Infection Worries
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 6:04 pm
I was implanted by Dr. Hakky on 3/12 with the Coloplast One Touch, so I just passed the eight week mark this past Tuesday. I had very little pain or discomfort. The worst part was some significant scrotal swelling, but even that had largely subsided.
Then last Wednesday afternoon I had a sudden bout of chills, general aches and pains, but no fever yet. By that evening I also had occasional nausea and a temperature that spiked at 101.5. The next morning--about 16 hours later--I started sweating profusely for a few minutes, then felt much better. Pretty standard fever breaking behavior.
I would have written this all off to catching a bug, or getting food poisoning, except I then noticed that my scrotal swelling was back. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was infection. This swelling is somewhat different than what I had before in that before I could still feel the pump in there, and now it's a struggle. I can still feel it if I move whatever that mush is around enough. And it doesn't seem to be adhering to anything, so that's a positive sign.
The other difference between this and my previous swelling is soreness in the scrotum and shaft. It feels like mild chafing. I'm trying to be optimistic and hope that's because that skin had to expand so much so quickly, but I know that could be another infection symptom.
I called Hakky's office on Thursday and spoke to a nurse. She wanted me to come in for an ultrasound, but I live 8 hours away. She consulted with Hakky and sent me a prescription for doxycycline. I have a virtual appointment this Tuesday.
In the meantime, I'm extremely worried. So I've made up a list of factors that are for and against infection.
On the "Yep, it's an infection" side:
- The episode with the flu like symptoms
- The swelling
- The scrotum and shaft pain
On the "Naaah, stop worrying" side:
- The flu like symptoms came and went quickly. I've checked my temperature repeatedly since then, and it's always normal. Seems like symptoms from an infection would linger until it was cleared up.
- Dr. Hakky has an excellent infection rate. (I guess. I never actually asked, but I assume so since he's one of the top guys in the field.) So I would have to be really unlucky.
- The pain down there is mild, feels more like mild chafing, and is not increasing.
- The incision is dry and shows no signs of separating.
- There is no redness of the scrotum or penis.
- The pump is not adhering to the scrotal wall.
I'm wondering if a bout of flu could trigger enough inflammation that the just recently subsided swelling could come back just because of that. (That's me trying to be optimistic.)
I guess I'll just have to wait for my virtual appointment on Tuesday.
Thoughts and opinions would be welcome.
Then last Wednesday afternoon I had a sudden bout of chills, general aches and pains, but no fever yet. By that evening I also had occasional nausea and a temperature that spiked at 101.5. The next morning--about 16 hours later--I started sweating profusely for a few minutes, then felt much better. Pretty standard fever breaking behavior.
I would have written this all off to catching a bug, or getting food poisoning, except I then noticed that my scrotal swelling was back. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was infection. This swelling is somewhat different than what I had before in that before I could still feel the pump in there, and now it's a struggle. I can still feel it if I move whatever that mush is around enough. And it doesn't seem to be adhering to anything, so that's a positive sign.
The other difference between this and my previous swelling is soreness in the scrotum and shaft. It feels like mild chafing. I'm trying to be optimistic and hope that's because that skin had to expand so much so quickly, but I know that could be another infection symptom.
I called Hakky's office on Thursday and spoke to a nurse. She wanted me to come in for an ultrasound, but I live 8 hours away. She consulted with Hakky and sent me a prescription for doxycycline. I have a virtual appointment this Tuesday.
In the meantime, I'm extremely worried. So I've made up a list of factors that are for and against infection.
On the "Yep, it's an infection" side:
- The episode with the flu like symptoms
- The swelling
- The scrotum and shaft pain
On the "Naaah, stop worrying" side:
- The flu like symptoms came and went quickly. I've checked my temperature repeatedly since then, and it's always normal. Seems like symptoms from an infection would linger until it was cleared up.
- Dr. Hakky has an excellent infection rate. (I guess. I never actually asked, but I assume so since he's one of the top guys in the field.) So I would have to be really unlucky.
- The pain down there is mild, feels more like mild chafing, and is not increasing.
- The incision is dry and shows no signs of separating.
- There is no redness of the scrotum or penis.
- The pump is not adhering to the scrotal wall.
I'm wondering if a bout of flu could trigger enough inflammation that the just recently subsided swelling could come back just because of that. (That's me trying to be optimistic.)
I guess I'll just have to wait for my virtual appointment on Tuesday.
Thoughts and opinions would be welcome.