Terrified of testicular cancer

[worryguy9]

Hi all, just want to stay before I start off how glad I am to find this place as I have been going through utter hell with worry over the past month.

It all started early March when I got a sharp pain in my left testicle. Not sure where it came from but I just thought it was from lifting weights. I hoped it would go away, waited a week but with no change went to see my GP. He checked me out, said it was just a groin strain and it would go away in time. I was reassured.

Despite this, the pain continued and I started googling away at my symptoms which put the fear of god into me to say the least. I was sure I had testicular cancer. I started checking my 'balls' obsesivelly - I mean 4 or 5 times a day - there was no change, no lumps, no swelling etc but just this pain.

Fast forward to today and the pain has disapated (sp?) but I still have a mild discomfort in my left testicle and I am still very worried. This has only got worse since I got a sore back last week which hasnt gone away and in one of my google searches found that a sore back is a symptom of testicular cancer that has spread. I am booking another appointment with my GP this week but really don't know what to think. My life has just been crap the past month.

Anyone with any advice or support would be much appreciated

Cheers

[jdf74241]

Hi,

I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I'm currently battling a similar demon with the belief that I've got kidney cancer and the spreading back pain that you mention is also apparently a symptom of kidney cancer too. This is just hell isn't it.

Anyway I wanted to let you know that my husband had your symptoms exactly and it just vanished. He had it for around six weeks. A sharp stabbing pain in his left testicle. He never got it checked out as he never really obsessed over it (it's alright for some isn't it) and it just vanished. This was over three years ago now and he's just fine and never had it since.

I hope this puts your mind at rest a least a little.

Warmest thoughts

Julie

[jellybean43]

Hi
I am really sorry to hear how you are feeling.
Firstly let me say a big welcome here---I have only been on the boards a few weeks and the people are all FANTASTIC.They have helped me soooo much.
I am going through a similar worry---a swelling in my neck which i have had X ray and blood tests for(all ok) which i am convinced is lymphoma!
I too spend my days checking for lumps and bumps(see my posts LOL!!!!).
Anyhow, all I firstly want to say is please please STOP GOOGLING RIGHT NOW!!!I stopped at Xmas and it is the best thing i have done re my health anxiety!!!
It is the worst thing you can honestly do. I can assure you that everything, and i mean everything, you google health wise comes back as cancer.It leaves you feeling sooo scared reading it and i have been told(by some kind person on here) that 80% of it is rubbish!!!So that should put your mind at rest for a start.
You are doing the right thing getting it checked out but i am certain most of your aches and pains will be down to anxiety.Anxiety can bring on sooo many strange symptoms---I should know as i have suffered from it since i was 22 and now the ripe old age of 43.
Take care and try and relax a bit!!!
xxxx

[chalky]

Hi Worryguy9,

Welcome to the Forum.



You will get loads of support and advice here.
The correct way to deal with your symptoms is to deal with them through your Doctor.
Googling causes so much pain and trauma for people here.You are not alone in that.Remind yourself that you are dealing with this correctly by putting your faith in your Doctor.
Best wishes,
Chalky

[Emmanuel]

Dear Worryguy,

For a start I would advice, like someone else before, that most search for symptoms are likely to return cancer, which incidently is the least likely condition for your symptoms. Testicular cancer is not painful usually. I had the same symptoms as yours some time ago without any reasons, and after multiple doctor visits and ultrasounds, it all came back negative, this only thing that was established was a varicocele, which is a benign condition. As an answer to my groundless concerns answer my urologist (I quote):
"The testicles of men are very sensitive things, a pain does not mean much, if it comes back take some aspirin".
All in all tesicular pain is practically always benign. If you are still worried then ask your doctor to refer you for an ultrasound investigation which will reassure you.

Emmanuel

[worryguy9]

Thanks guys for your support, it really has calmed me down now. Jellybean, Chalky and Emmanuel - i know what you mean about Google, it's awful for anxiety but part of me just can't seem to help it - I guess I thought if I hunted long enough I would find some reassurance from somewhere. I used to actually trawl forums about testicular cancer trying to find someone with similar experiences to my own to back up my own beliefs - how ridiculous is that!

Just have to wait for the docs I guess but im hoping it will all be fine, thanks again people

[jellybean43]

Hi
Glad you seem a bit more positive---BUT PLEASE DONT GOOGLE!!!I used to think exactly the same thing. If i google i will eventually find someone who says the swelling is nothing and forget it---but of course, as you know, you dont find NICE things and the only illness it said it could be was cancer!!!I made myself shake with fear and my doctor actually told me to throw the computer away.
You will be fine and you are doing the right thing going and getting it checked.
I also used to try and find similar stories as mine on lymphoma sites!!!!!!
So glad i found this site----you will realise soon that your symptoms are all linked to anxiety.xxx

[williamsemciw]

Yeah, googleing any sort of sympom has a 90% chance of returning some kind of Cancer. It's beacuse it can cause a wide range of symptoms, but it dosen't help us worry-worts.

Anyway, I Woulden't worry. Pain down there is pretty common. Unless something is feeling wierd, there's almost no chance it's something that bad.

[Kroko]

Hey

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I've gone through times I thought I had cancer as well.

As has been mentioned, testicular cancer tends to be painless. Get it checked but I wouldn't worry about it much.

[worryguy9]

Thanks guys, looks like I should get to see a GP tomorrow with a bit of luck so I can figure out what is going on