IamA 31 year old male who just found he has testicular cancer, PICS INCLUDED AMA!

Hey man! Fellow 1 nut bro here, 7 years out from diagnosis. Wanted to offer support and well wishes! Also, it is true that some pants are more comfy with only 1 ball. Also also, I haven't had a full contact nut shot since ol righty moved out, glancing blows only!

But to ask a question, do you think if we wanted to get vasectomies, we could get a 1 nut discount?

This is comforting! I hope it's a one and done deal for me too! Like remove the ball and then never have to deal with cancer again!

Lol I am about to get married, so all i'm thinking about is having kids and one nut not being enough nut to nut, you know!

Maybe the remaining nut will be terrified of underperforming because he saw what happened to the last guy that tried that...

Lol I told me fiance that my left nut saw that I was getting married and was like "Peace broh, had fun in college but you don't need me no more!"

I've been the proud owner of one nut since birth. Losing a testicle later in life barely effects your fertility. My situation is caused by a haywire gene during development causing me to be sterile. You'll more than likely be just peachy for having kids.

urgh, now you're making me rethink the sperm bank. Do I risk it...pretty good chances and those sperm banks ain't cheap!

Oh no no. You're probably A-okah my dude. I was saying my sterility is due to a genetic problem. If you didn't have problems with sperm count before, you're likely fine. If it's a concern of yours though you can always have your sperm checked to make sure your count is okay and all that!

i'm gonna get some frozen just in case

Also been through it here as well. Diagnosed 10 yrs ago, surgery then radiation and no sign or hint of cancer since. They really can perform medical miracles now. As long as there hasn't been any spread, and once they get it out they will confirm that it's walls are intact and that it was fully contained. You can expect a normal existence with very little difference in anything other than the volume of, umm, "nut" that you produce, that will be a little less. If you are getting radiation instead of chemo, I would suggest talking to the Doc about having kids and if putting aside sperm prior to treatment should be considered.

One thing that they did not explain to me prior to surgery was the hematoma that occurred right afterward. It swelled up and almost felt like they had installed an artificial testicle, but it was just a clot that took a few weeks to dissolve. Apparently this is normal, but caused a little concern since I was not expecting it. Also, get yourself a cane, I was able to move around quite soon after surgery, but it may help you to get around in those first few days.

This is what i'm talking about :) that's some good info. I would have thought my ball was just growing back!

See my other comment but my one nut buddy had a kid like a year ago

Perfect I want two so I can be "One nut, two kids"

Have you thought about a cover story to pick up partners? Maybe “a shark ate my teste?” Or a motorcycle accident?

Haha single me would have so much material!

I would imagine an old sympathy story or like "the doctor says it might not work after the surgery" this could be my last chance!

Yeah younger me sounds like a douche but older me is happily engaged to a woman who is fully supporting me during all this.

Congrats.

A friend had one testicle, the other never dropped! There is an option of having a little sac installed, but he was like 'fuck it' my wife all ready knows I have one ball.

Good luck with surgery (it's straight forward) but do follow up with your follow up scans.

Yeah my fiance is telling me to just live with one. It's not like it goes inside her or anything :p

it's not supposed to go in? 🤐

Player two has entered the room

What type of cancer? Usually it's a good prognosis

Not sure, doc said after the biopsy he would let me know

So I actually had the same a few years ago in 2016 (I was 27 at the time) and it was somewhat similar story. I had noticed a bump on one of my balls and got it checked out and apparently it was nothing. Maybe a year (?) later it actually started hurting and I got it checked out and went to a urologist this time and sure enough, it was cancer. I had surgery within days of getting diagnosed and then did 6 weeks of chemo a month or two later as a precaution to kill any possible spread that wasn't detectable yet.

As a lesson for those reading: If you have something weird with your testicles, see a testicle expert (by that I mean a urologist, not OP's mom)

Zing! Last line was funny!

you're exactly right, the family doctors didn't take my balls seriously but a urologist did!

Med Student here, we try to learn a lot of effective methods for breaking bad news, especially when it's to unsuspecting young and generally healthy people. Long story short, it is hard as shit to do without experience.

What was one thing that you think the physicians caring for you did well and what was one thing that you think the physicians could have done better?

Well I feel like he joked back at me when I joked to him. I like that, that made me feel comfortable. I said i'll be All Right and he laughed. He said that my big balls probably made my package look bigger, I said yeah but the girls think I have a big dick but then nope...all ball! He laughed at that too, so matching my humour helped me.

