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VARICOCELE...can it effect testosterone?

I'm glad I found this forum. I'm 25 and have a varicocele on my left testicle. I've had it since I was a teenager, but only found out what it was recently. I always just assumed it was normal. It's been causing me quite a bit of discomfort lately. It feels like it's being pulled on 24/7.

I've always had problems with low testosterone, and I'm wondering if the varicocle has anything to do with it.

2 years ago, I got my testosterone checked and it was 228 ng/dl. Both my GP and Endo felt my testicles, but neither mentioned anything about a varicocle, which kind of suprises me now that I look back on it. About a month later, I had another it checked again and it was 420 ng/dl. And 6 months after that, it was up to 620 ng/dl. Over that time, nothing changed, I was not on TRT or anything. My Endo, who I was not impressed with, didn't have any explanation for it.

Anyway, I haven't gotten my testosterone levels checked since, but I still feel like it's low. I'm tired all the time and I have trouble gaining and keeping muscle mass. I only have to shave every other day and I have very little chest hair. I don't have any problems getting erections however.

I'm thinking about seeing a Urologist, but I'm affraid I'll be laughed out of his office for saying that there may be a link between varicoceles and testosterone. And even if there is, it sounds like testosterone doesn't increase after surgery anyway...

I'm a little affraid to start TRT too. It seems like a huge hassle and I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the potential side effects.

What do you guys think?
 
science said:
I'm glad I found this forum. I'm 25 and have a varicocele on my left testicle. I've had it since I was a teenager, but only found out what it was recently. I always just assumed it was normal. It's been causing me quite a bit of discomfort lately. It feels like it's being pulled on 24/7.

I've always had problems with low testosterone, and I'm wondering if the varicocle has anything to do with it.

2 years ago, I got my testosterone checked and it was 228 ng/dl. Both my GP and Endo felt my testicles, but neither mentioned anything about a varicocle, which kind of suprises me now that I look back on it. About a month later, I had another it checked again and it was 420 ng/dl. And 6 months after that, it was up to 620 ng/dl. Over that time, nothing changed, I was not on TRT or anything. My Endo, who I was not impressed with, didn't have any explanation for it.

Anyway, I haven't gotten my testosterone levels checked since, but I still feel like it's low. I'm tired all the time and I have trouble gaining and keeping muscle mass. I only have to shave every other day and I have very little chest hair. I don't have any problems getting erections however.

I'm thinking about seeing a Urologist, but I'm affraid I'll be laughed out of his office for saying that there may be a link between varicoceles and testosterone. And even if there is, it sounds like testosterone doesn't increase after surgery anyway...

I'm a little affraid to start TRT too. It seems like a huge hassle and I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the potential side effects.

What do you guys think?
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My suggestion dont go for TRT yet. Looks like You are normal because your testosterone is varying.
Once you go for TRT , then you cannot come back. I suggest you to go for one session of pranic healing.They cannot tell what is the problem and if you have problem with erections they can cure it immediately
 
hey darkblue1 i got a question for you. if my varicocele is a grade 3, is it really possible to not have to get it surgically fixed. My parents keep thinking that avoiding surgery is the best thing...even though I tell them its only an hour-outpatient surgery. I am still feeling quite a bit of pain and can't walk properly...They keep thinking that takin iboprofen will eventually fix the problem...just like the urologist.
 
uptempo said:
hey darkblue1 i got a question for you. if my varicocele is a grade 3, is it really possible to not have to get it surgically fixed. My parents keep thinking that avoiding surgery is the best thing...even though I tell them its only an hour-outpatient surgery. I am still feeling quite a bit of pain and can't walk properly...They keep thinking that takin iboprofen will eventually fix the problem...just like the urologist.
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I didnt have surgery for my varicocele.But I dont have any kind of pain.I m just used to it now. Since I dont need to worry about fertility, I am not worried about varicoceles also.I would suggest you to go for semen analysis. If everything is normal, your prime concern is solved. Then you need to fix your pain.Where do you live ..In States??
Varicoceles can not be fixed other than surgery,but you can relieve some of the problems caused by varicoceles using yoga. Some people say even if its fixed by surgery it will come back.
 
So I am in Asia and the doctors here are sooooo much more in depth and helpful..My doctor gave me like a 40 minute information talk and ultrasound and told me my varicocele needs to be fixed asap compared to my lazyass urologist in the states who told me to come back in a month...He measured one of the veins to be 0.54 cm, grade 3.

He gave me two options

microsurgery or laparoscopy...?

has anyone had experience with either? which one would you guys recommend???? Thanks for all the help and information....it really prepared me to talk with my urologist here and felt like I knew what I was going to be dealing with after reading this very helpful thread.
 
uptempo said:
So I am in Asia and the doctors here are sooooo much more in depth and helpful..My doctor gave me like a 40 minute information talk and ultrasound and told me my varicocele needs to be fixed asap compared to my lazyass urologist in the states who told me to come back in a month...He measured one of the veins to be 0.54 cm, grade 3.

