I just talked to my surgeon today about some pain I still have 4 and a half weeks after my urethroplasty surgery (see my post I Am Having Urethroplasty Surgery Tomorrow To Fix My Urethral Stricture), which was of the “end-to-end anastomosis” type. It was an VERY informative phone call. If you have had this type of surgery, and are still having pain in the scrotum and testicles, this may help you.
I posted a few days ago (1 Week After The Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG)) that though the surgery was incredibly successful, my recovery seemed to be taking longer than I expected. The surgery uses a perineal approach, which means they make the incision in the perineum, the area between the scrotum and the anus (in males, obviously). So it isn’t really possible to sit down normally after the surgery for several weeks – sometimes a month or two. That is due to the trauma above the incision point, which involves a lot of different kind of tissue (blood vessels, muscle, various plumbing-type tubes, the corpora cavernosa, the corpus spongiosum, etc.). So the only way to sit down is without putting any pressure on the area. I was given an inflatable donut-shaped pillow when I left the hospital, and have been using that ever since, in order to sit without pain.
The question I asked my surgeon
I knew it might take a couple of months before it would feel normal to sit on a hard surface. But I was not warned about lingering swelling and pain in the scrotum and testicles. And after 4 weeks, I still had plenty. I wanted to know if this was in the range of “normal,” or if it was definitely very unexpected. So I put in a call to my surgeon to ask about it. He’s a busy guy, so it took a few days, but I got the call today. Here is what I found out.
The VERY revealing answer
He said it is normal to still feel swelling and discomfort in the entire area, including the scrotum and its contents, at the 4 or 5 week point and even beyond (even possibly up to a year!). That was a relief. He also said – and this is the really interesting part – that the pain in the scrotum and testicles can be prolonged or made worse if the scrotum is allowed to dangle or hang in space too much. Hmm. My follow-up question was, “I’ve been sitting on an inflatable donut pillow. Could that be the reason for the pain I’ve been especially feeling down there?” He said, “Actually you should be doing the opposite. Sitting on the donut pillow allows the scrotum to hang loose and unsupported. What you should do is sit in such a way that you can put a rolled up towel (or something similar that is soft but supportive) under your scrotum when you sit down. And make sure you wear a jock-strap or something else that firmly supports the scrotum when you go out for a walk.”
“I’ve been sitting on an inflatable donut pillow. Could that be the reason for the pain I’ve been especially feeling down there?” He said, “Actually you should be doing the opposite.”
O-M-G! It makes so much sense! And it’s so simple. Jeez, it is so often the little tid-bits of knowledge like this (or rather, the lack of them) that can wreak havoc with our lives. So I went straight to the computer to share this with everyone who might be going through this (urethroplasty), or who will be going through it.
Not only does it make me feel reassured to know it is normal to still be experiencing pain at the 4-5 week point after surgery, it was a huge eye-opener to understand the cause of some continuing specific pain that just seemed never to improve. I was doing it to myself by sitting on the donut-shaped pillow without also making sure the scrotum was not allowed to hang/dangle, which is exactly what was happening when I was sitting on that pillow every day. Wow!
OK. So here it is. If you have (or are about to have) had urethroplasty using a perineal approach, there will be tons of swelling and bruising for the first two weeks. There will also be discomfort in the entire area for weeks after that. HOWEVER, you can speed up the healing process in your scrotum and/or testicles (or at least prevent prolonging it) by making sure the scrotum spends a very minimum amount of time unsupported. If you use a donut-pillow to sit on, make sure you also use a rolled up towel or something under the scrotum to support it.
And yup. As I sit here at the computer, there is a rolled up towel down there. And there will be until the pain is gone.
I hope that helps some folks! I’ll give another update in a few days to report how well this worked.
[UPDATE at the 15-week point: It has been several weeks since I wrote this post – about 10 weeks later, actually. Unfortunately, the pain has not abated by much. At my 2nd uroflow appointment (see Uroflow Test 10 Weeks Post-Surgery), my surgeon did a complete digital exam and proclaimed there was nothing unusual. So he couldn’t explain why I was in pain. I just keep remembering what Dr. Larson said about the pain possibly lasting for as long as a year.
There is another thing that occurred during the time leading up to the surgery. I developed an inguinal hernia. These hernias sometimes result in parts of the intestine descending into the scrotum. This is a kind of inguinal hernia called a scrotal hernia. During my pre-op appointment for the repair of this hernia, I mentioned my scrotal pain. That resulted in their sending me to get a scrotal ultrasound. I won’t know the results of that until tomorrow. But I’m hoping all the pain I’ve been feeling will have something to do with the hernia, and the surgery to fix it will also mean the end of that pain. We shall see.
Cheers!
[UPDATE from the results of the scrotal ultrasound] I got the results from the ultrasound on the scrotum and testicles today, and it didn’t shed a ton of light on the issue. The good news is that they now have tactile and photographic proof that there is nothing wrong in there. They DID say that the tissue (fat and/or intestines) protruding from the hernia is descending into my scrotum to some degree. But that is probably not the cause of the pain I’ve been having. I knew it was a bit too hopeful. Oh well. For more, see the next post on this topic here – Update After Scrotal Ultrasound.
Ken
So glad to hear that you got an answer, Ken. I have been using “tightiewhities” since my surgery and was thinking of going back to my ol’ boxer tomorrow. But not now, I am going to keep wearing those things after reading your report.
