Prostate cancer

[ob]

I had my 3rd colonoscopy a week ago.
It’s never a pleasant experience but I had a good friend who died from a combination of bowl cancer and stupidity so I understand the imperative.

He died about 10 years back, before the routine tests were introduced, but he was passing blood and had told his doctor about it but then refused to have the examination because he was old school and, as he put it “would rather die than allow someone to mess with his arse”.

I mention this because the only good that can come from his death is if it inspires someone else to put stupidity aside and allow the NHS to save their life.

Had loads unfortunately. I collapsed outside Stamford bridge before our game 5 years ago. Rushed into hospital emergency surgery on my burst bowel and was having various tests for 2 years until got all clear. Lads get it sorted you know it makes sense

 

[A57 the snake]

So after nearly 12 months of agony and stress we’ve got the all clear from my prostate cancer it’s been a journey for all of my family and friends my PSA’s are now 0.1% I’m struggling to put into words what we’ve been through but I can now breathe and start to enjoy life even more , it’s unbelievable news which probably hasn’t sunken in yet … a massive huge thank you to all of you who have privately messaged me,every message has been a huge help in either support and advice, life isn’t all about football and being on here has really helped well done to ric and the mods who run this . Special thanks to @hammocity he’s been a star . I’ll continue in raising money for prostate cancer uk their help is unbelievable. So Manchester City football please tomorrow can I ask you to top off what could be a magical weekend for us all.
Lads keep this thread going it’s so important to talk to each other.
Thank you everyone thank you

up the blues .

 

[mexico1970]

So after nearly 12 months of agony and stress we’ve got the all clear from my prostate cancer it’s been a journey for all of my family and friends my PSA’s are now 0.1% I’m struggling to put into words what we’ve been through but I can now breathe and start to enjoy life even more , it’s unbelievable news which probably hasn’t sunken in yet … a massive huge thank you to all of you who have privately messaged me,every message has been a huge help in either support and advice, life isn’t all about football and being on here has really helped well done to ric and the mods who run this . Special thanks to @hammocity he’s been a star . I’ll continue in raising money for prostate cancer uk their help is unbelievable. So Manchester City football please tomorrow can I ask you to top off what could be a magical weekend for us all.
Lads keep this thread going it’s so important to talk to each other.
Thank you everyone thank you

up the blues .

Made up for you mate, great news and well done :)

 

[Indaparkside]

So after nearly 12 months of agony and stress we’ve got the all clear from my prostate cancer it’s been a journey for all of my family and friends my PSA’s are now 0.1% I’m struggling to put into words what we’ve been through but I can now breathe and start to enjoy life even more , it’s unbelievable news which probably hasn’t sunken in yet … a massive huge thank you to all of you who have privately messaged me,every message has been a huge help in either support and advice, life isn’t all about football and being on here has really helped well done to ric and the mods who run this . Special thanks to @hammocity he’s been a star . I’ll continue in raising money for prostate cancer uk their help is unbelievable. So Manchester City football please tomorrow can I ask you to top off what could be a magical weekend for us all.
Lads keep this thread going it’s so important to talk to each other.
Thank you everyone thank you

up the blues .

Good news my blue friend

 

[ob]

So after nearly 12 months of agony and stress we’ve got the all clear from my prostate cancer it’s been a journey for all of my family and friends my PSA’s are now 0.1% I’m struggling to put into words what we’ve been through but I can now breathe and start to enjoy life even more , it’s unbelievable news which probably hasn’t sunken in yet … a massive huge thank you to all of you who have privately messaged me,every message has been a huge help in either support and advice, life isn’t all about football and being on here has really helped well done to ric and the mods who run this . Special thanks to @hammocity he’s been a star . I’ll continue in raising money for prostate cancer uk their help is unbelievable. So Manchester City football please tomorrow can I ask you to top off what could be a magical weekend for us all.
Lads keep this thread going it’s so important to talk to each other.
Thank you everyone thank you

up the blues .

