tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47185327260100782302024-02-02T11:47:24.973-08:00Vasectomy Side EffectsAnd you thought vasectomies were safe...Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-81094981377081469572014-05-14T09:29:00.000-07:002014-05-14T09:29:20.649-07:00Life...er Rather, Pain UpdateHere it is, almost 9 months since I last posted. Hum, so what's been going on you may ask? Well, it's funny you should ask.<br />
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My last post had something to do with me returning to the gym and the pain I was having. I have to admit, between working nights and having two kids in school, and buying a new house, I've been fairly busy and the gym was very hit or miss for about 2 months. Then the holidays came, and that was it. No more workouts for me. But I was feeling really good. No pain at all.<br />
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I then decided to do some burst aerobic training where you do 4-5 exercises with great intensity for 45 seconds, then rest one minute and repeat until 3-4 cycles are done and you're absolutely exhausted. The exercises I chose to do were jumping jacks, burpees (push-ups with a jump mixed in), squats (with no weights), lunges, 10 pound kettle-bell shoulder press. Again, I started out very conservatively since I was in the worst shape of my life and I didn't want to kill myself or aggravate the PVPS. All was going well. I had done them for about 2 weeks with no pain (mainly because there was no straining in these exercises, I was taking it real slow).<br />
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Then after Christmas, I was putting a box of decorations back in the garage when it happened. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but let me try to describe it. I was carrying a very light box (~5 pounds) into the garage. I stepped down one step into the garage when something exploded in my right inguinal area. It felt like something ripped away from inside of me. The weirder thing was, it felt like a "square shaped patch" of something ripped away, it had a definite shape to the sensation. So I immediately dropped the box to the floor and stumbled back inside to the kitchen table in desperate pain - it literally took my breath away, just terrible.<br />
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A few minutes passed and the pain seemed to subside just a bit. I had that pain for the next 3-4 days before it went away. I stopped exercising again - because of the pain. Then a couple weeks later, I turned the wrong way while bending over to pick something up and then WHAM! the pain came back.<br />
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This process has now repeated itself too many times to count. I can't say I know exactly what's going on. I did have an inguinal hernia repair when I was like, 23 years old. Perhaps, the mesh has pulled away, or maybe some scar tissue has come loose. I just don't know, and I'm not sure there's a test to tell what's going on, without actually having surgery to take a look inside. <br />
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I don't really want another surgery down there, for fear it will aggravate the PVPS. For all I know, this could be some weird sensation associated with my PVPS. I just don't know.<br />
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My wife made a comment to me back when I was 28 years old, she said, "Why don't you ever get sick, you're the healthiest person I know." Back then she had got her second winter cold, meanwhile, I was free and clear and hadn't had a cold in several years. I laughed and told her, I had just always been a very healthy person.<br />
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Since then, I ruptured a disc in my back, had a vasectomy, got diagnosed with cardiomyopathy (weak heart), had chronic epidydimitis, had a reversal, suffered from PVPS, and now can't exercise, work-out, or do any heavy lifting around the house.<br />
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I'll admit it now, to the world. "I am no longer healthy." There, I've said it. Now maybe things will turn around for me. It just sucks to be unhealthy. My wife hates it, my kids hate it and I hate it.<br />
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So now what do I do? Do I get this pain checked out? Do I suffer in silence? I really just don't know what to do next. There are no doctors up here where I live that I trust and I can't really afford to travel back to Dallas and see a doctor down there.<br />
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I know I can rely on God to get me through this, that is not the question I'm asking. Rather, it's the logistics of it all. How will it work out? Am I doomed to be one of those guys that looks healthy on the outside, but I've got a handicap sticker for my car because I can barely move without being in pain all the time? Just continued frustration over how things have turned out these last ten years. This is not how I envisioned life, to say the least.<br />
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On my knees I go, praying to the one who can make it all better and work out the details for me. <i> </i><br />
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<i>It seems like when I try to work things it, they just fall apart. So I'm relying on you God, yet again to help me. I'm sorry I can't do it on my own, and I know, I know...you don't want me to do it on my own, but I just hate to bother you with this kind of stuff. It's very embarrassing and hits me at my core, my pride. Please forgive me for feeling this way. Guide me and lead me I pray. Amen.</i><br />
<br />Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-46464050201113283942013-09-27T21:21:00.000-07:002013-09-27T21:21:50.282-07:00Unexpected Source of PainSo I cruised through the summer and almost, I said, "almost" forgot I even had PVPS. I would get a few reminders from time to time, but this was by far my best 3 months since my reversal. With that being said, I did what any other normal guy would do when they're feeling better, I became more active. I returned to the gym 2-3 weeks ago and started slow and easy. The treadmill and recumbent stationary bike were the two pieces of equipment I used for cardio. That was it, just these two. No weights, no long endurance routines, just simple low intensity cardio.<br /><br />I spent all of about 5 minutes on the bike for a warm up and then crawled my way to a 35 minute treadmill workout at a very slow mph. It felt good to get up and move again. I really felt reinvigorated. The next day, I did notice a little inguinal ache on my right side, but didn't think much about it. Then I noticed the ache didn't go away, but continued into the next day.No big deal I thought. Probably just a random thing.<br />
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Two days later, back to the gym for a repeat of the previous workout. I had the same ache the next two days. Then I took 3-4 days off because of work and a busy life before returning to the gym. During that 3-4 days, I began to feel good again - no pain! This time I ramped up the warm up and the mph on the treadmill. The next day, I was in even more discomfort and pain which lasted a full two days. Well, I guess you can see where I'm going with this.<br />
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It appears that when I do my rather pedestrian cardio workout at the gym, my PVPS gets aggravated. This really surprises me because I've heard other guys say that working out helps them. Increases blood supply and all that.<br />
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I suppose I have a choice to make. Do I keep working out in spite of the pain or just try to push through; maybe incorporate some light stretching to see if that helps. I believe I'll opt for that last option. Part of the challenge with PVPS is loosing the feeling of normalcy and riding the roller-coaster of pain and frustration. Veering away from activities you normally love to do because the pain is too much or the threat of pain is too daunting.<br />
