Your First Shower After Testicular Cancer Surgery

After testicular cancer surgery, you probably won’t feel the freshest and you may want to wash yourself. For the first 24 to 48 hours you will be advised not to bathe, wash or get the area wet. So unfortunately fellas, you may feel a bit grimy for a couple of days. This will probably be the least of your worries though, as the incision area will still be quite sore, swollen or tender. Your first priority is to rest and make sure you don’t move too much, or agitate the area.

You can take a shower after this time, but you should avoid bathing or swimming for at least a few weeks, or until your doctor tells you it’s fine. In this period of time you should make sure the incision area is dry, especially after showering. You can do this by patting the area with a clean towel or tissue. It’s also advisable to wear supportive underwear throughout the day, like boxer shorts, to reduce swelling.

You should seek medical advice if you experience redness, swelling, increased pain, or discharge from the wound. This could be signs of infection, so you should speak to your doctor about this too.

Other things you should do to care for yourself at home

• Take up to 2 weeks off work, you deserve it.
• To help reduce swelling you can lie down for around 15 minutes a few times a day for the first 2 weeks after surgery.
• Avoid exercise or strenuous activities such as running, cycling, or heavy weight lifting for at least 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. Your doctor may advise you to take longer than this, so always seek their advice.
• Avoid housework, chores, lifting things around the house or generally putting yourself under any kind of physical stress.
• Try to walk each day but do not overdo it. Walk a little bit further each day than you did before. Overdoing it can cause swelling, re-open the wound or delay your recovery.
• Avoid driving for up to 2 weeks or until your doctor tells you it’s fine to do so.
• Do not have sex until your doctor tells you it is okay to do so. Not with them…obviously.

Take care of your mental health too

Men that have testicular cancer are likely to experience some form of mental health issues as a result of their diagnosis and treatment. This includes stress, depression, anxiety, and fear that cancer may return. It’s not just your physical wellbeing you need to take care of, as your mental and emotional welfare matters just as much.

Some of the impacts this experience can cause include:

• Emotional – Some days you may feel fine and others the exact opposite. This can be an emotional rollercoaster and one that you feel you can’t get off. This is completely normal. Time is the greatest healer, and over time you can find ways to make the emotional impact less taxing, such as finding avenues for support (more on that later).
• Self-esteem – It can be quite common for men to experience issues with their self-esteem following testicular cancer surgery. Some opt for a prosthetic replacement that helps with body image concerns, whereas others just adapt to their life without one.
• Fatigue – Some testicular cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, can leave you feeling drained. This is normal. But it can affect your ability to function as you normally would for a little while. Again, time is a great healer, and this should start to subside as you come off the back of treatment.
• Confidence – All of the above can lead to a drop in confidence in your relationship, or your general day to day life. This is completely normal, you are not alone.

Support during and after testicular cancer

Now unfortunately, the team here at Baggy Trousers UK can’t help you shower. Even if you wanted us to, we want taking out for dinner first. Joking aside, there are a few things you can do to protect your mental well-being and get support during and after your treatment. Many men find it helpful to talk to someone, whether this be a therapist or a family member. Often, it can be really useful to talk to someone who has been through a similar experience before.

We are more than happy to support you in this way, in any way that we can. We offer therapy sessions as part of our charity and almost every member of our team has had testicular cancer themselves. Talk to us, any time that you like, we are here for you whenever you need it. Just send a message to support@baggytrousersuk.org and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Alternatively, if you’re not sure where else to start, you can talk to your doctor. They may be able to refer you to someone in the NHS who can help. Some treatment centres even offer counselling support alongside your physical care.

If you don’t like the idea of one-to-one support, you can join a support group instead. You can often find these at the hospital you’re being treated at. Check with your doctor or healthcare provider to see what options there are.

When you have testicular cancer it’s very easy to focus purely on your physical recovery. Don’t ignore your mental health and emotional wellbeing though, it is equally as important. If you’re struggling or feeling overwhelmed, please do get in touch.