Mustang Owners Club Australia Forum
Technical & General Discussion Area => General Chat Room => Topic started by: v8ford70 on August 30, 2018, 11:25:19 pm
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Six weeks ago I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer after having had a biopsy. I had been monitoring my PSA readings for 6 years & it had been slowly rising up & down over this time from 3.5 gradually to 6.0. My Doctor then advised me to see a specialist which I did 4 weeks later & my PSA dropped to 5.8, my specialist booked me in for an MRI scan which came back all clear so he suggested to monitor my PSA reading in 3 months time,which we did & it had then risen to 7.2.He then said that we better do a biopsy to see what was going on, which 10 out of the 12 core samples came back positive for Cancer grade 7/10.I was then booked in to have a CAT scan to see if the cancer had spread out of the Prostate which after a stressful wait for the result came back clear & that the cancer had seemed to be contained in the Prostate.I have just returned home last weekend after having my Prostate removed by Davinci robotic surgery (highly recommend) on 14th August at Greenslopes Hospital in Brisbane. Now I have to work on trying to control my bladder for hopefully the next 6 to eight weeks but it could be longer.Then more tests (PSA) to follow for the next 5 years to make sure that the cancer doesn't return.So no work on my Mustang Resto for at least 2 to 3 Months.I'm writing this so that hopefully if any members that haven't been monitoring their PSA will take note & start doing it.Prostate Cancer is a Silent Killer it kills approx 3000 Men in Australia each year & unfortunately some of these may have survived if they had early detection ,I didn't feel any difference or changes in my health from 6 years ago .I'm 63 years old & a friend of mine had his cancerous Prostate removed 10 years ago when he was 45 years old. Please check with your health fund that they cover Robotic Surgery as some don't (some require you to be a member for 12 Months before you get cover).Hopefully what I have written here may save someones life.Please feel free to email me if you have any questions. Regards Phil
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Thanks for sharing your experience
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Thanks for sharing.
What is PSA?
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Prostate Specific Antigen. If this is identified during tests, it’s time for a closer look.
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Thanks for sharing. Im going through the same process myself and im only 40. Although the psa is an indication, the rate of increase is whats concerning. Biopsy scheduled in 4 weeks after 1 more blood test to see how much its increased in 3months since last test. It was only found by chance through a checkup blood test. Feel fine..it is a silent killer. Good luck mate.
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Thanks for sharing. Im going through the same process myself and im only 40. Although the psa is an indication, the rate of increase is whats concerning. Biopsy scheduled in 4 weeks after 1 more blood test to see how much its increased in 3months since last test. It was only found by chance through a checkup blood test. Feel fine..it is a silent killer. Good luck mate.
For general info, the more biopsy samples the better which would be around 12, and even with that amount, it can still be missed AND the tests can produce false negatives, however, there is at least 1 additional test that can be done in addition or possibly in place of the core test, that purportedly eliminates the possibility of false positives or something like that, and it is a dna test. One of the mfgs of this test is called "confirmmdx" but there are a couple others mentioned in the link below, so I would also ask your doctor about that test as well.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110681/
Also, people that have their prostate removed should also ask their doctor about testosterone replacement therapy to see if they might benefit from it because a lot of doctors don't mention it, however, it has been determined to increase the risk of stroke.
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Well it seems we have more in common than the love of our Mustangs.
After a regular blood test only 4 weeks ago, I was told my PSA was 13.7 & referred to a urologist.
Since then I've had a MRI & Biopsy to confirm i have prosate cancer.
Today I started the PET scan to determine whether it has spread & am booked in for the robotic surgery in Octber.
This experience, so far, has opened my eyes to what is most important in life. I now drive my Mustang every day!
I'm not 50. If you are reading this, get PSA reading.
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Gents, This is a subject that is far more common than than the average person knows about, l lost my father exactly one year ago to prostate cancer, For him he unfortunately was diagnosed to late, therefor inoperable, so he had to endure years of all manner of treatments which are in essence toxic and almost lethal, these in his case would never be a cure but a controlling measure, it was a total mental and physical roller coaster ride for almost 10 years, He was an incredibly proud and strong man, but you cant fight a hard fight forever,
PSA numbers can vary from person to person, anything over 5 becomes a concern, and more than 2 consecutive reading increases more so,
Once you are over 40 Have a blood test done every 12 months, say tax time as a reminder, if there is a history do it every 6 months, its not hard and you have everything to loose if you don't.
To the fellas that have told their stories here, the very best of luck to you.
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Because of this thread, I'm booking in for a blood test to start having mine checked.
Thanks you.
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Thanks to all for sharing and I all the best to those having treatment and hope the ones going to get tested get a good result.