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My mindset is going to need a shift as I try to move forward. I believe I'll tell myself the pain I'm experiencing is just 'normal' muscle pain that everyone gets after they work out, you know, from the build up on lactic acid. For all I know, that could be exactly what is happening in my inguinal region. So with this potential excuse to return to the sidelines banished from my thinking, I will return to the treadmill and suffer through the normal consequences of a workout, pain.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-32840022101028399422013-09-02T01:23:00.000-07:002013-09-27T21:28:04.275-07:00Summer Ends and Time Marches OnThe new school year is once again upon us. I like times like this as they help to organize my year. Holidays, breaks from school, and birthdays are great signposts and reference points from which to measure the passing of time as it relates to life. For instance, I don't remember the exact day my dad past away, but I know it was about a week before Christmas. I don't remember the exact day we moved to Washington state (the second time), but I know it was during the Texas State Fair or roughly three weeks before Halloween.<br />
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So it is that I measure progress or pain with my PVPS. It was just as school let out in June when I was having a surprising, albeit brief, pain episode. Now here we are at the beginning of school and I've just realized that was my last bout of pain. That's almost three solid months with no pain, outside of a twinge here and there. Those twinges were brought on by moving boxes into our new home.<br />
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I told my wife that it is during times like this when I feel that I've been cured of my PVPS pain. That the reversal surgery did it's job. But since the pain was brought on by the reversal procedure, I'm not sure I can really say that. So why is my pain so much improved? Good question.<br />
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I think the Lord has done a lot to bring me relief. Do I believe he healed me from Heaven? Partly. But mostly I believe the Lord has helped me to live with the pain, to accept it and move beyond it. I could be having pain every day and I may just not be noticing it because I'm no longer hyperfocuced on my groin. Does that make sense?<br />
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It's like the more you notice something, the more you'll notice it. From an emotional and spiritual standpoint, I'm in a far better place. I no longer play the victim card. Life is too short and nobody likes being around that kind of person anyway. So yes, I believe I've been healed. And yes I believe I've been brought to a point where post vasectomy side effects are no longer my primary or even secondary concern.<br />
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It's kind of funny, but I just realized that I've been employed now since January of this year, right after New Years. In my job, I have to lift patients, squat and bend over, take the stairs frequently, and basically be an active individual. I used to be scared of how my body would react to the sudden workload. I didn't know how long I'd be able to work. Well, here I am (9 months later) and all seems to be going well. I can do my job without fear of the PVPS consequences.<br />
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That's it for my update, but for those courageous few who want to read on about how God has helped me, please read on. <br />
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br />
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I've said this on the blog before, but I feel extremely blessed by God. He has done so much in my life these last couple of years, I can't even begin to tell you. But take it from me, God is good. He answers prayers and listens with a father's heart. Give your fears and anxiety and pain to him and he'll make it better. Maybe not in the way you hope, but in a way that will glorify himself and blow you away.<br />
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One of the biggest things I've learned this last year is that God doesn't need me, but I sure need him...for absolutely everything in my life. Whether it be my job, health, relationships, finances, outlook, attitude, etc, I need him. Oh, I can get by on my own, but I'll just screw it up as always.<br />
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Funny, but God has always worked in my life and he is always working in yours, although you may not be able to see it. I certainly couldn't always see it and I'm a 'Christian'. But looking back in the reflection of my life, I see where my Lord Jesus was there for me. And it wasn't until I faithfully and honestly started praying for help (trusting Him), that I began to see his hand upon my life in real time.<br />
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I know this won't make sense to you if you don't believe that God sent Jesus. Perhaps if you are willing, you could read the Book of John in the bible (The 4th book in the New Testament). The first 5-6 chapters kind of talk about what I'm trying to say here.<br />
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Well, I guess that's about it. I just felt like I needed to say something in these last couple of paragraphs. Who knows, maybe God is trying to get your attention which is why you're here reading this now. Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope this helps.<br />
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God bless. Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-24107940592116536352013-07-22T14:01:00.002-07:002013-07-22T14:01:34.684-07:00Male SterilizationI got thinking about PVPS the other day and what it means to me. So basically, my whole world has been turned on its ear in the last several years because of a decision. The decision making process involved in my male sterilization procedure (aka: vasectomy) was so warped. I mean, why did I have it done in the first place? It's kind of silly.<br />
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I wasn't ever going to have a vasectomy, in fact, my wife was going to have her tubes tied with the delivery of our second child. Again though, why had we settled on any type of sterilization procedure? I mean, for 20 years, we had successfully managed to have children when we wanted to and not when we didn't. So what was it about vasectomy or tubes getting tied that seemed like a good idea? Why did we want to change our anatomy?<br />
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The simple answer is laid out in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1GYTDC" rel="nofollow">my book</a>, but I'll give you a glimpse here. The answer is...it seemed like the right thing to do. That's it. Getting fixed is just what you do when you're done having kids. We do it to animals without any regard and are praised for it by the SPCA. When men are sterilized, we stand around the water cooler and high five about convenience, while scaring the other men with our bag of frozen peas stories. Women may have the benefit of no more monthly cycles, depending on their selection of sterilization.<br />
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I have to laugh, because if I don't I'll just cry, about the reasons why we did what we did. Like I said, the book goes into much more greater detail about our decision to make male sterilization our method of choice.<br />
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So what is the take home message? It isn't to talk you into or out of a particular decision. Rather, I just want you to think about why you are doing what you are about to do. Is it convenience, is it fear you'll have more kids, what? Remember, permanent sterilization for both the male and female are procedures wrought with the promise of ease in the bedroom, but can also have uncertainty, pain and life altering consequences. So ask yourself why and get informed. Then decide whether male sterilization is right for you. I hope this challenges you and makes you think hard about your future. <br />
