New to this whole thing

[Cameron]

Howdy!
I was just diagnosed with testicular cancer this past monday and just earlier this day had a radical left orchidectomy. Im new to all of this, 22 years old, and Im wondering what I should expect in the coming weeks? Ive got an appointment for wednesday to see urologist, discuss the x-ray ct-scan blood test results and , as the doctors have been saying, get my "staging information". Are there in questions I should be asking? I understand I should get a copy of everything result I have, are there some good resources, in addtion to Docs, to understanding these kind sof test results? mmm a little overwhelmed right now as I am on painkillers and groggy but feeling alright...is there anything to expect relating to the orchidectomy that y'all have noticed but came as a surprise to you. Thanks for any response...expect for cogent posts later...

Also what are some personal experiences with how long it took to resume having intercourse..or other physical activies that came unexpectadly easy or hard...

p.s. any good sites relating the physics/mathematics behind all the machinery they keep using on me, like CAT scan machines, x-rays, or the radiation to come...figure that might provide me with some method of relaxation, gettting to reallly know how this stuff works...

[Karen]

Cameron,
Welcome to the forum! If you haven't been there yet, start by reading up at http://tcrc.acor.org. You mention "the radiation to come"....is there an indication this is a seminoma? Any marker levles or size you know about already? Right now I'd heal, read and be prepared with a written list of questions for Wednesday. Ice when needed, move around as much as you can, try to stop the pain meds as soon as you can because they will constipate you. Take colace so when you visit the porcelin throne you are not straining. Be careful about lifting, as I'm sure you were told, because you definately don't want a hernia!

[Scott]

You asked about things to know after the orchiectomy. One good thing to know is that it's very typical to have a hematoma (collection of blood) where the testicle was removed that makes you wonder if it grew back. If this happens, it will slowly be reabsorbed and disappear. I assume you already know about the "bag of frozen peas" for comfort.

Details about staging can be found at this link; questions to ask, this link.

Try this link for information about CT scans.

[Cameron]

thanks for the info. the site already feels a little better and the redness has gone away, had to sleep with the lights on though cos i couldnt turn in the correct way to get them off and was too zonked to get out off bed. high-larious. Thank you all , and anyone else on here its pretty relieving to know this forum exists....no i dont know what lkind of tumor it is, so i guess i might be jumping the gun a little...

[huckchef]

Be informative as much as you can. Knowledge will help you deal with the days ahead. I'm wishing you the best!

My thoughts and prayers,

Brian

[petep]

cameron,

i can tell you, looking back, the waiting after the orchiectemy was the hardest part...just mentally tough...I hated waiting...

then a doc said, whatever it is, it is, and you will just have to deal with whatever it is...

for me, it was very empowering - he was right...so I just took it one day at a time...i felt back in charge all of a sudden.

great news is no matter what it is, it is an extremely curable cancer...as one doc said to me, one in two will get cancer, and you got the jackpot of cancers...

I know this may be hard to understand now, but you are experiencing something not many experience at your age - being told you have cancer...it really let's you have a very trying time physically & emotionally....but you'll get thru it and you will feel much stronger because of it.

[fresnoguy]

Cameron,

Hey, hope you are feeling better about the Orchiectomy. I had the same thing done on Aug 21st. It was removed from above, on the crotch line left side, it is still a lil tender, but its doing alot better. It really did suck there for the first week, being careful not to bend or lift anything heavy and making sure that nothing is rubbing up against it. Its annoying, that is for dang sure! Well, after my surgery, I got my results and of course it was test. cancer. I did just find out recently from my Oncologist that I have a non-seminoma germ cell tumor and that I will not need radiation, so that was a huge sigh of relief and that I am only Stage I. So, its not always as bad as it seems and everything for me is great, I am gonna be starting my 1st of 2 rounds of Chemo on Monday and I am not all that afraid, its nice to know that my chances of it coming back will be less than 2% after my 2 rounds. Dr. is only gonna give me CarboPlatin for chemo, so one drug administered hopefully wont be a dreadful. But good luck to you and hope all goes well for you too!!
~Anthony.
P.s. Make sure to keep a positive outlook with friends/family, it only helps.

[Fish]

Cameron:

Sounds like you're healing well from the surgery. Just continue to take it easy. When you see your doctor, ask for copies of the pathology report and any blood tests, that way you'll be able to refer to the information if you need it. Scott gave you some great links for more information. The more you know the better. Since TC is so curable, sometimes there are different options for different patients.

Best wishes.

[keysi]

Hope you are feeling better after the orchiectomy..... definitely ask everything to your Doctor,,, don't feel ashamed of asking any questions, ask for a copy of the pathology report, and remember, the cure rate of all stages combined is very high... so whatever stage the cancer is.. you'll be fine... and as far of personal experience of intercourse and physical activity... just wait a little bit more,,, I mean my fiancé wanted to have intercourse almost the next day just to prove himself that he was still able to perform well, but I mean I did not care at all I told him to wait because he could get hurt, we waited about 1 week because he was persistent but I would say wait MOre.......but it depends how you feel...

[Cameron]

i just started a new thread with my path report in it. thanks for the support...it look like im on surveillence for now, gonna send out the report blood work to get a second opinion, but thats just to settle my mind a bit...and for the parents...

[dadmo]

Thank you for being considerate of your parent's wishes. It's important that we feel comfortable with the diagnoses to.