And I am relieved to hear that your doc said that there could be some swelling beyond the 4-5 week. I was going to call my doc, if that spot of mine doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
I am so glad that there are some other guys going through this because it seems like there is not much info on the web past the 6th week. Think I may have said that before. So happy that you have put this site together Ken.
Thanks,
c
You are welcome, Chris! I’m actually working on getting an actual forum up and running, since we seem to be treating the comments sections as a defacto forum anyway.
And one other thing that may be of interest from my conversation with my surgeon, which I didn’t mention in the article, was what he said about my report of a flow-rate/stream strength greater than I ever remember in my life. He said it was likely that my bladder had been pushing so hard for so long against the stricture, the muscles had strengthened in response. I can tell you that the last few weeks prior to the initial catheterization (when I thought it was BPH and just waiting for my 1st Urology appt.), my bladder kept wanting to contract really hard when I was trying to pee. I had to fight back against it every time. So I know all those muscles “went to the gym” a lot for quite awhile. Well, the doc says that the extra power combined with no more resistance is causing a super strong stream. It makes sense. I forgot to ask if this meant I should expect the stream to reduce back to what I would have considered “normal” after a time. But that would seem to make sense, since the bladder is no longer lifting weights. Hey, this could be at least one explanation for why some guys report a reduction in the stream after an initial super-strong one. If so, then it isn’t the urethra narrowing anywhere again, but just a returning to normal of the bladder force. Interesting idea.
Anyway, thanks again for being a part of all this!
Cheers,
Ken
That is interesting. My doctor had said at my first appointment that my bladder was, most likely, equal to that of a 50-60 year old because it has been so heavily used.
That does make sense to me about how much muscle strength it has developed from trying to force the urine through the stricture. Right after I had the surgery and was no longer full all the time I do recall the sensation of having a soft abdomen. I am sure that it was from the stress that was on the bladder for all those years.
Hope you are feeling better results with your new techniques.
All the best,
c
Just wanted to let you know that I just set up a forum on the site! It might make it easier for all of us to keep up with each other rather than having to use the comments sections across multiple posts. Right now I have a “General Discussion” forum and a “Urethral Strictures And Their Treatments” forum. You can find the forums page here: https://livingwithacatheter.com/community-forums/
I’ll be putting this comment on multiple posts so everyone who has been involved in our discussions is aware, so I apologize in advance for the possible duplicate e-mails you may get.
Cheers!
Ken
Hey guys… I’m almost 4 weeks into my recovery from my second ureathraplasty. My first one was about 15 years ago, so I had forgotten about the scrotal pain, and was about to call my surgeon until I found this site. So, thanks!
Anyway, I wanted to talk about the bladder… During preliminary tests, my doc discovered that, due to years of never being able to empty completely, my bladder had stretched to 3 times its normal size. He was VERY concerned that even after surgery, I might have what’s called a ‘floppy bladder’; the opposite of what you guys were talking about. Yeah, I now have a nice strong ‘firehose’ flow, but he still wants me to come back in 3 months to ensure that Im emptying completely. Not trying to scare anyone, but he did mention the possibility that I may have to self catheterize periodically, if things dont stay as they are now.
Well wishes to all that are going through this. And again, thanks for your post about the scrotal pain.
Brian, Thanks for your comment! It is truly reassuring to get yet another report from someone about that scrotal pain thing. It seems to be quite normal, yet the doctors seem never to prepare folks for it. I’m so glad this site was able to help you!
What kind of urethroplasty did you have – last time and this time, if you don’t mind my asking.
About the self-cath thing – with the latest procedures, it is not very common for guys to have to do that post-surgery as much any more. Now if we are talking urethrotomy, then yes. I think it is more likely. Also, it depends greatly on the severity of the stricture before surgery. For folks who had very small strictures that were repaired recently via end-to-end urethroplasty, the odds of having to self-cath are low to start with. Then, according to my surgeon last week, if the stream is still strong 6 months after surgery, odds are even better for the repair to be permanent and to not have to self-cath.
good luck with the stretched bladder thing. I had not heard of that before. Are you scheduled for a uroflow test? My doc scheduled mine for 2 months after the catheter was removed, making it about 10 weeks after my surgery. Part of that test is to see if you are emptying your bladder when you void.
But remember that I am not a medical professional when I say these things;).
Thanks for your comment!!
Ken
Hi Ken
Well done for starting this conversation. After a robotic prostatectomy two years ago, I suffered with mild incontinence ( ” the dribbles!”.) however this was successfully overcome 4.months ago with the Advance Male Sling surgery. This required surgery via the perineal area ( anus to testicles) since then the underside of my testicles is very sensitive, so I was somewhat relieved to read of the info provided by you, and that such a problem can be experienced for upto a year!!
Following your advice I will endeavour to obtain some underpants that provide support? But regretfully I have been unable to find any? Perhaps I should settle for a rugby type ” jock strap?”!!
Again, many thanks
Ken B
Thanks for that info, Ken! I did end up using a jock strap. That seemed to do the trick. It is interesting that there is a surgery for incontinence that involves the same approach as many of the urethroplasty surgeries, and by extension that much of the info on the site will be helpful to another population of people!
Best of luck with the recovery, and thanks again!