For those going to get tested here is something to keep in mind. A customer of mine was in a few weeks ago and was telling me that he is going through treatment. He's a paramedic and was relying on his PSA test and all was ok, nothing high nothing changing between tests to be a concern.
His words to me were "don't rely wholly on a PSA result and don't be afraid to ask your doctor to stick his finger where the sun don't shine"
He thinks some doctors are relying to much on PSA results and the only reason he got diagnosed when he did was because his doctor did the ols fashioned test.
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His words to me were "don't rely wholly on a PSA result and don't be afraid to ask your doctor to stick his finger where the sun don't shine". He thinks some doctors are relying to much on PSA results and the only reason he got diagnosed when he did was because his doctor did the ols fashioned test.
The "digital" test can not effectively determine if one has prostate cancer. It can only determine for certain if a prostate is abnormally large. An abnormally large prostate is not related to prostate cancer but it can restrict urine flow. There are medications to reduce the prostate size. If the medications are discontinued, the prostate will quickly regain its post medication size. One reasonably effective non prescription supplement that can be taken instead of medication for an enlarged prostate is saw palmetto. It has zero adverse side effects and is available at pharmacies and health food stores and grocery stores.
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2586/9464/products/saw03_4.jpg?v=1521898508)
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The "digital" test can not effectively determine if one has prostate cancer. It can only determine for certain if a prostate is abnormally large.
Agree, I think what he was saying was don't rely totally on the PSA, there is still a place for "digital" test.
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Thanks for sharing and best of luck.
(https://www.medixselect.com/MerchantUploads/edgeMedixSelect/jpinfo2.jpg)
^ One thing us men can't escape with age is an enlarging prostate; it's a growing organ. A miracle of bad engineering, so much for creationism. Only a moron engineer would design an organ prone to swelling, around a collapsible pipe and against a collapsible tank (urethra and bladder).
I get yearly blood tests for PSA levels among other things and after starting a new job I noticed I was urinating a lot compared to the other workers so I feared my prostate could be enlarged (or worse). My doctor didn't even do a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam), he sent me for an ultrasound and I learnt I'm at the upper limit of normal size. That's a relief for now. I do actually drink a lot more and eat more fruit than my co-workers so that would explain the frequent urination.
A lot of guys fear the DRE but as I learnt, it seems they no longer do that for prostate issues; it seems blood tests and ultrasounds are the modern techniques.
However, not long after that I decided to consult my doctor for another issue, incessant itchiness around the anus and he sent me to a specialist. I then had a young doctor go where no man has gone before and I'm glad she was petite with thin fingers. At least in Aus. you don't have to pay for that experience ... if it's for medical reasons that is, lol.
She didn't feel any piles and said a DRE can only detect so much and even if she had felt piles; for any bowel issue, you go for a colonoscopy. She made me feel old by saying, 'at your age you should be having one anyway'.
Gather around children, let me tell you the story of:
(https://i.imgur.com/R98BnbF.jpg)
The day before a colonoscopy, you can't eat solid foods and can only drink clear non red drinks. Lemon jelly is as solid as they allow. You drink 3 sachets of Picoprep the afternoon before to evacuate your bowels, it tastes like dissolved chalk with a bit of a citrus tang. If you ever have to, it's a lot better at tea drinking temperature than it is cold. After the first sachet I evacuated as usual, after the second sachet it got runnier. After the third, the bum wees wouldn't stop. I was waking in the middle of the night every half hour or so, to basically do a piss out of my rear.
The colonoscopy went well, bowel all clear. The procedure takes about half an hour, they put you under and you're in and out of hospital in a day. I don't remember any of the procedure, they wheeled me in, the anaesthetist said, now for the happy juice. The next thing I woke up in quite a bit of pain and wondered what the hell camera did they stick up there.
(http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/thumbs/2018/05/30/035346/85670942/lens.jpg)
The pain wasn't from the colonoscopy, they found three inflamed internal haemorrhoid piles and banded them. That's where tight rubber bands (tiny O-rings) are placed around the base of the pile, the piles eventually shrivel and fall off and I can tell you, strangled angry haemorrhoids feel exactly as one would imagine, lol. I mentioned I was in pain, given panadol at first, then a few doses of fentanyl and it helped considerably.
I was quite sensitive for a few days. Had the procedure on a Friday, went in to work on the Tuesday, it was uncomfortable so took the rest of the week off.
This banding procedure is similar to what they used to do to lamb and puppy tails, the band cuts off circulation and the tail falls off. These days vets frown at anyone doing it as it's a redneck method as bone would be left sticking out of the tail; the correct way is to use a scalpel and a few stitches to cover the wound with the skin.