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Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-10071360109891338382013-07-04T11:05:00.000-07:002013-07-04T11:05:50.381-07:00Independence DayToday is July 4th, Independence Day for our nation. We're making plans for a BBQ over at some friends and maybe we'll light up a sparkler or two with the kids. Hopefully it will be a fun day full of distractions and good times. But in the back of my mind I'll wonder if the pain will strike. Will I be able to sit down with our friends for hours and just shoot the breeze over iced tea, corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake.<br />
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I know I have gained a measure of independence from the roller coaster nature of PVPS, as I take the new normal approach...which I discussed last time. But having true independence from the signs and symptoms of my vasectomy side effects is something that is more like a pipe dream than an attainable reality.<br />
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So the question that begs to be answered is, "Am I okay with that?"<br />
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I'd say my response is an affirmative as I really have no other choice. I have to be okay with that, since I simply have no other reality. But the Lord continues to help me in so many ways, with pain, with attitude, with distractions, with friends and family supporting me. His presence is truly overwhelming at times. And for that I am grateful.<br />
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I spoke of how my cardiac medicine changed away from an alpha/beta blocker to just a beta blocker. I wondered if it would have an impact on my pain or symptoms. The court is still out on this one. Surprisingly, my urine flow has changed quite a bit. I feel much more like an 'old man' in that realm, but the pain has actually become less chronic in nature. In other words, I don't have the chronic and continuous aches down there. Rather, I will just have a sudden twinge or sensation that comes out of nowhere then disappears as quickly as it came.<br />
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I don't know whether to attribute this to the change in medication or perhaps I'm just in a good way with my pain cycle. Regardless of the 'why', I am enjoying the break. In the past, when the pain cycle would flip over to the positive, I learned not to ask why, but just relish the new found relief.<br />
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On this July fourth, I am going to try to enjoy myself, my friends and my family. Hopefully, without the intrusion of any post vasectomy pain.<br />
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All my best to you and your families on this holiday. May the Lord keep you and help you.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-40718918698945545812013-06-09T15:01:00.000-07:002013-07-04T10:50:55.369-07:00A New NormalI think this title sums everything up rather well. I'm experiencing a new normal in my life with regards to my post vasectomy pain symptoms. The swelling I experienced last month is still present. The random aches and pains continue. Life still revolves, somewhat, around how I'm feeling down there.<br />
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Viewpoint has a lot to do with everything. Is your cup half empty or half full. What a difference your approach makes. I believe having 'a new normal' approach is most helpful to me. When I experience a change in my symptoms, I just tell myself, "No big deal, it's just a new normal". For whatever reason, that seems to work for me. It keeps me off the emotional roller-coaster of getting too high when things are great and too low when everything kind of sucks.<br />
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So here's my most recent update since last month...I still have swelling on my right side. I'm having inexplicable pains or spasms, radiating out from my right groin area which extend to my right thigh, buttocks, lower back and side. This seems to result from over activity involving too much standing. Tylenol seems to help this pain, as I took 1000 mgs last night with good results.<br />
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I have had a change in my cardiac medicine. I'm now off the Coreg, which was an alpha and beta blocker. Now I'm taking Metoprolol, which is only a beta blocker. I'm wondering if removing the 'alpha blocking' component with impact how I feel in my groin, as I think alpha blockers are sometimes prescribed for men with prostate/urine flow issues. We'll see.<br />
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Other than that, not much else has changed. For those inclined, here is a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A1GYTDC/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00A1GYTDC&linkCode=as2&tag=stopsmokinghe-20">link to my book</a> about my vasectomy experience.
Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-82703822913581539602013-05-06T09:28:00.000-07:002013-05-06T09:28:23.968-07:00Weathering the StormCould it be the epididymitis has passed? I'm not really sure. There isn't that nagging pain down there (unless I sit for too long). The swelling is still present, but not as prominent as the last few weeks have been. I hope it is passed. I hope it never comes back. But it will I'm sure. The only question is when. Hopefully it will be a long time, like decades. <br />
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In the meantime, things seem to have returned to 'normal', whatever that is. I still get random pains here and there. No real rhyme or reason to them, just 'cause I guess. I have a doctor's appointment with a new cardiologist this week. I pray my heart is in good shape, despite the lack of activity induced by the PVPS.<br />
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It seems the older I get, the more unsteady the ground is; the more plates I try to keep spinning in the air at one time. Reminds me that I can't do it by myself. Thank God I have Jesus to get me through. Seriously, how else can I do it. My decisions always stink and mess things up. The more I have tried to control, the more things get turned upside down. But when I wait on the Lord to answer my prayers and provide for me, the better the outcomes. I know that sounds weird, especially if you don't believe like I do, but it's absolutely the truth. I just can't make stuff like this up. <br /><br />I could tell you story after story, but probably not entirely appropriate for a PVPS blog. Maybe some day though. Who knows, maybe I'll write a book about it. <br />
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<br />Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-91033125425472206682013-05-01T11:17:00.001-07:002013-05-01T11:17:45.174-07:00The Pain ContinuesThis epididymitis continues on my right side. I've taken a couple of weeks worth of ibuprofen, mixed with some tylenol which has helped the day to day pain. However, I was hoping the swelling would go down a little bit more than it has.<br />
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Surprisingly, my wife and I have been intimate a few times since this began. I wasn't sure what would happen if I had an E.J. But, it doesn't appear to have made it worse and perhaps, it has helped a little bit (I'm not really sure, because of all the OTC pain meds I'm taking).<br />
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The real problem is when I have a day at work that involves a lot of sitting. Sitting is just a killer for me right now. Then again, so is standing for long periods of time (like when I umpired my son's 2-hr baseball game yesterday).<br />
