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Orchidectomy Assists Travel!

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User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 13:26

I have recently had an orchidectomy (see my recent posts under ADT or Orchidectomy) in the Living with Prostate Cancer Sub heading.  I decided to have it after my oncologist assured me I would be on hormone therapy for life - I had a prostectomy 8 years ago but have metastatic disease with lymph node involvement.  It went well and I do not miss my testicles at all!!  But I have just discovered an unexpected  big bonus:  Until my orchidectomy in October '24 I was on hormone therapy and had to state I was undergoing treatment on travel insurance applications.  We are travelling to India on holiday soon and I needed to arrange travel insurance.  My premium was much reduced because I could truthfully state that I was not receiving any treatment for my cancer - so an unexpected  bonus of having the surgery!  Thank you All Clear!

User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 16:56

Hi Chris/Peter

Not really as drastic as it sounds!! A 15 minute op as a day case!  Slight temporary discomfort but after 7+ years of hormone therapy, it was a case of “Much ado about nothing”!!  Or at least very little before the surgery!!

As far as insurance was concerned, I actually spoke with an adviser rather than just completing the online form. The question was, “ Are you currently undergoing any treatment?”. In July when I travelled the answer was “Yes” because I was having Decapeptyl injections. This time the answer was,”No”.  No mention of the orchidectomy was asked or given. But the reduction in premium was real.

Alan

User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 13:26

I have recently had an orchidectomy (see my recent posts under ADT or Orchidectomy) in the Living with Prostate Cancer Sub heading.  I decided to have it after my oncologist assured me I would be on hormone therapy for life - I had a prostectomy 8 years ago but have metastatic disease with lymph node involvement.  It went well and I do not miss my testicles at all!!  But I have just discovered an unexpected  big bonus:  Until my orchidectomy in October '24 I was on hormone therapy and had to state I was undergoing treatment on travel insurance applications.  We are travelling to India on holiday soon and I needed to arrange travel insurance.  My premium was much reduced because I could truthfully state that I was not receiving any treatment for my cancer - so an unexpected  bonus of having the surgery!  Thank you All Clear!

User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 19:45

Hi Alan,

Thats a perspective I hadn’t thought about. I’ve always said that if I end up on Prostap for life I will give orchidectomy serious consideration because unlike the general consensus, I am far from convinced that it’s the lack of testosterone that ravages the bodies of some men, as opposed to the drug itself.

Interesting thing ….My Insurance company(AllClear) ask ‘Are you having any treatment OTHER than HT’, so I would assume that HT does NOT affect your premium?

I assume you had to tell the insurance company that you’d had an orchidectomy?

I would be VERY interested to hear how you progress with any side effects compared to those you had whilst on ADT.

Holidays are so important to me, and travel insurance is such a rip-off that it’s worth thinking about.

Happy Holidays!

Derek.

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User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 16:22

Hi,

It's good to read you adjusted well to the op.   

The insurance situation is interesting.  I've just taken out a travel policy and gave them the full nine yards whether they wanted it or not, I never interpret for them.  They agreed to cover it, although it's fairly low level with a slowly rising and low psa.  Did you tell the insurer you'd had an orchidectomy and they accepted it?

All the best, Peter

User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 16:28

Nevis, thanks for the post,for someone of 73 just starting out in the HT journey after 11 years of treatments it provokes some thoughts.  Sounds a bit drastic but worth some thought.

Thanks Chris 

 

User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 16:56

Hi Chris/Peter

Not really as drastic as it sounds!! A 15 minute op as a day case!  Slight temporary discomfort but after 7+ years of hormone therapy, it was a case of “Much ado about nothing”!!  Or at least very little before the surgery!!

As far as insurance was concerned, I actually spoke with an adviser rather than just completing the online form. The question was, “ Are you currently undergoing any treatment?”. In July when I travelled the answer was “Yes” because I was having Decapeptyl injections. This time the answer was,”No”.  No mention of the orchidectomy was asked or given. But the reduction in premium was real.

Alan

User
Posted 22 Feb 2025 at 19:45

Hi Alan,

Thats a perspective I hadn’t thought about. I’ve always said that if I end up on Prostap for life I will give orchidectomy serious consideration because unlike the general consensus, I am far from convinced that it’s the lack of testosterone that ravages the bodies of some men, as opposed to the drug itself.

Interesting thing ….My Insurance company(AllClear) ask ‘Are you having any treatment OTHER than HT’, so I would assume that HT does NOT affect your premium?

I assume you had to tell the insurance company that you’d had an orchidectomy?

I would be VERY interested to hear how you progress with any side effects compared to those you had whilst on ADT.

Holidays are so important to me, and travel insurance is such a rip-off that it’s worth thinking about.

Happy Holidays!

Derek.

User
Posted 25 Feb 2025 at 00:15

With Staysure, for prostate cancer, they ask if you are on any treatment except hormone therapy.
There's another question that asks if you are incurable or terminal (I can't recall the exact wording of  that question).

User
Posted 25 Feb 2025 at 11:43
Hi Andy/Derek

Purely for interest, I have just completed an All Clear travel proposal for a trip to Italy. The wording states, "Including hormone therapy, are you having or awaiting any cancer treatment for this condition". Having had my orchidectomy I could totally truthfully answer "No" - and did so in November when I arranged travel insurance for our forthcoming trip to India.

As far as side effects are concerned after 4 months they don't seem any different. Having said that, I appear to be more fortunate than some. My hot flushes continue but are tolerable - frankly if I do not drink alcohol they are very tolerablel! As for the rest, I have lost muscle mass for sure and have to eat carefully (usually) not to put weight on (weighing myself and recording it pretty much every day). I go to the gym with a trainer (otherwise I would do nothing but chat!) twice a week and hike at least once a week for a couple of hours. Paradoxically, I am probably more healthy (apart from the cancer) than I would otherwise have been at 79!!

Alan

User
Posted 07 Mar 2025 at 12:04

Sales pitch? 

 
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