Amazing news

 

[ob]

Appointment with urologist at 2 today, gone from not too bothered (no sleepless nights etc) to bricking it now. Had to measure my urine input and output last 3 days, just turned 60. If he says have I any questions, can anyone advise me what to ask please, cheers

 

[ob]

Quick update, clinic was cancelled but they forgot to tell me, even booked in at reception and sat for 45 mins before someone asked who I was there to see. Being booked on next available clinic

 

[Paladin]

Appointment with urologist at 2 today, gone from not too bothered (no sleepless nights etc) to bricking it now. Had to measure my urine input and output last 3 days, just turned 60. If he says have I any questions, can anyone advise me what to ask please, cheers

Hope everything turns out ok mate. I can't advise you what to ask, but I have four friends that are urologists. I'm happy to put questions to one of them on your behalf. I'm 60 also. I've had some tests myself in the last year for shortage of iron. My insides are all clear at the moment.

 

[ob]

Hope everything turns out ok mate. I can't advise you what to ask, but I have four friends that are urologists. I'm happy to put questions to one of them on your behalf. I'm 60 also. I've had some tests myself in the last year for shortage of iron. My insides are all clear at the moment.

Thanks mate, saw your posts re iron in running thread. Glad all clear. I'm sure I'll think of something when eventually get appointment, they forgot to to tell me clinic cancelled today. I did think weird when I was only one in waiting room. Similar thing happened 4 years ago on follow up to my bowel surgery. Sent to St Helier hospital (where my surgery had been) the clinic I was meant to be attending was in Epsom few miles away so missed it.

 

[Cassandra]

I'm a bit behind you in my progress. Last year I had a UTI and since I hadn't had blood samples taken for a couple of years, partly due to COVID, I asked for a full set of bloods to be taken. They were all OK except for the PSA which was 16. Discussions with the Dr suggested it might be elevated because of the UTI and indeed it later appeared that the infection had moved into the prostate so a more unpleasant antibiotic was prescribed. A couple more blood tests showed the PSA had fallen to 8 ish which the Dr felt still needed more investigation. The digital rectal examination suggested some abnormality in the prostate and so a needle biopsy of 10 samples was taken. This showed no cancer on the Gleason scale (being a microscopist and looking over the specialist's shoulder I reckon 8/10 samples were clear and 2 "intermediate"). So an MRI scan was called for (wish I'd asked for this in the first case) and "this was clear on the East side, but with an area of concern on the West side, the perimeter was intact". So it will be back for a "fusion biopsy" sometime fairly soon. Meanwhile I received a routine 2 yearly bowel cancer screening kit about 6 weeks after the first biopsy and that found traces of blood - so it's off for a colonoscopy on Thursday - the joys of growing old! Still with any luck if there is any cancer it will have been caught early enough for treatment to be possible. Like A57 the snake I'd advise regular screening .

I've reached a bit of a pause in my journey. The colonoscopy was OK three small benign polyps removed. Fusion biopsy uncomfortable and a number of the samples showed cancer - rated as 7 (3+4) on the Gleason score. Meantime Shingles and Covid afflicted me (Excellent rapid treatment for Shingles plus having been vaccinated meant I got off lightly compared to others I know). Further MRI and a bone scan ordered to confirm that the cancer was contained within the prostate. Both showed no spread outside the prostate and that the cancer was confined to the left side of the prostate. Rated as grade 2.

Consultation with the specialist nurse told me that my results had been reviewed by a team and that there were four ways to move forwards:
* - Active Surveillance - periodic PSA checks and MRI scans - the team had not been unanimous on this option.
* - Brachytherapy - inserting radioactive "seeds" into the cancerous areas of the prostate - concluded that my urine flow was not high enough for this to be suitable for me.
* - Hormone and Radiotherapy - basically shrink the tumour a bit with anti-testosterone therapy and than 4 weeks of 5 days sessions of radiotherapy,
* - Surgery to remove the prostate - via robot.

Consultations were arranged with Radiotherapy and Surgery personnel. Both went to some length to explain the possible side effects of their treatments and both suggested that I shouldn't rule out Active Surveillance particularly as my PSA levels had now dropped quite considerably:- originally 16 then 8.6; 8.9; 6; 2.6; 2.9 and currently 2.3.

So now to go back to the specialist nurse to discuss Active Surveillance a bit further but that now looks like my preferred option. Surgeon suggested that for my grade of cancer it would probably be around 15 years before it was likely to be a significant problem by which time I'll be getting on for 90. So think I'll see how things go, he also said that the main difficulty is getting your head round the idea that you've got this cancer inside you and not rushing to treat it. My view is that I know its there and can keep check on it, if my initial PSA had been 2.3 it would probably have just been annual PSA checks but now I am aware of what's there. NHS has served me well so far, some delays from Covid, but overall I'm very grateful to all the staff.