I Had Four Inches of My Penis Removed | Minutes With

Summary

A man recounts a sudden, severe genital illness that began with swelling and intense pain. He became increasingly worried it might be penile cancer after noticing extreme symptoms. He first saw a GP, who assessed the issue as balanitis (a bacterial infection of the penis) and prescribed steroid cream.

Although the condition appeared to worsen despite treatment, he says medical staff continued to describe it as infection. Over time, his symptoms escalated to bleeding, discharge with a strong “death smell,” and rapidly increasing pain.

At a critical point, he describes blood streaming heavily from his penis, leading him to end up in public bleeding and then in A&E. An out-of-hours doctor suspected a non-okay “growth,” admitted him, and later he was seen by urology, where he was told there was a high likelihood of penile cancer (described by him as 99%).

He explains that doctors initially did not confirm the diagnosis with tests and only later coordinated referral to a cancer center. He says that because staff reportedly could not clearly view the lesion at the early evaluation—due to swelling and discharge—surgeons planned a circumcision first, before moving toward more definitive surgery.

Eventually, he underwent a partial penectomy, described as the removal of about half of the penis, after specialists concluded that tissue was being “eaten away.” He reflects on the emotional impact of the surgery, the appearance of the reconstructed anatomy after dressings were removed, and being told at one stage that his survival time might be limited (though he later learned this was not the final outcome).

During a later appointment focused on lymph nodes, he says tests showed they were cancer-free, reversing the worst expectations. He frames his ongoing recovery as learning to trust his body again and dealing with both emotional and relational adjustment. He also describes social challenges in disclosing his condition and navigating dating, including experiences where some people ghosted him, others became overly sexual or fetish-focused, and even offers of money related to adult-content/porn work.

He says that approximately seven years later, he has “turned a corner,” learning to cope—including using humor to manage trauma.

Broader Advice / Awareness

He argues that many men ignore early warning signs and emphasizes the importance of seeking prompt medical attention, particularly because he believes early changes (such as red spots) can progress quickly. He also highlights a statistic he cites: many people (he says 8 in 10 men) don’t know penile cancer exists, which he suggests reduces the likelihood of recognizing it as a possibility.

Presenters / Contributors

• Stephen Hamill (speaker/subject, recounting his medical journey)
• Interviewers/Hosts (unnamed; appears to ask questions)