Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.
January 19, 2010 2:34 PM Subscribe
My boyfriend's left testicle has been sore for almost a week. He went to the doctor today, and was told he had a varicocele. They scheduled him for an ultrasound in a week to make sure there's nothing else going on. Since his appointment this morning, the pain has worsened significantly. Should he go to the ER, or tough it out until next week?
Anonymous because we're both on MeFi, and his account can be easily traced back to him.
He says the pain is now a 5/10, with 10 being the time after his appendix ruptured and his doctor poked around inside his abdomen with no anesthesia. This morning, it was about a 2/10.
I guess I have a few questions.
1. Is the sudden upswing in pain cause for concern?
2. He's had the varicocele for about 10 years, and it's only started hurting last week. Is that in itself cause for concern?
3. Are these 1&2 concerning enough to warrant an ER trip?
YANAD/YANMD.
Anonymous because we're both on MeFi, and his account can be easily traced back to him.
He says the pain is now a 5/10, with 10 being the time after his appendix ruptured and his doctor poked around inside his abdomen with no anesthesia. This morning, it was about a 2/10.
I guess I have a few questions.
1. Is the sudden upswing in pain cause for concern?
2. He's had the varicocele for about 10 years, and it's only started hurting last week. Is that in itself cause for concern?
3. Are these 1&2 concerning enough to warrant an ER trip?
YANAD/YANMD.
yep, I'd ask them to check for a testicular torsion. Could have been partial earlier and turned the corner sometime in the day. If that's the problem, it cannot wait a week if he wants to keep it.
I've had it before and I'd rate the pain at a 7. Either your boyfriend is way tougher than me or I have led a relatively sheltered life.
posted by cross_impact at 2:42 PM on January 19, 2010
I've had it before and I'd rate the pain at a 7. Either your boyfriend is way tougher than me or I have led a relatively sheltered life.
posted by cross_impact at 2:42 PM on January 19, 2010
An old BF of mine had this condition. It can be painful, and can burst. I'd recommend that you call doctor right away. Sounds as though things may not be happening on the doc's schedule . . . that happens. Again, call the doctor right away.
posted by bearwife at 2:43 PM on January 19, 2010
posted by bearwife at 2:43 PM on January 19, 2010
Yeah, call the doc; if you don't get a response in a reasonable time, hit the ER.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 2:54 PM on January 19, 2010
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 2:54 PM on January 19, 2010
If it's a testicular torsion and he's already waited a week, then it can wait another week. Lefty will be dead and have to be snipped anyway. (REALLY DONT WAIT IF YOU THINK ITS THIS, it could get cause a bad infection if it is dead.)
I don't think it's a testicular torsion though based on the fact that when I had mine I was screaming bloody fuck the whole time and would never have described the pain as anything less than a 10/10.
Another thing it could be is epididymitis. Have had that before and presented similar symptoms to the torsion but can also be less painful.
IANAD.
posted by robokevin at 2:58 PM on January 19, 2010
I don't think it's a testicular torsion though based on the fact that when I had mine I was screaming bloody fuck the whole time and would never have described the pain as anything less than a 10/10.
Another thing it could be is epididymitis. Have had that before and presented similar symptoms to the torsion but can also be less painful.
IANAD.
posted by robokevin at 2:58 PM on January 19, 2010
You know, I'm not usually an ER now sort of person, but. I mean, it's his testicle. They're not really known for their toughness or durability. I'd say first try to reach a doctor, and if he can't, ER. And I'd be kind of surprised if the doctor didn't say ER.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:54 PM on January 19, 2010
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:54 PM on January 19, 2010
Also, if he goes to the ER for nothing and it turns out to be a big fat irritating seven-hour bore, he'll still probably be able to say it was preferable to losing a testicle. So in the great scheme of things, it's a pretty solid gamble.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:56 PM on January 19, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:56 PM on January 19, 2010 [3 favorites]
I would try one of those nursing hotlines, 24 hour services where you can call and discuss the symptoms with a nurse.
posted by hannahelastic at 3:57 PM on January 19, 2010
posted by hannahelastic at 3:57 PM on January 19, 2010
I don't think it's a testicular torsion though based on the fact that when I had mine I was screaming bloody fuck the whole time and would never have described the pain as anything less than a 10/10.
I was told I would certainly know about it if a torsion ever arose when I was tested for something related. Apparently they have about 4 hours to operate before it dies when it gets to the screaming blue murder stage.
posted by biffa at 4:05 PM on January 19, 2010
I was told I would certainly know about it if a torsion ever arose when I was tested for something related. Apparently they have about 4 hours to operate before it dies when it gets to the screaming blue murder stage.
posted by biffa at 4:05 PM on January 19, 2010
Oh my god, it's his TESTICLE!!! Go to the ER!
posted by 8dot3 at 4:28 PM on January 19, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by 8dot3 at 4:28 PM on January 19, 2010 [6 favorites]
MANY hospitals have a 24-hr call-a-nurse service, available for free. Many insurance companies do as well.