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The pain in my scrotum definitely puts a damper on just about everything in my day. But I think I can tolerate it as long as it doesn't get any worse. Now the likelihood of it not getting worse is pretty slim, I know. But that is my approach now. If other people can live with chronic pain, then so can I. I don't like it, but what are you going to do...it's not like I have a lot of options at this point. More surgery is out of the question and I'm not taking anymore antibiotics or steroids. That just leaves prayer and living with it. Thankfully, Jesus gives me the strength and patience to do that. Again, I don't like this option, but as I said before, my options are pretty few and far between. At least this option has paid dividends and is more reliable than anything I have tried before.<br />
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So faith in a loving God and savior, along with my eternal perspective is all I have left. That should be enough for anyone.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-57712302820976756912013-04-24T20:26:00.001-07:002013-04-25T08:18:04.518-07:00Major Disappointment - Vasectomy Reversal FailureI always knew in the back of my mind that my vasectomy reversal may not work. If the symptoms I am experiencing and visualizing can be believed, than I believe my epididymitis has returned. I really thought the vasectomy reversal was the answer to my problems, but it has caused way more problems that it solved, especially since it seems to not have solved anything.<br />
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So I return to square one, chronic epididymitis. I really don't want any more surgery for fear of making the nerve-like pain worse. But then, what do I do about a chronically inflamed epididymis? I guess I return to the old stand-by's: hot soaking baths, ibuprofen and I suppose steroids if it gets too bad.<br />
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The challenge is this, I am not supposed to take a lot of NSAIDs (ibuprofen) because of my cardiomyopathy (heart weakness). So I guess I am to suffer my remaining days with a swollen scrotum - by the way, I'm only 45 years old. Kind of sucks, that's true, but what can you do.<br />
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I made the decision to have a vasectomy several years ago and now I have to live with the consequences. I feel like I have grown as a person because of the ordeal I've gone through. I also believe my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is much stronger as well. I just wish I didn't have to continue to suffer. But Jesus gives me the strength to continue and he's there when I cry out asking "why" and seeking "help".<br />
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So from someone who is in the medical field and wound up suffering this unimaginable fate, please take a word of advice from me - get the facts before you have a vasectomy; ask yourself why you want the vasectomy (is it just for convenience). :Let's face it, if conventional birth control has worked thus far, then why can't it continue to work in your later years? Just something to think about.<br />
<br />Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-52380428481777562812013-04-03T11:07:00.000-07:002013-04-03T11:07:42.451-07:00Life Goes On With Vasectomy PainWhat can I say, you either crawl in a hole and give up or move forward with the realization you'll never be 100% again. That's kind of where I've been the last month. After having no many great months or rather blocks of weeks with little pain, the last month has been a challenge. This hernia pain which I posted about last time continues to rear its ugly head. It seems to worsen with physical activity, either long hours at work or when I try to actually run/playing basketball. It seems that running and jumping are bad for my with regards to my pain.<br />
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It seems like walking or hiking is all my nether area can tolerate. This makes me think that something is anatomically wrong down there on my left side. My right side has been relatively pain free, with the exception of an occasional twinge here and there. I'd like to get a sonogram of my left side to see if everything looks as it is supposed to, but I know that would be an out of pocket expense that likely wouldn't pay off, since most ultrasounds of the testes don't show very much. Maybe a CT scan would be better, but then the expense might be cost prohibitive since they cost roughly $1200.<br />
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So here I am, stuck between a rock and a you know what. Just living with this pain with no real future. It kind of stinks because the pain is significant enough to keep me from the activities I love to do most. Not to mention I need these aerobic outlets for my heart so it can stay in shape. Walking on a treadmill just doesn't give me the aerobic workout I'm looking for, when compared to playing basketball or going for a light jog.<br />
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So am I better since my vasectomy reversal? Prior to reversal my scrotum was constantly swollen and in pain. Since the reversal, the swelling is gone, but it is replaced with this terrible, intermittent nerve pain which makes my left testicle feel like it's about to explode from within.<br />
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It's kind of a toss up. One thing is for sure though, I'll never be back to 100% and that kind of sucks. I'd put myself at about 70% of what I used to be before I had my vasectomy, about 7 years ago. Some guys feel worse, other people suffer from other terrible diseases and situations. I guess I should count myself fortunate and blessed. Honestly though, it's hard to view it that way. But I know it's the approach I should take.<br />
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The good Lord has seen me this far, I know he'll see me the rest of the way. So be thankful for good days. This is the motto we should all be sticking to, even when we don't feel like it.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-26684237174357702492013-03-07T10:49:00.000-08:002013-03-07T10:49:06.921-08:00Hernia Type Pain ReturnedI've been working now for almost two full months. There has been a lot of strain to my groin as a result, when compared to the zero activity relatively associated with being a stay at home dad. I'm not sure if it's the work activity or something else (who really knows when it comes to PVPS), but I've had a return of the hernia like pain in my left testicle. It starts out as racking pain, then turns into that uncomfortable hernia like pain. I had this checked out last year, which I think I blogged about, but the examination came back negative. The guy said that I'd need a CT scan or something of that nature to determine if there was a weakening of the inguinal canal on the left side.<br />
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But then the severe hernia type of pain just kind of stopped. If there was any pain on the left side, it was usually that racking pain, until about 1 week ago. It is so frustrating how things can be ticking along just fine and then "whammo", out of the blue, some weird pain starts down there.<br />
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Every once in a while, I actually think my body is completely healed from my PVPS, then I get a burning sensation, twinge or pain in my scrotum/inguinal area. It is very deflating to say the least as reality hits you upside the head.<br />
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In fact, I was in the kitchen the other day. I was putting the dinner plates on the table. I set 1 down, then another. I was about to set the third down when a sharp pain made it's presence known in my inguinal region. I turned to my wife, who was also in the kitchen, and expressed my frustration and wonder about it all. In this case, I wasn't lifting anything heavy, stooping, bending, etc. - I was just putting the plates on the table.<br />
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As a result of the hernia-scrotal pain on my left side, I've returned to wearing the old faithful athletic supporter. I wear it most days at work (just in case). It seems to help with this pain, as did the ibuprofen I took. But I can still feel that sensation down on my left side. Like it's about to trigger a full blown outbreak with a pain reading of about 7-8 on a pain scale of 1-10. So I'm careful and try not to do too much until this passes.<br />
