severe , persistant scrotal swelling after inguinal hernia surgery

For testicular swelling, I found that salt is a huge culprit. Salt makes it all much larger and more painful. Pot was far superior in pain relief than Vicodin. Could function far better as well.
I wish my doc had told me three or four things to have ready for recovery.
1. A urinal or jar so you don't have to get off the sofa so often (or recliner is better)
2. A reacher thing so you can reach things beyond your arms without having to painfully move your body.
3. A cane. Just took some of the body strain away and made hobbling more safe and bearable,
4. When my testicles were the size of a baseball after double inguinal traditional mesh surgery, pot took away the the pain, but the three previous items saved my life.

Seven days and 12 hours after surgery. Same person as previous post.
About a quarter of a medical grade pot cookie replaces what the Vicodin should have done. Once to twice a day made life bearable yet amazingly coherent, far more so than Vicodin for me.
Try to eat zero salt if possible. Ice packs are back in use, best to have two bags of frozen peas per side...one always in the freezer, and one available for placement.
Ibuprofen has some limited assistance with lessening pain and swelling. "DeTox Tea" from the grocery store has been the most effective way to shrink swelling, at least that which was salt-related.
At work several hours today.
Pink is finally becoming the dominant skin color below incisions.
Careful and brief bicycle-riding was godsend to exercise leg muscles, yet not put stress on the healing area.
Vehicle brake pedal is still more than I feel OK with.

I had bilateral open hernia repair on 4/9 and am feeling remarkably good now. Emptying my bladder was a bit tough for the first 2-3 days but improved quickly but DON'T put off going frequently. Getting to the point of having to 'hold it' will hurt!!! Using a tall walking stick for getting in/out bed/chair or down onto/up from the toilet helped IMMENSELY!

Blood settling in my testicular sac or penis wasn't too bad but changing from boxers to briefs helped IMMENSELY with the testicle discomfort. My Dr did horizontal incisions and they're unfortunately where I usually wear my underwear (low rise CK's) and was pretty uncomfortable until I discovered I could tuck my t-shirt under the waistband and it was MUCH better.

On 4/10 I thought I was not going to get through the pain. Dr had advised to NOT get both done but I can't afford the cost of second surgery, wanted to get them bpth behind me and figured pain meds would get me through it. Called Dr to get advice aboout how to adjust meds and got no help at all so I punted a bit. Shortened the time to 4 hrs (Saturday only) between Norco 10/325 and with a 500mg Tylenol, I survived. I ran a low grade fever on 4/11 and 4/12 but was gone by 4/13. I took Phillip's Milk of Magnesia 2X daily for avoiding constipation like the plague!!! Coughing, clearing my throat or talking with any volume hurt like a MF!

I showered on 4/14 and was really tired and sore. I was able to get around, fix my own breakfast and pretty much rest the remainder of the day. It's 4/16 and I could take it slow and do dishes (empty then fill dishwasher). I'm stay-at-home husband (disability) and wife works. I'll reduce the added pain meds and try walking to the neighbor's to visit but think things will only continue to improve. You can contact me using my email: tlc(delete this part)917atverizon(and don't use this either)dotnet (using that to prevent trolling for email addresses) if you have any questions.

Hope this helps those of you wondering which to have done? I researched and found open method typically has lower complications. My surgeon said he refused to do laparascopic, do your research using Google. There's a lot of good Medical studies and American Journal of Medicine (and MANY others) if you just utilize the search engines.

My advice: 1) Don't delay any longer than necessary; 2) Call the Dr or consult a second Dr if you have ANY nervousness; 3) Follow the Dr's orders; 4) Take it easy for a week or more; 5) Have someone at home for several says to help you afterward-do NOT go this alone until you're steady on your feet!!! It will hurt like a S.O.B for a while so get ready. If you're post-op more than 6 months and having a lot of problems still, go to another Dr. No arguement and listen to your body! You know if something's wrong.
GOOD LUCK!!!

