Another newbie

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Hello everybody

I'm guessing this is the club none of us wanted to join, but here we all are!!

OK, so this is my first post on the Macmillan website so excuse any errors or typo's I make

A little about myself.

Following a short period where I couldn't urinate properly for 3 days, the wife began to notice. By day 4 I was fine again & thought I'm obviously OK now, problem solved. The wife was having none of it & made me go to the docs to get checked out, & under protest I went. I'm glad she bullied me into going now!

This is my story of how I got here...

I'm 56 &  following a blood test that produced a PSA reading of 23 ng/ml, I was sent to York for an MRI scan.

Following the MRI, I then had the delight of undergoing a biopsy

The results from that came back& for all intent & purposes might as well have been written in latin, for what I understood of it.

However with the help of Dr Google & a couple of purchased books from Amazon, I'm beginning to educate myself as to what it all means

For information my condition is as follows

A volume prostate of 50ml, PSA density of 0.46ng/ml & a 1.4 lesion within the left posterolateral peripheral zone between mid gland & base. My overall likert score is 4.

My Gleason score is 7

There are also some bilateral pelvic side wall & external ileac chain nodes up to 8mm

I've been for a bone scan & this has shown negative for cancer spread to the bones.

I'm now on 50mg of Bicalutamide daily, & yesterday went for my first injection of Prostap

How do I feel?

This is the most scariest thing about the whole cancer episode - I feel absolutely fine. From what I know now, by the time some people realise they have prostate cancer it's spread itself all over the place & the level of poo you are in is significantly deeper!!

Touchwood, I've had no side effects from either the Bicalutamide of Prostap.

Since diagnosis, I've been absolutely hammering myself in the gym, I find it works wonders for my mental health on this matter. I leave the gym looking like a sack of poo.....but to be honest, I used to leave the gym looking like that before this cancer came along.

Mentally I'm quite calm about the whole thing & have the attitude of how very dare these cancer cells try to destroy me & my prostate, the bloody cheek of them!!!!

I've become a bit of cancer bore & I make sure everybody I know, knows about me. I find it quite therapeutic talking about my condition & it's not the elephant in the room whenever I turn up at work or out with my friends.

The other plus out it is that if I tell a hundred people about what's happening to me, & just one of them thinks I should get myself checked out, then it's been a good day

Thanks for reading

Dej

  • "this is the club none of us wanted to join"

    That's right, but at least there's no admission fee!

    Welcome, and thanks for the detail, but what's your TNM score (Tumour, Nodes, Metastases)?

    What's the long-term plan?

    Oh, and do be wary of Dr Google - he's a great help (couldn't live without him), but he does slip some fiction in amongst the good stuff when you least expect it.

    - - -

    Heinous

    If I can't beat this, I'm going for the draw.

    Meanwhile, my priority is to live while I have the option.

  • I like your fighting spirit Dej, hope treatment goes well for you.

    Ido4

  • Hi Des

    Well Dr Google has taught you some stuff - far more technical information than I can get my head around!

    The side effects from the Prostap take a few weeks to take effect but hitting the gym is a good idea - and is generally recommended. 

    You don't say what treatment has been suggested, and maybe it hasn't yet, but get back to us when you know and I'm sure someone will be able to help.

    Regards

    Stuart

    Trying to get fit again!
  • Hi Dej,

    I joined this club on 27th May 2021, there are some great people on this forum and if you have any questions, someone is bound to have experienced them.

    I know what you mean about becoming a cancer bore.  As soon as I could tell people without breaking down I did.  I think I have convinced 2-3 men from work to get checked.

    I'm 57, had a Gleason score of 7 (3+4), been on the Hormones for 3 months now (remember the song"Man, I feel like a Woman").  That's how I feel (no disrespect to women, but the Hot Flushes, mood swings,the emotional rollercoaster).

    The good days are outweighing the bad days at the moment, but some of the bad days are stinkers.

    I start my Radiation sessions on 5th October, last one 1st November (my partner Tracey's birthday).

    Hope everything goes well for you.

    Steve (SteveCam)

  • Hi Des

    I missed that until Stevecam highlighted it. I too have become a PC bore and tell everyone  I know about my condition and how it was determined. I hope that my experience prompts them to get checked out - think a few have.

    Regards

    Sruart

    Trying to get fit again!
  • Stuart,

    It's frightening that it took me until I was actually diagnosed with Prostate Cancer to be aware of it, and to try to make others aware and get tested.

    Steve (SteveCam)

  • Hi Steve

    Frightening indeed- I was only diagnosed after a throwaway question to my GP on my way out, after seeing her on another issue. If I hadn't  then I would have been oblivious to what was going on inside me.

    Regards

    Stuart

    Trying to get fit again!
  • Stuart,

    I was admitted for Blood clots on both lungs about 3 years ago.  The doctor just went through a quick questionnaire for what I had been tested for.  She mentioned the PSA test.

    Had it done, then after a couple of weeks I went in to see the Urology nurse.  She done the finger test, and they were after doing a biopsy but I had just been put on blood thinners (for life).  So the biopsy was put off.

    Tested my PSA every 6 months and if I was over 9 twice in a row they would have me in.

    It was just by luck I was seeing my lung specialist (Prof Simpson), he asked if I had been tested recently.

    Then within 3 weeks I had been diagnosed (Gleason 7 - 3+4, intermediate risk).

    I am seeing Prof Simpson again on 4th October.  I can thank him then).  Then my Radiation sessions start the next day.

    I'm sitting here, eyes full of tears.  I blame the Hormones.

    Steve (SteveCam)

  • Hi Des

    Yeah the hormone therapy is a bugger!

    Regards

    Stuart

    Trying to get fit again!
  • Hi Steve

    Sorry got your name wrong - I blame the drugs !

    Don't worry about the RT it's just boring unless there is any sort of atmosphere in the waiting area.  In which case you will have a laugh!

    Try and get hold of the diet sheet and follow it to the letter - you may regret it if you don't!

    Regards

    Stuart

    Trying to get fit again!