He gave me two options

microsurgery or laparoscopy...?

has anyone had experience with either? which one would you guys recommend???? Thanks for all the help and information....it really prepared me to talk with my urologist here and felt like I knew what I was going to be dealing with after reading this very helpful thread.
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Microsurgery..laparoscopy is old and varicoceles may soon come back. Microsurgery is good.Where are you in Asia?
 
I am in Hong Kong. Yeah I asked for the doc's opinion and he said he would go with microsurgery, less chance of reoccuring...so now I am getting it done on Monday. Thanks for the help darkblue1.
 
uptempo said:
So I am in Asia and the doctors here are sooooo much more in depth and helpful..My doctor gave me like a 40 minute information talk and ultrasound and told me my varicocele needs to be fixed asap compared to my lazyass urologist in the states who told me to come back in a month...He measured one of the veins to be 0.54 cm, grade 3.

He gave me two options

microsurgery or laparoscopy...?
Click to expand...

Here here about Lazyass doctors in the West. I am in Australia but will be having my microsurgical procedure done in Vietnam (my wifes country) next month. You reckon pain, visibly large varicoceles and the like and 6 urologists and an endocrinologist (coupled with my pain, low hormone levels, ED, pathetic semen analysis etc etc) wouldnt alert the docs to the fact something needs to be done. I not say this will fix everything but hey...I am curious to know how it can get any worse by doing something proactive. My Andrologist is top notch. Did the background checks and he is US educated. And I will be his 1000+ operation. So if you gonna climb Everest...then you might as well go with someone whose done it before and is encouraging you.
 
I figured I should chime in and give you all an update as to how I am doing ....

If you have followed my posts here in this thread and others you will see the hell that I have gone through .... Thank to this site I have more knowledge on Varicoceles than most of the Doctors all of us have seen, COMBINED !

I had the Micro-Surgery to ligate my bi-lateral Varicoceles .... I had 20 ligated on my left side .... I have no Idea physiologically if that was significant from a blood flow aspect or not, but I would assume that if it were too many I would have had more pain than I did after the surgery for lack of blood flow and more significant Atrophy of the left testical, but I did not experience either .... I had 7 ligated on my right side .... The Micro-Surgery was done on December 14, 2007 ....

I would opt for the Micro-Surgery for any and all those that want input on which is best ....

The embolization method was not my cup of tea even though the actual procedure is out patient .... I did not like the fact of how many I was told I would need in me .... I was told I would need nearly 30 coils .... That was before I was diagnosed with the right side having varicocele as well .... To me, I saw that as, now matter how remote the chance, 30 chances for those coils to migrate away from their placement point and possibly to my heart .... NO WAY !

The other procedures that are out there are much older and have various reasons why one would not want to take one of those choices .... So .... Micro-Surgery is the way to go as far as I am concerned ....

The pain after surgery is bad .... I won't lie .... And there are some of my posts that tell a bit about what I felt and went through after surgery .... But to put it here, I can say the relief from the pain and discomfort of the varicoceles was worth it ! 100% ....

Now I may be an unusual case I am not sure, but on my 3 month follow up I still have 25% varicoceles remaining in my left side .... I still have some pain and discomfort, but it is no where near what it was .... I am seriously considering going back later this year or next for a second surgery ....

Now on to the HRT treatment .... I have now been on Androgel since April .... With a 2 week "Run out of Androgel" moment which put me back at square on for all intents and purposes .... So now I have been on it for the past 3 months and am feeling MUCH better .... The depression is gone and I am starting to enjoy life again .... I am seeing the signs that my functioning in all ways is starting to come back .... I still need Cialis or Viagra and a 5MG - 10MG cialis every 3 - 4 days hasn't hurt either .... But hey at least my sexual appetite is coming back ....

So .... I guess what I am trying to say is find a doctor that will do the surgery .... GET IT DONE first ....

Enough of the "Reinvent the Wheel" Enough of us have been right where you are to tell you the surgery is the first step .... Sometimes you will recover your T levels, if you are in your early 20's I feel .... If you are in your Early to late 30's .... You have a slim chance you will recover your T levels .... You need to give it at least 3 months and the studies I think were up to year before improvement in T levels were seen .... Most of us are too impatient to wait that long ....

But get the surgery done .... See what happens .... See if your T levels do or don't increase ....

Depending on that outcome .... Get Androgel or injections ....

Keep in mind, as hard as this is, is that the first, second, third, and possible 4th doctor will say that Varicocele has nothing to do with T levels .... This is a LIE and they are not worth seeing again, UNLESS they are willing to do the surgery for you .... Then go and find another Dr. that will get you on T replacement therapy .... And here again .... you will have to go through many to find the one ....

