Hi Peeps,
Ive come on here for a bit of a rant, I need to vent. So please excuse me.
Since my diagnosis and successful treatment of Prostate Cancer, please read my profile. I have been actively encouraging my friends and colleagues to get a PSA test and check up. I am disgusted by the amount of GP's who seem to be actively dissuading men from getting a check.
I have heard "You don't need it" "You don't have any symptoms" so many times from friends who have asked for the test.
Let me say, I didn't really have over whelming symptoms but I had an aggressive Cancer and if it had not been caught early who knows where I would be in 4 or 5 years time. My GP actually said to me "you're being over cautious but I'll do it to put your mind at rest"!!
I have also heard the phrase " Oh the PSA test is not accurate" well if its not accurate perhaps someone can tell me why I am being tested so frequently after diagnosis and treatment over the next 5 years.
I was camping with a group of good friends over the weekend and they were all interested and concerned about my health. Naturally I actively encouraged them all to go to their GP and get a PSA test and checked over. One the guys have just texted me, he contacted his GP yesterday to request a test. This what he texted me. "The GP chuckled and said why are you worried? Do you have symptoms?" Then said the blood test is not very accurate so they rely on the rectal examination.But as he had no symptoms then there's no need for it. It's almost as if they use the rectal examination to put folk off from getting checked.
My GP actually said to me as he prepared for my DRE "I didn't think I would be doing this when I was training to be a Doctor!" Even now I am telling my GP what follow up treatment I should be having after my OP. This is where this forum has been so so valuable to get me educated to the point where I can forcefully discuss my treatment.
I am considering doing an event to rise money for Prostate Cancer UK as they are campaigning for national screening for white males at 50, and black males and instances where it is in the family at 45. But I'm thinking it's more important to raise awareness on how important it is to get the test and to stand your ground and insist on it. Don't let anyone including your GP put you off.
Phew! Deep breath aaaannnnnnnddddd relax. I need to calm down now. Think I'll have a cup of tea.
But this really really grinds my gears. It's really hard for a guy to actually go through the motions to ask for a test knowing what's involved. When GP's don't seem to take blokes seriously and knock them back, it really pisses me off. No no calm down, Im going off one again
