Ultrasound Diagnosis

[AndyL]

Hi.
I'm here after I found this place just, been looking for somewhere like it.

About a year ago, I had a heavy weird feeling in my left testicle. Sometimes it was painful, sometimes couldn't feel it. I could feel a little lump on the inside of my left testicle at the same time.

I visited my GP, he said it was a variceole. It made sense, I had all the symptons he described;
* Dragging-like or aching pain within scrotum.
* Feeling of heaviness in the testicle(s)
* Visible or palpable (able to be felt) enlarged vein, likened to feeling a bag of worms.

I still have this to this day, even. He sent me to the hospital, just in case, for STI testing. STI's came back as clean, and then recommended an Ultrasound to make sure.

I went to the Ultrasound and it was an extremely quick analysis. I sat down, quick scan. He told me he saw nothing irregular. Not even variceole, which I found strange, as they did ache virtually all the time at that point. After this, they said I was clear, and they couldn't do anything for me but give me some anti-b's just in case I had a small infection that hadn't cleared properly.

Nearly 12 months on, I have the same feeling in my testicles. Could it be testicle cancer? I mean, I have no idea how accurate the ultrasounds are. By what I've seen, they seem 100%. My main question is, if the Ultrasound said I was clear, am I 100% clear? Or can it be misdiagnosed?

I worry about it more and more as time goes on and the aching doesn't go away.

Thanks, Andy.

[Scott]

I'd say it's unlikely but not impossible that the ultrasound results weren't accurate. I'd suggest visiting a urologist.

[Aegean]

Get a second ultrasound. Don't be scared to ask for a tech that does testicular/scrotal ultrasounds on a more regular basis. All that being said, I would agree with Scott that is not likely to be TC. Good luck.

[AndyL]

Thanks Scott and Aegean for that advice.

Next question would be, how is the 'fastest' way to get one? It must've took me months before (around 3+), and I was worried everyday, I wasn't thinking straight for that time.

I'm not in this kind of panic now, but I would hate to be waiting for the same amount of time (or even longer, as they think I'm just wasting there time).

I'm based in the UK, btw. There isn't many places which help or give any advice on TC and I am glad this site is out there for people that do need it.

[Aegean]

As for how to circumvent the NHA, not sure but I am sure someone from the UK will chime in.

[ukboyuk]

If nothing has changed sizewise (or hardness/softness) in 12 months time then it's highly doubtful you have TC, in my non-medical opinion. I would have thought that even the slowest growing tumors would have changed in 12 months.

Probably the ultrasound felt rushed because the guy is used to it. They sort of zoom in and out of the testicle to check it - I'm sure he would've checked especially the region you indicated, and presumably saw nothing of concern.

If you want to go ahead and get one done quick, you can pay for your own through some NHS hospitals e.g.http://www.lewisham.nhs.uk/privateultrasound.php

I only know of this because after my orchiectomy I had a few twinges in the right hand one and it grew a bit in the immediate period after (which is normal, to make more testosterone). I got paranoid and found this private ultrasound service above but I did not follow up: ultimately for me, I don't have any lumps and I've had no changes in size or consistency for months either, everything is static - I know its just the mind being paranoid, and you can't get paranoid or scared of everything in life or else you can't live! (I have suffered from anxiety in my life, depression I guess is the clinical term but I don't like that word

Anyway, you should be referred to a urologist simply because you have a problem "down there". NHS try to improve their waiting list stats by getting GPs to refer to ultrasounds etc. without the urologist getting involved. This is a total farce IMO, I was also "fast tracked" (!!) to a ultrasound and was eventually referred to a urologist at a hospital. A urologist can give you better advice than a GP. At the end of the day, you have a long term bollock ache which means you deserve to see a urologist!!

Good luck and let us know how it goes.