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How long to wait after radiation to "start trying"?

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  • #1

    How long to wait after radiation to "start trying"?

    Hi Everyone

    How long have you all been told to wait after radiation to get pregnant? My husband and I were told different things - from 6 months to 1.5 years.

    He just finished radiation for Stage 1 Seminoma (diagnosed August 2007) last Friday. We wanted to start trying even before he was diagnosed, so as you can imagine we do not want to wait too long!

    What have you all heard?
    Husband, Joe, diagnosed 8/2007 with left testicular Stage I seminoma. Left orchiectomy on 8/15/2007 with radiation starting 10/07.
    1 year all clear!

    TTC since 5/2008. Diagnosed with right testicular varicocele 9/2008 which may be resulting in decreased sperm morphology. May need to have this ligated to increase our chances of conceiving
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  • #2
    Hi Lisa...our doctors told us for chemo to wait 18 months after the last day of chemo before it was 100%. I wish I knew more about radiation but he only had chemo. I will try and look it up for you.

    M
    Co-survivor with husband Boyce, Diagnosed 7-11-06, orchiectomy right testicle on 7-12-06- Stage 3A: Mixed germ cell tumor with inguinal seminomatous and kartotypic carcinoma. One tumor over 10 cm, second tumor 4 cm, Chemo 4xBEP: Bi-lateral RPLND Dec 2006, nerve sparing but left sterile.
    Current DVT
    Current testosterone replacement therapy, Testim.

    "You must abandon the life you planned, to live the life that was meant for you" ~wisdom I have learned from my family on this forum

    Comment

    • #3
      Found this on the internet:

      12 months after cancer treatment, the sperm that were exposed to radiation have all been ejaculated. Eggs that are healthy enough to be ovulated are also more likely to be undamaged. In fact, both the eggs and the stem cells that produce sperm have some ability to repair genetic damage during the first several years after cancer treatment.

      So it looks like 12 months you should be okay. Happy trying!
      Co-survivor with husband Boyce, Diagnosed 7-11-06, orchiectomy right testicle on 7-12-06- Stage 3A: Mixed germ cell tumor with inguinal seminomatous and kartotypic carcinoma. One tumor over 10 cm, second tumor 4 cm, Chemo 4xBEP: Bi-lateral RPLND Dec 2006, nerve sparing but left sterile.
      Current DVT
      Current testosterone replacement therapy, Testim.

      "You must abandon the life you planned, to live the life that was meant for you" ~wisdom I have learned from my family on this forum

      Comment

      • #4
        Thanks Margaret! I guess I'll have to be patient We wnat the little ones so badly...
        Husband, Joe, diagnosed 8/2007 with left testicular Stage I seminoma. Left orchiectomy on 8/15/2007 with radiation starting 10/07.
        1 year all clear!

        TTC since 5/2008. Diagnosed with right testicular varicocele 9/2008 which may be resulting in decreased sperm morphology. May need to have this ligated to increase our chances of conceiving

        Comment

        • #5
          By any chance, did he bank before the radiation? If so, you can start as soon as you want.

          I'll assume that he did not bank. My doctor recommended one year to be assured that the radiation doesn't cause genetic mutations.

          After that, it could still take up to two years for maximum sperm production to be achieved. In my case, I bounced back to "the low end of the normal range" of sperm count and motility.

          We are trying to have a kid now. I'd say to wait a year. Possibly get some sperm count tests done during that time to see if you want to proceed naturally or go for assisted fertility treatments.
          ---------------
          Left IO 4/21/05 | Seminoma Stage I |Blood markers normal before surgery | CT scan and xray normal.
          Final day of radiation was June 2, 2005 (15 days, 2500 cGy total). Anti-nausea drug of choice: Zofran.

          Comment

          • #6
            We did bank - twice actually. We were hoping to go the "natural route" first. I guess my issue is that I want to wait as short a time period as possible. The radiologist said at least 6 months.
            We were also told that there are no reports of abnormalities in children conceived soon after treatment. I'm not sure how soon-after it was though.

            I guess we could use the little frozen guys but we were thinking of it as more of a last resort.....
            Husband, Joe, diagnosed 8/2007 with left testicular Stage I seminoma. Left orchiectomy on 8/15/2007 with radiation starting 10/07.
            1 year all clear!