Hope all this helps .... Feel free to message me ....
 
shyguava said:
Here here about Lazyass doctors in the West. I am in Australia but will be having my microsurgical procedure done in Vietnam (my wifes country) next month. You reckon pain, visibly large varicoceles and the like and 6 urologists and an endocrinologist (coupled with my pain, low hormone levels, ED, pathetic semen analysis etc etc) wouldnt alert the docs to the fact something needs to be done. I not say this will fix everything but hey...I am curious to know how it can get any worse by doing something proactive. My Andrologist is top notch. Did the background checks and he is US educated. And I will be his 1000+ operation. So if you gonna climb Everest...then you might as well go with someone whose done it before and is encouraging you.
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The doctors in Hong Kong (I have seen 2 so far, for second opinion) have both recommended surgery. They have been really in depth and helpful..I hope the one in Vietnam goes the same for you too..and good luck to you on surgery. Hopefully it'll improve things and get rid of the pain you have been going through..

and once again thanks beckerj for willing to share your experiences and advice with us all.
 
uptempo said:
The doctors in Hong Kong (I have seen 2 so far, for second opinion) have both recommended surgery. They have been really in depth and helpful..I hope the one in Vietnam goes the same for you too..and good luck to you on surgery. Hopefully it'll improve things and get rid of the pain you have been going through..

and once again thanks beckerj for willing to share your experiences and advice with us all.
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good luck uptempo
 
shyguava said:
Here here about Lazyass doctors in the West. I am in Australia but will be having my microsurgical procedure done in Vietnam (my wifes country) next month. You reckon pain, visibly large varicoceles and the like and 6 urologists and an endocrinologist (coupled with my pain, low hormone levels, ED, pathetic semen analysis etc etc) wouldnt alert the docs to the fact something needs to be done. I not say this will fix everything but hey...I am curious to know how it can get any worse by doing something proactive. My Andrologist is top notch. Did the background checks and he is US educated. And I will be his 1000+ operation. So if you gonna climb Everest...then you might as well go with someone whose done it before and is encouraging you.
Click to expand...

good luck shyguava
 
hey guys so i got the microsurgery done...and my doctor managed to take out the whole left varicocele, the whole left bag of worms is now gone!!!..he said he managed to slide out the veins so now there is no lump or anything on my left side...he put it in a jar and asked me if i wanted to keep it lol.i was like no thanks...the thing is I still have pain on my right side and still some aching...is this normal after surgery? I had my surgery done on monday night and its wednesday night now...how long does it usually take for the pain to go completely away.. I don't understand why my right side still hurts because there is no visible varicocele there whatsoever...
..thanks
 
The pain will remain for a month or so .... You will be sore .... The right side may be sore because it has to do the work of both sides until the formation and new routes are formed for the blood on your left side .... At least that is my understanding ....
 
ah ic thanks..yeah right now ever since the surgery...my testicles have not hang loose even in hot temperatures...they are like close to the body semi big/shriveled up like on a cold day...like a baseball shaped...its definitely a lil bigger than normal..but not swollen or red or anything...hopefully its what you are saying beckerj :x thanks for the info though
 
I would like to know more about the fertility aspect of this. has anybody not been able to have a kid on this thread or had there sperm count drastically improve after surgery etc??
 
DaTruth said:
I would like to know more about the fertility aspect of this. has anybody not been able to have a kid on this thread or had there sperm count drastically improve after surgery etc??
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I didnt have surgery.But i have bilateral varicoceles. My wife is 5 months pregnant.
 
darkblue1 said:
I didnt have surgery.But i have bilateral varicoceles. My wife is 5 months pregnant.
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Hey Dark.

Did you and your wife find it was easier for your wife to get a baby after the operation than say what it was before? I guess the previous poster is wondering of whether you found the benefit worth the pain as he contemplates whether to go under the scalpel. I would say easier conception is a huge + factor to get this done. The frustration of taking forever to concieve a baby can really ruin marriages.
 
I notice the "bag of worms", but only in the evening and it is not visible but I can feel it. It is on both sides, but bigger on the left. I have ed and I use viagra sometimes. Since varicocele has to do with blood and viagra effects blood flow to the area is there any relation? And I am seeing an endo and he didn't feel it, but it is only there in the evening. Could it be the cause of my low test? I read you need to have like a stage 3 varicocele for it to effect your testosterone.
 
shyguava said:
Hey Dark.