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Who knows, it could just be part of my pain cycle which brings significant increases in pain related symptoms every couple of months. I guess we'll see. Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-24486219202951912132013-02-19T15:48:00.000-08:002013-02-19T15:50:28.483-08:00Vasectomy E-bookWe are running a special <b>FREE </b>book promotion for<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"> "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1GYTDC" rel="nofollow">Should You Have A Vasectomy? One Man's Journey of Discovery</a>" on </span></span></span>Feb. 21st. Go to <i><u><b>Amazon on Thursday Feb. 21st</b></u></i> and download my ebook, detailing my vasectomy experience. I ask that you read it to your good health and would appreciate your reviews on the Amazon website. Hopefully, they'll be positive!<br />
<br />
Enjoy and don't forget to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1GYTDC" rel="nofollow">download </a>it this coming Thursday for FREE.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-67793084453649924882013-02-02T10:13:00.000-08:002013-02-02T10:13:05.054-08:00Off and On Pain ContinuesDuring my last report, I stated I had some sharp inguinal pains, possibly from lifting a patient at my work. Since then, those sharp pains have tailed off. The next couple of days at work, I noticed the pains when I was walking up the stairs at the hospital. However, the last few days have been relatively pain free. Even the constant "full-feeling" I sometimes get on my right side is gone. <br />
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Again, walking and standing at my job has probably helped me a lot. After a few years of no work, I am glad to be a productive member of society again. I love the fact that I get to be busy for 12 hours a day. I also love helping my patients get better too. I'm working nights though, something I'm not particularly happy about. I haven't worked a night shift in over 23 years. My body is adjust okay to staying awake, but on my days off, all I want to do is sleep. <br />
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I went to the gym yesterday and actually ran on the treadmill for the first time in a long time. Nothing too crazy, just a minute of jogging, followed by a minute of rest, and repeat a few times. My left side hurt a little afterwards, but it quickly faded. <br />
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Everything seems to be going according to plan so far. If there is a plan. I was hoping that my pain would be under control for my job. Thankfully, that has been the case. I continue to be grateful for this work. I am also grateful the pain hasn't been intolerable. So as usual, a lot of things to be thankful for.<br />
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I continue to be amazed at how I see a little bit better everyday, how much I need my Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. My dependence upon him just continues to grow. You'd think this would make me a weak human being, but I find greater and greater strength in trusting in my God's provision. He has yet to disappoint. I'm starting to understand what Mother Theresa felt, when she saw God's hand at work in the streets of Calcutta, India. I'm not saying I've seen those kind of miracles in my life, but I am saying that trusting in God, is a great place to be.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-20167977981333375772013-01-23T12:11:00.000-08:002013-01-23T12:11:02.980-08:00Sharp Inguinal PainI developed a sharp inguinal pain on my right side Monday. This came after two days of working at the hospital. I recall having to help lift a patient up in bed on Saturday. I felt a little twinge down there, but hoped I hadn't done anything too bad. So I'm not sure if the pain I felt Monday and then Tuesday, was from that incident at the hospital or not.<br />
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It could just be time for that part of the "cycle" of pain when I hurt. I just don't know. I took some Tylenol last night and that seemed to help. I will try to be much more careful about lifting or repositioning patients in the future. I have a bad back too, so maybe I'll just tell the nurses that I can't help, because of my back. That is an easier way to explain it than having to go into the whole PVPS song and dance.<br />
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Other than that, it has been a long while since my wife and I have been intimate. Having a stressful job (for her) and then me getting the stomach bug, doesn't make for romantic times at our house. Hopefully, now that I'm working, I can take some of the stress off of her at her work which will help her be a little more happy and relaxed. Like I always say, "when momma isn't happy, nobody's happy".<br />
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On a side note, one of the nice things about working is that I don't have a lot of "sitting down" time. That is great. I do a lot of walking at my job and standing. It seems to be a nice balance, so I'm not doing too much of one thing for an extended period of time. That really seems to help my PVPS. I just have to remember not to lift those patients. Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-57034534356596763162013-01-18T09:09:00.000-08:002013-01-18T09:09:00.412-08:00Getting Over the FluIt's now been six days since I was stricken with the stomach flu that is going around. The first couple of days were terrible. Nausea, cramping and all that comes with that. I have only yogurts and a couple of bowls of cereal since then. I'm still not hungry though.<br />
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This sitting around has been the worst. I can't go to the gym (no energy) and they cancelled the two days I was scheduled to work this week. So this has been a good test as to where I am with regards to my vasectomy side effects. I have to say that I am cautiously optimistic as my nerve pain has not really materialized. In fact, outside of the reminders I had (as a result of my retching) on Sunday, my PVPS has been non-existent. <br />
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This reminds me of an article I read that said, most men reported being PVPS pain free after vasectomy reversal in about 18 months. Now since the reversal caused my nerve-like pain, I guess it is reasoned enough to guess that it would take me a little longer to get over it.<br />
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I'm just past the two-year mark and things are remarkably better. I've also noticed that I can enjoy more sleeping positions at night. Before I could only sleep on my back or in the fetal position, with a pillow between my knees. Last night, I slept on my left side, with my left leg straight, and my right leg crossed over on a pillow. It was very comfortable. I'm not so brazen as to remove the pillow just yet, but maybe some day.<br />
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There is only the Lord to thank for the recovery I've experienced. I know he has his hand in my life and has been using this PVPS thing for his glory and will. Again, that may sound kind of weird to some of you readers, because you don't believe like I do. But trust me, if I could ever put into words what Jesus has done for me, how he's used this PVPS, how he's changed me (for the better, I think:), how I couldn't be the man I am today without this; then you'd probably believe like I do, because the journey would seem so fantastic, so full of miracles - you'd simply have no choice but to believe.<br />
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But since I'm not that eloquent, I guess you'll never know exactly what I mean when I say the Lord has helped me. For that, I apologize. Maybe one day, I'll be able to write it out in a way the world can understand.<br />