Ken
I have been recovering from urethroplasty now for 3 weeks. Supposedly it will help with my incontenince and stricture . I have pain in my testicles also and was worried but; now I know it is normal. Not looking forward to possibly 6-12 months of continued uncomfortableness and pain. Thanks my friend for sharing; it was very helpful. Did your pain finally stop?
Hi Eric,
Yes, the pain did stop. It just took several months. And during that time it is decreasing steadily. It’s all about expectation management. It CAN take up to 11 or 12 months for it to completely go away. For some, it can be much sooner. Hang in there. It WILL get better.
Dear Ken,
Thank you for all the info you posted.I just underwent perineal urethroplasty and having scrotal pain even after five weeks.I didnt know the scrotal support ideas you have posted.Now Iam happy to know that its normal to have such pain.I will also follow the other ideas you have suggested.Thank you.
Regards
Sundar
Sundar,
I’m so glad you find the site useful and that the information about the scrotal pain helped. It can take up to a year for it to totally go away. Even now, I still sometimes get a little soreness, and it’s been 17 months since my surgery. Hang in there!
Thank you for this my 4 yr old is about to go through his second urethroplasty for a stricture. The last time he had this surgery he was 2 and we had to endure a large amount of scrotal swelling. We will use the tips I have learned from you and hopefully it will help this time. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome, Mandy! I wish you and your son good luck on this next surgery!!
Ken
Hi,
I am one day post catheter and it feels great! I too have some pain in my scrotum and testicles. I know I have just had surgery which is probably the main cause of the pain, but I was also wondering…………..
Because men get so many erections at night, and because of the operation have not been able to follow through with anything – is there any possibility that “blue balls” could be contributing to the pain? Going three to four weeks without any sexual relief is bound to cause some build up of fluid and tension.
I know men are not meant to have any sexual activity for four to six weeks after the operation – but does this mean all types of activity (including flying solo) or does it mainly refer to full sex with your partner?
Sorry if this is personal but I thought I would put this theory out there.
Gavin – That’s awesome that you are catheter-free! About your question – the pain (at least in my case) had nothing whatsoever to do with “BB:-P.” Most guys don’t get that unless there is serious build up and anticipation of actual sexual activity, and then not to have that relieved. The nocturnal erections are not in that category – thank goodness! I can’t imagine what it would be like to get BB every night:-P. If you can make it at least 2 weeks before flying solo, I think it would probably be safe to fly solo if you haven’t had any other complications. But that’s nothing scientific. And as you know, I am not a medical professional. Good luck, and congrats again!
Ken
Cheers Ken – Was just a theory I thought up in my boredom of recovery!
I e-mailed my doctor prior to my operation and he suggested the following (these are post operation and not post catheter removal):
3-4 weeks of rest and not going to work
4 weeks to slowly re-commence physical activity (such as badminton)
4 weeks before travelling on an aeroplane
2-3 weeks before driving. or when I feel comfortable to carry out and emergency stop.
I forgot to ask about sex so have e-mailed again to ask!
These periods of rest seem low in comparison to others I have read but this guy is the most prolific urethroplasty surgeon in the UK (around 120 a year) so he obviously has a good base to suggest his figure from.
Great idea to ask him. You can’t go wrong with someone THAT experienced. Holy cow! Sounds like you were in very good hands.
I’d be interested to know what he says. Maybe we can pass that along:).
Cheers!
Ken
Yep – I posted a video on another thread about a two stage urethroplasty carried out by my this surgeon, and here is another short video dealing with BMG bulbar stricture – exactly the same operation I had.
https://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid2290020610001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAFG2nY0~,AJ61pAvkkkGY6VDh_TOI2M2uuHeDd7u4&bctid=2716929253001
Hi Ken,
My doctor has responded and has said that I am ok to resume sexual activity now (but take it slowly). I am 27 days post op and am feeling good and erections are not painful.
Obviously, as you always say, each person is different so please speak to your doctor first as each procedure may vary.
Thanks for the update Gavin. good to know:).
cheers,
Ken
Hi Ken, I also had the urethroplasty in December 2015. My cathedral was out after 24 days. The VCUG was successfull. I am getting this pain in my scortum continuously. I want to know that how long this pain stay. How long it took for you
Hi Neena,
Congrats for getting everything done so quickly, and best wishes for a good recovery. About the scrotal pain, it’s a good news/bad news kind of thing. It is not uncommon for the pain to take a really long time – like months – to go away. A lot of tissue had to be cut and otherwise damaged during this surgery. And the nerves get very irritated. So a lot of people have to put up with the pain for up to 10 or 11 months. It gets better but slowly. And though there is no special cause for it, and no cause for concern usually, it is irritating. But don’t hesitate to call your doctor if you think there is anything out of the ordinary going on. I must’ve called my doc a dozen times through all of this.
Good luck!
Ken
Hi Mr Ken. I’m a 24y old and undergone a perinatal urethroplasty with oral mucosa I’m my 5th day now and my scrotum is very swollen how long until I can perform simple activities such as walking with no pain siting taking a s***(sorry for the expression English is not my first language) I’m concerned about the swelling as its only in the left side of the scrotum I can’t feel the testie and and it’s numb is it normal? Thank u for sharing you’re experience. I see I still have a long way to go. Cheers
Hi Richard,
Yeah, recovery time is long for most people. It took many months before things went back to normal for me. It helped me a lot just to know that it WAS normal for it to take so long. But it’s worth it. I know it’s hard, but just try to be patient with this.