As far as better. After the jokes he did say one thing I kept repeating over and over in my mind. He said it could be "an infection, fluid or a mass". Not saying he could have said it better but that man those words just kept ringing in my mind like "not a big deal, not a big deal or CANCER". I guess knowledge would have helped. Like if he sat me down and went over all the possibilities and information. However it looked like he was busy so I understand the rush

Did you feel any symptoms other than the testified discomfort here and there? I need to get checked out too. Sounds similar to my situation since I was 15

So when I was in my teens and early 20's I truly think it was just vericose veins. Everyone know and then it would hurt but I think that would be from going to hard on doggy style. I will say the biggest lightbulb moment was the ball.

Like my sack was always bigger and felt like it was full of worms but with a soft squishy testicle inside. However the tipping point was when the ball started getting harder. I couldn't ignore that or explain it away as enlarged veins.

Why do we always wait?

When I was in my early 20s a girlfriend said my left nut felt different than my right nut. Got it checked, they said it was similar to yours. Some vein issues and to keep an eye on it. Some time in my 30s I notice it hurts now and then. Now a second girl is telling me my left nut feels funny.

At this point there's two options. 1) stop getting blowjobs or 2) go to the doctor.

So after pissing on a pregnancy stick and getting a positive, and finding out lower back pain is a symptom of testicular cancer... Off to the doc I went.

With in one week it was removed.

The doc grabbed me by the shoulder and showed me the scans and admonished me for how close it came to rupturing. He told me they used to just book guys in because they tended to not show up. Damn.

So I show up the next day with my balls shaved, and a sharpie mark saying "this side". That's when I learned they don't cut the sac. Nope, it's in the abdomen and they take all the plumbing with it. Good times!

Then you get to spend a few days with ice on your junk. Find out you have a reaction to pain pills. Pass out in front of your family and wake up to medics.

Oh Lefty how I've missed you since you left me. Still need to find a tattoo artist to ink "404 nut not found" down there. Figure that's a safer joke than what I joked about with the dentist.

I wish I could upvote this more than once, truly a funny but informative post!

Good sir, I give my one testicle stamp of approval!

My dad has only got one testicle due to a childhood accident, he still had 4 children and he still gets pissed off when my mum sings the “Wombles” at him.

My brother was born with three testicles interestingly... want me to ask him if you can have one? 😂

...depends on the size???

Lol I am fully embracing the possible jokes! Also yeah the wombles do look like giant sacks

How are we feeling? You seem to be taking this pretty well. Do you have a specific “philosophy of life” (or religion, stoicism, Buddhism, etc)? Your good cheer is definitely hella inspiring!

I am feeling really great! The scariest part was not knowing, but now that the doctor has confirmed it; i've truly made peace with the fact that I will be a half-sack.

I dropped out of my faith(Catholocism) when I was old enough to start asking questions and didn't accept "faith" as a proper answer. Philosophy wise I say "That's life" a lot and try to be positive. Happiness is a mindset and you can always find the good. I am grateful that I got a cancer with such a high survival rate and it didn't spread to vital organs.

Also i'm currently debating replacing my ball with plastic fake nut. It would make it look normal but my fiance is also saying I would have more room in my pants....

Testiclops

adding that to the list

So far: Uniballer Half Sack Solo Ball-O Lance Armstronging it

speed bag

man that made my balls hurt..

If you happen to have 2 kids: 2 kids, 1 ball

I like this one

Exactly. My husband went through the exact same thing in 1995. You are right that once you have a plan for treatments it’s not so scary. He’s cancer free since then and doing great. Wishing you well!

That's what i'm hoping for! I really hope they remove it and then i'm good to go moving forward. Really don't want to deal with chemo and constantly getting bits of cancerous materials removed from me.

He did do chemo. So many things have changed since then; so many advances. You got this!

Thank you, I guess I am curious if Chemo is inevitable? Like any chance they can cut it out and i'm just done?

Your attitude towards this situation is inspiring man. Many well wishes to your new half sack life style. And may you still be able to have children is my actual question? The one good nut still will work?

Doctor said about 2/3 of his clients with one ball can still get their partner pregnant.

I am going to a sperm bank this upcoming week just in case

My brother had testicular cancer about 5 years ago. Got his ball removed, short radiation treatment (didn't lose his hair or anything). His had spread a little into his abdomen, but, they got it all with the little bit of chemo. He's been cancer free since then. He and his wife had their first kid in February of this year.

I want your brother's life

Here's to a happy healthy future bud. That's wonderful news.

hey thanks man, just one day at a time

I’m sorry you’re family doc missed this diagnosis! I’m a family doctor (resident) myself and this is probably my worst nightmare. 9/10 times it would be a varicocele but we always have to be vigilant.

Do you feel like since your diagnosis was missed that you have lost some faith in your primary care physician/primary care in general? What advice would you give to an up and coming primary doc to avoid this from happening to other people similar to yourself?