A few weeks in and I'm now feeling so much better, the itchiness has gone and there's also a rather unexpected benefit. for a few years prior to the bandings my turds were always runny and I often had explosive diarrhoea which I just dismissed, thinking it was due to eating lots of fruit, coffee, spicy food, etc. My diet hasn't changed, I'm still eating lots of fruit, etc. but now I'm pressing grogans like a champ!
All I can say is, if you have any urinary or bowel issues, see a doctor. Simple tests can allay your fears and if there is an issue, early detection could save your life.
s
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FYI, when you take the Picoprep before your colonoscopy all is good for about two hours and then it gets explosive. Wasn't my first rodeo so I stayed in the bed about 3m from the toilet. Got the urge and bolted. I sat down and thought 'wow, just made that'. Sitting there I looked at the shower screen next to me and thought, 'she didn't clean that too well. It has dirt all over 'it.' Oh yeh, had sprayed off the toilet lid, bounced all over my back, the wall and the shower. Moral of the story, you can't be too close to the toilet when you take the dreaded Picoprep!
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all is good for about two hours and then it gets explosive.
:lmao:
My experience wasn't that bad. I was told to drink three sachets 2 hours apart. I went to the toilet pretty much right after the first one, similarly after the second, getting runnier as it went along; nothing too explosive but it was relentless an hour or so after the last one.
Sitting there I looked at the shower screen next to me and thought, 'she didn't clean that too well. It has dirt all over 'it.' Oh yeh, had sprayed off the toilet lid, bounced all over my back, the wall and the shower. Moral of the story, you can't be too close to the toilet when you take the dreaded Picoprep!
I highly recommend a bum gun (bidet spray kit with diverter valve); great for blasting skid marks off the bowl, etc.
(https://i.imgur.com/lUs8TPL.jpg)
I saw these in hotels in Bangkok, got one soon as I returned and haven't looked back. They're very cheap on ebay and attach to the mains under the cistern. I spray the toothbrush, shaver, floors, bath, butt-hole, etc. lol. I imagine it would be good for washing pets too.
s
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This is a great thread, i am sure it will prompt many of us to think about this.
StephenSLR, enjoyed your contribution to this also if i might make a couple of comments re your moron engineer comment and your dunny pic.
Until recently the best medical minds in the world had not been able to figure out what the appendix was for. When i was young if you had a problem with your appendix the "doctor" would say wip it out you dont need it anyway. Well turns out they were wrong, they just had not been smart enough to figure out what the creator put it there for. I suspect your prostate example may well be proven to suffer the same fate once our medical people of figure it out.
Your dunny pic unfortunately shows an illegal plumbing installation. Those hand held outlets need to have a high risk backflow prevention device fitted and the length shortened so that it cannot find its way into the pan, to avoid the possibility of you poisoning yourself, your family and the community. I hope no one copies your set up without understanding the risks. Cheers.
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if I might make a couple of comments re your moron engineer comment
I actually stole that from a Jerry A Coyne video, he states that the prostate gland evolved from the walls of the urethra that it surrounds. Unlike an engineer, nature can't go back to the drawing board and redesign as evolution has no foresight.
I'm agnostic and tend to favour scientific explanations. Sure, we're likely to learn a lot more about the prostate but you're not going to convince me of the 'Adam and Lilith being created from dirt and after Adam complained to god that Lilith wouldn't sleep with him missionary style, Eve was then created from his rib' bahooey. Why would a 'creator' want centuries of men to suffer urinary inconveniences, pain and increasing chances of cancer later in life?
Those hand held outlets need to have a high risk backflow prevention device fitted.
http://bidets.com.au/shop/accessories/dual-check-valve/
:thumb:
s
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Until recently the best medical minds in the world had not been able to figure out what the appendix was for. When i was young if you had a problem with your appendix the "doctor" would say wip it out you dont need it anyway. Well turns out they were wrong, they just had not been smart enough to figure out what the creator put it there for. I suspect your prostate example may well be proven to suffer the same fate once our medical people of figure it out.
Well they at least know mainly what the prostate is there for although it may do a few things they are not aware of, however, any reasons it was put there are completely irrelevant, because, if the cancer is not eradicated from it, death is a 100% guarantee, and those seem like fairly bad odds to me
Here is a statistic. If a man lives long enough, there is a 99% chance he will get prostate cancer. Out of a test group of a large number of men that had prostate cancer, all of the ones that had no treatment were dead within 10 years after the cancer was discovered.
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if the cancer is not eradicated from it, death is a 100% guarantee.
Death is a 100% guarantee for all of us, lol, and you can go at any time.