Did you and your wife find it was easier for your wife to get a baby after the operation than say what it was before? I guess the previous poster is wondering of whether you found the benefit worth the pain as he contemplates whether to go under the scalpel. I would say easier conception is a huge + factor to get this done. The frustration of taking forever to concieve a baby can really ruin marriages.
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I did not go for surgery. I dont have any pain. I just have varicoceles on both sides. My test was low when I knew that I have varicoceles. Since my LH was low doctors told me low test is not due to varicoceles. And nobody suggested for surgery. When I told my doctor about fertility he told me to go for semen analysis and if its not normal he will do the surgery. But I did not go for semen analysis, instead we tried to have a baby and my wife suceed in that. remember that i had low testosterone at this time. I suggest you to try for a baby without worrying (make sure that you do that on those particular days ). If you have pain, then you go for surgery. My left testicles is smaller than rt one although both of them are small.
 
jon671 said:
I notice the "bag of worms", but only in the evening and it is not visible but I can feel it. It is on both sides, but bigger on the left. I have ed and I use viagra sometimes. Since varicocele has to do with blood and viagra effects blood flow to the area is there any relation? And I am seeing an endo and he didn't feel it, but it is only there in the evening. Could it be the cause of my low test? I read you need to have like a stage 3 varicocele for it to effect your testosterone.
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Varicoceles only disappear when you are asleep. You can feel any time during day. If you dont feel them means your scrotum is tight and not hanging. varicocele does effect blood circulation to that area. How much is your total testosterone
 
darkblue1 said:
Varicoceles only disappear when you are asleep. You can feel any time during day. If you dont feel them means your scrotum is tight and not hanging. varicocele does effect blood circulation to that area. How much is your total testosterone
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I wouldn't say "tight" per say, but sometimes it doesn't hang as much. Usually it hangs however only sometimes they don't, meaning they are a little higher. My testes feel soft sometimes and a little smaller, but this could be all in my head and maybe it is just the recent attention and examining them. My endo examines them everytime I see him. I said something to him about varicocele and he said he can't feel it so I am okay. He told me my genitals are fine and if they were the cause of my low test there would be high fsh and lh. My total test is 230-347 on a scale where the bottom is 190 and the top is 1000 something. I am overweight so it might play a part in my scrotum not always hanging. My prolactin is out of range so I am taking bromocriptine to lower it. Another guy on this board similar situation said bromo lowered his prolactin and raised his test 100 points. Hoping for similar results also endo ordered a sleep study to check for sleep apnea.
 
jon671 said:
I wouldn't say "tight" per say, but sometimes it doesn't hang as much. Usually it hangs however only sometimes they don't, meaning they are a little higher. My testes feel soft sometimes and a little smaller, but this could be all in my head and maybe it is just the recent attention and examining them. My endo examines them everytime I see him. I said something to him about varicocele and he said he can't feel it so I am okay. He told me my genitals are fine and if they were the cause of my low test there would be high fsh and lh. My total test is 230-347 on a scale where the bottom is 190 and the top is 1000 something. I am overweight so it might play a part in my scrotum not always hanging. My prolactin is out of range so I am taking bromocriptine to lower it. Another guy on this board similar situation said bromo lowered his prolactin and raised his test 100 points. Hoping for similar results also endo ordered a sleep study to check for sleep apnea.
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Your endo is right. Since your fsh and lh are not high there is nothing wrong with genitals (or varicoceles).May be high prolactin causing low testosterone.
 
its beeen a week since my surgery, and i noticed i see some blue veins around my right testicle...is this normal anyone know? I still have pain on both sides intermittenly and my testicles still hang pretty low rightnow....sigh...i thought that was goign to be fixed after the surgery...oh wells....i guess about 1.5 months of constant uncomfortability you sort of get used to it in some ways..lol..
 
Hey guys,

New to the forum. I was diagnosed with varicocele back when I was a junior in college and was told not to worry about it. It can be felt on the left side (grade II I guess)When I was 28-29 I realized I wasn't getting morning erections nearly as often and started getting concerned again. I had my testosterone checked and it was 520 (~250-1200 range). I stopped worrying about for a year or so and have now started getting some discomfort. With my wife and I planning on starting a family in the next year I thought I should get it checked out again. I went to the urologist and my semen analysis was normal but my testosterone was 343 (250-1100) and free testosterone 53 (35-155). He didn't perform an ultrasound but clinically diagnosed me with a grade 2 left sided varicocele. He is going to perform open surgery in the next few weeks using loupe magnification (not the microscope). Any chance this will improve my testosterone levels? And should I ask him for an ultrasound to see if I have a small one on the right side as well?
 
ddown said:
Hey guys,

New to the forum. I was diagnosed with varicocele back when I was a junior in college and was told not to worry about it. It can be felt on the left side (grade II I guess)When I was 28-29 I realized I wasn't getting morning erections nearly as often and started getting concerned again. I had my testosterone checked and it was 520 (~250-1200 range). I stopped worrying about for a year or so and have now started getting some discomfort. With my wife and I planning on starting a family in the next year I thought I should get it checked out again. I went to the urologist and my semen analysis was normal but my testosterone was 343 (250-1100) and free testosterone 53 (35-155). He didn't perform an ultrasound but clinically diagnosed me with a grade 2 left sided varicocele. He is going to perform open surgery in the next few weeks using loupe magnification (not the microscope). Any chance this will improve my testosterone levels? And should I ask him for an ultrasound to see if I have a small one on the right side as well?
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Hey ddown

If you are in the US or Australia you are probably going to have many urologist/endocrines telling you that fixing varicocele wont improve your testosterone/ED/ hormone balance/fertility prospects (because they will shoot off on this tangent that varicocele riddled men produce kids too). It all seems to be aimed at not risking themselves to the exposure of doing operations which impacts on the insurance levy. Consultations rake in money and dont tinker with their insurance levies as much.

