Aches and Pains

The onslaught of random aches and pains continue. Not an hour goes by when I don't experience some sort of weird and slightly painful sensation down there. Sometimes the pain is more significant, but those aren't quite so random. They occur when I've done something I shouldn't do...like sit for too long, lift something heavy, bend over the wrong way, etc.

I'm still working on that surprise announcement that I promised a few weeks ago. Still have to put the polishing touches on it, before I can confidently speak to it. But hopefully it won't be but just a couple more weeks.

I'll also post some google results for the year and I'm coming up on my two year reversal anniversary in December. So I have some things to post coming up. Until next time...

Back in Time

I've walked on the treadmill the last couple of days but now I've decided to stretch out my legs afterward. As a result, I've been experiencing the dull ache in my right groin that I had during last summer. But my back has been hurting so much that I figured my hamstrings needed to be stretched out as their tightness correlates to my lumbar pain. It felt good to stretch them out, but this ache is a real pain.

I'm getting fairly tired of having to deal with the constant aches and pains associated with PVPS. I know, so is everybody else in the world who suffers from chronic pain. I get that. I find though, that I go through cycles of being 1) okay with everything and 2) frustration with it all.

My faith in my lord Jesus Christ helps me more than anyone can ever know. It seems like he helps me get back on the right track after I've cycled down into the pits for a while. Again, I'm not sure how people deal with stuff like this without faith in Jesus. The eternal perspective I have, knowing I have a better life in heaven awaiting me, really does get me out of the doldrums.

I'm still thinking hard about the idea of getting the targeted neurolysis. I  need more information though first. I'd hate to make another misinformed decision.

I guess that's it. Praise be to God as he teaches me to die to myself everyday. PVPS helps me do that.

Coping Mechanisms for Vasectomy Pain

I was talking to my pain mentor last week and he told me that when my behavior changes because of the pain, that I am coping. I can see his point, but I wish I could engage in those activities without having to worry about pain. I'm tired of coping, but it will be with me the rest of my life - for better or worse.

Well, I've learned about another coping mechanism or behavior change. As everyone knows, I have been on a walking program for a while now - about 2 months. The walking not only helps my nerve pain, by getting me off my backside, but it also helps me with my cardiomyopathy (weak heart). My heart is supposed to be normal again, but I still don't feel like it's all quite right.

Anyway, I've been walking about 2 miles in 30 minutes - or about 4 mph. This isn' very fast, I know. When I was walking last year, before my pain, I'd be up to 5.5 mph and I'd be running a little bit too. But pain has a way of reeling all that in a bit. However, I have been getting a little more aggressive with my walking. There is a route I take by my house that incorporates a lot of strenuous hills and steep grades. So, even though I'm only walking 4 mph, a lot of that has uphill grades which increase the cardio workout.

Sadly, it also increases the core, groin, upper leg muscle workout as well. I believe the recent pain I've had is related to the steep climbing I've been doing on my walks. My abdomen was actually sore from walking and I noticed yesterday that my groin was hurting, which in turn made my nerve pain hurt.

So, I think I have to stick to less intensive walks - for a while anyway. Maybe I'll try to get up to 5 mph on a flat surface, then maybe try to walk a little slower on the more hilly routes. Again, just trying to cope with the pain. I also did a little light stretching last week, which probably didn't help things either. But it's hard to walk without stretching too. I'm going to need to come up with a way to stretch, yet keeping my nerve pain from acting up.

Okay, so today is Monday and I'm not really having much pain today. Yesterday, I had a little left testicular ache and the burning or paper cut sensation on the back of my testicles. I took a tylenol over the weekend to help. I also took a hot bath last night. Again, more coping mechanisms for pain.

Exhausted From Never-Ending Stimulation

I've struggled to put into words what having PVPS is like. Sure, the pain is terrible. Nobody told me pain or epididymitis was a potential side-effect of having the vasectomy in the first place. All that is true, but I am amazed at how exhausting it is to have constant stimulation in my groin. If it's not a tingling, it's a prickly feeling. If it's not sharp pain, it's a dull ache. It's in the inguinal area, it's at the base of the scrotum, it's on the left, it's on the right.

I'm just exhausted from the constant barage of stimulation. The last day has been a prickly feeling at the base of my scrotum, in the perianal region. If I sit for longer than 15 minutes, I get nerve pain. It's just frustrating.

This morning I woke up needing to stretch a lot. Whenever that happens, I know I'm going to have some kind of nerve pain. It's still early, so we'll see what happens.

Left Side Still in a Vice Grip

I'm still having nerve pain on my left side that is "radiating" down my left quad muscle (inner thigh), about 3-4 inches down. My left hip bone hurts too, up by where my belt would be. Meanwhile, my left testicle still feels like it is getting squeezed. I think I'll try some ibuprofen and see if I can get some relief from it. It is exhausting having this constant gripping sensation. On a pain scale, it's like a 2-3. I can tolerate it okay with the medicine, but it is kind of exhausting, mentally that is.