I recall hearing many men over 80 die with prostate cancer but not from it, some other illness or tragedy gets to them first.
;)
s
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Death is a 100% guarantee for all of us lol and you can go at any time.
Yes but i prefer to hedge my bets and live much longer than the expected 10 year time frame.
I recall some hearing many men over 80 die with prostate cancer but not from it, some other illness gets to them first.
;)
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That is correct.
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Yes but i prefer to hedge my bets and live much longer than the expected 10 year time frame.
Absolutely!
It's why I get my PSA levels checked regularly.
:thumb:
s
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Absolutely!
It's why I get my PSA levels checked regularly.
:thumb:
s
Unfortunately, the psa levels are only a rough guide and are not 100% accurate in determining the likely hood of cancer being present. Cancer can be present with low stable psa levels and not present with high rising levels, therefore, it is also good to have the dna test done as well if possible.
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it is also good to have the dna test done as well if possible.
I didn't know about that one.
Excuse my ignorance, being a DNA test, it sounds like it determines risk factor; can it detect cancerous cells as well?
s
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I didn't know about that one.
Excuse my ignorance, being a DNA test, it sounds like it determines risk factor; can it detect cancerous cells as well?
s
There are no ignorant questions when it comes to this stuff as many doctors aren't even aware of all the options/treatments etc or fully understand dna testing etc.
For general info, the more biopsy samples the better which would be around 12, and even with that amount, it can still be missed AND the tests can produce false negatives, however, there is at least 1 additional test that can be done in addition or possibly in place of the core test, that purportedly eliminates the possibility of false positives or something like that, and it is a dna test. One of the mfgs of this test is called "confirmmdx" but there are a couple others mentioned in the link below, so I would also ask your doctor about that test as well.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110681/
Also, people that have their prostate removed should also ask their doctor about testosterone replacement therapy to see if they might benefit from it because a lot of doctors don't mention it, however, it has been determined to increase the risk of stroke.
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Thanks for all the well wishes,my prayers are with the ones that are going through what I have been thru & the ones waiting on results. PSA readings are used as a marker, a good guide,& if on the increase advising us to pursue it further.Its great to see advancement on testing for Prostate Cancer (eg. DNA) to help us enjoy many more years with our families,friends & our Stangs .I will be interested to find out more about the DNA testing when I meet with my Urologist next, & would be very interested if anyone else has had any discussions with their Urologist re DNA Testing.Barnett I'm interested to find out which DNA testing you have had & your experience.
Its great to see that this topic has had so many views & hopefully everyone is doing something about checking their Prostate health .All the best wishes to all Regards Phil.
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Thanks for all the well wishes,my prayers are with the ones that are going through what I have been thru & the ones waiting on results. PSA readings are used as a marker, a good guide,& if on the increase advising us to pursue it further.Its great to see advancement on testing for Prostate Cancer (eg. DNA) to help us enjoy many more years with our families,friends & our Stangs .I will be interested to find out more about the DNA testing when I meet with my Urologist next, & would be very interested if anyone else has had any discussions with their Urologist re DNA Testing.Barnett I'm interested to find out which DNA testing you have had & your experience.
Its great to see that this topic has had so many views & hopefully everyone is doing something about checking their Prostate health .All the best wishes to all Regards Phil.
The dna testing is new and was not available when i had my testing done which was with the ever so pleasant "digital" exam and biopsies. My psa was moderately high so they did around a 6 core test which showed nothing, but then again, they could have been false negatives. My psa rose quickly again over the next 6 months so i went to a different doctor that took around 12 or so core samples, and one of them showed positive so i had them yank it out with the davinci machine. After doing more biopsies on it after it was removed, they found 2 more areas that were cancerous that BOTH core sample tests missed. This means that it is possible to have a total of around 20 samples taken and they can still turn out negative, (or false negative) and you can still have cancer. This is why they developed the dna test
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Barnett thank God that you followed up again when your PSA reading had increased & changed Doctor .Thanks for sharing your experience.Not knowing how long since you had it removed I pray that all is well with you now.I am looking forward to finding out more about the DNA Testing when I have my appointment with my Urologist beginning October.All the Best Phil
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Barnett thank God that you followed up again when your PSA reading had increased & changed Doctor .Thanks for sharing your experience.Not knowing how long since you had it removed I pray that all is well with you now.I am looking forward to finding out more about the DNA Testing when I have my appointment with my Urologist beginning October.All the Best Phil
Thanks for the thoughts. I had it done around 10 years ago. Haven't been back to the doctor since my last follow up visit which was around 3 months after the operation.