I am going under the scalpel 29th Sept 08 in Vietnam (I am Australian so you will get the hint at what I have been through to end up in my wifes country being operated on by a US qualified Andrologist with an international profile and 1000+ operations under his belt.). He advised me that with varicocele you get atrophy of the testicles. With blood pooling (deoxygenated/stagnated) you get heat build up and a lot of blood doing no good hanging around a lot longer than you need blood to hang around for. He said that my Testorsterone and hormone tests were at the opposite end of the spectrum to where they should be. Didnt promise the removal of varicocele would fix those issues and my ED but he said from experience, you fix the Varicocele and you maximise your chance of improving the other issues I have. Testicles play a vital role in male hormone and T production. If the health of the testicles is compromised then so is that. As per the link at the bottom of the page he also warned that failure to fix the varicocele can lead to permanent testicular damage (now I might have been suspicious that he was touting for my business but the guy was encouraging me to take his letters and reports back to Australia - which I did - and have my own health system do the work for free. So hey....I did...and as I told him...they told me to come back in a year despite the pain and obvious evidence placed before them that my situation was at the more severe end of the varicocele spectrum. Sometimes all I see is V protruding from the left side)

I have research and researched and found plenty of qualified medical persons articles from Cambridge University to faculties in the US where they connect ED/low T/poor hormonal balance etc with varicocele. Bilateral varicocele is judged to be the worst offender of all even if its only 5% of the varicocele population (I am one of the 5%).

You will find if you google +ED +varicocele or +ED +varicocele +low Testerosterone etc that you will see the same articles expressing connections between the issues we raised on this forum

Most of our own doctors in the west are just idiots. Sorry but I have encountered more than my fair share. They twiddle their thumbs (I am in great pain by the way), tell me that my T (nearly off the wrong end of the charts) might be normal for me. I have bad ED (not even a peek of a tent pole in the mornings), my hormonal levels are non existant on the scale chart. My semen analysis sucks. Yet they tell me to come back in a year and see if I have improved. Well I am giving them the bird and going to Vietnam this month to fix it.

Truly...you can research and be supported by an Andrologist more qualified in his big toe than these guys + charts of test results and still they will not budge. And if you pluck your collected research off the net that shows the camp that says "hey there seems to be a connection here between x and y" then you can bet they wont listen because they are in the other camp (Oh and they can get it up looking at the Olympic Mascots so you dont really matter coz other than the fact they are totally healthy themselves the other + for them is that at the end of the day, once they have squeezed the consultation fees out of you....and you go somewhere else..then one of their equally stupid colleagues will have ensured those patients stream for a 2nd opionion to him while you stream the other way. The ultimate win/win situation for all concerned but you)>

Anyway...read this - its an example of another learned man who has researched the connection between T levels and V presence

Invalid Link Removed

And this (which tells you - that failure to treat the V can cause irreversible damage as well as V affects T levels. Not why my Aussie urologists and endo's would admit too).

Invalid Link Removed
 
Thanks for the links. I am scheduled to have left sided surgery on the 26th. Not too sure if I have a small one on the right as no ultrasound was performed to detect it. Hopefully, there is isnt or it may keep causing damage even after fixing the left side.
 
shyguava said:
Anyway...read this - its an example of another learned man who has researched the connection between T levels and V presence

Invalid Link Removed
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Interesting, I wonder if the longer you wait to have the surgery the worse your chances are of getting testosterone restored, my injury happened July 24th, and I wont be able to see a varicocle specialist until the end of October and I dont even think he would be able to do it probably until 2009 because he is backed up

I also wonder if there is something else wrong with my testicle as I get my pain worse when I lie down and I always have to rest my testicle on something or wear briefs when I sleep, it seems other people usually feel better then they lie down, I have a feeling I may have caught Orchitis in my testicle which leads to testicle atrophy as my scrotum was very inflammed following my injury
 
K1212 said:
Interesting, I wonder if the longer you wait to have the surgery the worse your chances are of getting testosterone restored, my injury happened July 24th, and I wont be able to see a varicocle specialist until the end of October and I dont even think he would be able to do it probably until 2009 because he is backed up

I also wonder if there is something else wrong with my testicle as I get my pain worse when I lie down and I always have to rest my testicle on something or wear briefs when I sleep, it seems other people usually feel better then they lie down, I have a feeling I may have caught Orchitis in my testicle which leads to testicle atrophy as my scrotum was very inflammed following my injury
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Did you have user LH and FSH levels tested??Did your testicles become smaller?
 
