Newbie

Good Afternoon Nigel

Welcome to the club you didn't want to join. You haven't put up your statistics - PSA etc - you can see mine by clicking on the picture of the beach in Oludeniz - these help others give you advise and help.

I am on hormones and have radiotherapy booked from 4 January 2023 for 20 days. It's hard at first to get your head round all the figures and the various treatments but there are plenty of good people on here who can give you help and advise.

When I received my diagnosis at first it was a shock, but with the help of my family and friends, the hospital staff and reading as much as I can about the cancer it's helped me to come to terms with my journey. There is a great set of free fact sheets available from Prostrate Cancer UK and you can get these by ordering them online.

A problem shared is a problem solved - ask anything on here - someone will know the answer.

I hope this helps and you are able to get yourself off the happy pills!

Kind Regards - Brian.

Thank you for your reply.

Certainly seems you have had a rough time of it.

I am a 63 yr. old white male.

I started have a series of urinary infections in April/May which my GP just dished out several different anti biotics.

I then went into urine retention on the night before I was due to fly out for a cruise holiday. The following morning I attended Urgent care at my local hospital at Burnley. They catharized me and sent me home, saying I was fine to go on holiday. So off I went, with an extra unexpected bag.

During the second week on board the ship I fell ill and ended up in intensive care. four days of iv anti biotics.

It was the ships doctor that diagnosed an enlarged prostate and advised me to seek treatment as soon as I got home.

I attended the urology department, where the did the usual tests, and confirmed I had an enlarged prostate. They prescribed medication to relax the prostate and sent me home with a box of self catheters to use 2-3 times a day.

They mislaid my test results for 8 weeks, and as I didn't need to catheterise myself after a week, though everything was well.

A telephone call out of the blue from Urology to say I may have prostate cancer and can I come to the hospital for another blood and urine sample. This obviously knocked me sideward.

PSA was now 68 a rise from 42 previously.

Bone scan next, the MRI and then biopsy. Yes you have a grade 9 prostate cancer.

So that's where I'm at now. Om hormone treatment and radiotherapy in February.

All the best,

Nigel.

Nigel, I remember it took me a while to come to terms with the Prostate Cancer diagnosis.  You automatically think that it's just you, but there are so many of us.

I found that the more I talked about it, the easier it was to accept.  I used to keep everything locked up inside but now I can't stop talking about it.  Nothing is taboo.

I was a Gleason 3+4(7) T2, had 12 months Hormones and 20 fractions of VMAT Radiation treatment.

All of this worked for me, am in Remission since February this year.  This was harder to accept than the original diagnosis.

Counselling really helped.  I am starting new counselling in January.  I won't go into my problems at the moment.

If you have a local Maggie's, they have support groups.  I attend a monthly Prostate Cancer Support Group at my local Maggie's in Newcastle.  This is a godsend.  Everyone has the same thing in common.

Best of luck with your treatment.

Hi Nigel

Wow -you have had it as bad as me - the more I read everyone is in the same boat (no pun intended about your extra bag - but it made me laugh!!). We don't appear to have any set standards for diagnosis of Prostrate Cancer.

I have found that with the help of my family and friends and trying to be positive - which has been hard at times I am getting there - when I signed my radio-therapy consent form on Monday and it said "radio therapy with the aim of curing the prostrate cancer" it was like - well a new lease of life.

I agree with Stevecam - the more you talk about it and understand it , yes it's easier to accept than thinking "why me". I am the same - I even wander into the pub wearing Prostrate Cancer tee shirts!

Good luck with everything and have a great Christmas and I wish you well with your treatment in 2023.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Thanks Brian, You too. 

Wish you well.

Nigel

There are so good people here in this forum, virtually anything you can think of, someone may be able to help you.

Hi Nigel

Am a bit puzzled here. Looks like you have had no tests done yet apart from PSA.

If they are saying that u have a grade 9 , I wonder how they're working that out unless I'm reading it wrong 

Steve