I'm really getting tired of always coming on here and recording my aches and pains. I'm ready to be over this, even though I know that will probably never happen. I don't know. I guess I'm just getting tired of it all. So my preaching on this journal may be coming to an end. If you can't tell by now that having a vasectomy is a bad idea, than there is nothing else I can say. You're on your own.

I guess that's it for now.

Thoughts of Getting Happy with the Wife

The kids are at their uncle and aunts. This mean my wife and I have the house to ourselves. We always joke about how liberating that makes it for us to be "together". The entire house is available to us: the living room, den, heck even the kitchen table (just kidding). We thought we had time before we were supposed to meet with her sister for a dinner out. That moment suddenly turned into us not having enough time.

My body was all ready for a release (E.J.) but it didn't happen. Then when we got back from dinner, I thought, "okay, now it'll happen". But she was too tired from our house projects earlier in the day. So I'm curious how my boys will handle the frustrations. So far this morning, I've had a little nerve pain on the left and my right side continues to be achey. Not sure if it's because they were all fired up to go last night but then was called off by mission control.

Hopefully, we'll have some together time today before we get the kiddos and I can have a release. I think I need one. If not from my wife, then ...I guess I'll have to take things into my own hands, sort-of-speak.

Before I had a vasectomy, this would have been no big deal. A little frustrating, but it wouldn't cause pain. Just one more way post vasectomy pain makes your life crazy. It causes your brain to be all consuming about your pelvis region. Little things affect it in really bad ways. It basically sucks!

Saturday and All's Well, So Far

I just dropped the kids off at their uncle and aunt's house so my wife and I can get the last projects done today. Nothing strenuous, just replacing a light and some electrical outlets. I had a great night's sleep. I really feel rested now. I still have that right inguinal ache but much less intense than earlier this week. My left side feels "normal". I did have some nerve pain at the tip of my "johnson". I haven't had that for a long time. It only lasted about 2 minutes. But it was an uncomfortable 2 minutes.

Still debating over whether I should try the 4 mg rapaflo or just take tylenol every couple of days. They both provide the same thing, which is nerve pain relief. However, one positive side effect of the rapaflo is a stronger erection. Not sure if that's the best way to describe it, but it seemed more like when I was in my twenties. Since my vasectomy it is guessed that I can a comcommitant reduction in my testosterone levels. As a result, my erections have been less than desirable. Lots of men with PVPS describe decreased libido, performance and not coincidentally, testosterone. But while I was on the rapaflo, it was like my honeymoon 17 years ago. No problems. So maybe I will call the uro and get the script - wink!

Well, I guess I better get back to work. Outlets to change out you know.

Where I am Mentally

I had some amount of pain on my right side yesterday. But it was like an overused muscle ache in that same right inguinal area. Luckily, the ache has been confined to the inguinal area, but it had its moments yesterday and I eventually had to sit back in the recliner for a while. That seemed to help. I'm going to try to sit down less today. See if being on my feet more helps. Left side is its normal self. I get this occassional "full" feeling in my left scrotum, but it doesn't last. I did have one 5 second episode of nerve pain, but that was it.

I really feel like I'm ready to go back on the rapaflo, but at a lower dose. I want to see if I have the same pain relief, but without all the other side effects (lightheadedness, palpitations, etc.). I guess it's that or I can take tylenol or ibuprofen every day or so. I haven't quite figured out which is the lesser of two evils.

My five month reversal anniversay is coming up in three days. I'm wondering if my reversal will take. I'm hopeful it will. But I know it may occlude and become obstructed. I try not to think about that too much though. After all I've been through this year, I just don't want to think about the possible negative outcome. I really feel like I've done what I was supposed to do regarding my epididymitis.

Meanwhile, today has started okay. But, I haven't really done much yet. I'm having the kids pack their toys and stuff in boxes now and getting de-cluttered for our potential house sale and move. So I'll see what the rest of the day brings.

Just Marking Time

Today is about the same as yesterday. I've noticed that tylenol gives me about a 48 hour window of improvement. The same is true with an E.J., on my right side anyway. However, my right side is bucking that previous trend. I'm still having this right inguinal ache. I'm starting to wonder if it is related to my reversal or my inguinal hernia repair I had when I was 23 years old. Of course, it would be coincidental for that to start hurting at the same time of my reversal nerve pain.

So here I sit, doing about the same. I may call my uro up in about a week and see if I can get a 4 mg sample of the rapaflo. I really didn't like the way 8 mgs made me feel, cardiovascular wise. The decrease in pelvic pain was good, but the rest, not so much. But maybe a 4 mg dose will have less side effects and still give me the pain relief I had with 8 mgs.

Or maybe, I'll continue to improve and not need any of it by next week. Progress for me can really be measured in months, rather than days or weeks. If I look back to my recovery at post-op month number 1, 2, 3, 4 and now 5, I can say the pain has been less by each monthly anniversary. However, it's still annoying because I want to see immediate improvement. It's like comparing a second hand to an hour hand as they both sweep around a clockface. One is immediately noticeable, while the other isn't.