Last edited:
darkblue1 said:
Did you have user LH and FSH levels tested??Did your testicles become smaller?
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no all I had was a testosterone test which came back at 414, to which my doctor said "that is very good" to which I wanted to punch him cuz when I saw him before that he thought I was making this whole thing up about my varicocele not being there before and it is effecting my testosterone, he even said "if your testosterone comes back above 800 will you be happy" or something like that, implying it was a waste of money to have the testosterone test cuz it is a low cost clinic and they try to cut costs.

And I am not sure if my testicle got smaller, my left testicle is surrounded by varicocele veins and it is hard to tell, I think it got smaller actually, it is def smaller then the right, will your testicle shrink to nothing if it is atrophied?
 
K1212 said:
Interesting, I wonder if the longer you wait to have the surgery the worse your chances are of getting testosterone restored, my injury happened July 24th, and I wont be able to see a varicocle specialist until the end of October and I dont even think he would be able to do it probably until 2009 because he is backed up
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K1212 - from my Andrologist (the one performing my operation Sept 29) advice and all other research I have seen...its not likely to ruin you if you take 6 months to a year to get an operation. The sooner the better...but dont panic. I was told to get mine done within 12 months of fronting up based on my tests and the size of the varicocele.So I am having the operation 5 months after that advice (as I had to return back to Australia before returning to Vietnam where I am having the operation).
 
K1212 said:
will your testicle shrink to nothing if it is atrophied?
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Definitely not. It will shrink (up to about half or maybe 1/3 it's original size), but it will not disappear.

Also, I have had mine for about 37 years and have never had any operation. My test levels have always been low (less than 250ng/dl) but I have 3 kids.
 
DragonRider said:
Definitely not. It will shrink (up to about half or maybe 1/3 it's original size), but it will not disappear.

Also, I have had mine for about 37 yearsamd have never had any operation. My test levels have always been low (less than 250ng/dl) but I have 3 kids.
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Thats good news. Whats your weight. Do you have symptoms of hypogonadism? Are you on TRT?
 
DragonRider said:
Definitely not. It will shrink (up to about half or maybe 1/3 it's original size), but it will not disappear.

Also, I have had mine for about 37 yearsamd have never had any operation. My test levels have always been low (less than 250ng/dl) but I have 3 kids.
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'
that is not good because I would say it is aboue 1/2 or 1/3 of its normal size, once a testicle is atrophied that means it is done and there is no coming back?

And will a varicocele alone cause a testicle to be atrophied? I know I had Epididymitis along when my varicocle coming on and the inflamattion eventually went down, but I have a sad feeling I may caught Orchitis as well which is inflamattion of the testicle and may lead to testicle atrophy

and what caused your testicle to be atrophied?

ALso is it normal for testicles to change different sizes, my left testicle usually stays the same size which is generally small as it is surrounded my varicocle veins and potentially atrophied but I notice my righ testicle changes sizes when I feel it at different times of the day, I dont know if this is something new or I just never noticed it more as I am paying more attention to my testicles, not sure if it is normal or not
 
K1212 said:
'
that is not good because I would say it is aboue 1/2 or 1/3 of its normal size, once a testicle is atrophied that means it is done and there is no coming back?
Click to expand...

Not at all. Testicles become atrophied from years of steroid use also and they return to normal size after the steroid is discontinued especially if a good PCT is followed.
 
darkblue1 said:
Thats good news. Whats your weight. Do you have symptoms of hypogonadism? Are you on TRT?
Click to expand...
I had symptoms before I went on TRT. I weigh between 225 and 230.
 
shyguava said:
What is PCT? Lol...sounds like an elicit drug.
Click to expand...
Post cycle therapy. It consists of the drugs you take after a cycle to get your own testosterone working again. Initially, we used a SERM like Nolvadex or Clomid. Now, many people will combine that with an AI like Aromasin, Letrozole or Arimidex and use HCG during the cyle.
 
hey guys how is everyone doing? i have a question to anyone ..its been exactly three weeks since my surgery in asia and im back in the states...while definitely some of the pain has subsided...my balls are still somewhat larger than before (maybe still swollen) and not back to its normal size..(my sack still feels like it has some edema)..can't still walk normally at times because of the aching....is it normal to still have pain from recovery after this long? everywhere on the websites it says people can walk painlessly after just 2 days!...
 
yeah..im so glad i found this forum too...