I’m glad it was eventually sorted out and you are on the road to better health! Thanks and good luck

When I was in 8th grade my side started to hurt really bad. I went to my family doctor and he said it was just an upset stomach. I was getting ready to leave the doctor's room but my mom said "It hurts when he pees". The doc stopped and asked for a urine sample. They found blood in me pee and told me to go straight to the ER.

Turns out it was appendicitis and it exploded right before surgery. The doc came by to say he was sorry and my dad said he did that to avoid a lawsuit. I held no ill will, I get it; doctors are humans. There's no 100% chance of getting it right and you don't want people spending money or freaking out on an off chance; but you also don't want them to die.

So I guess I wish the doctor would have asked if hurt to pee before sending me off, instead of my mom saving my life with that question

So I guess I wish the doctor would have asked if hurt to pee before sending me off,

Was this the same family doctor that missed the diagnosis of your testicular cancer?

It's always good to remember that, for every doctor who graduates at the top of their class, there's a doctor out there practicing medicine who graduated at the bottom.

might have been the same one? I don't remember having good family doctors. Just people in white lab coats who throw antibiotics at every problem

Yeah but dysuria (hurts to pee) is not a sign of appendicitis unless there's something concurrent going on

yeah not sure, I guess just happy that my mom said something. Just saying i'm glad my appendix blew up in the hospital and not at home

31yo here literally going through the exact same thing myself, except I’m stage 3a with small nodules on my pubic lymphs and lungs.

Had the surgery to remove my nut (fellow lefty here) a little over a month ago and now about to finish my first round of chemo.

Mine got typed as embryonal carcinoma. Only felt a lump forming back around April, so I guess mine moves a little faster than yours maybe?

Either way, so glad yours is contained to the testicle. Hopefully that means you’ll get to dodge BEP, which in my experience is definitely a bit rough.

And yes PLEASE SELF EXAMINE, MEN!!!!! If you feel a lump, no matter how small, see a urologist IMMEDIATELY. There is no cure like early detection folks! 👍

what's BEP????

Once the bad one is removed will you need to get testosterone shots or will your body still produce adequate hormones with one healthy ball still intact?

Doctor says about 66% of people are good to go with one nut. However if I have trouble getting it up or my sex drive/energy is low then I will need to get shots.

That first morning wood after the surgery will be greatly appreciated!

Are you going to keep it in a jar and carry it around just so you can say “I’d give my left nut for [X]” and then you can actually pull it out if someone calls the bluff?

I think i'm gonna try to order/create a shirt online that says "I'd give my left to be cancer free"

Have you visited the r/testicularcancer subreddit? How are you handling the emotional and mental stress? Im also a 33M testicular cancer survivor. I had a slightly more complicated situation; cancer had metastasized from the right ball to my lymph nodes in my abdomen, lungs and neck. I went through 4 rounds of chemotherapy from October 2019 to January 2020. I recently had surgery to remove my righty and abdominal cancer on June 23 and am sitting on my ass trying to recover. Stay strong and positive as you have been! I spend a lot more time on reddit talking to other testicular cancer survivors and it’s been helping me cope mentally and emotionally. And men: check your goddamn balls!

I am sorry to hear about your situation. I haven't been affected as much mentally because it's been pretty contained. However if it had spread and I did need an aggressive form of chemo...well then I think my tone would have changed.

I do thank you for the support and agree men need to check their balls more often

Sorry to hear that dude.

Do you have a choice of replacement or is it a one size fits all kind of job?

Yeah they have like 4 different sizes! Medium, Large, Extra Large and Gargantuan; they purposely didn't label them small for whatever vain reason.

I am debating getting the prosthetic or having more room in my pants. Also I do wonder if I will ever get kneed in my groin and feel like half the pain, or none if they focus on my left side. I would pull a Theon Greyjoy in that case

They purposely didn’t label them small for whatever vain reason

Bro you’re so funny oml

In all seriousness though, you’re taking this super well and that’s so good to see because I feel like it’s increasingly becoming more and more difficult to stay positive in this world.

Best of luck to you!

I think I do have a limit. If the biopsy comes back as a super aggressive cancer I might not be as upbeat!

I have been growing out my hair for covid and can almost pull of a Jake Gyllenhaal man-bun and don't want to lose it to chemo!

That's mad! If you do opt for a prosthetic, what size will you be going for?

Personally I like the thought of the gargantuan one ha.

And I don't think that's how it works, but I'm no doctor. Please do let us know if you ever get kicked in them.

I would opt for medium if I did get one? My fiance said to just not get one and I am considering this too.

I've had a big ball my whole life and it makes my package look big! Like girls would be thinking i'm packing some mad salami but it's actually just a giant rice ball. So just having a ball would definitely free up more room, might be able to pull out my skinny jeans again

You’re obviously Italian, lol.

