O/T I think I have VARICOCELE.

GoneForever · Mar 19, 2008

So ive always noticed my left nut hangs lower than the right a bit, and I always do my routine nut checking for cancer,etc.. and i'd say for the past 8years or so i've noticed the cord that attaches your nuts has been a bit more "lumpy" on the left side. I knew it couldnt be cancer b/c testicle cancer spreads fast so i'd be a gonner by now. I never have any pain. One nut is not more firm than the other,etc.. non of the classic testicle problems that should be treated. I always presumed I just had a bigger epidimis than normal but I really started feeling it depth and just did some research and I totally have Varicocele. I guess its basically the spermatic cord can get swollen and looped similar to varicose veins which can make it feel like a loopy wormy cord. So heres the problem, I dont know whether to see a doc or not. By reading about it, it appears to be non threating and many cases they just tell you to ignore it. The only long term side effect in some cases can be infertility or testicle atrophy, but they are now saying it may not cause infertility at all, but thats not an issue with me b/c im on hrt(not by a doc). So im in a dillema, I cant just go to the doc and they say ok lets run some tests and it comes back odd b/c im on test and they wont know it. Then I cant stop my HRT b/c then if the tests come back with me having zero test,bad lh,etc.. they are gonna think its b/c of the varicocele and think its a more indepth problem,etc.. and i cant tell em im on my own hrt b/c my insurance will drop me. Anyone have any advice. From the looks of varicocele I dont think I even need to get it checked but maybe someone on here knows more about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varicocele

roodogg · Mar 19, 2008

I know a guy who had same issue. He was in terrible pain though. They had to do surgery and told him it was no big deal so he played cool and did not ask questions. He did not know that they open your abdomen and pull your nut through your abdominal wall to fix the problem and then tuck the nut back down there. OUCH

Dr.S · Mar 19, 2008

fourthgen said:
So ive always noticed my left nut hangs lower than the right a bit, and I always do my routine nut checking for cancer,etc.. and i'd say for the past 8years or so i've noticed the cord that attaches your nuts has been a bit more "lumpy" on the left side. I knew it couldnt be cancer b/c testicle cancer spreads fast so i'd be a gonner by now. I never have any pain. One nut is not more firm than the other,etc.. non of the classic testicle problems that should be treated. I always presumed I just had a bigger epidimis than normal but I really started feeling it depth and just did some research and I totally have Varicocele. I guess its basically the spermatic cord can get swollen and looped similar to varicose veins which can make it feel like a loopy wormy cord. So heres the problem, I dont know whether to see a doc or not. By reading about it, it appears to be non threating and many cases they just tell you to ignore it. The only long term side effect in some cases can be infertility or testicle atrophy, but they are now saying it may not cause infertility at all, but thats not an issue with me b/c im on hrt(not by a doc). So im in a dillema, I cant just go to the doc and they say ok lets run some tests and it comes back odd b/c im on test and they wont know it. Then I cant stop my HRT b/c then if the tests come back with me having zero test,bad lh,etc.. they are gonna think its b/c of the varicocele and think its a more indepth problem,etc.. and i cant tell em im on my own hrt b/c my insurance will drop me. Anyone have any advice. From the looks of varicocele I dont think I even need to get it checked but maybe someone on here knows more about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varicocele

when I went for my annual physical, I'd been having a bit of pain in the left teste---and it was quit a bit bigger than the right. Doctor examined it and said I seem to have an large amount of veins in the area. He said it looked fine, but wanted me to have an ultrasound. the ultrasound showed water in the left teste---they told me if the problem didn't correct itself I could have it drained, but it was my decision based on the pain level.

Our situations are a bit different in that I noticed mine about 5 months after getting hit in the left nut during a football game (catching a 90 mph pass from a former Chargers QB in the nuts if not fun

...and I thought I didn't have to wear a cup for flap football..lol..)..... if you've had it for 8 years, chances are it's not big deal----if it were me, though, I'd get it checked out. Your doctor may just have an ultrasound done (and who knows, you could end up like me and get a cute nurse with huge boobs running the ultrasound wand over your testes!...they keep the room pretty cold, though

)

It's cool to research on the internet, but it's not good to self diagnose everything---get it checked bro; at least then you'll have piece of mind. If the doctor wants to have your test levels check, you can just make up some reason why you don't want it done.....I think getting the ultrasound is a good idea though

doitright · Mar 19, 2008

fourthgen said:
So ive always noticed my left nut hangs lower than the right a bit, and I always do my routine nut checking for cancer,etc.. and i'd say for the past 8years or so i've noticed the cord that attaches your nuts has been a bit more "lumpy" on the left side. I knew it couldnt be cancer b/c testicle cancer spreads fast so i'd be a gonner by now. I never have any pain. One nut is not more firm than the other,etc.. non of the classic testicle problems that should be treated. I always presumed I just had a bigger epidimis than normal but I really started feeling it depth and just did some research and I totally have Varicocele. I guess its basically the spermatic cord can get swollen and looped similar to varicose veins which can make it feel like a loopy wormy cord. So heres the problem, I dont know whether to see a doc or not. By reading about it, it appears to be non threating and many cases they just tell you to ignore it. The only long term side effect in some cases can be infertility or testicle atrophy, but they are now saying it may not cause infertility at all, but thats not an issue with me b/c im on hrt(not by a doc). So im in a dillema, I cant just go to the doc and they say ok lets run some tests and it comes back odd b/c im on test and they wont know it. Then I cant stop my HRT b/c then if the tests come back with me having zero test,bad lh,etc.. they are gonna think its b/c of the varicocele and think its a more indepth problem,etc.. and i cant tell em im on my own hrt b/c my insurance will drop me. Anyone have any advice. From the looks of varicocele I dont think I even need to get it checked but maybe someone on here knows more about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varicocele

Fourthgen,
I had that same problem with one being lower than the other several years ago. The doc said I had a hernia that needed to be repaired. I had surgery and fixed the problem. Just a thought for you bro.

bigoso · Mar 19, 2008

I was diagnosed with varicocele and had the surgery....they didn't go through my abdominal wall like the other poster said though....two small incisions in the groin area...I was having a dull ache there. The doc said most people don't discover it until they are trying to conceive children and can't. I would go see your doc, but if you're not worried about having kids I wouldn't worry about it too much

slimjones · Mar 19, 2008

I went in a few years back for a similiar situation and was told that the veins can sometimes ball up together in there and that's it's a non-issue that is common in men....it so happens to be my lefty as well!! So i just rock the sack sag and call it good!!

ALLEX · Mar 19, 2008

Two reasons to have it removed:

1-Pain.
2-If you want more kids.

I went thru the surgery 6 years ago for reason #1.

GoneForever · Mar 19, 2008

Ok well luckily I dont have any pain there. I did get a few dull ache's but total in the past 8years i've only had aches like 10times total. I doubt kids are gonna be an issue for me anyway but I guess they are finding new studies showing that people with this dont have any issues with fertility any more than someone without it. I wouldnt mind getting it checked, but im worried they are gonna run a hormone panel on me. To those who had it, did they check your test,lh,etc...?

slimjones · Mar 19, 2008

my doctor just fondled the sack to feel what was going on and based his decision on that. Didnt do any further tests but made them available if i wanted too. I didnt see the need. That was several years ago and i've had no issues.