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In the meantime, my vasectomy side effects continue to be in the shadows as the flu bug still has center stage. Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-46133555480913058562013-01-16T17:18:00.001-08:002013-01-16T17:20:20.125-08:00Funny Thing Happened on the Way to WorkI had just finished my first week of orientation at my new job. I thought it was progressing well. I haven't been having any pains at all in the groin or inguinal area. Very positive start to say the least. Then something happened on Sunday morning...I got the dreaded stomach virus that has this part of the country in its nasty, messy grip.<br />
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Lots of liquid exiting my system in just about every direction; not a pretty sight. I became most dehydrated and had to get an IV and some meds to turn the tide, as it were. So I'm laying there in the ER writhing as the next wave of stomach cramping churns through my gut, when all of a sudden, BOOM! PVPS came for the show. I guess it was all that convulsing, cramping, guarding, etc., as those nerves down there became quite active and reminded me that I was not free of the syndrome. There would be no rest for this weary cat.<br />
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It was so surreal, like waking up from a bad dream. You think you are still dreaming, but you know you're awake, but you can't get your mind where it needs to be, to shut off the images warping across your brain. The pains were sharp and primarily located in the left inguinal and testicular area, although the right side did participate every once in a while. I was so miserable, the PVPS pain didn't really make a dent, other than to remind me that it could strike at will at a time of its pleasing.<br />
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Now the green is gone from my gills and I'm feeling better. Still some occasional stomach cramping, but nothing too serious. The PVPS symptoms are gone too, for now. I go back to work in a couple of days. Hopefully, no permanent damage was done by my retching this week. <br />
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Here's hoping you don't get the stomach virus or the flu this year. Because man, it sucks.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-18200092412861204432013-01-09T09:46:00.000-08:002013-01-09T09:47:33.038-08:00Status of Pain After Two WorkdaysLike I said in my <a href="http://vasectomysideeffects.blogspot.com/2013/01/working-after-vasectomy-reversal.html">previous post</a>, I have a new job. It started last Monday, two days ago. As with any new job, they have to do a period of orientation first. For me, this orientation meant sitting in a chair for 8 hours listening to speaker after speaker talk about things like environment of care, infectious disease, and other hospital type of stuff. Pretty boring.<br />
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I was curious to see how my PVPS would respond to the continuous sitting. To my surprise, I was feeling any aches or sharp pains Monday or Tuesday. This is quite a big deal for me, because there was no way on Earth I could have sat for 8 hours at a time, in uncomfortable chairs without feeling the pain after about 20 minutes or so.<br />
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However, while I was sleeping last night, I was awakened suddenly. I was having a dream where I was experiencing tremendous pain in my left inguinal area. It took me a little while before it woke me up. Then I realized the pain wasn't just in my dream, it was real. I was experiencing real pain and it wasn't good. It began to fade away after 5 minutes, or perhaps I started to fade back to sleep, I'm not really sure which happened. But the pain kinda stunk. I always wondered that if I dreamed about pain, did that mean I was having it for real, outside the dream. Well, in this case the answer was yes.<br />
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I can't say that I'm bummed by the pain, although maybe just a bit. In contrast, I'm excited that I was able to sit for so long without having pain during the actual sitting. Today, I go back to work for a few hours, but I'll be on my feet for most of it (I hope anyway). Then tomorrow and Friday I actually do my departmental orientation, where I'll be up and at it. Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-46607295647528773042013-01-05T11:58:00.000-08:002013-01-05T11:58:58.723-08:00Working After Vasectomy ReversalIt has taken over two years since my reversal, but I am now employed! That may not seem like a big deal to most readers of this blog, as it wasn't the reversal which kept me from working, rather our personal choices with regards to our family. However, as a result of those choices, I have been unemployed for these last two years.<br />
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I'm not sure I could have been working with these PVPS pains that I had been experiencing since my reversal. Oh, I probably could have gotten by, with pain killers and the like. But I'm guessing it would have made a miserable time even more miserable. My heart goes out to those men who have jobs and various responsibilities that become compromised as a result of PVPS. I've heard many horror stories of men losing jobs because of their PVPS. I'm not sure why I was able to plod through this situation without that added burden. I'll say this, I've never been very thick-skinned. What I mean by that is, I've never been able to handle adversity with much grace. If things got a little overwhelming, and I mean just a 'little', I had a history of cratering. It really has never taken much to throw me off my game, to borrow a sports cliche'. I have always hated that about myself. But as a kid, I never had any adversity - so I guess I never learned the skills necessary to handle it when it came. <br />
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I know I get a little preachy, okay, a lot preachy, here sometimes but this is just another example of how the Lord works in my life. I last posted about cycles of pain. How I go through longer periods of relatively little pain followed by brief, short cycles of bothersome pain. I just finished up one of those longer periods without much pain. Interestingly, the brief cycle of bothersome pain, was very brief. In fact, it was only about a day long. Getting up and moving/walking is all it took to overcome it this time. I never even took a Tylenol or ibuprofen. So couple this new development with a job which will have me on my feet quite a bit, seems like a real blessing.<br />
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And I think I've grown quite a bit - mentally/spiritually/character - in the last two years. I think the Lord had to deal with me in such a way to show me that I don't have to handle the adversity on my own. I can simply turn it over to him and then trust that he'll take care of me. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. You know, looking to the future, I'm sure I'll have to adjust to a whole new set of pains that will come my way as I suddenly am thrust into the land of the living, but I am confident this job came along at just the right time, because I wasn't prepared for it before.<br />
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On a side note, while I was experiencing this past long cycle without much pain, I noticed a change in my wife and my intimacy levels. We were much more frequent in our time together. Kind of the exception for us, but it was great. I really love my wife so much and we, for whatever reason, were able to connect quite a bit. So perhaps the increased activity in the bedroom helped my pain cycle lengthen (in a good way). <br />
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I make this point because this is my journal, albeit public as it is. I write to remember, to explain, to help me figure stuff out and maybe, hopefully, to help someone else.<br />