I have varicose veins on my left testicle as well, lmao. Good times.

Anyway, good luck to you!

lol this scared me because my dad's dad was from Italy, how did you know!?!??!

Not OP but username plus “mad salami” reference sold it for me.

well now you know my last name lol

The rice ball and salami references, lol.

Varicose veins on the balls are common among Mediterranean populations from Italy to the Middle East.

DAMN YOU FATHER!!! Guy left was a kid and know he left me with a malicious left nut!

My fiance said to just not get one

I'm curious why she would say that, like is she worried it would cause problems or is she thinking one is easier to fondle? lol

my left has always been huge and just like a girl with big boobs; it just got in the way. So kinda just want to have less ball, you know; live a simpler life. Like a minimalist lifestyle to the extreme

I mean, why not put in a hundred BBs in there? It would be a portable bean bag, and make scratching your speedbag more enjoyable.

Best of luck, sorry to hear.

If I was a girl and was going to lose a breast, man I would design and get the best looking breast implant!

With my ball on the other hand...eh like only my fiance sees it and me in the shower, so a much smaller audience. If I could detach it, then hell yeah a portable scrotum bean bag would be cool!

If I could detach it

Hahaha....

Yells to finance - "Here. Hold this..." tosses scrotum to her. "I'm going to take a shower."

just saying I haven't practiced my hacky sack skills since middle school! Detachable Scrotum...i'm sure there's more jokes.

Throwing it to college girls and being like "hey can you give me back my ball?". Then when they run away, chase after them with a camera and say "IT"S JUST A PRANK!"

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I am curious about the surgery! Doc said I can go home same day, but does it hurt? Like will I be sore at home for the next few days or what?

They give you pain killers for the first few days. The night after my surgery I couldn't even get up to pee after. I am surgery is no joke but you should be able to do normal things on your own within 2-3 days.

Also as a side note take some fiber after the surgery

to help me poop?

Yeah those both the pain killers and general anesthesia will stop your body in more ways than one. Last thing you want is to please constipated after surgery

Lol better than shitting the operating table

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I would love to! Unfortunately just like my appending, they have to cut it up and check it for stuff.

I mean I always thought you got to keep parts of yourself but those darn BIOPSY'S!

Did your family doctor also tell you that you have ghosts and you should do cocaine about it?

not sure about that, but this whole mess this cancel my colorado trip. So no recreational vacation for me, instead gotta use that money on medical grade drugs and treatments

Did you get a printout of the testicular ultrasound? I did for mine 20 years ago and then whenever I would meet a famous author I’d have them sign the back...almost 100% of the time they thought it was an ultrasound of a fetus and now I have a funny heirloom to celebrate my cancer-free nut.

Lol nope, but I have shared it all over social media. Literally everyone from my boss to my childhood friends have seen my balls

What was it like when you found out you has a left-nut varicocele? Because I'm at the same age you were at and I was informed I had a varicocele a few months ago.

I would say when I was younger and had varicocele it felt like my left nut and right nut were the same. They both had the same shape, size, consistency, etc. However the right nut felt normal but the left nut felt full of veins.

For 15 years this was the case. Till the last few years I felt like my left nut was getting harder, more tender, bigger and the best way to describe it is when you go "man it feels like there's a rock in my nut sack

For a one it fella, you sure are pretty damned funny. Do you find the decreased wind resistance on one side has your turning in circles?

I will let you know next week, in the meantime I have a huge ball in the way of my leg. I am a feminist worst nightmare on a bus

So in theory, you can get a ball of steel?

honestly after years of a big testicle I kinda just want to leave it empty. My skinny jeans are collecting dust

Are you gonna put in a replacement or rock the cyclops?

cylop, some people said my body can reject it and it can get infected. Don't want to do the surgery more than once

Are you going to keep it in a jar on the fireplace? Sorry about your loss but very glad that you didn't let it spread, I'll keep this in mind when my body does weird stuff.

I lost my appendix when I was younger and they didn't let me keep that; so think my ball will get chopped up dissected as well. Looks like internal organ just want to get away from me!

Imagine all the times you can only get hit in the ball and they don't slam together. Does that give you something to look forward to?

Yes, also I can complete my hitler cosplay, lance armstrong cosplay and half my theon greyjoy cosplay

Are you a bike rider?

bicycle when I was a kid for fun. However not as a hobby or motorcycle.

Did u jerk off?? Cause I heard that reduces that type of cancer???

like 2-4 times a day for decades! Like I wish I was joking but the doctor did say this would reduce my libido and sexual drive.

So I might just go down to once a day? However he did say if I had trouble getting it up, my energy levels or sexual drive; he could prescribe testosterone injections.