Im 20 years old this year and i was diagnosed with variocole few months ago. it has been with for almost 1.5 yrs but i did not realise it until there's pain in the scrotum area and its giving me discomfort. anyone can tell me whether it affects the testosterone level and sperm levels. i do look very young like only 15 years old so is it a cause of variocole?

i have so much problems with my genitals...i do have problems with my erection too...its bent downwards instead of upwards...can anyone tell me the procedures of the surgery to rectify this problem as well as the pros and cons.

i also had a surgery at the opening to increase the diameter of my urethra but after the surgery, there has been two holes instead of one. its causing me much discomfort during erection and ejaculation. i do wish someone can answer my queries. tks a lot!
 
champchamp said:
yeah..im so glad i found this forum too...

Im 20 years old this year and i was diagnosed with variocole few months ago. it has been with for almost 1.5 yrs but i did not realise it until there's pain in the scrotum area and its giving me discomfort. anyone can tell me whether it affects the testosterone level and sperm levels. i do look very young like only 15 years old so is it a cause of variocole?

i have so much problems with my genitals...i do have problems with my erection too...its bent downwards instead of upwards...can anyone tell me the procedures of the surgery to rectify this problem as well as the pros and cons.

i also had a surgery at the opening to increase the diameter of my urethra but after the surgery, there has been two holes instead of one. its causing me much discomfort during erection and ejaculation. i do wish someone can answer my queries. tks a lot!
Click to expand...

I can't answer all your questions but I can answer some. I am 21 and last month I had a microsurgery varicocelectomy done (incision in the lower abs) to repair my left varicocele. I had a grade 3..if you are experiencing pain..i'd definitely go check it out before more damage is done...I waited 2 months and endured the pain...and my doctor told me the blood ended up on the right side which caused more pain...if you've read this whole thread...older males tend to be affected with testosterone from varicocele...it can also cause atrophy of the testicles over time...that is why get it done as soon as possible if you can while you are still young.

As for the procedure of my surgery..I basically stayed at the hospital for one night..the operation was in the evening..takes about an hour..your body will be under general anesthesia..then you rest until the next morning and you leave and rest for a week...pain from the surgery can last up to a month like mine....eventually it'll fade away...it could be swollen/bruised for awhile and you'll need a jock strap...but it all depends on each person...also if you live in the u.s...good luck with your urologist...a lot of people have hard times convincing their doctors to perform surgery...the doctors that I have visited in the U.S were very reluctant to perform surgery...he wanted me to wait another 2 months with the pain...and put me on tynenol...I went to Asia and two different doctors recommended surgery there...good luck! Don't be scared at all of the surgery..the pain is really not that bad...it might cause discomfort..but the surgery is well worth it especially if you have been in pain...
 
The pain is normal and can last up to a month .... Longer than a month I would get a second opinion ....
HRT is the next step ....
 
uptempo said:
I can't answer all your questions but I can answer some. I am 21 and last month I had a microsurgery varicocelectomy done (incision in the lower abs) to repair my left varicocele. I had a grade 3..if you are experiencing pain..i'd definitely go check it out before more damage is done...I waited 2 months and endured the pain...and my doctor told me the blood ended up on the right side which caused more pain...if you've read this whole thread...older males tend to be affected with testosterone from varicocele...it can also cause atrophy of the testicles over time...that is why get it done as soon as possible if you can while you are still young.

As for the procedure of my surgery..I basically stayed at the hospital for one night..the operation was in the evening..takes about an hour..your body will be under general anesthesia..then you rest until the next morning and you leave and rest for a week...pain from the surgery can last up to a month like mine....eventually it'll fade away...it could be swollen/bruised for awhile and you'll need a jock strap...but it all depends on each person...also if you live in the u.s...good luck with your urologist...a lot of people have hard times convincing their doctors to perform surgery...the doctors that I have visited in the U.S were very reluctant to perform surgery...he wanted me to wait another 2 months with the pain...and put me on tynenol...I went to Asia and two different doctors recommended surgery there...good luck! Don't be scared at all of the surgery..the pain is really not that bad...it might cause discomfort..but the surgery is well worth it especially if you have been in pain...
Click to expand...



your testosterone was not effected by your varicocele?
 
usually when LH and FSH levels are below low normal then low testosterone is not caused by varicocele,
In this thread, whoever has varicoceles don't have LH and FSH levels in
higher range. Correct me if I am wrong.
 
K1212 said:
your testosterone was not effected by your varicocele?
Click to expand...

i dont know i havent bothered going for a testosterone check...I feel the same...(well a month after the surgery)...I can still have an erection right now for awhile...Ive been already hit hard with all this varicocele stuff lately...(still can't run, testicles still hang pretty low, they look somewhat bigger)...and i figured if my testosterone levels are f**ked...then so be it for now...I am so out of money and used up most of my expenses ...im jus hoping for the best cause thats all I feel like I can do.

how bout you, are you doing any better lately?
 
Hey UpTempo and fellow sufferers...

Well I had my Varicocele Operation (microsurgery on bi lateral varicocele)on Sept 29 here in Ho Chi Minh City (my wife being Vietnamese and the fact Australian doctors refused to offer me anything except excuses or "it will be okay"..while Vietnamese Andrologists offered encouragement and hope was the reason for this choice).