I just has Open Surgery for an inguinal hernia 4 days ago. I noticed black and blue swelling in my right testies on day two. Yes I was concerned and visited my doctor. My scrotom on day three swelled alot and had dull pain. The doctor took a look and felt around and said every thing was normal and was expected do to excess bleeding a bit in the scrotom. felt like there was extra stuff in the scrodom which was the mesh that they put in during surgery for the hernia. I have been wearing breifs that help lot and he sujested butting cold packs of peas on the area with a towel for a few days he help with the swelling. swelling went down but im still black and blue there. two days later the area starting to clear up and the black and blue area is shrinking almost over night. been taking Vicondin about every 6 to 8 hours the first two days and now about every 10 hours now becoust of less pain. The Ice pack really helped alot. I found out that if I walk around alittle that it would get the blood cerculating and would help, its been about ten days now and I an about normal, just a little discomfort every now and then. Swelling is normal for the first 6 days and it looks nasty and black and blue, but will go away in time by the second week. hope this helps every one out.

MY 7 YO SON JUST HAD DOUBLE HERNIA SUGRERY HE IS DOING FINE. HIS DOCTOR ROLD ME THAT IF THERE IS EXTREME SWELLING THAT THERE IS AN INFECTION. HE SOME SWELLING AND DISCOMFORT IS NORMAL BUT NOT ALOT. I HAVE ALOT OF CONFIDENCE IN HIS DOCTOR, HE MADE IT ALOT LESS SCARY FOR ME AND MY SON. HOPEFULLY A HAVE HELPED A LTTLE. IT WAS OPEN TOO.

I am 18 days post op and still have pain. I had open bilateral inguinal repair. My surgery took 4.5 hour. Never really bruised anywhere but right on the mesh of the right side. now my incisions are healing nicely but still have lots of discomfort and the occasional jolt of pain. i don't know if it is minor muscle spasms, blood vessels or what... but every once in a while i will be sitting perfectly still and get a jabbing pain in my groin, or the feeling my incision are ripping. I still have areas of my groin that are almost numb to touch, puffy and swollen. I noticed some posters saying they "had the same thing" but Lapro and open are totally different and should expect to recover differently.

To adam1985, and any one else debating the issue:
If your hernia is causing ANY discomfort, and if it is the size of a golf ball, i would have it removed. I am not a doctor, but i am sure there must be some minor risk of complication involving "the boys" but what happens the day you wake up and your hernia has become strangulated and is causing serious pain and problems in your groin area. It is better to get it done now, do open traditional surgery (less chance of the hernia returning). And as far as sex life, I had surgery and was ready to have sex before my staples came out..(within a week) It didn't effect sensation for me. Although sex is a little painful until the swelling goes down. lol

I am 4 days post op left side Ingunal Hernia repair may 6 2009 3+ inch open incision. Day one, almost 4 hour surgery, surgeon found a fatty lipoma on my spermaticord which was removed and she told my wife my direct hernia was a bit more complicated but was not a problem to repair. She needed to do a bit more disecting. I CAN TELL! The first 12 hours after were interesting, took oxycodin 325 and 400 ibuprophin. Kinda dopey and uncomfortable, no way to get comfortable. I did have a nasty sore throat and a very hoarse voice. General anesthesis and had an ET Tube stuffed down during the surgery. Had swallowing issues the first three days seem better today day 4 but still problems with voice.

Walked 1/2 mile day two took 600 mg 4X that day of liqual gel advils, walked 3/4 of a mile day 2 same meds and woke at midnight with stabbling pain that got my attention, took 400 more ibuprophin. Walked 1/2 mile day 3. Scrotum is the size of a tennis ball, no a baseball, no a softball. Its swollen!! Took off the bandage looks fine the incision. Oh take a laxative day one after surgery. Went to the bathroom and it was an event. That has been working fine now since the 36 hours without a movement. Day 4 today May 10 walked 1.5 miles less ibuprophin had a 10 hour between taking and really very little pain. Now going to sit in the sun and drink a beer. Will continue to update here.

I am sorry but your reply to the question was way off, you didnt seem to have even read the question when you posted a reply...the ver first comment was that he was POST OP.....and you went on about a pre op situation. You seemed more interested in posting your experience than attempting to provide pertinant information reguarding his quesiotn...sorry, just a close observation. btw, i has my operation today therefore i am POST OP. While they were down there, I had a vasectomy procedure done. Buy one get one (almost) free.

