Diagnosed with stage 2 prostate cancer in September but with cribriform architecture which means I need a prostatectomy.
Unfortunately, there is a backlog in my treating hospital and the latest update is my surgery might be late December or January - that's 5 to 6 months post referral.
I am so worried about the cancer spreading as I am not being monitored during this delay and no consultant can guarantee that the delay doesn't put me at risk of a worse post-surgery outcome.
So my symptoms mean I have to get up multiple times a night for the toilet and of course, in the small hours, my mind starts and the anxiety builds and I can't get back to sleep.
I have techniques based in mindfulness that have helped in the past and if all else fails I have listened to a podcast with the volume really low, or ambient music and this would help me go back to sleep.
But right now, this isn't working and I am getting tired, grumpy and can't apply myself to work.
Up at 4:30am this morning and ended up walking the dogs at 5:30 and starting work at 6:30 (start time is 8:30 and I don't have flexible hours).
Had the same problem in August waiting for my diagnosis and would go to gym at say 2am as I couldn't sleep. Managed to get through this and could get back to sleep but everything changed early this month when it became clear that my surgery was delayed, there was no timescale and realistically I could be looking at next year.
I've raised this with PALS, the treatement commissioning board and asked if any other hospitals in the area have shorter waiting lists.
It is the open-ended nature of the delay that I am struggling with after been told I need surgery and then to be left dangling.
Getting ahead of things and speaking to my GP this morning as worried the anxiety will tip into depression as I can feel things shifting that way.
I'm sorry to read everything you're going through and I hope your GP appointment was successful this morning.
I can see that you have joined, posted and received replies in the prostate cancer group and I'm sure you'll get lots of support from the members of that group.
If you're awake in the early hours again you might be interested to know that there's an active thread in this group called awake and up all night. It's a lively thread and I've added a link in case you want to check it out.
Wishing you all the best
Anne
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
