Support please !

[wannalive]

Hello everyone
I'm bekir 28
I found here from google, unfortunately I had pain last week and diagnosed for my left testis and it will be removed next thursday.
I also have coughing since than, i think i'm at a later stage and lungs infected
I had started smoking last year, slowly now smoking half a package in last 3-4 months, may be this had a trigger effect, noone can know

my uncle had leucemia, passed away at 30s (they say may be testicle as well?)
mothers brother has tumor in his brain, still alive after long years, and mothers father and mother are relatives, son of uncle, daughter of aunt

I had a small harder testis since childhood, so i didn't notice that as a problem
now i have a huge problem, i'm trying to keep calm but very diffucult
now i'm reading but i need some quick answers to decide what to do on monday.

here i have friends but no family, so i want to ask if I need strong support during removal and chemotherapy ?

second I'll go to St Luc Hospital but I found in france there is an important Institute, IGR, http://www.igr.fr.
Can anyone recommend me if I have to go there for better handling, they have partnership with MD Anderson, could be better?
I'll ask this to my doctor on monday as well, after anestesist appointment..

I waill also call them on monday, but I'm overloaded now

Thank you very much who can help me
i'll inform my diagnose on monday, blood tests should be ready by then

Bekir

[dadmo]

Bekir:
Welcome to the forum. The first thing you should know is that testicular cancer is curable even in it's later stages. On Thursday you will find that the removal of the bad testicle is a very simple, the doctors will make a 4-6 inch incision at the belt line, on the side where the testicle has to be removed. Then they simply pull it through the opening and snip it and the tubing off. That will all be sent for evaluation. In this country ithe operation is often done in the morning and you are sent home that same day. In my sons case they did the operation in the early evening and we brought him home early the next morning.
It isn't until they examine the testicle do blood work, some scan and xrays that they can tell if you will need further treatment. Let's assume that you have to get chemo. It will be difficult, you will lose your hair and you will feel sick. My son said the sickness felt like a bad weekend at college. They have medication you can take that helps with the sickness. You wanted to know if you need support, it's a good thing to have but many people do go through this alone. I know it won't be the same as having someone there, but we will be here for you.
Your doing the right thing looking for an expert, to help you with that this link will take you to a list of experts. You should take some time and read everthing you can on the pages that the link takes you to. The information is great and will help you make some informed decisions. Good luck.

[Scott]

Welcome, Bekir. You'll need minimal logistical support for the orchiectomy: someone should drive you home from the hospital, and you'll need some assistance for the first week or so.

As for further treatment after that surgery, we won't really know what's in store until you have results of blood tests and imaging tests of your chest and abdomen. I wouldn't assume your coughing is related to cancer before you have a CT scan.

The Testicular Cancer Resource Center lists a number of testicular cancer experts in Europe. Check this link.

[wannalive]

lungs OK

Hello every one

thank you for messages

today i went to emergency again for xray
i was so afraid of lungs but nothing is on xrays, then i'm relieved
because i thought i had bigger problem, coughing is really exceptionally deep and sounds like plague, no blood but occasional green stuff
[Edit : I learned later that treatment and efficiency rate doesnot change much even TC jumped to lungs]

now i think this is due to my holiday and cold beers clubs etc.
[I had bronchitis, antibiotics after surgery didn't work it out completely so I took a different type for another week later, Co-trimoxazole EG]

Emergency Doc recommends operation here, probably quicker than going back to Turkey and also to decide after test results
and you wrote that i can handle myself, so probably i'll choose that
[No problems totally, I brought some snack and water, I had tv and mp3 player]

I checked links, thank you very much
I will go there after tests, if I need medication etc.
[ I went there and there is difference in prognosis, in france they recommend you chemo if node > 3cm, however in Bru if node >5 cm.
I read that 3 cm is newer understanding for better coverage and
I am a good example for that, I had 4,5 cm node and a small node
in lungs area, which will be missed by radiation] [this is for seminoma]

thank you for all the support
I needed to talk to someone and get answers, especially experienced people

Take care
Bekir

[dadmo]

Please update us as you get information. We might be able to help you with some of the medical talk and treatment options. Good Luck