            TTC since 5/2008. Diagnosed with right testicular varicocele 9/2008 which may be resulting in decreased sperm morphology. May need to have this ligated to increase our chances of conceiving

            Comment

            • #7
              It is hard because when you finally decide you want to be pregnant....you want to be pregnant YESTERDAY!

              If you want to start now, use the ones on ice...if you want to go the natural route...you have a year to practice.
              Co-survivor with husband Boyce, Diagnosed 7-11-06, orchiectomy right testicle on 7-12-06- Stage 3A: Mixed germ cell tumor with inguinal seminomatous and kartotypic carcinoma. One tumor over 10 cm, second tumor 4 cm, Chemo 4xBEP: Bi-lateral RPLND Dec 2006, nerve sparing but left sterile.
              Current DVT
              Current testosterone replacement therapy, Testim.

              "You must abandon the life you planned, to live the life that was meant for you" ~wisdom I have learned from my family on this forum

              Comment

              • #8
                Exactly! I can't wait to have kids and I'm a little worried about fertility reading everyone's posts....we will have to wait and see I guess.

                How are you and your husband doing Margaret?
                Husband, Joe, diagnosed 8/2007 with left testicular Stage I seminoma. Left orchiectomy on 8/15/2007 with radiation starting 10/07.
                1 year all clear!

                TTC since 5/2008. Diagnosed with right testicular varicocele 9/2008 which may be resulting in decreased sperm morphology. May need to have this ligated to increase our chances of conceiving

                Comment

                • #9
                  Lisa, you are sweet to ask.

                  We are doing okay...I actually had a crying jag last week over the whole 'baby thing'. I know I talk a good game about how I am leaving behind the life I wanted for the one that was meant for me...but my heart has a tiny hole in it and I feel like cancer cheated me out of the second child I always wanted. I watch my son get older by the second and I yearn for another child but Boyce tells me that must not be God's plan for us. Then I looked on adoption websites (huge mistake ) because I see all these 7-10 year old faces and I want to bring them ALL home.

                  April is our official 18 months post chemo/RPLND. We are going to get him checked out because of a few reasons. First of all I am curious and I hate not knowing EVERYTHING (terrible habit)...and secondly, for birth control (or lack there of) would be nice to know for certain. Strange to have to deal with birth control when you want to be pregnant.

                  For me, a big part of life has been learning acceptance. For what we have been handed and what we will live with out. I think I will grieve the losses that came as a package deal with this illness. Life is different now...but in many ways Cancer gave to us more than it stole.

                  I am forever grateful for the gift of my son. His half-mooned shaped eyes bring me daily joy and amusement. So I am lucky. And I will keep trying to find a way to fill the hole in my heart...maybe with volunteer work and maybe there is something else very special waiting for me.

                  Godspeed for a baby for you
                  Co-survivor with husband Boyce, Diagnosed 7-11-06, orchiectomy right testicle on 7-12-06- Stage 3A: Mixed germ cell tumor with inguinal seminomatous and kartotypic carcinoma. One tumor over 10 cm, second tumor 4 cm, Chemo 4xBEP: Bi-lateral RPLND Dec 2006, nerve sparing but left sterile.
                  Current DVT
                  Current testosterone replacement therapy, Testim.

                  "You must abandon the life you planned, to live the life that was meant for you" ~wisdom I have learned from my family on this forum

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    You bring tears to my eyes Margaret. Adoption is wonderful. I have 2 cousins who adopted 3 beautiful children.

                    This whole ordeal has been difficult for us. We are married 2 years and never saw this one coming. I love him so much. I spend a lot of my days making sure he feels ok mentally and physically. It just started sinking in recently. Lots of worrying, hives, sleepless nights, but better now that the radiation is over and he feels ok. It is just an incredible thing to have to go through, but I guess the good thing is that we realized how strong our marriage is. We really pulled through together and we are even closer now than before.
                    Husband, Joe, diagnosed 8/2007 with left testicular Stage I seminoma. Left orchiectomy on 8/15/2007 with radiation starting 10/07.
                    1 year all clear!

                    TTC since 5/2008. Diagnosed with right testicular varicocele 9/2008 which may be resulting in decreased sperm morphology. May need to have this ligated to increase our chances of conceiving

                    Comment

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