Just Diagnosed. Might loose the two balls next week. Help.

Hi Ajax653 and a very warm welcome to the online community

I'm sorry to see that none of the other men in this group have replied to yet. Responding to you will 'bump' your post back to the top of the discussion list where hopefully someone who has had the same experience as you're about to go through will see it and respond.

When you feel ready, it would be great if you could pop something about your diagnosis and treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

I hope your operation goes well

x

Hi, Ajax653! I am sorry to hear about you facing this. I do hope that someome who has lost their both testicles will reply to you. All that matters now is your health. Your sex life and intimacy with your wife should not be the biggest worry at the moment. It is better not to worry about anything, but we are humans, so we do it whenever there is some disturbance in our lives. I believe there is TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) and even if you lose your both testicles you should be ok when you have the therapy. I had my right testicle removed in January 2015. Had Chemo, then RPLND and since April 2016 I am all clear. It's been a while now since I am experiencing some ED (erectyle disfunction) and this is terrifying me. The most terrible thing that could happen to a man is not being able to achieve and keep an erection and not being able to enjoy sex with his wife. And I am only 37.... I am seeing urologist beginning of February and will have a telephone consultation with endocrynologist, too. So, I do hope they find out what the reason for this is and there will be treatment to sort this out. Because I am relying on ED tablets at the moment, which means sex could only be planned so you get a tablet beforehand. No spontanous sex or whenever I want... just terrified. But I do not know whether this is related to my treatments I had previously. It will be 6 years since last surgery and since I am all clear. So reason for this could be anything else, including stress. I do hope you get sorted soon and you know where you are at. Don't worry about it, you will be able to enjoy sex.

Best wishes!

Plamen 

Hi Ajax653

My husband had his second testicle removed last September (2021) and has had 3 cycles of BEP chemo since . He was given testosterone replacement therapy in the form of a gel that is applied daily . He has no problems with labido, intimacy or ejaculation . 
Initially like yourself he was psychologically traumatised, particularly by the feeling of loss of sexual identity, but I think the replacement therapy has helped 100% with this . 

I hope this has helped alleviate some of your fears and I wish you well with your operation and any further treatment .

Best wishes Sarah 

Hi 

What you are going through must be really hard. Appreciate that your post is a while ago now but thought I would respond none the less because it is a long journey. I hope things are getting better.

I have had both my testicles removed unlike you it was 2 years apart as I had two separate cases of cancer.

I am going to explain what I am going through now. It’s been a year since I lost both. And I am still finding new things. Everyone is different so this is my journey which I hope will shed some light on yours.

Good news is I am able to have a normal sex life so don’t worry.(but me and my gf have been stressed a lot due to this which has meant things slow down a bit) I still have erections and I still ejaculate. The sensation is till the same too. The only thing that is different is I don’t have any extra sensation from testicles. The way I see it that’s a good exchange for health right?

 I am on testosterone replacement. As I hope you will now know you can have a gel or injections. I chose the injections which happen every 12 weeks. Myself I am getting used to that. You get a big spike of testosterone within the first part of the 12 weeks which can feel really great actually. Sometimes I feel a youthful energy and even a stronger sex drive. Then it starts to decrease away to normal levels and how I felt before all this and towards the last few days before the injection I can start to feel tired and irritable and my sex drive does drop slightly.

When I had my operation they gave me the first  injection while I was unconscious. At the end of that 12 weeks it dropped quite low and I found it very difficult. I couldn’t concentrate and my sex drive did drop very low. I still don’t understand why because since then it has not been too dramatic and has given me a good balance. So since it only drops down slightly enough and I hardly notice. 

I do give myself a bit of a break when I’m leading up to my next jab and make sure I let my partner know too. Just encase I am snappy and she know why.

my best advice is to keep talking to those around you. Let them know how you are feeling and how they can help. Settle into this new rhythm and start to learn yourself. Speak to the doctors and ask as many questions with them as you need. I found they are willing to answer every question you have even the most personal ones. 

what is working for me now is taking it step by step the good and the bad

good luck on your journey I wish you all the best

Hi,

Joined some time ago and dropped back due to aftershock. I now have two prosthetics after losing both testicles due to medical malpractice. No cancer. Had to have one of the prosthetics replaced due to poor placement. Now I’m in recovery and not doing well. The prosthetics are uncomfortable and my left leg is cold and numb. I feel like I’m wearing a jock strap 3 sizes too tight. Feels like a tight strap in my left groin. Have not even addressed the sexual issues yet. I’m divorced and can’t see dating as an option at this point mainly out of fear. Had been part of my life plan to look for another companion. Yes, anxiety is common. No, don’t have any easy answers as of yet.

Hi Singledeck , what a blood awful time you've had , I really feel you now need time to recover both physically and mentally as I'm sure your know anyway . 
Don't worry about about relationships for a time , just get yourself back on track , you need a break I'm sure . 
Take care 

Mark 

Yea sounds really rough. I hope that things start to heal up over time and you get a break. 

Rest up and don’t force things I guess. 

I so desperately wanted to seek a way to displace the pain I was consumed with. I felt it had to be so severe to shift my focus, and give me the opportunity to control to exercise control. I opted for a full back tattoo. It was so intensely painful that I thought I was passing out. I thought of aborting it half stream, but the would again be another defeat. So I stuck it out, and the relief I felt at the artist telling me he had made the last stroke, felt so liberating. It did indeed free my mind. Unfortunate due to the tension tightness, my whole body is sick. The next day, yesterday and today, I can hardly function. A desperate attempt at relief, compounded by adding fuel to the fire. I clearing on a downward spiral. Have a scheduled meeting with a therapist in a few hours. I feel my live is ending.

Hey it sounds really tough. I hope things are getting better. Although not the same I had tightness and then things became looser over time. Concerned for you though as you seem really down about it. I hope you have good help around you. 

I have a close friend who is supportive, but very few can understand the emotional upset. I do have a legal case pending with the physician who messed me up. Therapist is helpful, but cost prohibitive. Back to urologist today. Hope my body is not now rejecting these things.