I hope that helps.
Ken
KEn
any thing i should know, I just had surgery friday, i am worried about constipation and how to shower safely? Your blog is great
Brian
Hi Brian. Congrats on the surgery. the constipation is likely just a side effect of the pain medication. As soon as you taper off of that, things will return to normal. Don’t strain or push on the toilet. Maybe take some Docusate (stool softener, not laxative) to help you there.
As for the showering – I preface this with a non-scientific recommendation. After I got my catheter, I as told that I could just take off the bag and let the catheter hang while in the shower. I did that for a few days and immediately got a UTI. It may be superstitious learning, but I never showered without a bedside bag attached after that. It really cant hurt to hedge your bets here, I don’t think. I just took my large bedside bag, attached to the catheter of course, into the shower and set it on the floor while I showered. That way, there is no chance of shower water getting splashed up into the catheter.
I hope that helps. And good luck with your recovery!
Ken
Hi
This has been a great help, I have been having problems for years with kidney stones and bladder problems, especially over the last 13 months, I had my ureathoplasty 22 days ago, fortunately my surgeon was able to do the op in one stage which was a 15 cm stricture going back towards the bladder, I thought the worst pain was my mouth from where the grafts were taken, but having had my catherter taken out four days ago, I’ve started to get pain on my left side of the groin and my testicles are still swollen, I was about to go to my Drs however finding this has helped immensely as I was concerned that I was still getting discomfort 3 weeks after the op, however now I’m a bit more reassured that this isn’t abnormal.
Thanks for this information and best of luck to everyone going through this.
Kind Regards
D
Darren – I’m so glad the site has helped you. I remember being reassured as well, when I read comments on another blog site about it. So glad you’ve had your surgery and are on the mend. Best of luck in the coming weeks and months!
Ken
Thanks for the article but I think I have a minor, one testical is 2 times the size of the other should I see a docter? The pain is not greet but it hurts somtimes and when I put pressure on it.
Alex – I recommend you see a doctor, yes. Any time you have something abnormal like that going on, I highly recommend getting a doctor to look at it, if only to rule out anything serious.
Good luck.
Ken
Hi all
This conversation really helped to put my mind at rest. I’m 36. Had one of many operations since birth. Hypospadias repairs. This time with buccal muccosa graft. One repair in penis shaft and 2nd in lower area where they had to enter below the scrotum. Very excited about the high level of success with the buccal grafts. Anyway I’m in the 9th week post operation… and thought the recovery was coming along well. Even went to the gym for light exercise last week. But this week the pain has definately increased, after all the activity. The sensitive area is really taking a long time to heal! Still black/purple bruise marks visible. So It helps to know this is sadly the norm.
Happy recoveries and good health to you all.
Nick, South Africa
Thanks for the report, Nick!
Yeah, knowing how long it normally takes helped me a LOT. Good luck with that pain. If after resting, it doesn’t subside, maybe try asking your doctor:).
Good luck!
Ken
hi ken,
I love your site! I’m due to have a Sub Meatal Urethroplasty+Buccal graft in a week and a half-super nervous!
Im wondering if you can shed any light on how the pain will be with that type of surgery and due to the fact its in the meatus im not entirely sure what type of incision will be done.
I hope this makes sense!
Hi Alex,
Glad you like the site:). I can’t personally shed any light about your surgery since mine was very different. It must be relatively rare, since I can’t seem to find much with google searches on it. We may need you to be the expert on it :-P. Best of luck with your surgery and please let us know how it goes!
Cheers,
Ken
Hey ken, idk if you can remember but how long did you or anybody on here have swelling of the scrotum . I had my surgery 5 days ago and I am miserable I was able to walk the third day and now the fourth the fifth day I can’t even lift my legs there is so much pain
Dave,
Mine lasted many weeks. The large swelling went down in about 10 days, but there was a sort of mishapen situation for months. And the pain lasted as long as year, very gradually tapering during that time. Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Ken
Hi Ken,
Firstly, thank you so much for this site. It has helped assuage my fears and nervousness through the whole process of having a urethroplasty. If you don’t mind me asking, how long did the misshapen situation go on? I ask because it has been 2.5 months since my plasty and I am also having that sort of misshapen situation. Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi Chris. So glad the site has helped! So what is mishapen?
Ken
I was referring to the scrotum being misshapen even after the large swelling goes down as you had mentioned in your reply to Dave above (“sort of mishapen situation”). How long did it take for things to go back to normal?
Ah, OK. Yes. That situation lasted for many weeks but did eventually go back to normal.
Ken
Hi Ken had urethroplasty just over 2 weeks ago had bad burning sensation after a week and half went in for uti got antibiotics five days later stil have bad burning and urgency to urinate on toilet every 10 mins anyone else ever jd this problem after this surgery
Ughh. Sorry to hear that, Lee. Have you gone back to your doc about this? So is your catheter out? I assume so, since you have an urge to pee. But if it is still in, it might mean a blockage in the catheter that needs to be flushed out with saline. I had a thin catheter for the first month after pre-surgery catheterization (SPC) and it was caused by a twist in the tube. In any case, I highly recommend continuing to bother your doctor(s) until this is resolved. I don’t think it is normal. Hope it gets better quickly!
