Good News and worrying trend.,

Hi all,

Had my 8 week post Radical Prostectomy and bi lateral lymph node removal review with my surgeon Mr Chandra Tanabalan at Northampton General Hospital on Thursday.

It went brilliantly. He confirmed it was an aggressive cancer (see my profile) but confined to the capsule with clear margins and the bilateral lymph node removal was clear. He then discharged me and its down to the usual PSA checks. 

We were both so relieved and after reading some of your journeys I feel so blessed. What terrifies me is that I so nearly didn't bother getting the initial PSA check that directed me down this route.

So that's the good news but since my diagnosis I have been instructing all my friends and customers to get PSA tests. What I have noticed is what seems to be a certain reluctance at GP's to carry them out. 2 of my friends and 1 of my customers were initially knocked back on a request for PSA test. One was told by the receptionist "well you will have to speak to the Doctor" another "O we only do them at the annual well man clinic". On both occasions on my advice they went back and mentioned the current buzz phrase "this is affecting my mental wellness which seemed to do the trick. I find this quite worrying. I wonder if it's down to cost? (I am funding my own course of Cialis because of the hospital and GP arguing over who should prescribe it.)  Or is it still the case that GP's assume the test is not reliable, if that is the case, why do they use it as a gauge so strongly once you have been diagnosed? That seems to be highly contradictory. 

Anyway, I will still badger my friend and aquantances to get the test and have filled in my standing order for a monthly donation for Prostate Cancer UK to support their campaign for screening.

All the best