There is a major problem having it done with the davinci machine which is that you will likely feel very little pain afterwards, and that will quickly go away, so it is stupidly easy to forget about the operation soon afterwards and lift something light like 20 lbs or casually throw something and fk yourself up big time. I know because I did exactly this and the pain was instantly nearly excruciating and hurt for a few weeks afterward, so DO NOT DO THIS, lol. Pretend you are the biggest pussy in the world for at least 1 MONTH or you may seriously to regret it.
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Thanks for the thoughts. I had it done around 10 years ago. Haven't been back to the doctor since my last follow up visit which was around 3 months after the operation.
There is a major problem having it done with the davinci machine which is that you will likely feel very little pain afterwards, and that will quickly go away, so it is stupidly easy to forget about the operation soon afterwards and lift something light like 20 lbs or casually throw something and fk yourself up big time. I know because I did exactly this and the pain was instantly nearly excruciating and hurt for a few weeks afterward, so DO NOT DO THIS, lol. Pretend you are the biggest pussy in the world for at least 1 MONTH or you may seriously to regret it.
Thanks for the advice, will take note,Great to see everything went well for you since then.Cheers Phil
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Thanks for the advice, will take note,Great to see everything went well for you since then.Cheers Phil
Thanks, and I had a friend that had it done the old school way around 6 months before I did and he showed up around a week later and could barely walk. He didn't feel 90% better for at least 2 months.
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How are things going Phil?
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How are things going Phil?
Macka, still trying to control my bladder leakage,doing my pelvic floor exercises but still having problems,a friend of mine took 7 months before he regained control,some are fortunate to regain control sooner & some a lot longer.Its been 6 weeks since my operation so just need to stay positive. I have an appointment with my Urologist on 2nd October for my post operative check up & to set up a monitoring plan.Cheers Phil
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Good to hear that you are making headway with it however far the journey. The bigger the message that gets out there the more informed blokes will be. I've been in for my checks now and waiting for the reply. Everyone else in here should also have a go at their Dr's.....
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I've just put a death notice up for Bob Jane, he had suffered from it and lost the fight. Get checked.
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I had my appointment with my Urologist this week & he said that I was doing as well as expected at this stage after 6 weeks from operation.Have my next appointment with him at end of October to check on Blood & Urine tests that will be taken the week before.I asked him with regards to DNA testing & his reply was that it was available in Australia & it was an indicator in whether you were carrying a mutated gene & the risk of developing prostate cancer - aggressive prostate cancer.
It doesn't tell you that you have got prostrate cancer just whether you are at risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.If you Google NCBI & also www.cancer.net there is a lot of info.Its great to see how research is developing into finding out more about this cancer & ways to detect it .My thoughts for now are keep monitoring your PSA levels as I did & check with your Doctor or Urologist re having DNA testing & what is best for your situation.Most importantly is to do something & don't sit back and think "she'll be right mate" & find out one day you were wrong.Regards Phil
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When my father was being treated, in his final 6 months ( at the Peter Mac clinic Melb) he was part of a trial and also underwent quite a few DNA tests, one of which could also identify if it was hereditary or not, fortunately for me in his case it was not, that does not mean however l get a "get out of jail card" l still have to get my tests done just like everybody else, And l could not speak highly enough about all the doctors and staff at the Peter Mac Hospital.
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Andrew (Reborn67) it's good to see that you're following up with getting tested & also the others on this site that have said that they are doing it as well, well done.With my job I travel quite long distances & speak to a lot of men & I was amazed that when I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer & I started talking about it I couldn't believe that 90% of the men around my age & younger hadn't done any testing at all. That's why I started this topic hoping that sharing my experience may motivate others to act. The more men that share their good or not so good experiences here ,or even to say that they are just doing something about it the better,& hopefully others will take note & follow.Cheers Phil
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It is unfortunate in this day and age men's health,and especially prostate health is treated as a taboo subject, it is not something you can think is ok, you have to 'Know' its ok, and it is a subject that we all have in common,
To Phil, good to hear you are on the right side of things and hope they continue to improve..,
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Hey Guy's
I'm going in for a prostate removal (cut & shut) on Monday & my nerves are shot.
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Good luck and hope all goes well for you..,
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Hey Guy's
I'm going in for a prostate removal (cut & shut) on Monday & my nerves are shot.
Good luck! We are all here supporting you.
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Andy (Blindman) if you would like to talk about anything at all to do with whats ahead please PM me for my phone number, I'm here for support & to help if I can.Regards Phil
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Best of luck Andy.
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Hey Guy's
I'm going in for a prostate removal (cut & shut) on Monday & my nerves are shot.
Are they using the robot?
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Yes, it is robotic surgery. Very expensive but I recently discovered DVA is covering all my cost.
