DESCIRIBING TESTICULAR CANCER TREATMENT

jnigra
jnigra Member Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Testicular Cancer #1
My business partner insists that I could have worked through my chemo treatment which was 3 months long. Can someone perhaps describe for met the process of our chemo, it's hardships, and how long you were completely weak from the chemo and if you worked during your treatment. Also were you hospitalized for your treatments. I've tried to explain to him that this chemo is high dose chemo and basically halts your life that there was no way i could have worked during the process. However perhaps if someone could describe what they went through with BEP I could show him another persons persepctive. One final question, after going through chemo do you feel you got all your energy back 100% or do you still feel tired after saying being at work 8 to 10 hours a day?

Comments

  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #2
    Hello,

    If you are unable to wait for a response, you may want to contact individuals from this discussion board through the CSN internal email system. To do this, click on the envelope icon below their posting. They may be willing to share their story and how their treatment went.

    If you would like information on employment related issues, you can also contact the American Cancer Society's National Cancer Information Center. Cancer Information Specialists are available 24 hours a day and can assist you with questions. They can be reached at 1-800-227-2345.

    Take care and be well,

    Dana
    CSN Dana
  • jopus314
    jopus314 Member Posts: 4
    #3
    Yes, I did recover my energy. But it took about six months. Before that, my energy level was similar to what I experienced during treatments. My treatments were in the hospital, for a week at a time. I would then be out for two weeks. During those weeks, I was useless. I slept a lot, but was also lethargic when I was awake. I felt totally wiped out throughout the treatments.
    For what it's worth, I experienced the same sort of misery when I had chemo and then radiation for Hodgkins disease. I was able to work about 20 hours a week during those treatments, but only because my boss took most of my more crucial projects off my desk. There's no way I could have functioned at anything near 100%. I was physically drained, intellectually overwhelmed, and emotionally devastated.
    I hope your business partner can be patient with you (pardon the pun). Your energy will return, but it will take a little time.
    Joe
  • 2carlsons
    2carlsons Member Posts: 1
    #4
    Although I have ovarian cancer, it is being treated with the same BEP regiment as testicular cancer. I was in the hospital for the first cycle, but now I go in everyday for 5 days as an outpatient, then have 2 weeks off. My energy levels are extremely low on days 6-10, but slowly increase everyday after that. Even by the end of the 2 weeks when it is time to start again, my energy is about at 50-60% of normal. I'm still falling asleep a lot and need a nap or 2 throughout the day.
    It sounds like your business partner has some misinformation about this specific regiment. I quite my job before I started chemo, and I don't regret it. You could try working part-time with a light work load might work for you, but your body is going to need a lot of rest!
    Good Luck with your treatment!
  • jnigra
    jnigra Member Posts: 14
    #5
    2carlsons said:

    Although I have ovarian cancer, it is being treated with the same BEP regiment as testicular cancer. I was in the hospital for the first cycle, but now I go in everyday for 5 days as an outpatient, then have 2 weeks off. My energy levels are extremely low on days 6-10, but slowly increase everyday after that. Even by the end of the 2 weeks when it is time to start again, my energy is about at 50-60% of normal. I'm still falling asleep a lot and need a nap or 2 throughout the day.
    It sounds like your business partner has some misinformation about this specific regiment. I quite my job before I started chemo, and I don't regret it. You could try working part-time with a light work load might work for you, but your body is going to need a lot of rest!
    Good Luck with your treatment!

    Thank you all for your information, I realize that it is his ignornace to some degree on how I should feel. But now I'm two years out and still feel like I need a nap every day after work and when I do do physical work outside I get worn out now it seems a lot quicker, of course it could be just I'm getting older LOL ... and refuse to admit it.
  • Brendan
    Brendan Member Posts: 10
    #6
    Working through treatment
    My experience seemed to be very different than what others have described. Even though jnigra is probably well past this stage, hopefully this will help others that stumble upon this post.

    My treatment was the typical 3 week cycle for 3 cycles (9 weeks). The first week I had treatment for 5 straight days for about 6 hours each day. For the next two weeks I had an hour treatment twice (on Fridays). I drove myself to and from the hospital for EVERY treatment. Everything I did was outpatient. For my surgery and chemo I NEVER spent the night at the hospital.

    During chemo my energy level plummeted. During week 1 of the cycle I did not go into work on treatment days. I did go into work ALL other days including the 1 hour treatments during week 2 and 3. However, even though I went into work I was fortunate enough to be able to take a nap once or twice on a couch. Perhaps I should have stayed home those days as well.

    == 1 cycle ==
    Week 1: Treatment for 5 days for 6 hours each (Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, and Mon)
    Week 2: 1 treatment for 1 hour on Friday
    Week 3: 1 treatment for 1 hour on Friday
  • farmernurmel
    farmernurmel Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2017 #7
    RLND

    My son has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.  He may be looking at retroperitoneal LN disection after chemotherapy.  We live in SE Iowa (in small community) and want to know any surgeons in tri-state area who do this surgery.  Thinking St. Louis might be closest.  I am an oncology nurse and am familiar with treatment--just getting prepared for what might be ahead.  Thanks for any info. 

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #8
    My son

    We were in the Detroit area and after the surgery, they could not tell for certain if they got it or it (one small cell is all it takes)   3 months later, they were wrong, it moved to the stomach and they said he only had a 35% chance to live.  I said OH NO, not good enough, get me into IU Medical Hospital in Indianapolis where they specialize in this type of cancer.  They said they would call me and I said, OH NO, we will sit here and wait, go ahead and call them, we got time.    We were in Indianapolis at 6 AM that next day and the whirlwind started.  After the 1st high dose chemo it moved up to his right long. They removed it.  2 more high doses of chemo and 2 stem cell transplants later  (3 yrs.)  He was considered well enough for every 3 mo. checks the first 2 years and then every 6 mo, the next 2 years adn finally one time a year for the next 6 years.  It is now 15 years later and he is cancer free and very active. 

    It was very hard time.  IU Medical are so sweet and Dr. Einhorn is the best of the best when it comes to this type of cancer.  They have places you can stay and have councelors to help you and the family.  Also if your son is planning on having kids later in life, make sure he goes to a sperm bank before anything is done to him and have some frozen for later use.    My son did, he was young and it was hard for him to do that, however, he thanked us all later for bringing that up.  He has two beautiful daughters.   I call them all my miracles.  

    If you can see my pic, you see my son next to me.  He is a true blessing and runs marathons, weight lifts, he even played semi pro football a four years ago.  He is always up and always going.  

    HUGS<

    Annie

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