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In any event, it looks like I'll be working after my vasectomy reversal. It only took two years.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-68523166959530936712012-12-27T15:23:00.000-08:002012-12-27T15:23:22.381-08:00Prediction Comes TrueWell, I posted a while ago about how I was in the middle of a good cycle, with regards to my pain. At the time, it had been two months with less than bothersome pain to report. But I said my good cycles last about 2 months and that I should be expecting some real pain pretty soon.<br />
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Sadly, it happened. The racking pain on my left side started in this morning. Just a twinge here and there, but I knew what was coming. Now, I have consistent racking pain on the left side. I wouldn't say it is anything major though, but very bothersome and uncomfortable.<br />
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Part of the problem of dealing with chronic pain is when you don't have it, you actually hope for a normal life and you get excited at the possibility of having a normal life, pain-free. But then when the pain cycle comes around and kicks in, you get pretty disheartened and frustrated. You think, "Just when I was starting to think this whole mess was behind me, here it is again."<br />
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I did walk on the treadmill today with my athletic supporter on, so maybe that will help. I'll try to keep active the next couple of days, but will likely take some ibuprofen later today if it doesn't improve on its own. Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-65377370633018296132012-12-24T09:27:00.000-08:002012-12-24T09:27:10.307-08:00Vasectomy Reversal Update - Two Year AnniversaryMerry Christmas to everyone! It has been 2 years since my vasectomy reversal. So I thought I'd provide an update as to where I am these days.<br />
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With regards to the inguinal <b>knifing pain</b>. I only get that pain if I have been sitting too long or have been inactive for days at a time. The pain usually registers at a 2-3 on a 1-10 pain scale (10 being intolerable). This pain is mostly bothersome, but rarely so painful that it prohibits me from doing anything. Tylenol seems to address this pain rather well.<br />
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What about the <b>congestive </b>or full feeling on my right side. It is hard to distinguish this pain from the knifing pain, since the knifing pain has dulled in the last year. However, the congestive pain seems more centered in my scrotum and radiates out into my inguinal area. Frequency of ejaculations (e.j.) seems to regulate this pain. It seems that if I have at least 2 e.j.'s per week, the pain doesn't ever bother me. I visualize my epididymis emptying regularly, and therefore, not allowing any build up of pressure, which causes the full sensation. <br />
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Interestingly, if my wife and I talk about plans to be intimate during the day only to have those plans fall through, I experience a significant up swell in pain. It doesn't feel like '<b>blue balls</b>', but it is certainly a similar phenomenon. The knifing inguinal and congestive pain will both be present. It's like the anticipation of excitement does something at the physiologic level, which then creates the pain scenario.<br />
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The <b>racking pain</b> on my left side will come and go for the same reasons listed above, sitting and inactivity. Although, jumping (like when playing basketball) and lifting something over 15 pounds will cause this sensation to rear its ugly head. It king of feels like something is pushing into my scrotum, like a hernia maybe? However, I have had this checked and apparently I do not have a hernia. This pain registers the same 2-3 on a pain scale. Tylenol doesn't affect it though, only ibuprofen works.<br />
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Random <b>burning sensations</b>. These still come and go at random and are independent of any activity, as far as I can tell. I will get these in all areas of my nether region, from my scrotum, "johnson", inguinal area, etc. These are a little un-nerving, because they feel so weird. They range from sharp pains to burning, to spasm-like sensations to twinges. The pain can be anywhere from a 1-5 and don't really respond to pain medicine with just one exception. The johnson pain does respond to tylenol.<br />
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I find that <b>lifestyle </b>really makes a difference. The more active I am, the better. The more my mind is distracted, the better. As long as I remember my coping techniques and try not to behave like a 20-30 year old, I'm okay.<br />
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Independent of anything I've listed above, there does seem to be a <b>cycle of pain</b>. When the pain first struck, I remember having a few good days followed by a few bad. Then a week or two of good, followed by the same of bad. This cycle has progressively lengthened itself over the last two years. Most recently, I identified a cycle of good times lasting about 2 months, followed by a single bad week of pain. I am currently nearing the end of a two month good spell, so I should probably plan on something changing here pretty soon.<br />
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Lastly, I wanted to talk about what helps me. Sure tylenol and ibuprofen are good for the pain. Not sitting for long periods of time is helpful too. But the thing that helps me the most is my God. I'm sure many non-Christians are rolling their eyes at me right now. I would ask that you just hear me out.<br />
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Having this PVPS thing happen to me is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. Yet, I can see how God has used this to grow me. My outlook and perspective on life has all been sharpened as a result of this stupid syndrome. I would not be the man I am today, if it weren't for my PVPS (and I mean that in the best of ways). My faith is far stronger, my expectation that God will work in my life and the lives of others is higher, and I see how he is using this syndrome to allow me to help others; it's truly been a blessing.<br />
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Now it wasn't always like this. In fact, I had a night where I basically yelled to God (not at God) about all the bad stuff that was happening to me (PVPS). From that moment on, my pain lessened dramatically, my ability to cope magnified about 100 fold, my attitude immediately changed from victim to contentment. I'd love to say that it was all me; that I some how mustard-ed up the internal fortitude and changed everything overnight. But it wasn't me. I know the Lord worked something miraculous in my life that night. I'm not going to say he "healed me from Heaven". No, no, that would be a huge leap of faith that not even I could make. Rather, he just seemed to change me somehow.<br />
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I had been playing the victim role for so long, and that had to change or I would never be any good to God. I could no longer completely focus on myself, which is exactly what was happening. I was ignoring my wife and two young children; not to mention my community and church. I know I'm doing a poor job of explaining how the Lord God worked in my life, but read through my blog and you'll get the idea. Maybe some day I'll be able to clearly state it, but right now, I'm just so overjoyed to be where I am and feeling how I feel. I can't help but to praise my Lord and my God - especially as we celebrate the gift of his only son Jesus, who is the Christ, the one who shall save us from our sins.<br />
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So on that note, I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope you find peace and everlasting joy. <br />
