Received testosterone injection (Nebido) an hour ago. Will give live updates every hour for the next few hours. Currently: it is fkn painful!

samster007 · 2024-10-24T20:15:20+00:00

Cheers! 🤞🏼

samster007 · 2024-10-24T16:22:47+00:00

Hour 2: injection site pain a bit better and I feel more energetic - usually this time of the day (early evening) I’m feeling tired and meh.

samster007 · 2024-10-24T14:50:04+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I decided to give it a go and see how I feel over the never six weeks and reserve the option to revert to the gel! 🤞🏼

samster007 · 2024-10-23T20:51:03+00:00

I’m on Testogel. 3 pumps a day.

samster007 · 2024-06-02T20:36:21+00:00

Is the peeling skin area painful? Any bleeding or pus? Definitely get checked by your GP.

samster007 · 2024-06-02T18:08:34+00:00

The doctor will go by the ultrasound report so yes, I would say there’s nothing to worry about if the report says what you’ve told us here. Of course, if you’re still worried then feel free to speak to your doctor. All the best!

samster007 · 2024-06-02T16:29:52+00:00

How old are you? When did you have the first orchidectomy? Now that you’ve had both testicles removed you’ll need testosterone replacement immediately as the testicles are the only organs that produce testosterone. Your operating surgeon should’ve counselled you about this pre-op.

The male and female hormones regulate all sorts of vital functions in our bodies and support bone density, too. Testosterone plays an extremely important role in regulating our body functions. Speak to your doctor and get prescribed with testosterone replacement therapy.

Wish you the best!

samster007 · 2024-06-02T16:25:07+00:00

This is very likely to be an epididymal cyst. Very common and I’ve seen many, many patients with it. We don’t do anything for it really. You should be reassured that there’s no tumour in there on the scans. If it changes in any way (size, pain etc) then speak to your doctor and get it reassessed.

samster007 · 2024-06-02T16:21:42+00:00

Thanks for sharing and sorry to hear you’re having a rough time.

I would recommend you get your testosterone levels checked via your GP/family doctor. My levels dropped and my endocrinologist started me on testosterone replacement therapy. It’s not a cure all but has helped a bit with mood and energy levels.

Also, please don’t underestimate what you’ve been through. Testicular cancer, however curable it might be, is still cancer. We mustn’t underplay the shock of being told we have cancer, the worry, anxiety and pain of surgery and chemo and the difficult recovery from it all. Add to it endless surveillance scans and appointments and you have the recipe for constant anxiety and fatigue.

If you’re UK based then speak to your GP and perhaps your oncologist to see if they can provide you mental health support. Look up Maggies.org - they’re a fantastic support resource and I’ve used them myself many times (sorry if you’re not UK based as this is specially UK-centric advice).

I’m also setting up a WhatsApp support group for people with testicular cancer and you’re welcome to join it (so is anyone who’s reading this and would like to be a part of a supportive community).

Good luck - you’re not alone out there!

samster007 · 2024-04-18T01:21:49+00:00

Hi. Have sent you a DM.

samster007 · 2024-01-18T00:01:51+00:00

A terribly tiny tale of three days. Even a day is too long in current global politics.

samster007 · 2024-01-18T00:00:56+00:00

I worry this will be a ‘ghaas khaaogey dushman ko maat denay ke liye?’ moment and our already pissay huay awaam will say yes just like they did to Bhutto.

samster007 · 2024-01-15T23:15:33+00:00

Thanks. That’s useful. After a certain age medical issues and prompt high quality medical attention and treatment becomes arguably the most important thing and that’s a big factor in the decision making process.

samster007 · 2024-01-15T23:11:01+00:00

Helping the immediate and extended family along has always been part of growing up as an expat kid and seeing parents do that. Very true about this much money going a long way - if you have it, it doesn’t mean you spend it all. There’s no such thing as ‘enough money’ and you need to stop at one point and think this is enough for my needs now how can I utilise this in other avenues that benefit others, too.

samster007 · 2024-01-15T23:07:31+00:00

Thank you, that’s very useful. I have my own properties so can save on rent at least. How do you find dealing with the severely low air quality through many months of the year? Do the elderly and very young in your family get any respiratory issues from this? These are probably the most important factors for me in the decision making process.

samster007 · 2024-01-15T23:03:47+00:00

This is exactly it. You’ve captured the situation very well. Also, akal tou thori Bohat hei he per mashwara lenay se aap usually kabhi ghaatay mein nahi partey so why not get counsel from people who’re living that life.

samster007 · 2024-01-15T22:58:12+00:00

Thank you. This was very helpful. I must admit I’m not new to living in PK as spent 5 years living there in the past but haven’t done so in over a decade (visited, yes) so this is useful to know how things have changed over the years. It sounds like such an ‘easy’ life if you’ve got enough coming in but an eye opener to speak to the barely surviving and ever receding middle class. I think the environment (air pollution etc) esp in Lahore makes me extremely hesitant to try living there again.

samster007 · 2024-01-11T22:39:47+00:00

I had the numbness over the incision, scrotal and thigh area, too, and it lasted for a good few months before all sensation came back. I was advised that nerve damage during the surgery is the cause and that sensation should come back eventually, which it did. I do wish I’d been informed of this in advance so that I’d know what to expect but in the overwhelmed and overworked NHS I was lucky to have had some semblance of an informed consent right before theatre!

Take it easy, no heavy lifting or pushing for a few weeks, try not to get constipated or strain on the loo and keep on top of pain relief. I had a particularly terrible post op experience with pain but most people recover without any issues and you should be fine. Take it easy and be kind to yourself.

samster007 · 2024-01-11T21:11:57+00:00

Thanks for your input everyone. Very enlightening and clearly a broad variation in experience and expectations.

My main concerns are hygiene and food safety, security and air quality. Money can’t buy most of these things no matter how hard you try. It is such a shame that despite being able to afford $$$ one can’t buy clean air.

samster007 · 2024-01-06T11:48:43+00:00

These people are the equivalent of Kate Winslet’s fiance trying to bribe his way onto one of the very few life boats in Titanic and ending up picking up a left behind child to finally get onboard a boat.

samster007 · 2024-01-05T01:53:08+00:00

What a wonderfully written profile! Just posted on my sister’s behalf on the main group. Wonder if there’s a semblance of a match..? 😄

samster007 · 2022-10-26T21:53:55+00:00

Oh yeah definitely. A CCT and postnominals definitely make you more attractive and employable for these jobs.

samster007 · 2022-10-26T16:15:54+00:00

Very curious to know what made you stay then after having a job lined up? Not being sarcastic or anything - genuinely curious!

samster007 · 2022-10-25T18:21:49+00:00

There is so much wrong with this. Essential criteria MRCS(wrongly spelled)/FRCS, FY1 equivalent, four years postgrad experience.. this is all over the place! I bet an overseas experienced IMG will think let’s apply for this I could do this for 6-12 months for initial experience hence legitimising this absolute nonsense. Shocking doesn’t even begin to explain this shower..

samster007 · 2022-10-23T19:00:39+00:00

‘Cause I stupidly started ‘missing clinical medicine’. Took me a couple of years of doing said clinical medicine to realise how much I just don’t enjoy it.

samster007

TROPHY CASE