Hi ken and all you other suffering gentlemen out there from Urethroplasty.
I the same had my Urethroplasty surgery 4 weeks ago and yes still suffering with pains in the groin, usually at the later part of the day. As a lot of you I also was getting concerned and disappointed with not seeming to get any better.
So a big thank you Ken, this is very reassuring and yes I will be trying the towel and using the surgical net pants at night again in bed to keep the old man supported.
All the best to you all and a speedy recovery, well speedy ish.
Check out the forum I will.
Cheers
Phil
You’re welcome, Phil. Here’s to a speedy recovery!
Ken
Hi Ken,
I am writing to you to thank you and all those gentlemen who shared their experiences.
I had an urethroplasty (anastomosis type) on 14th February 2017, after almost 2 weeks, I still have scrotal pain and restriction to move due to placement of a catheter. Although I can walk, I’m unable to seat even on a soft surface such as a sofa. I’m also experiencing painful wakeup erection 3 to 4 times during night. This happens every single night and it is more painful as I’ve got a bulbar catheter. This has also affected my day time as it has changed my sleeping pattern. In fact, I don’t get deep sleep due to the nasty random erection since I have done the operation. Although, I didn’t find many reports on painful night erection while, I found your website very useful and informative.
After reading all reports, comments and your replies, I have a good feeling about all my post operation symptoms as everyone, who had the same operation, experiencing similar problems.
You have mentioned that your operation was generally successful, however it is not clear how you have measured the success rate of your surgery. Is the flow rate a good variable (comparing pre & post op) to measure the operation outcome? Or it is just your personal feeling about the urination? Or might be both?
I am a weight lifter and being told that I can get back to my routine training after 3 or 4 months, based on your own experience do you think that it is doable to get back to heavy training after this period of time?
Many thanks,
Mani
Hi Mani. Thanks for your kind words:). It’s been 3+ years since my surgery and it was ABSOLUTELY a success. Check out this post I wrote – Uroflow Test 10 Weeks Post-Surgery. You’ll see how powerful I reported my flow to be:). It was amazing. It has settled down to normal now, by which I mean it’s about what I always remember it as being. But yeah. Before the surgery I couldn’t pee much at all, and it hurt when I did. The before-and-after was dramatic.
When do you get your catheter out? I’m betting that once that happens, you’ll be really happy.
Best of luck!
Ken
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your nice reply. I had already checked your post-Uroflow Test 10 Weeks Post-Surgery. I can imagine how life is beautiful when you can empty your bladder with a normal uroflow and without any pain. I’m happy that your surgery was absolutely a success.
You have mentioned that some time after your operation your flow rate was super-flow as it was 35 ml/sec. I have no idea how it feels to have super-flow but I’m sure it’s much better feeling than the condition before surgery.
Although it has been reported that the average flow rate for male (age 14-45) is 21 ml/sec, my uroflow 2months before the operation was 25 ml/sec. This means my flow is normal compare to the average flow rate. However I had to make effort and squeeze my abdomen to empty my bladder and my flow was also flat-topped which comes with burning during urination. Based on the outcome of your operation (and others), I expect to have a greater flow rate than before my operation. So I can expect something greater than 30 ml/s might be a normal flow rate in my case. As I mentioned in my previous comment, flow rate might not be a good measure in all cases. I had urethral stricture even though my flow was normal. It will be clear tomorrow when I can experience urination for the first time after my surgery.
I have an appointment to be seen at urology ward on Monday 27th February (tomorrow). Although I have been told that I need to keep the catheter at least 2 weeks, I assume that the appointment is for getting the catheter out as my operation was on 14th February. I can’t wait to see my uroflow and how successful my operation was. Hopefully it would be a normal flow rate. I will update you with the result.
All the best,
Mani
Hi your comments on the surgery you had has beeno a revelation to myself and my husband he was never told he could be in pain up to year after. my husband has been suffering testicular pain for over a year a was being treated for chronic pelvic pain syndrome nobody has mentioned at all within the year to support with fitted pants
Mrs. Tilley – I’m glad the site can be of some help to you and your husband. Did he have surgery? The main reason for long lasting pain down there after this kind of surgery (cutting up through the perineum to access the urethra) damages all kinds of nerves in the area. the retraction of the scrotum, alone, causes pain that takes quite awhile to recover from. If your husband’s pain has been caused by something other than tissue and nerve trauma, then supporting the scrotum may not help. As you know, I’m not a doctor or nurse. So this is all just my opinion. I hope he feels better soon!
Hello to all those guys out there who have undergone a urethroplasty or something similar.
Firstly, a massive thanks to Ken for creating and responding to every post above. It’s a massive effort and something that will help anyone in this position.
Regarding myself, my urethroplasty with buccal mucosa was performed almost 4 weeks ago. Initially my biggest pain was in my mouth and also the night time erections (Each one is a little bit better than the last) but after they settled and I got my caths out, the pain in my scrotum came to the forefront.
For all those worried about their first “number two”, it wasn’t an issue pain wise but I did suffer a little bit of constipation which I did take some meds for.
The period without sex (6 weeks after the op suggested by my doc) is very, very difficult to adhere to and I find myself struggling to abstain, but I will endure for now.
