Testimony post surgery + questions
Hey everyone,
I just joined this group and wanted to share my experience + ask a few questions.
About 5 weeks ago, I had a left-sided inguinal varicocelectomy (vein ligation under general anesthesia). I have a bilateral varicocele (grade 1 on the right, grade 3 on the left), but they only operated on the left side and didn’t touch the right.
I’m 39y old.
I didn’t really have pain before surgery — it was more a fertility issue. My sperm parameters are clearly below average (not terrible, but definitely not great). It took us 3 years to have our first child, and for the second one we’re trying to improve things.
For context, my varicocele was quite visible — the classic “bag of worms” above the testicle.
Recovery:
Overall, it’s been pretty smooth.
- Some pain the first few days, but very manageable
- No opioids — just alternating ibuprofen and acetaminophen
- By the end of week 1: barely needed any pain meds
- At 3 weeks: follow-up appointment, small hematoma but nothing concerning
- Now (5 weeks): still a bit of pulling/tightness sometimes, but nothing major
The incision looks clean and pretty discreet.
One thing that really made a difference:
Wearing a jockstrap. On days I don’t wear one, I can definitely feel more pulling/discomfort by the end of the day.
My questions:
Did any of you keep wearing a jockstrap after surgery?
→ For how long?
→ Did it actually help long term?
About the visual aspect:
My doctor told me at the 3-week check that it’s normal for the “bag of worms” to still be there, and that it can take months for the veins to shrink.
→ Did you notice a real visible improvement after 6 months / 1 year?
- Fertility-wise:
→ Did your semen parameters improve after surgery?
→ If yes, how long did it take?
Thanks a lot in advance for your feedback 🙏
And good luck to everyone dealing with this — not the easiest topic, but it really helps to share experiences.