I am now a month down from a right hand open surgery inguinal hernia repair with gauze. Op was supposed to be done under local spinal injection anasaethetic due to high blood pressure, but that did not work so they knocked me out anyway! The first 12 hours after the op was terrible. Couldn't move my legs due to the spinal and the pain was really bad. After 3 days my right testicle swelled up bigger than a cricket ball, turned dark purple and I was really worried. Went off to local GP he was very concerned and took a huge syringe and jabbed me in the testicle to try and remove some fluid. He gave me some anti inflammattories and anti-biotics. By the next night, worse and that was when I found this forum and discovered my problems were not unique. Why can't the surgeons warn you what might happen. I was in a state of panic until i read this forum. Anyway phoned the surgeon a couple of days later and he told me it was a common reaction and to wear tight underpants, even an athletic support and this helped but it has still taken until now to return to more or less normal. As far as the rest goes, the scar has healed nicely, but is still tender and I still get jabbing pains from time to time. There seems to be some hard lumps inside but I guess this is probably scar tissue and seems to be getting less. Hope this helps fellow sufferers and a bit of advice to those contemplating the op. - get it done as soon as it is diagnosed - I put it off for a year until my guts were hanging in my scrotum and this just makes the op worse.

I had my Ingunal hernia repaired on 5/26/09 just about 2 inch incision. I am 25.
Day1 - terrible pain, lived on pain meds
Day 2 - huge scrotal swelling probably size of softball. couldn't do anything, couldn't move couldn't stand... terrible pain too
Day 3,4 - swelling same as day2, pain starting to ease
Day 5 - pain starting to ease, felt better (felt recovering fast). Swelling still there, reduced abit (tiny bit). Took shower
Day 6 - Swelling got worse, pain almost gone except standing and bowel movement.
Day 7 - Swelling got little better, pain is only because of swelling
Day 8 - Doc appointment. He was not at all concerned about swelling. Said may take up to 6 weeks for the swelling to go away. The scar is healing fine. I asked about the stabbing pain at times, he said its normal.
Day 9 - Swelling got little better, reduced in size(size of baseball) but its very hard like a rock. No pain except sitting on a chair, and sleeping in certain angle. Started taking "Serramend" - some Chinese herb to redure post surgery swellings (found it on some forum one claims it worked great)
Day 12 - Size slightly reduced. Did normal work, stood for about 5 hours walked about 6-8 miles.Felt stabbing pain at times. Felt tired by end of the day. Did not take serramend.
Day 13 - today swelling increased I guess because of stress yesterday. Little pain too. Will get back with serramend.

Since day 3 started taking miralax stool softener daily for 3 days, it helped on day5. Did not take miralax since day 5. Bowel movement is not normal but I am getting adjusted to it. No pain medication after day 1. The pain is mainly because of stress on swollen testis I figured instead of pain meds I rather don't stress my balls. I am feeling better each day (except today, probably because of worst day yesterday). Feeling pain at the swollen area during erection so no sex up to now.

I will post back with daily updates.

Did anyone here fully recovered, at least swelling mostly gone? Please share the good news. Thanks.

I had laprascopic surgery on both left and right sides on 6-5-09. I also experianced extreme swelling and bruising of the scrotum. I still have a solid right testical, thats about double in size, but it is not painful, just a little uncomfortable. From what I read above this seems to be the norm which makes me feel alot better. I was off work for 2 weeks for recovery but I now still feel some discomfort and the ocational sharp radiating pain, but nothing like the pain experianced durring the 1st week post op.

well, im glad i found this forum. i had a left inguinal laparoscopic repair on the 15th of June. i am still somewhat in pain today. i have tried to resume normal activities, but the pain comes back with a vengeance afterwards. i still have left testicle swelling and a pain in my hip point area. no numbness. my incisions have healed nicely and the pain i had around them has almost disappeared.

im allergic to NSAIDS, and unable to take them. i wonder if that is prolonging my recovery?

i find the best pain remedy is an ice pack. also, i have been taking Curcumin, a concentrated form of the herb turmeric, since i cannot take Ibuprofen. Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory. i have had decent results with the incisions, but not with the testicle swelling.

i have to return to work soon and im concerned about this level of pain, since my job is very physically demanding.

one of the worst parts of this whole surgery experience for me was when my scrotum and penis turned reddish purple and were very swollen. that has subsided now. i almost called a doctor, but my surgeon warned me to expect it. dont panic when it happens. it is very frightening and even made me nauseous to look at it.