Left side feels okay today. I did some stretching last night along with very, and I mean VERY, light duty abdominal/leg exercises. Most people wouldn't even consider what I did as exercises. I learned my lesson from before though. I need to ease into things. So I'll do them again tonight and hopefully repeat them for a few weeks before I even think about advancing in them. I'll keep you posted.

Will Insurance Pay for Vasectomy Reversal

Will insurance pay for vasectomy reversal? That's a good question. In my case, I think this is what happened. The insurance company told me "no", but because of my pain, they would have to look at from medical necessity. Apparently, the insurance company should have told me they don't pay for reversals regardless of the reason. But because I was given a letter of eligibility and every representative told me they'd pay, the insurance company eventually decided to honor what they told me. Even though, what they told me was incorrect.

So does insurance pay for vasectomy reversal? Not if it's for infertility. Now if it's for post vasectomy pain, you might have a case. However, if the reps say there is a medical necessity clause in your health plan, get something from the insurance carrier in writing, stating they'll pay for it.

Okay, the last 24 hours have been decent without the rapaflo. My left side has the usual post-E.J. ache, my right side feels pretty good. I'm still have little sensations on my right side that radiate into my abdomen. I've had those for as long as I can remember. I think I'm not noticing them as much though.

It's kind of like my back pain. When I first had it, it hurt real bad, every day. Now, 10 years later, I have to really do something before I notice it. Hopefully, my nerve pain will turn into that. Well, that's it. I just wanted to talk a little bit more about the question of will insurance pay for vasectomy reversal.

Disappointment

The last 24 hours have been very disappointing. Since my last post, the ache on my right side has become more intense. It even was keeping me awake last night. I just couldn't get comfortable. Nothing like the sharp knifing pain, but rather just that ever present, almost tingling sensation radiating into my right lower abdomen, right about where my belt would be. Meanwhile, my left side was bothersome as well. It felt like the old spermatocele was pushing on stuff again on the left, causing that racking sensation.

Could this be a result of my recent sexual activity with my wife? Could it be present because I'm no longer taking rapaflo? I think it's more related to the rapaflo and that is why I'm so disappointed. I was really hoping my improvement with the rapaflo was just coincidental. After all, I had noticed the swelling in my scrotum continue to decrease in the last couple of weeks. I actually looked normal down there. Not perfectly normal, just more normal.

Today, my right side is all bumpy again and I can make out definite landmarks, like the epididymous, scar tissue from the reversal, etc. I'm going to give it another several days though, before I become 100% convinced I need to go back on the rapaflo. We'll see how today goes, but I think it's going to be like yesterday. Which means, I won't feel like doing anything active for fear of hurting myself. However, I will try to go for a light walk around the neighborhood and then do some stretching afterwards.

The vasectomy side effects really plays games with your head. You feel good one minute, then like crap the next. You're afraid to do anything out of fear. Even sex with your wife can become a mind game, because you might hurt yourself or she may be thinking she might hurt you. That's a less than ideal way to share your love together, always worrying that somebody might get hurt.

I've said it a lot, but I'll say it again. Please don't have a vasectomy. It just isn't natural and chances are if you do have problems from it, they won't be minor. They will be life-changing and in MANY cases, completely debilitating.

Another Sunday

I've got two Rapaflo pills left. Then I'll see what I'm like without them. The pain hasn't been as bad as I thought, given all the sod work I did on Friday. I did take some tylenol yesterday afternoon, but not for stinging pain, just achey legs, groin and scrotum. I just didn't want to be annoyed by it and thought tylenol would help.

Thankfully not much to report today, other than a little tug just above my right groin, in my lower abdomen. I get little sensations like it's going to hurt more, but it hasn't yet. I'm thinking that's a left over from the yard work.

I have my annual physical tomorrow. I'm going to ask for a hormone test. I'm sure I'll have something to post about it then. So, here's hoping for an uneventful rest of the day, Lord willing.

Happy mothers day to all the moms out there.

The Scrotum Ache Kept Building and Building

I must have had a poor balance of sitting, walking, etc. yesterday, because the ache in my scrotum (on the left side) kept getting worse and worse. I didn't have any sharp pains, per se'. The ache just increased in intensity. It's like someone flicking you on the nose. After about 6 hours of it, your nose is probably going to be a little sore.

That's how my scrotum felt before I went to bed, even with the ibuprofen on board. I also went for a thirty minute walk around the neighborhood. None of that really helped though. Today though, after a good nights sleep, I feel a ton better. That's kind of what I've noticed after I take some pain medicine, whether it be tylenol or ibuprofen. Once it kicks in, it seems to help keep the pain at bay for well over a full day. I'm not sure if that is just a coincidence or perhaps there is a causal relationship, regardless, I'll take it.

I worked on my second insurance appeal today. I think it makes sense. When this is all done, I'll have to post some of the details. Who knows, maybe that would help someone who is in the same boat. They say it can take a couple of months before we know anything. That's a pretty helpless feeling. Hopefully, it won't take that long and things will turn out the way we want.