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Yes, it is robotic surgery. Very expensive but I recently discovered DVA is covering all my cost.
I was up all night the night before my operation looking at different options on the internet so I could avoid the surgery, and I even told them at the hospital in the morning when they were ready to wheel me into the operating room that I still wasn't sure I wanted to go thru with it, so I delayed the operation by around 30 minutes.
Now several years later, I have zero doubt that having the operation was by far the best thing for me to do because I was pretty young and not ready to kick the bucket any time soon.
As far as botched/failed prostate operations go, they are virtually unheard of when the robot is used, so there is nothing to worry about there.
The drugs they use these days to put people to sleep are incredible. I had 2 operations a few years apart and, both times I woke up just feeling a little tired but not dizzy at all and not sick to my stomach, and the tiredness from the drugs wore off after a couple hours.
They even had me get up and walk down the hall a few hours after the operation. I only had a mild, dull pain that was easily tolerable, and it was so mild that I never took any pain medication. It was easy to walk right away, but I suggest that you take SMALL steps. As I mentioned earlier, you will feel much better right away than you really are, so it is easy to forget you just had a substantial operation, so just keep reminding yourself that you should not even think about lifting a gallon of milk or moving quickly etc for probably at least 30 days. Believe me, I know, and if you do over strain yourself, you will greatly regret it. Just look at it like a brief vacation where you get to have others do your bidding for a while. :thumb:
Let us know how you feel when you are up to it.
PS - Also, if you get bored during your recovery and have a computer, there are a bazillion free movies you can watch on youtube.
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PS - Also, if you get bored during your recovery and have a computer, there are a bazillion free movies you can watch on youtube.
Or I can just a few more topics.. :thumb: :lol:
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Or I can just a few more topics.. :thumb: :lol:
You got so excited about the thought that you forgot to put the word "post" in your comment. :kickass:
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You got so excited about the thought that you forgot to put the word "post" in your comment. :kickass:
I did, went off prematurely..
Story of my life :lmao:
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It's not premature ejaculation, it's effective time management.
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bleedin ozzie's. :thud:
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bleedin ozzie's. :thud:
or should it be "bloody ozzie's.", i'm so confused? :shrug:
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That is OK, we understand you have problems understanding strine being a septic.
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Back home today, a bit sore & sorry but everything went well.
I have a new best friend strapped to my right leg, that needs to be emptied regularly, for the next week.
I will have the results back soon. Fingers crossed.
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Back home today, a bit sore & sorry but everything went well.
I have a new best friend strapped to my right leg, that needs to be emptied regularly, for the next week.
I will have the results back soon. Fingers crossed.
:fingerx: :fingerx: :fingerx:
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Glad you at least feel well enough to come on here and update everyone. You will feel much better after the week is over. Perhaps we could cheer you up a little in the meantime by making fun of fitzy although that's kind of unfair because it is so easy to do. :bolt:
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All the best Andy.
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I have just received my results of my first blood & urine tests since my operation approx 11 weeks ago, & my PSA is now 0.008 which my Urologist said is the lowest reading that the lab can detect which was Very Great news after a long and anxious wait (next blood & urine tests in 6 months time).But unfortunately I am still having problems controlling my bladder.My Urologist said everyone is different & some take longer than others to regain control.Just keep doing my pelvic floor exercises & drink approx 1.5 litres of water daily (which I have been doing) & be patient (which is difficult).
I hope Andy (Blindman) is doing ok, I sent him a PM when he returned Home after his operation but haven't heard any thing.
I hope & pray that the viewers that have read this Topic are spreading the word to family & friends & are doing something themselves about monitoring the condition of their Prostate . Cheers Phil
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Great news Phil, I'm so glad everything is looking good for you.
I'm sorry I hadn't responded to your PM. I had some post Op problems with a partial collapsed lung & infection, so was back in hospital.
Getting on top of all that now & my results are good so far but the bladder control has me a bit blue at times. Have had a few accidents while in public.
My PSA follow up is in 2 weeks, so am hoping for a good result then.
Going for a drive today, to forget about it for awhile :event:
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Andy sorry to hear that you had post op problems,but great to hear you've got thru them ok. I'm also battling the bladder control (very depressing) so I know exactly what you are going thru. Keep the pelvic floor exercises up but don't over do them & keep your fluids up. All the Best wishes for your PSA results in 2 weeks. Just PM me if you would like to talk
anytime.Regards Phil
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Example of an ultrasound affected by prostate cancer (ultrasound can be used to guide a biopsy). Cancer develops from the tissues of the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system when cells will mutate to spread so uncontrollably.
