Ditto jon1970 - life has been stolen.
Dr's will prescribe anitbiotics as it is a cheap drug, not only that most GP's are ignorant of PVPS - some even deny there is actually a syndrome still.
In the weeks & months after the vasectomy they prescribed ever increasing strength anti biotics - the Dr was convinced it was an infection. In all that period I was in total agony and he would simply say take brufen. Idiot! I asked for a urine test to aid ID infection (common sense step really) but he didn't do this - when I nigh on collapsed in our local shopping mall we went to the walk in centre...1st thing they did was a urine test.....no infection!
I think it was about 8 weeks the knowledgeable medical profession prescribed unnecessary anti biotics for an infection that didn't exist - all because he was loathe to diagnose PVP.
Various drug combo's thrown at me - each with nasty side effects and each not controlling the pain effectively which led to months off work. In fact the pain is so bad today I am off work yet again!
I'm currently on Zomorph 120mg a day with 40ml Oramorph as PRN top ups. The problem with the Oramorph is whilst it does help pain slightly (or at least put me in a state where I don't care too much about he pain) it makes me nauseous as hell and emans I cannopt go to work with it my system.
I've recently had pulsed radio therapy and that worked....for two weeks. I must confess it was a blissful two weeks as it totally knocked the pain out of the ball park. For the 1st time in over 18 months I was pain free. Sadly it, the pain, has come back with a vengeance.
About 12 months ago I asked for a referral back to consultant who had diagnosed bi lateral post vasectomy pain and initially the surgery was supportive but before the GP wrote the ltter she left the surgery. The replacement Dr was of the view it is pointless goinf ro surgery as the damage has been done and the best we can do is try to control the pain.
In trying to control the pain they changed the meds and this resulted in more side effects, increases in pain and more time off work. I eventually got a letter from the consultant stating a reversal gave a 70% of reducing the pain - with this letter in frontof them the surgery then referred me back to the consultant.
On 29th July I went to the hospital to see the consultant and he gave a very thorough and a very a very painful examination. He agreed after 18 months of hell it was time for surgery to be considered. He intially suggested an epidectomy. I suggested if we did that first then that would totally eliminate the prospect of a revrsal and I wanted to keep as many options open as possible, plus the reversal has a higher percentage rate of reducing pain levels. The reversal also keeps the option of an epidechtomy open and not having to consider orchiectomy for quite a while. He agreed with that train of thought.
I'm back at the hospital tomorrow to meet the surgeon who will perform the reversal as the consultant on the 29th said he wanted me to see him. No doubt they will try and persuade me again to have epidectomy and no doubt they will high light risks of procedure...hopefully they won't deliberately misinform this time.
I am in the awkward position though of having had to ask them to ensure I'm at the bottom of any waiting lists. As the pain has been a constant you get kind of used to living with it and coping with it (to greater or lesser degrees) and we have booked our 25th wedding anniversary holiday in Feb 15.
Given the reversal has a 70% success rate of reducing pain that leaves 30%....within that 30% is a percentage where I'll be exactly the same after surgery...in other words it will be reversed but pain levels could remain as they are now but there is also a percentage risk that the reversal can increase the level of pain.
If the level increases I won't be able to travel and we'll lose our 25th anniversary holiday.
As for stealing a life...
Erections don't hurt too much any more
I haven't had sex or masturbated enough yet after 18 months for the all clear test!
Ejaculation can cause an intense & extreme pain and linger for quite a few days (even in to weeks) so therefore we've learned sex is best avoided. The lingering pain beguns as a dull throb then builds up to croppling white pain then recedes and then keep scoming in waves.
I've been on high doses of morphine for over 18 months now...coming off it is going to be hell.
Double vision, nightmares, tremors, headaches, constipation,lack of sex drive, visual disturbances and more from the current medcation.
Since the vasectomy I have had prostate issues which were never there before, so there is that to contend with as well along with the medication to help control that which in turn has its own side effects.
We've been married 25years and our sex life has been stolen from us.
The mental stress from all above is bordering on intolerable
The mental stress over risk of losing employment through sickness is very high
Yep life has been stolen by the NHS who told me there was no evidence of long term risk to mens physical or mental health...they sort of neglected to mention the 40yrs+ worth of evidence & research which confirms there is very real risks to both mental and physical health.
Not once in any NHS literature or site have I seen an honest breakdown of the risks from a vasectomy. If a man was told clearly there is somewhere bewtween a 5% nd 30% chance of losing their sex life, putting huge strain on relationships and employment they would never go for a vasectomy.
I have learnt a valuable lesson though never trust what a GP tells you, especially if they are a GPwSI - General Practitioner with Special Interests - they are more concerned about getting their fee from the NHS for the procedure of their interest than they are about patient well being....after all if it goes wrong they can make even more fees from you.