[wannalive]

weird seizure on right ball

hello

today i got blood tests but markers are not finished yet
others are ok

doc says sperm banking is better after removal as sperm count should be low now but should increases geometrically after removal of tumor
[ I have normal count that is measured almost 4 wk later]

however I have a weird seizure on my right ball yesterday and now again
I afraid of jumping to that one as well, did anyone has similar feeling ?
[update: this has passed after few days]

I'll call doc again tomorrow for sperm banking but are sperms healthy ?
[no problem]

I've also seen anesthesia doctor for discussion of my history for anesthesia,
I asked for half body anesthesia and this is accepted, I don't want to sleep

thank you for any information

[IowaBrian]

Well my uro told me it takes 3 months for sperm to get from start to finish so yes it does or should increase with biggest gains 3 months after surgery.
As for going to sleep don't worry about it they will give you something that will make you feel great and after abut 3 minutes you won't feel or remember anything. You wake up about 45 minutes later and stay in recovery for about 30 minutes then back to your room. I think you would have to have very good reason for them not to use general and I wouldn't want to be awake for it anyway, some things are better to sleep through.
brian

[wannalive]

Just came back from hospital

hello

I\m just back from hospital, yesterday I give my best wishes to my left ball and received a new protez.

I was awake during surgery and secretly peek at my surgery from the lights mirror like glass
I've seen from first cut until taking our the testicle, quite interesting but you have to have a strong stomach.
than during change of serum they change the mirror angle and green cloth height

the protez gave me the biggest problem like pain, and no problems with the cut area. The pain relived after a dose of pain killer at 9PM

A funny thing happened after the operation is doctor and the nurse whi are both woman was checking my right and left balls if everything allright,
and then I was still able to feel the touch but not pain, anyway my penis start to stand up, without my knowledge of course and everybody was laughing, I understand this when they remove the green cloth and they ask me to check the protez )

I smiled and was happy to see budy still working

anyway now I'm waiting for 8 september until then I'll have the CT and analyse of tumor and rest for 10 days at home
I got 100 movies from a friend to waste my time with

hopefully this will be all and I don't need any further therapy but who knows
I'll post my diagnose for sure

Take care everybody

[dadmo]

Getting the bad one removed may cure you. Let's hope so. At least you got the ball rolling.

[Scott]

At least you got the ball rolling.

Ouch.

[Fish]

I'm glad to hear your surgery went well.

[Don]

I was awake during surgery and secretly peek at my surgery from the lights mirror like glass
I've seen from first cut until taking our the testicle, quite interesting but you have to have a strong stomach.

I Guess you do have a pretty strong stomach...I think I would have passed out if I saw that.... Glad to hear everything went well

[wannalive]

Diagnose with pain

Hi
I have 2 questions

Generally people notice swelling or lump however
I had pain during driving on a hot day, anyway unusual way of notice

I was wearing swimming short which made high temperature at testis area (synthetic fabric) after the pain starts I notice some lessening by air conditioning and cooling and no pain when I dont drive for 5 days, then constant mild pain started

Also as I mentioned I had small testicle from begining, I think type of maldescending or problem in development.

1) Did anyone had similar start and any idea of what could be the source and next actions?

2) Today I read more from http://www.startoncology.net and a bit disappointed by long term side effects of treatments,

Could you explain your experience of side effects and how it resulted, because I had the impression people report good results only

I feel bad today
I want to minimize risk to fertility and sex life at least for one or 2 decade
any recommendations like avoid chemo if possible etc.

I'll ask second opinion to Cancer institue in France just incase, I contacted oncology department already.

Thanks

[Fish]

Depending on your pathology and stage that you caught the TC (based on tumor markers, CT scans, Xray results), you might not need any more treatment.

So don't assume anything until you have all the results in. You might be cured already.

Best wishes and let us know when you get any more information.

[Ras Joe]

As Fish noted you may already be cured. In my second time with TC because of the type (seminoma) the I/O is all that my doctors want to do at this time because the cure rate I was given with what I had done (only I/O this time) was 90%. Take it easy until you know exactly what is going on-- stress can only do you harm at this point. Not like it is easy avoiding stress in these situations-- I have had some serious anxiety since I have been on surviellance. The not stressing part is way easier said than done!!