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A lot has happened since my last post.Very Good news was that my 2nd PSA result came back at >.008 which again is the lowest that the machine can detect (next PSA test in 6 months time),but I am still battling bladder control.I have been going to the Mater Hospital 3 times a week & sitting on a magnetic chair for 20 minutes a session,which sends pulses thru to your pelvic floor muscles to strengthen them ,been doing this for approx 4 months which has improved my bladder control a fair bit. I have joined the Rockhampton Prostate Society & hope to be able to help there especially on the awareness side.While at one of our meetings I spoke to the Prostate Nurse from the Rockhampton Base Hospital & she said that the youngest patient she has dealt with was 38 years old,so it is important to pass this onto our sons & friends to check & monitor their prostate health.My thoughts are :- do you want to enjoy fishing with your sons before & when you are retired,do you want to walk your daughter down the aisle on her wedding day,do you want to enjoy playing & watching your Grandchildren grow up,do you want to enjoy your retirement with your wife or partner, Do you......Well make sure that you monitor your Prostate health & then there's a good chance you will.Please pass on these words. Best wishes to all,Regards Phil
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Sorry to bust in on this post but I have a question. In the past 20 or more years I have had two Male GP's neither of which thinks that a precautionary physical prostrate examination is necessary and as a consequence I have been having annual PSA tests.
I do suffer Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) and have had ultrasound to confirm that. I was put on meds but didn't like the side effects so have been trying to get by on Saw Palmetto, which have definitely helped decrease the number of night time pisses.
I recently visited a third GP (female) and she indicated that the PSA test is not reliable and that a physical examination was necessary. It was my first visit and I didn't want to do that on the day. So I'm interested in the informed opinion of those with experience on this forum.
Cheers Mark
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Thanks for the update Phil, great news on the PSA results & it sounds like your doing everything you can to improve your bladder control.
My results are good also & I'm about 90% recovered with the water works. Erectile treatment is OUR next challenge as a mood killing injection is require to create any movement there. Anyway it's better then the alternate.
Mark, the physical inspection is by no means pleasant but the peace of mind knowing what is going on is worth it. Close your eyes and think happy thoughts.
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Hi Mark,
I'm 61 and much the same as you I have the enlarged prostate, confirmed by ultrasound and PSA tests around 5 to 6. Normal should be 1 -2. I also did not like the meds to improve flow and Saw Palmetto did little for me. I have had two of the digital tests that the GP and specialist thought were ok. An MRI showed nothing. After 18 months the specialist wanted to do a biopsy which is somewhat invasive - but you're out to it. Still all clear. I would definitely go ahead and get the physical exam so you get some feedback - one way or another. It's not the greatest way to spend your time but it's over before you know it.
Cheers Russ.
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Sorry to bust in on this post but I have a question. In the past 20 or more years I have had two Male GP's neither of which thinks that a precautionary physical prostrate examination is necessary and as a consequence I have been having annual PSA tests.
I do suffer Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) and have had ultrasound to confirm that. I was put on meds but didn't like the side effects so have been trying to get by on Saw Palmetto, which have definitely helped decrease the number of night time pisses.
I recently visited a third GP (female) and she indicated that the PSA test is not reliable and that a physical examination was necessary. It was my first visit and I didn't want to do that on the day. So I'm interested in the informed opinion of those with experience on this forum.
Cheers Mark
What do you mean by physical exam?
An enlarged prostate can only be determined to be benign by having around 15 core samples taken, and even then if it is cancerous, they can still miss the cancerous spot, just ask me how i know.
She is correct as to the psa level not being a perfect indicator but it is typically more accurate than not.
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What do you mean by physical exam?
:omg: Finger up the arse!! does that need further translation :lmao:
And thanks for the advice. I'll go and have it done.
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What do you mean by physical exam?
:omg: Finger up the arse!! does that need further translation :lmao:
This reminds me of when i had my last annual checkup.
Do you think i should change dentists? :lmao:
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This reminds me of when i had my last annual checkup.
Do you think i should change dentists? :lmao:
What's their phone number?
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:omg: Finger up the arse!! does that need further translation :lmao:
And thanks for the advice. I'll go and have it done.
