Just diagnosed

It goes in when your anaesthetised . Coming out is strange but not painful . It was slightly uncomfortable , and 2 or 3 times I had short lived bladder spasms ( 30 seconds ) . I am in France , and was kept in fir a week , solely for the catheter . In Britain and othe French hospitals , you’re home in 2 days . Bill

Sorry . It was in for 6 days . This seems to vary between 3 days and 2 weeks . 

Thanks very much Bill. 

Hi, I am in exactly the same position , Group T2C with a Gleason score of 7, 3+4. Got the diagnosis 16 days ago and told I would get an appointment within 2 weeks for oncology to discuss radiation options before making a decision. It turns out that oncology haven’t received the referral from my consultant yet so can’t give me an appointment, which is playing with my mind even more. Apparently they have 70 people waiting for appointments! The consultant feels that with my diagnosis and symptoms that RALP is the best option for me but I keep looking at brachytherapy as the side effects don’t seem as bad as the thought of incontinence for several months fills me with dread even though medically removal is the best option as if the C comes back you can be treated with radiotherapy. For me active surveillance isn’t an option as I want to do something, just what is to do my dilemma.

All of the waiting is not good and I have not had a good experience at my local hospital so far unfortunately, I know the NHS is under pressure but I have been messed around a lot. MRI in mid November saw specialist end November who said biopsy before Xmas. Unfortunately I tested positive for covid on 2 December, that day they rang to book my biopsy in for 14 Dec and obviously with covid that had to be delayed. My consultant said only a 4 week gap was needed before the biopsy and this was rearranged for 17 Jan, just over 4 weeks. Turned up as per my letter at the ward who had no details for me despite showing them the letter, sent to Urology who then sent me to Surgical Assessment who sent be back to the ward on my letter 1/2 hr later. Reluctantly they found me a chair next to the toilets where I sat for an hour. Eventually a Sister took pity on me and took me to a side office to sit and complete loads of paperwork, then the anaesthetist came to see me to fill in more forms, then the surgeon and his assistant to fill in forms, and then 3 hours later the surgeon came back and said it was too risky to do the procedure as there had to be a 7 week gap from contracting covid and was discharging me, which I queried but to no avail so left the hospital still with my name band on my wrist and told someone would be in touch. My head felt frazzled on leaving the hospital and certainly didn’t help my mental state. Finally got my biopsy 7 weeks later. Sorry for the waffle but it has left me not having a lot of confidence in them at the moment which is also impacting on me making a decision how to move forward.

Not too much pain at all , I had the radical op. The most upsetting was the catheter, nearly 2 months of it. 
has the cancer ‘breached’ capsule? That’s something to ask you doctor. I’d ask about nerve saving too, I didn’t ask enough questions. So now impotent. But alive and cancer free.. 

I had a similar diagnosis in Feb 2018 and was offered either Brachytherapy or prostate removal by robotic surgery.

I was 64 then.

I chose the latter and had my op.in July 2018

All I can say is that the op.went very well and fortunately have not any long term side effects.

Last year my PSA went up and went onto AS .I have now decided to have radiotherapy to try and effect a cure as my oncologist said "we have a window of opportunity"so this encouraged me to have the 20 RT sessions.

If I had the treatment choice again I would do the same.

As previous guys have said if you have your prostate removed and you get a recurrence the you have a second chance of a cure with RT but it's very difficult the other way round.

Good luck with your outcome

One piece of advice is do plenty oelvic floor exercises well before op as this greatly helps bladder control after op

I was in the same boat as you my Gleason score ranged from 7 to 9.8 and originally went for surgery but changed my mind and had radiotherapy instead different people will tell you different things about success and failures it’s very much a case of pot luck different people have different outcomes regardless of the treatment they had, sorry I can’t help you decide but I am sure everybody has the same dilemma but whatever you decide I wis you the best of luck and health. 

Mikeman,

Thanks for getting in touch and providing your information.

How long ago did you get your radiotherapy and how was the side effects if any.

All the best to you too

I had my last radiotherapy on the 02/03/2022 the only side effect I have had from the radiotherapy is urinating stop start weak flow etc still having to get up frequently at night although I have managed with only getting up twice on one occasion and three times on another my usual is 5/6 times, I am having trouble with a lot of wind that seems to have been instigated by the radiotherapy the Hormone treatment is the same as the menopause hot flushes etc it is a bit difficult for me because in March 2021 I finished 30 fractions of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer  so I do feel a lot weaker and tire quickly but whether that is just old age (74) or associated with the treatments it’s hard to say, but both treatments have their advantages and disadvantages I have heard good and bad on both sides, my treatment time often coincided with a retired doctor he had the surgery 4 years ago but it’s back so now he’s having radiotherapy.