how bad you felt its crazy .
I told my Dr I understand that loads of people have got this and he replied 'oh it's very common'
If mine don't ease off I am going to mention DECS as they worked for the other guy.
Ain't it stupid they can't find a cure for us,if I was treated correctly in the first place it would be gone by now I've had 2 years of this.
Please keep in touch my friend.
Pain started in one nut but it got to the other one too. As I said, pain was in both but ultrasound said epididymitis only in the left one.
I'm from India and there's nothing like a full fledged 'appointment' system here. Sure you can schedule one but generally you can just go, wait in line and get to a urologist any day.
To be fair with your docs, parasites (which cause epididymitis) are much more prevalent here in this region than in the west. So this option might not be high on your docs diagnosis flowchart.
Oy, Welshguy, look up what "DEC" is first:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diethylcarbamazine
It's an antihelmitic drug used to treat filiarisis. It kills microscopic worms that get caught up on your lymph nodes (the same ones that cause ailments such as elephantitis and tapeworms). Those are some f***ed up diseases.
You should write down every sort of treatment discussed in medical journals that refer to epididymitis and other forms of testicular or scrotal pain. Hell, you should also discuss physical therapy or even going to a chiropractor to check your lower back. The article I linked briefly lists some of these treatments.
Mind you, these only reduce the pain and mask the problem, but at this rate anything that helps is good. I'm sold more on the idea of getting nerve blocks to the spermatic cord. If that actually works in eliminating your pain, however temporary, then you would be a prime candidate for having the spermatic cord denervation procedure. Again, this may or may not provide total relief, but it's worth a try before making the leap at cutting off yer yarbles.
Another thing to consider would be getting checked for autoimmune diseases (Lupus, Behcet's). Ask your GP if they'd do an ANA test to check for an autoimmune response you might be having to your own sperm in your epididymes. There are no cures for autoimmune diseases, but there are treatments that can greatly reduce the symptoms. Make sure you bring in articles to show proof to your doc that this isn't something you made up, but what doctors in the field are actually using to treat their patients.
Right now, I've hit a roadblock by not being able to obtain a MRI to verify what the damage is. The doctors here outright refuse to do them and stick to their misdiagnosis. They keep saying it is not needed. However, at the ER, I told the doctors and nurses, "Hey, I've had all these useless ultrasounds that were not able to pick up the problem with my right testicle. The CT was done and, guess what? It picked up the problem right away. F**k your ultrasound; it wasn't able to pick up the problem as I knew it would not! Of course pelvic MRIs exist and they are done to check for problems with testicular and pelvic pain. You don't know what you're talkin' about or you're denying to treat me because I don't have money - or maybe both. You took an oath!"
Of course, they all ignored me, but it's the usual response one gets from them when they're backed into a corner and exposed for the greedy frauds that they are.
Aye, I really hope you get better, man. Again, you are far more capable of handling this sort of pain, physically and emotionally. By the way, what sorts of diagnostic tests have they done so far?
I'm currently taking Gabapentin which is for nerve pain they can take a while to work but at the moment the pain is still there but not so fierce .
I have another appointment on the 26 th I will keep you guys updated.
As I've said my Dr did say he might be sending me back to the urologist I just hope I have more help this time and not fobbed off telling me to take Paracetamol .
As you guys know this is now VERY depressing to say the least two years of my life being in pain and having no quality of life ,I've not been on holidays for 2 years because of this.
Keep in touch guys..Cheers Welshguy.
Welshguy. Sorry forgot to mention I've had numerous urine tests all clear.
Welshguy, make sure you prepare for your appointments with questions about the several treatments available. I don't know if this works, but you may have to exaggerate your pain symptoms in order for the doctors to be alerted and do more testing.
So far, I've gone through:
- 10 days of doxycycline, 1 ultrasound early on, 2 weeks of cipro, another ultrasound, 2 more weeks of doxycycline AND amoxicillin, two more ultrasounds, and one CT scan... and a bunch of urine tests; 3 GPs, 3 emergency room visits, and 2 urologists.
Everything was coming up negative, except the CT scan is the one that found an abnormally "high-riding," right testicle. It gets stuck in the upper portion of the scrotum for most of the day. I want a MRI done to see what is causing this testicle to ride up and bulge out in front and to also check my left testicle and see why it is lying so low and horizontal in the scrotum. As I said, my scrotum looks deformed because both testicles face away from each other and lie really low and really high.
The f***ing urologists were telling me to ignore this, but the pain and discomfort has intensified since then; it's gotten much, much worse. They wanted to remove both epididymes and be done with me, like some kind of stray dog to be neutered, but they could not and would not explain my symptoms and insisted on their sh!tty diagnosis. All doctors, so far, have denied me getting a MRI and cannot explain the cause or why things look the way they do and why they hurt so damn much.
Hi Jca, I had various different antibiotics sometimes taking them for 3 months at a time.
Last week when I saw my DR he said there is a operation you can have and I replied yes and I understand that is not guaranteed to solve the problem you are right he said.
I did say to him I cannot stress how much this is affecting me I have NO reason to lie.
I just wish they would give us a safe pain killer.like I said before I'm sure there MUST be someone in the world with a proper answer for us.
2 years I've had it and I've read about other guys having it even longer than me, like you I could write a book on it.
Please keep in touch my friend.Welshguy
I haven't had sex or masturbated in over a month out of fear I will cause more damage or f**k myself over doing something that will innervate either testicle. It's hell, but, as I recall, I masturbated twice since this whole ordeal began. The first time, I noticed not much came out, but I was freaked out and hesitant. The second time I was able to masturbate, a little more came out than last time, but probably a little less than usual (cosidering I hadn't masturbated in a week).
Before you choose the surgery route, mention to your GP about steroid injections, nerve blocks, radiotherapy, and electric therapy. If the nerve block works, even if it's briefly, then you should ask the GP about the microsurgical denervation of the spermatic cord. Otherwise, just keep getting the nerve blocks until they don't work. At that point, then you should try epididymectomy as a last resort.
Just remember that cases of epididymitis that cannot be traced to a source are the ones with the least amount of success after the operation. If there was a way to try it on one testicle before going full-monty with this...
My thoughts are with you, Welshguy. I hope you find a treatment that works.