antonio100

Hi.

(bear with me, this is a long post!)

I've just turned 17 and am worried that I could have testicular cancer. About 5-6 weeks ago my stool started to become stiffer, like I was mildly constipated. I started to need to use the toilet a little more than before, but I just assumed that this was normal and would go away, though I thought this could maybe be due to worms or parasites. However after using the toilet once and checking for worms I noticed a tiny bit of blood on the tissue paper. I then saw this again the next time, but have not seen this again since. I figured this was probably a normal symptom of constipation, so I started drinking more orange juice and eating more fruit to help the situation. In a couple of weeks time though my stool had not changed. This, and the fact that I'd seen blood made me think something could be wrong. I checked my symptoms out on the internet, and one of the possible causes given was testicular cancer. Normally this wouldn't have alarmed me, it could have been any number of causes, but looking at the other symptoms I realised that I had other problems that matched what was on the list that I had previously thought nothing of. The first of these is back pain. I generally get mid-lower back pain after physical excercise such as sport or gym work, but I also get it in the muscle to (my) left of the spine when just sitting on certain sofas/in certain positions. It also hurts when I bend over or cough. Another symptom given was breathing difficulties. About 3 months ago I was diagnosed with excercise-induced asthma, and while this is probably unrelated it made me think.

Just recently I started feeling around for lumps on my testicles as recommended at my age. To begin with I thought the tubes below my left testicle were abnormal lumps, so I was repeatedly feeling this area to try to find out if these was anything there. I then noticed that the scrotum around my lower testicle became a little "sore" and tingly, though I don't know whether this is because of me continuing to feel this area for lumps. I also began to experience some discomfort in my anus. I feel a slight dull pain inside my anus/rectum (don't know the right word?) and the anus & area around it has become a bit sore/tingly also (as if there are minute scratches there - not big enough to cause pain but you know they are there).

Then yesterday I was again looking for lumps, but this time noticed what I think was one. I can feel a tiny lump - maybe 2-3mm in diameter on my left testicle, but it doesn't sem to be consistent in it's position (I can't seem to find it the same way every time). I do get a little pain in the left testicle when pressure is applied to it in any way (such as normally, when crouching etc), but when I feel it it is only the lump that really causes any pain. I did squeeze one of the tubes below the testicle quite hard by mistake a few days ago (which hurt a bit), which is when the pain started. This led me to believe that the lump was actually a tube/vein, but when I do find it it feels attached to the testicle (though I do lose it easily when I inspect too closely).

I know I should probably see a doctor, but I don't paticurlaly want to if it isn't absolutley nessecary. I really don't want to tell my parents or friends about this, so if I do go to see someone about this I'll have to go in secret. Also could this be any other illness/cancer?

Any help would be much appreciated. I'm not paticurlaly scared right now, kind of acceptive of the fact that it could be cancer. I just don't really know what to do right now, I know this type of cancer has a high survival rate so I'm not worried in that sense but I'm in the middle of college and can't affoard to miss chunks of time because of illness. Oh and thanks for taking the time to read that long post...I tried to be as detailed as possible

Oh just one more thing, does anyone know the approximate timescale of treatment i.e. how long from the beginning to completion of therapy etc and also if there are any major side effects of treatment,

Thanks again