HERE I GO AGAIN?

spongebob

Hi, Guys (I guess at this discussion using the term "guys" isn't non-PC, eh?)...

I am a colon cancer survivor and I am concerned that I may have developed testicular cancer.

Over the past month I have found myself hitting a wall at about 1 pm (falling asleep at my desk), craving sugars (not like me at all), seen my performance on the treadmill fall off, found myself short of breath after climbing 3 flights of stairs, and seen some minor spotting on occassion in the skivvies... Last night I palpated what I believe to be a fairly large lump on my right "guy" - located near where the epididymous should be.

I am an active duty Coast Guard officer with onlty about 6 months left on my tour as second in command of a ship - I really need to complete that tour in order to be eligible for command in a couple years. Can you tell me:

(a) Your thoughts on my symptoms - anything sound familiar?

(b) Your treatment regime - I did 6 months of chemo for my colon cancer and would like to push to remain on the ship as second in command during any chemo/rad treatment I might receive.

(c) Tell me about the orchi... orch... nut-ectomy. How long was your recovery time? What limitations did you have immediately following surgery?

(d) Thoughts on a prostetic testicle? After reading some of the posts I was surprised to see that some folks didn't think it was all it was cracked up to be.

Thanks in advance for your candid replies, guys...

By the way - ABarTender, I remember you from my very first attempt to go onto the chat board. Thanks again for your help that day back in 2002 - BTW, I still steer clear of it - too many moving parts. A man's gotta know his limitations!

Cheers

- SpongeBob

abartender

My Friend
I was very active, running 5k's, 10k's n training 4 a mini triathlon so i thought my recovery time would b 2days ?? bad news 4 me is any abdominal surgey takes a fairly long time 2 even get back 2 #1 get comfortable 2 sit #2 walk
#3 wear cloths .I lost my right testicle and didnt even think about a fake one, but if lefty goes i'll get a fake set and dread the thoughts of testostrone injections every week 4 the rest of my days. I did 18 rad treatments and honestly it kicked my butt, i lost 35lbs the 1st week n i thought i was a stong man until then.Please go n get checked A.S.A.P i was stuburn n got to stage 2, had i listened 2 my body when i 1st noticed something wasnt right ??? who knows maybe i'd still be with my running club collecting t-shirts:0}Any time you wanna talk my friend please look me up here or you can reach me at mick@easyriders.com.
Take care, fair winds n god speed.
Mark

jnigra

Hey Sponge,

Sorry to hear that your having problems again. You should definately get it checked out soon as you don't want it to spread which if it is Testicular Cancer it can spread very rapidly. I as well prior to being diagnosed was exhausted in the day and barely could make it through work, when I finally did get home, I'd have to take a nap. I went through three rounds of chemo and unfortuately I doubt that you will want to or be able to work during the chemo treatment if that is what you'll do. There is also a Lyphnode Disection which is a pretty hairy surgery which will lay you up for up to six months. And the orch, well I was laid up for three. However, don't wait, it may be nothing, and it may be something but it is far better to find out. Treatment on chemo is BEP ( Bleomycin, Etoposide and Platinol. It is daily 8 hours a day on one week, then you have two weeks off with only Bleomycin and that makes up one cycle. It is grueling!

spongebob

abartender said:

My Friend
I was very active, running 5k's, 10k's n training 4 a mini triathlon so i thought my recovery time would b 2days ?? bad news 4 me is any abdominal surgey takes a fairly long time 2 even get back 2 #1 get comfortable 2 sit #2 walk
#3 wear cloths .I lost my right testicle and didnt even think about a fake one, but if lefty goes i'll get a fake set and dread the thoughts of testostrone injections every week 4 the rest of my days. I did 18 rad treatments and honestly it kicked my butt, i lost 35lbs the 1st week n i thought i was a stong man until then.Please go n get checked A.S.A.P i was stuburn n got to stage 2, had i listened 2 my body when i 1st noticed something wasnt right ??? who knows maybe i'd still be with my running club collecting t-shirts:0}Any time you wanna talk my friend please look me up here or you can reach me at mick@easyriders.com.
Take care, fair winds n god speed.
Mark

Mark -

Thanks for the response. I had it checked and there is a mass there, but they can't tell if it's "something" or epididymitis. Taking the wait and see approach at this point. I'm at sea right now so the wait and see approach is sort of a necessity.

Thanks for the reply

Be well

- Bob

spongebob

jnigra said:

Hey Sponge,

Sorry to hear that your having problems again. You should definately get it checked out soon as you don't want it to spread which if it is Testicular Cancer it can spread very rapidly. I as well prior to being diagnosed was exhausted in the day and barely could make it through work, when I finally did get home, I'd have to take a nap. I went through three rounds of chemo and unfortuately I doubt that you will want to or be able to work during the chemo treatment if that is what you'll do. There is also a Lyphnode Disection which is a pretty hairy surgery which will lay you up for up to six months. And the orch, well I was laid up for three. However, don't wait, it may be nothing, and it may be something but it is far better to find out. Treatment on chemo is BEP ( Bleomycin, Etoposide and Platinol. It is daily 8 hours a day on one week, then you have two weeks off with only Bleomycin and that makes up one cycle. It is grueling!

jnigra -

Thans for your response. Sounds like the chemo is a bit different for testicular than it was when I had colon cancer.

Hopefully this will turn out to be nothing but I intend to keep and eye on it.

I appreciate the info you passed along regarding chemo and down time.

Thanks

Be well

- Bob

2succeed2

spongebob said:

jnigra -

Thans for your response. Sounds like the chemo is a bit different for testicular than it was when I had colon cancer.

Hopefully this will turn out to be nothing but I intend to keep and eye on it.

I appreciate the info you passed along regarding chemo and down time.

Thanks

Be well

- Bob

Spongebob sorry to hear of
Spongebob sorry to hear of your recent events.

TC treatment different. I as well had a high grade immunoblastic large cell lymphoma around the colon. Surgery to remove and the CHOP21 for 6 months.

TC treatment is quite different than CHOP if that is what you had. CHOP a couple hours one day every three weeks. Very draining and wipes you out for the first week.

TC if up to early stage 2 is either 3 treatmetns of BEP or 4 treatmetns of EP. I opted for the 4 of EP as it is less toxic on the lungs (long term kung damage) and since it appears you are an athlete.

EP is given over 4 hours for 5 straight days which was a dissappointment initially as I expected to be there for a couple hours every three weeks as before.

Just finished my first week (one on two off for 12 weeks =4 treatments) on Friday, went for a short 15 mile bike ride and felt pretty good although didn't push myself, round of golf yesterday, and rest today. I did go to work everyday after treatmetn othe r than the first and no nausea so far. Well may be minimal nausea but did not get sick. The only real side effect I have experienced is a little bit of chemo brain or scattered tyhoughts, trouble concentraqting at certain pints of the day but minimal.

If you have been through CHOP or something simliar, in my opinion so far, EP has been a walk in the park if there is such a term for chemo.

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