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<br />Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-81435615147665623692012-12-17T11:43:00.000-08:002012-12-17T11:43:26.277-08:00Vas Deferens PainI was thinking about pain in the vas deferens, can you actually feel it, is it the vas deferens that actually is hurting, etc. This brought me to an article describing the role of patency in vasectomy reversal for patients suffering from PVPS. Most guys, including me, who undergo a vasectomy reversal are hoping the reconnected plumbing will remove the back-up congestion. Thus, relieving the stress on the epididymis. <br />
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An article in the <strong>International Journal of Impotence Research</strong> in September of 2012 looked at this very issue of patency. The article is entitled, "<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>Efficacy
of <span class="highlight">vasectomy</span> reversal according to patency for the
surgical treatment of postvasectomy pain syndrome</em>" by JY Lee, et al in Seoul, Korea.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">They isolated 32 patients who underwent a vasectomy reversal for PVPS over a 10 year period. Of the 32 patients, 22 participated in the study. Patency was achieved in 68% of the men or about 15/22. The overall satisfaction with the procedure was scored categorically as follows: (a) cure, (b) improvement, (c) no change, or (d) recurrence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">There was a significant difference in this satisfaction score based on patency; those with patency reported higher satisfaction than those without patency. The authors go on to conclude that patency achievement with vasectomy reversal in PVPS patients has a direct relationship to surgical satisfaction and overall pain reduction. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So the goal for vasectomy reversal for PVPS patients should be the same as those looking to reverse their infertility, patency of sperm. </span>Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-88106390663688955292012-12-07T09:46:00.000-08:002012-12-07T09:46:36.460-08:00This Old Body of MineDo you ever have days when you feel older than you really are? That is the kind of day I'm having. My back went out, my PVPS acted up, my heart was skipping beats, my head hurt and I just felt like an old man. Now I know why older people can be kind of cranky - everything hurts.<br />
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When my back goes out, it seems to trigger something with my PVPS. This time, I had indiscriminate pains throughout my pelvic region. They would come and go without too much fanfare. I took some tylenol at bedtime hoping it would take care of some of my pains. The headache went away, and then I fell asleep.<br />
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This morning, is a little bit like last night. Pains here and there. I am going to try to get back on the treadmill today and see if that doesn't help. I guess the older folks would say I'm going to try to 'lubricate the joints'. Well, I guess I'll see.<br />
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I'm not sure how much more I'm going to post this month. December is always so busy with so many things related to Christmas. If something big breaks (not literally I hope), then I'll come back and post. Otherwise, have a good Christmas and may the peace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, be with you.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-65937190225475410462012-12-01T13:24:00.000-08:002012-12-01T13:24:11.408-08:00Consistent WorkoutsI've said this before, but exercise workouts help my PVPS. Whether it's walking, hiking or some type of aerobic activity, it just makes everything feel better. My thoughts are there is an increase in blood flow to the affected area, which helps in some way. Not sure how, but that's just my working theory.<br />
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I got on the treadmill yesterday and noticed very little pain in the afternoon and evening. This morning, I have had a little twinge, but only after sitting on rock hard bleachers while my son went to basketball try-outs. Once I got walking around, the pain went away.<br />
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You'd think that knowing this would cause me to walk or exercise all the time. But human nature being what it is, means that I do what I don't want to do, and don't do what I should do. I think Paul says that same thing in the bible. Anyway, there are none truer words for me than those.<br />
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I'm hoping that junior basketball for my son and the normal daily activities of life will begin an uptick in activity for me. I'll probably help out at practices and games, which means I won't want to embarrass myself by having jello legs on the court.<br />
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I suppose I have no choice now, walking and running, seem to be in my immediate future, and that can only help calm my vasectomy side effects.Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-39300546172372034062012-11-29T18:23:00.003-08:002012-11-29T18:23:38.696-08:00Denervation for PVPSThere has been a lot of chatter about denervation to help with the PVPS symptoms of pain lately. I will be looking for some articles about this surgery and posting a summary here in the next few days.<br />
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In a nutshell, denervation is a surgery that cuts away all or part of the nerves found in the spermatic cord that innervate your scrotum and penis. The thought is this, the pain will cease if the message cannot be sent to the brain.<br />
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Sounds reasonable, but there are always downsides, as I've spoken before. This procedure isn't always effective, there are other side-effects, etc.<br />
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Stay tuned and I'll hopefully be able to find something good to report here shortly. <br />
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<br />Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4718532726010078230.post-23904843996727369202012-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:002012-11-27T09:40:31.627-08:00Time with the WifeA lot of people wonder what it must be like to have this PVPS and then at the same time, be intimate with the wife. There are a lot of guys who have pain when they are in the act of intimacy. I haven't experienced that yet (thank the Lord). I say 'yet', because pains associated with PVPS can come out of nowhere and without warning.<br />
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Last night though, I probably had the closest thing to what I just described. When we were done, I began to have this intense sharp pain in the posterior area of my scrotum. It felt like someone sticking a pin in the back of my scrotal sack. It was very peculiar and not at all what I would like to experience again.<br />
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The pain level would probably rate a 3 on a 1-10 pain scale. It passed after about 10 minutes. It almost felt like I needed some scrotal support, as gravity did not make it feel any better.<br />
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Another point to make about intimacy with your wife is this, ejaculations do seem to help with the inguinal pain symptoms. I think it's because the prostate gets to release and shrink a little in size, and if there is any build up of sperm, it gets a chance to release as well. I have no science on this, just a theory for how it does seem to help with pain. But I know I can't push this too much. For example, if we are very active in a short period of time, I will actually experience more inguinal pain. So there is a certain degree of pacing that I need to practice in this area. It seems a steady pace works better for me (from a pain standpoint). Of course, other guys may and are probably different.<br />
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<br />Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072990478887324119noreply@blogger.com0