I can safely say I have never - I react bad to anaesthetic always whatever the operation - felt so sick or sore in all my life as what I did within the first 24 hours of the operation. But here I am 3 days later and feel very good. I can move around and do things at least independently.

I have post op tests planned for October 30. I guess they just want to play safe and make sure nothing abnormal shows in the tests.

I think results take a long time to show improvement as we have concluded on this board. But the one thing I am proud of as will anyone who takes their health serious (vs the procrastination and dont care attitude of many of the urologists/endo's/adrologists etc we deal with) is that I did something for myself.

Yes....there may be - in the end - less improvement than I hoped for. Or maybe a lot more. But to do something for myself is good and I feel proud of that.

I had 10 veins ligated. They were all about 4 x larger than is normal. About 4 mm in width. I look at a ruler and know that 4mm vs 1 mm (normal) is not a good thing for a region that requires healthy, oxygenated blood in correct quantities to flow to it. No wonder I felt like I was running out of space in the testicle region (bag of worms was an understatement).

So guys....dont procrastinate or listen to lies.I fear operations like anyone else. But I was prepared to go half a world away and
give myself a chance.

So go for it. The alternative or watching your testi's shrink, next to no T, ED, peeing all night, mixed up hormones, mood swings, sperm levels that make me the envy of eunuchs and no one else...well...its not an option. Of course many say all the above signs arent Varicocele related. But I have researched enough and spoken to enough learned people in their fields (Andrologists) to say that Camp A (mostly our US, UK and Aussie specialists) who say "Its nothing...let if be" does not convince me. Camp B say V has negative effects and its best not to rely on hope to improve things as time can worsen it. Camp B offers hope. Camp B also exists in US and UK and Australia as well as most of Asia but its drowned out by peer pressure in western countries.

I go by personal experience. As V got worse. My symptons got worse. So that = "x" factor. I want to see what life without V is like. So far...it feels better just not having non working veins trying to burst through the testicle walls. The pain is gone. Even sleeping on my side or back brought no relief from the pain prior to operation. So thats two +'s.

I await to see what follow.
 
shyguava said:
Hey UpTempo and fellow sufferers...

Well I had my Varicocele Operation (microsurgery on bi lateral varicocele)on Sept 29 here in Ho Chi Minh City (my wife being Vietnamese and the fact Australian doctors refused to offer me anything except excuses or "it will be okay"..while Vietnamese Andrologists offered encouragement and hope was the reason for this choice).

I can safely say I have never - I react bad to anaesthetic always whatever the operation - felt so sick or sore in all my life as what I did within the first 24 hours of the operation. But here I am 3 days later and feel very good. I can move around and do things at least independently.

I have post op tests planned for October 30. I guess they just want to play safe and make sure nothing abnormal shows in the tests.

I think results take a long time to show improvement as we have concluded on this board. But the one thing I am proud of as will anyone who takes their health serious (vs the procrastination and dont care attitude of many of the urologists/endo's/adrologists etc we deal with) is that I did something for myself.

Yes....there may be - in the end - less improvement than I hoped for. Or maybe a lot more. But to do something for myself is good and I feel proud of that.

I had 10 veins ligated. They were all about 4 x larger than is normal. About 4 mm in width. I look at a ruler and know that 4mm vs 1 mm (normal) is not a good thing for a region that requires healthy, oxygenated blood in correct quantities to flow to it. No wonder I felt like I was running out of space in the testicle region (bag of worms was an understatement).

So guys....dont procrastinate or listen to lies.I fear operations like anyone else. But I was prepared to go half a world away and
give myself a chance.

So go for it. The alternative or watching your testi's shrink, next to no T, ED, peeing all night, mixed up hormones, mood swings, sperm levels that make me the envy of eunuchs and no one else...well...its not an option. Of course many say all the above signs arent Varicocele related. But I have researched enough and spoken to enough learned people in their fields (Andrologists) to say that Camp A (mostly our US, UK and Aussie specialists) who say "Its nothing...let if be" does not convince me. Camp B say V has negative effects and its best not to rely on hope to improve things as time can worsen it. Camp B offers hope. Camp B also exists in US and UK and Australia as well as most of Asia but its drowned out by peer pressure in western countries.

I go by personal experience. As V got worse. My symptons got worse. So that = "x" factor. I want to see what life without V is like. So far...it feels better just not having non working veins trying to burst through the testicle walls. The pain is gone. Even sleeping on my side or back brought no relief from the pain prior to operation. So thats two +'s.

I await to see what follow.
Click to expand...

i really like your encouragement shyguava..i too flew half way around the world just to see a better doctor where healthcare is actually better (IMO). I hope everything goes well with you from here on out. can you keep us updated shyguava on when your pain/discomfort fully goes away? i have been so desperate to ride a bike or run...but still havent been able to do that yet :(
 
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