Jesus, that is the very fist thing any urologist does here. Cant believe they haven't done it to you yet. I looked for a good looking female urologist then just kept making monthly appointments. :thumb:
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the very fist thing
I initially thought it was just a typo :lmao:
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I initially thought it was just a typo :lmao:
Well, they like to be very thorough here. :lmao:
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That also helps explain why American car seats are so much wider 🤔
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That also helps explain why American car seats are so much wider 🤔
...and so much softer. :lmao:
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Just an update & to keep this topic ALIVE & a REMINDER if you haven't done anything yet about monitoring your prostate health to PLEASE start.I had my third consultation & PSA result one day ago & the news was very good with my reading at >.008 which again is the lowest that the machine can detect & no change from my previous other two earlier results since my operation (approx 15 Months ago ).Next PSA test & consultation is in another 6 months time.My bladder control has improved (about 80%) & I am still going to the Mater Hospital 3 times a week & sitting on a magnetic chair for 20 minutes a session (been doing this for 11 months).Next Friday I have to see a surgeon with regards to having an operation to patch up a small Hernia which has appeared near one of my incisions (probably due to over exertion). I hope that everyone that have had op's are well on the road to full recovery.We are very very fortunate to be alive,unlike the other approx 70 men (Husbands,Fathers,Grandfathers,Uncles,Mates etc) that pass away EVERY WEEK in Australia from Prostate Cancer.Approx 20,000 diagnosed each year in Australia with Prostate Cancer.Please spread & keep spreading the word about Men's Health & help possibly in saving someones life as well as your own.Best Wishes to all,Regards Phil
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do you want to enjoy fishing with your sons
do you want to walk your daughter down the aisle on her wedding day
do you want to enjoy playing & watching your Grandchildren grow up
do you want to enjoy your retirement with your wife or partner
Not particularly though a wife/partner would be desirable.
I'm happily single, can't see myself with kids so will unlikely 'enjoy' any of the above but I do want to live a healthy lifestyle in my older years and hope to be healthy enough with good eyesight and reflexes to still be driving. (http://www.gmh-torana.com.au/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)
s
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Just an update on my experience & Especially to keep this topic ALIVE & a REMINDER if you haven't done anything yet about monitoring your prostate health to PLEASE start.I have had 2 more consultations & PSA results have not changed since 2.11.2019 with my readings at >.008 which again is the lowest that the machine can detect which was great news.My next consultation in now going to be in 12 months time.It is very important to keep monitoring your PSA after having your prostate removed. My bladder control has improved (about 90%) & I am still going to the Mater Hospital 3 times a week & sitting on a magnetic wave chair for 20 minutes a session (been doing this for 24 months).I had my Hernia opperated on twice once in January 2020 then it returned so had another opperation in September 2020.Then was opened up again due to a bacterial infection in the mesh,so mesh was removed & have a 5 inch open incision with padding inserted into it & pump attached,I have been in opperating theater 7 times (once a week and over night stay in hospital) to have internal area cleaned out dressing replaced & pump reattached.The surgeon cannot stitch up the incison until the void is closed.The only good thing is that the infection has gone,so each monday I will return to hospital until it can be stitched up.Not much progress on my 1970 Coupe rebuild this year but the positive is that I am still alive thanks to my PSA monitoring from years ago. I hope that everyone that have had op's are well on the road to full recovery.And hope to hear their progress.We are very very fortunate to be alive,unlike the other approx 70 men (Husbands,Fathers,Grandfathers,Uncles,Mates etc) that pass away EVERY WEEK in Australia from Prostate Cancer.Please keep spreading the word about Men's Health & help possibly in saving someones life as well as your own.Regards Phil
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Great to hear you're continuing to improve Phil, and certainly a thread to keep alive (and help us also stay alive!)
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Thank you everyone who has shared in this thread. You have opened my eyes to this issue I was not aware of was so common. I have just turned 40 this year and will make sure I get checked next doctors visit for the first time.
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All the Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year 2023 to all. Time has moved on so quickly since the last post on this thread. I just don't want to see this thread die as keeping it alive could be lifesaving. With me I have been very fortunate that my PSA reading hasn't changed still >.008. And I hope that others here are also on the improve. If we can PLEASE all keep passing the word around to family and mates that a simple free PSA blood test once a year could be their lifesaver. It's so sad that Prostate Cancer is still taking the lives of 70 men each week in Australia and this number CAN be lowered by more people spreading the word. 21,000 diagnosed last year. A question you can ask to start a discussion is What's your PSA reading and who knows it might be the question that saves someone's life. Cheers Phil
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I have read this thread and I think life is a lottery, planning to live till 83 is not a given.
I often wonder why me, why am I still alive and heathy, I have lost a number of friends, one at a massive aneurism 25, another to brain cancer 29, another to drugs 30, and the list keeps going on and on.
I have a 50% chance to live beyond 75 so plaining no further (potential inherited disease).
I hear so many times people say "when I retire I will do this and that" and they never get there.
Sorry to be so morbid, sometimes its good to talk.
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Exactly, life has no guarantees, and you never know what’s around the corner, it is sad that some people never fulfill their retirement dreams, live for now..!! The future is a gift,