I am 13 days post operation for an open repair of a right inguinal hernia. I was in and out of surgery in less than two hours. The first day I was fine. I was going to try and make it thru this without any pain meds. I went to bed about midnight that night. When I woke up in the morning...I popped some pain pills and Ibprofen. Directions for the pain meds said 1-2 pills every four hours, I went with 1 pill every six hours for the first 3 days.

Day 2 was by far the worst day. I could tolerate standing long enough to urinate and that was it.
Day 3 I could tolerate standing long enough to shower.
Day 4 I was walking 300 feet to get the mail and feeling ok.
Day 6 I was feeling like I could walk as far as I want.
Day 7 I went back to work at a modified desk position. At this point there wasn't much pain life, it was more uncomfortable then anything. I go the occasional pain in the hip crease and iliac crest...almost feels like a ripping. I equate it to the mesh being sewn in and the swelling causing some stretching/tightening.

From there on each day I felt better and better. If I was a stupid man I would have taken a jog on day 11.
Day 12 I had this weird sensation, like a bulging feeling coming from below my incision near my penis. I did fall from a rolling chair that I was screwing around with but otherwise did no physical activity other then walking. There's no swelling or bruising and feeling with my hand I can't feel the perceived bulging. All the horror stories started getting to me and all I could think about was that I had ripped the mesh loose. Though from everything I've read by day 12 it would take quite a traumatic incident to do that.
Day 13 The area of my surgery was slightly painful and sore when I first got out of bed. It went away pretty quickly. I still have an odd feeling. I wonder if its just stuff moving around now that the swelling is gone....I hope so.

I think the odd shooting pain or numb pain here and there is part of the healing process.

Oh and one end of my incision was pink and puffy for a while. The pinkness has mostly gone away though the area is still more raised then the rest of the incision.

I have my followup on the 14th. I can't wait to get back to working out!

Had left inguinal surgery 2 days ago. Everyone seems very worried about the swelling. I too have swelling, but yous shouldn't worry. I'm sure that your surgeons, like mine, probably told you beforehand that there would be bruising and swelling. So this should come to no suprise. I like this site though and thanks for all your posts. It has made me feel much better knowing that everything (as far as I know) is normal. As for people who are concerned about swelling above the cut and other places besides the testical, just remember you just had a 3-4 inch cut in you and your intestines stuffed back into your abs lol so ya shouldn't be suprised by swelling. I like the positiveness of this site though. Other sites have people who are acting like its something to worry about that they're hurting after surgery. If someone was expecting it to not hurt, well I don't know what they were thinking. Wish everyone a speedy recovery and don't take this as a smartass comment. I just don't want everyone to be so worried. Everything we're experiencing(for the most part) so far is normal.

I had both side open hernia surgery 42 days ago and after the surgery I had kind of pulling pain and uncomfortable below the incision but no too much swelling.I had follow-up at 8th day and 21st day. Doctor said all my uncomfortable feeling are "perfectly normal" and they did subside eventually. However, since last Monday, I had noticed minor swelling in the top of my right scrotum and if I pressed it and I felt kind of pain in some position. I called the doctor's office and let him check it last Friday. he said it was normal to have some pain/uncomfortable around the hernia area which could last a couple of months. but the surgery itself is perfect and the repair is like rock. he also said I am normal now and should be able to do whatever I want to do. However, until today, I still noticed the swelling and felt minor pain when I pressed it and when I walk. I haven't tried running and resume my soccer activity again yet for I just kind of fear too much activity could make the pain worse. ...Is this kind of swelling and pain following the surgery normal?? just so confused..thanks a lot for any of your input.