Fertility issues and melanoma?

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Fertility issues and melanoma?

This topic has 2 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 2 months ago by WithinMySkin.

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- January 25, 2019 at 8:09 pm
- Quote
cjm22
Participant
Hey everybody, just wondering if anybody here has thought about or dealt with fertility issues during/after melanoma treatment. My husband went on BRAF inhibitors but was unable to go to a sperm bank beforehand, and according to the side-effects those drugs can make a person infertile.

Before he got sick, we had hoped to have kids someday (I just turned 30, he's in mid-30s).

Right now we're still in the middle of cancer treatment. He had a very high tumour burden and we're still not sure if Keytruda is working, although things look very cautiously optimistic (symptoms are stable or even slightly improving). And even if Keytruda is working, we know his chances of being a complete responder are pretty low considering the seriousness of his disease.

But still … Have to think about the future and stay positive, right? So I find myself wondering about whether we can ever have kids if his situation stabilizes.

Has anybody else dealt with something like this? What should we do? I wonder if I should go, like, get my eggs frozen or something?! (I don't even really know what that means.) Our sex life has been non-existent for about 7 months now (low testosterone, lots of pain killers, and he's unable to go on hormone replacement therapy) but we're pretty sure the traditional way wouldn't work for us anyway.

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Replies

- - January 26, 2019 at 6:18 pm
  - Quote
  gregor913
  Participant
  I was able to get my wife pregnant after yervoy 10mg treatment. We had a healthy beautiful boy. God works miracles.
- - January 29, 2019 at 1:01 am
  - Quote
  WithinMySkin
  Participant
  I'm sorry you and your husband are going through this!! I was diagnosed at 31 and it's been quite a ride for my husband and me. If having kids is something that you and your husband have discussed, I would talk with his onc as soon as you can. If you need to take steps to secure the ability to have children in the future, then try and take those steps now. I don't know how his treatments will affect the possibility, so it's best to talk with the doc who should have some answers.
  
  As for being intimate, I was showing signs of early menapause after a few infusions of immunotherapy. Plus I was very self conscious of the scars on my leg and I had some nerve damage in my leg that made things difficult. It took a lot more for me to get into the mood. My husband was very thoughtful and it took time and communication to find our new normal. It's 4 years later and my marriage is stronger than ever!
  
  If you need someone to talk to, you can always reach me at my blog. Wishing you and your husband health and happiness.
  
  Lauren

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