Finally, the hottest topic being the surgery area, the testical pain and increased sensitivity. I still have a fair bit of pain and although the surgery area is not swollen much anymore my testicals are definately swollen and sometimes a little painfull and other times just super sensitive. Sounds like it’s part and parcel for the surgery.
Good luck to everyone.
Thanks for the update, Keith! Glad to hear things are proceeding as expected. It sounds (but for the mouth pain, since I didn’t have the graft) very like my experience. Best of luck moving forward!
Hi Ken,
This is very useful information, I had urethroplasty before 4 weeks, yesterday my catheter is removed and I passed urine, that was an awesome experience that I have seen unbelievable urine flow and force which I haven’t seen in my entire life, my age is 32. There are certain problems I’m facing, 1. testicles are still the size of orange there is a swelling and paining doctor suggest me medicine and scrotal support to wear, 2. now every time when I pass urine it is paining like a hell at the end, did u experience the same? will this pain is temporary and gone?
Thanks a lot.
Saeed.
Hi Saee. I’m so glad you find the site helpful. I did have the pain in the testicles and scrotum for many months – about 11 months. Doctors kept saying it should be gone after just weeks. But many guys experienced the same as things as me – pain that does go away, but takes longer than the doctors say. I did not, however, have the pain while urinating like you describe. So I can’t comment on why. I also think you should try hard to get to the bottom of that and seek treatment. If your doctors brush you off, find another doctor. Also, I don’t think your testicles should be THAT large at this point. Again, please remember that I am NOT a doctor or nurse. So these are just opinions on my part. I hope things get better.
hi ken, i had urethroplasty a week ago, the mouth tissue method, my testicles and scrotum are very swolen, how long can i expect this to continue?
Hi Ken, first want to thank you for this forum because it was very helpful about some things I was concerned.
My name is Viktor, and I am from Montenegro, part of Eastern Europe, so sorry if my English is not so good.
I had my uretroplasty surgery done 34 days ago, it was end to end procedure.
Now, still today I have pain which feels like something is stretching my scrotum, and it’s impossible to sit without donut pillow. Urologist sad that it is quite normal, and it is slowly passing.
Reading your first post, I noticed that you mentioned some fat tissue which appeared after your uretroplasty.
My question is what happened later with it? Because I noticed also some tissue on the top right side of scrotum, and it is periuretral, it’s like same small marble, also it’s not painful when I touch it.
Looking forward for your answer, and thanks one more time for creating this forum!
Also, I wish fast recovery for everyone who is going through post opp recovery!!!
Hi Viktor. Glad the site is helpful to you! I do know what you mean about the scrotum thing and not feeling like you can sit without the donut. It was like 2-3 months before I was able to sit without it. And the scrotum continued to have pain for almost a year. I found out that other folks had the same problem. It was a comfort to discover that it was not unexpected! My doctors kept saying they thought there should be no pain after a few weeks. They were VERY WRONG. Lots of guys have lingering scrotum pain many months after the surgery. The good news is that it WILL get better. It just takes awhile. And to answer your question about the different appearance of the scrotum tissue – ALL of that went back to normal. Again, it just took longer than I initially expected.
That said, I kept going in to get exams when I felt like there was something not right. I encourage you to do that based on the “marble” thing you describe. I don’t remember having that, exactly. If you can get a urologist to examine that, I think you’d feel better. Plus, if it is actually something OTHER than the normal expected healing from all the tissue damage, you’ll know sooner.
I hope that helps. You’re over the worst of it! Best wishes for continued recovery.
Hi Ken, thanks for your reply!
I am planing to go next week to visit my urologist (not the one who done uretroplasty surgery, but he took care about me for six months after my injury until surgery), and check this thing.
I just thought it was something similar that you went through.
Thanks for your advice and support for everyone here!
Regards!
I am so happy to find this blog. I just had a urethroplasty done 3 days ago. As I type, I am sitting on the throne waiting for my suppository to kick in because I haven’t pooped in 4
days.
I had mine done at Johns Hopkins and recovery isn’t too bad. Most of my questions about scrotal swelling was answered here and it’s good to read the testimony of other men who has had the same experience. I will try to update you guys if there are any unique changes that may take place in my recovery but for now, I am on my feet and doing light chores around the house.
As a side-note. I got my stricture when I was 8 months old. It was caused by a parasite that was lodged in my urethra after I was given pump water. My last dialation was when I was 5 years old and I was fine for 35 years. Around 40, my urine slowed down and I was in full retention by 44. That said, be careful out there.
Thanks for the comment, Jonathan! Glad the site could be of help. Very interesting that they know when and how your stricture was caused. I still don’t know how I got mine. Interesting to know it could have been from something that happened many years ago.
Best of luck healing up!
thanks
You’re welcome :-).
Ken like others has said well done for all your hard work on this site.
I had the urethroplasty carried out 3 weeks ago on a 8cm long scar area using skin from my cheek, in all fairness it’s all gone well up to now and looking forward to catheter being removed after three and a half weeks.