Call immediately, then follow the advice you receive. ESPECIALLY if the advice is "go to the ER".
posted by IAmBroom at 5:19 PM on January 19, 2010
Call immediately, then follow the advice you receive. ESPECIALLY if the advice is "go to the ER".
posted by IAmBroom at 5:19 PM on January 19, 2010
I have no experience with this (not owning testicles and all), but I vote for attempting to call his doctor, then finding an Urgent Care Clinic (they're plentiful around here but may not be in your area), then finding an ER (if the previous options don't pan out).
I'm wondering if it's more painful because the doctor messed with it today?
posted by MultiFaceted at 5:41 PM on January 19, 2010
I'm wondering if it's more painful because the doctor messed with it today?
posted by MultiFaceted at 5:41 PM on January 19, 2010
Yeah chairface they are active/active redundant. Having had a torsion and not made it to the operating room in time I can tell you that life with one ball is just as good as life with two except you get to tell more stories.
posted by robokevin at 6:51 PM on January 19, 2010
posted by robokevin at 6:51 PM on January 19, 2010
Testicle. ER. Now. Not Later.
Come back when you've got this resolved.
posted by dunkadunc at 8:37 PM on January 19, 2010
Come back when you've got this resolved.
posted by dunkadunc at 8:37 PM on January 19, 2010
I knew someone who got testicular torsion twice. Both times they resolved on their own. But also both times the doctors and nurses said that if it happens again and the pain is bad, go to emergency IMMEDIATELY.
Either go quickly or say goodbye to the testicle.
This is not one of those things you fool around with.
posted by eye of newt at 10:58 PM on January 19, 2010
Either go quickly or say goodbye to the testicle.
This is not one of those things you fool around with.
posted by eye of newt at 10:58 PM on January 19, 2010
when the pain goes away, then you can resume fooling around with it
posted by eye of newt at 12:12 AM on January 20, 2010
posted by eye of newt at 12:12 AM on January 20, 2010
My 1 year old son had a variocele and ingual hernia at 3 months old that required surgery and it was scheduled within 3 days. Your boyfriend could also have a hernia.
The variocele is just a water pocket encased in some tissue (think water balloon) and it's filling up with fluid, thus causing pressure/pain.
The surgery is easy and quick. It's rare that it's an emergecy but if the pain is worsening, I would either a) call the same doc and tell him what's going on or b) go to the ER and tell them that he has a variocele and the pain is bad--they'll ultrasound him stat.
Good luck.
posted by stormpooper at 7:45 AM on January 20, 2010
The variocele is just a water pocket encased in some tissue (think water balloon) and it's filling up with fluid, thus causing pressure/pain.
The surgery is easy and quick. It's rare that it's an emergecy but if the pain is worsening, I would either a) call the same doc and tell him what's going on or b) go to the ER and tell them that he has a variocele and the pain is bad--they'll ultrasound him stat.
Good luck.
posted by stormpooper at 7:45 AM on January 20, 2010
Note a varicole/hernia is not a tortion testicle. They're compeltely different.
posted by stormpooper at 7:48 AM on January 20, 2010
posted by stormpooper at 7:48 AM on January 20, 2010
I realize that a varicole is not a tortion testicle. I'm responding to this:
They scheduled him for an ultrasound in a week to make sure there's nothing else going on.
If the pain has gotten a lot worse, then there might be something else happening. Testicular tortion is just one example of 'somthing else going on' that requires immediate attention. It's best to play it safe rather than wait until it is potentially too late.
posted by eye of newt at 8:04 AM on January 20, 2010
They scheduled him for an ultrasound in a week to make sure there's nothing else going on.
If the pain has gotten a lot worse, then there might be something else happening. Testicular tortion is just one example of 'somthing else going on' that requires immediate attention. It's best to play it safe rather than wait until it is potentially too late.
posted by eye of newt at 8:04 AM on January 20, 2010
Call the doctor, exaggerate the amount of pain if you have to, and demand the ultrasound immediately. Barring that, hit the ER, again exaggerate the pain if you have to.
Something is wrong, and while it could be nothing major, it could also be something life changing, or even deadly - so get the doctors to get on it, ASAP.
posted by TravellingDen at 10:19 AM on January 20, 2010
Something is wrong, and while it could be nothing major, it could also be something life changing, or even deadly - so get the doctors to get on it, ASAP.
posted by TravellingDen at 10:19 AM on January 20, 2010
« Older One wedding dress, two sleeves, zero frump? | What questions should I ask a prospective small... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:38 PM on January 19, 2010