My only concern is the skin around my scrotum is very sensitive almost like someone is pulling a hair whilst attached to your skin still, scars healing and there is no infection, has anyone else had this soreness of the skin area, regards Sean UK
Thanks Sean. Oh yeah. The pain your describe sounds very familiar. I thought for a long while that there may stitches still sticking in there or something. But no. That is totally normal. My doctors didn’t really know much about what to expect and seemed surprised by it. But TONS of other guys report the same thing. And it can take awhile to go away. But it does. It goes from being very ouchy to being really irritating to being irritating to being only kind of annoying until it finally is gone. A lot of nerve damage gets done down there due to the retraction ring and cutting and other stuff. Hang in there. I think everything should be fine.
Cheers Ken, that’s reassuring, I appreciate your time in coming back so quickly, here’s to all of us feeling better in time, regards Sean
Amen to that!
Ken, you are just amazing and so kind to spend so much time educating us and answering everyone’s questions. My urologist was surprised that I was having so much pain in the scrotum 4 weeks after surgery. With everything you have shared here it reassures me that this is not unusual. I would like to add that what has helped me is an ice-pack. I stopped using pain medication and used two zip-lock bags. one filled half-way with ice and covered it with another zip-lock bag so the water does not leak. This cooled down the scrotum area and brought pain relief. Ken, God bless you for your service to the community. You have helped me a lot. Dilip.
Glad the site has helped, Dilip! And thanks for the tip about the ice. I wish I had done that sooner after the main swelling had gone down. It’s important to NOT stop the healing process with ice to soon. But after that swelling (necessary for healing) has subsided, the pain is just mainly nerves. So there is no harm done to use ice. Yes. Hope you heal up completely very soon!
Hi Ken this is useful information, I just Urethroplasty surgery end to end a week ago, 7days, and my testicles were so swollen, im taking antibiotics medication twice daily, I feel swollen testicle reducing but still sagging and numb beneath? Is this usually normal, I am not receiving much response from my doctor when I email to express concerns, I am also feeling another side effect, which I thought doctor should have explained to me prior to surgery, but unfortunately he did not, did your doctor explain to potential complication or side effects of your surgery, before the actual surgical operation?
Thanks again Ken
Hi Stan. Glad the info helped. What you are describing is exactly what I experienced and others as well. So I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it is normal (though I am not a doctor or nurse, so keep that in mind!). Yes, I’m with you – urologists who perform this surgery need to understand what we go through and how long it takes to get better. They don’t seem to know this information, which is one reason why I started this site. But take heart – I think what you are describing is normal and will get better with time. But it does take a lot more time than doctors seem to be thinking. Best of luck as you heal up!
Thank you so much for this awesome web site Ken.
For me it has been a godsend in the worrisome time of urethral stricture and the road to a cure and recovery.
My issues began many years ago with a sports injury causing a stricture in the bulbar area.There have been numerous attempts over the past 20+ years to fix this,the last one (urethrotomy)being reasonably successful for a good number of years . Last year in September the stricture returned with a vengeance causing a complete blockage and rapid trip to the ER for a SP catheter fitment.After some sound advice from my great local urologist I was guided to the Lahey clinic in Burlington MA and met with a urology surgeon called Dr Vanni, the outcome of which was a relatively short 4 month wait for urethroplasty surgery.There were complications from damage to the urethra caused by inexperienced staff in the ER trying to jam several different size and types of catheter in there to attempt to open the blockage.
Last Friday I went in and had the operation the Doctor and his staff were awesome,very caring totally confident and leaving me with no doubt that I was going to be fixed properly this time. I would like to share my experience and the outcomes at various stages of my journey as they transpire.
After the surgery the Doctor told me I was very fortunate to only need an end to end repair on the urethra,at first it was thought I might need the buccalgraft surgery.So no cuts in my cheek thank goodness.
So far in it was a great relief to have the SP catheter gone,however the regular foley catheter takes a bit of getting used to,thankfully it is only supposed to be for three weeks.The pain after surgery is pretty bad as can only be expected after a 3″ cut is put into the scrotum with everything pulled wide to get access to the urethra.I am sure most who have this surgery will,as I have,come home with a lot of bruising and blood under the skin of all the ‘manly parts’ .That along with some pretty decent swelling of testicles and penis is to be expected + some blood coming out from the urethra opening where the catheter is inserted.I am now almost 4 full days in and am already getting more comfortable with the pain ever so slowly getting more bearable and the swelling and bruising looking somewhat less,I realize this will be a long process to become fully healed from the surgery alone.I am scheduled to return 3 weeks from the day my surgery was performed and hopefully have the catheter removed and have various tests performed,I will post up the tests and the outcome of this much anticipated visit as soon as I return from it.
I am going to pop in here and share the recovery experiences I have over the next weeks and months,hopefully this will be of help to anxious fellow sufferers out there.
As of now I am quite comfortable with the healing and level of pain,my only pain med is Tylenol and I drink plenty of water.I have found that supporting under the testicles is a must and provided instant relief also underwear that supports as opposed to boxers is a must.The catheter is a darn nuisance and I swap the leg support thing daily from left to right thigh.It does pinch the swelling on the penis a bit but that also is getting more bearable.
I am open to any questions if I can help , I know to go into this awful problem and the surgery involved is scary and very worrisome .So for now I will check back in soon and tell how all is coming along.
Thanks for posting your story, Rob! It sounds SUPER familiar :-). I am sure others will find your experience helpful. I’m surprised they only gave you Tylenol for he pain. I had some pain meds for a week or so at least. But it sounds like things are getting better already. Yeah, the regular Foley is a pain in many ways. But it’s only temporary. And that time will go by pretty quickly. Thanks again, and I look forward to seeing how things progress. Best of luck in the coming weeks!
Hi Ken,yes the Tylenol was my choice.I was offered meds at the hospital but felt not too bad upon waking up so opted for over the counter help.Upon reflection a stronger pain aid would have been smarter. I would advise taking the hospitals offer if you have this surgery . I am down to two doses of two pills a day now.The return growth of shaved body hair is very prickly and def’ a nuisance ha ha .
One full week after surgery,the swelling and pain has decreased dramatically .Still quite black and blue though.
The worst of the pain is where the 3″ cut was made in the scrotum area, it is also however still numb in an area the front below the testicles. I am expecting the stitches to fall out this week.
I have noticed minimal watery blood coming out where the catheter exits the penis.This has happened only twice,the first was the day after my surgery(the blood was thicker then) and just a little watery blood Friday morning.I was told to expect this.
Getting better sleep now that I am used to the darn pipe hanging out over the bedside into an overnight drainage bag.
Worst thing I have going on now is the fear that it will not be successful , I am concerned that with daily movement ,up and down stairs,bowel movements etc’ it may have torn the stitches and pulled apart ! It is a constant worry that’s for sure.I can only wait now for the final 13 days to pass and get in for the tests and x-rays. I will pop in next Friday and update.
Take care.
4 days to go before the flow test, the pain and swelling has decreased dramatically.The only discomfort now being just where the cut was made and where the darn catheter comes out. I consider that very fortunate after what I have read and heard from others.Now I cross my fingers all is good and this has worked.
I will without fail report the outcomes of my Friday visit.
Thanks for the update Rob! Best of luck in 4 days!!
Ken
I’m at the three week mark since my urethroplasty with bucco graft. After the first week going into the second I had little to no pain and was just worried about the stitches. The site appeared to be pretty far apart so I email a pic to my doctor. Apparently it was fine. Going into week three my testicles have become really painful to the point it hurts to walk now. It feel like my shaft is inside my sack. At the top of my sack is super hard and when I stand up it feels like it’s just getting pulled on. I also got a fever and have been fighting that. Apparently all normal to my doctor. I’m really worried about everything I’ve been reading about the recovery on here. I thought after first talking to my doctor I’d be ok to return to work after four weeks, I’m a police officer. I don’t think there’s anyway for me to return anytime soon if this pain can last that long… is the pain manageable or just handicapped
Hi Mike. Wow, that sounds awful! Is this your surgeon telling you that this is all fine? This is certainly different from what I experienced. Normally I would recommend that you physically go into Urology and wait until someone can see you because – and remember I’m no medical professional – it’s your pain and your body. You deserve to at least be seen and examined for all of this just to make sure.
As for your question about the pain being manageable – yes. After the 4-week point it was more of an irritant than anything else. Definitely not debilitating.
I hope things get better soon!
Hi Ken
Thanks for all your feed. Very very interesting and helpful.
I had BMG Urethroplasty nearly three weeks ago. My stitches sites from my mouth are nearly fully healed which is a surprise. My scrotrum surgical area also seems to be doing great. I can sit walk, climb up and down stairs. I just have some pain and alot of discomfort in my left testicle.
I got a urethrogram on friday 3/4 days time to see if my graft has healed and hopefully the catheters will be removed. My only stress is that what if it surgery isn’t a success and is it painful passing urine after surgery.
I have had a urethrotomy in the past and has failed I was keen to take the latter route to urethroplasty and I did.
Does everybody who has urethroplasty end up with a urethral catheter and a suprapubic one?
My main question is that I have had a suprapubic catheter for 6 months prior to my urethroplasty will it be a problem for me to return to normal urination?
I am from the UK and had my surgery in leeds. The procedure went smooth and aftercare was great. Not really as painful as people make it to be. Just need a bit of guts and man power. All the stitches I had were dissolvable.
Hi Ajaz,
It sounds like you’re doing great. And after having had a surgery fail in the past (the urethrotomy), it’s not surprising you would have that fear for the urethroplasty. But urethroplasty isn’t likely to fail. It has a 90+% long-term success rate, whereas the urethrotomy is 50/50 (so not surprising it failed on you).
I did not have both kinds of catheters at the same time. They had me on an SPC for the months leading up to the surgery (to let the stricture scar down). And ONLY that one catheter type. Then AFTER my surgery I ONLY had the urethral catheter. So I never had them both at once. But I have heard others say their doctors DID use both at the same time. So I guess it depends on your doctor.
Best of luck in the coming weeks!
Hi Ken
Very informative forum. I have experienced severe pain and discomfort in my testicles since my operation as described by many. I am five weeks post op and don’t feel ready to return to work yet. Would be interesting to know how soon you and others returned and when you did if you realised it might have been too soon.
Regards
Paul
I am retired, and work from home now. So it’s hard to say for sure. It depends a lot on what kind of work. I think I could have gone back to an office job after 4 weeks or so. I was functional, I just had the irritating scrotum pain. If I had a more physical job, I might have needed more time – maybe 6 weeks or so. Like so many, the testicle pain didn’t go away until about 11 months. It will get better. It just may take longer than expected. Even my doctors were surprised.