Just diagnosed

Thank you Alwayshope and Brian. yes it is nigh on imposiible to understand Mental Health issues unless you have eperienced it yourself or know somebody really well with the problem. The Nurses I have experienced more recently seem to have a good understanding of the subject and have been very sympathectic with me. This helps loads. I chuckled a little Brian with cans in the cupboard,. Like me people with OCD like to have things arranged perfectly and everything in order. This is what makes hospital visits quite an ordeal or just doing something differently can throw me of course. I am keeping my phones on now you will be pleased  to hear. Fear of the unknown is a big thing also.

Kind regards James.

YAY!!!!!!! to the phones  x

Hello James

That's great news - it looks like you are feeling better already. Part of my OCD is from shelf stacking working in a shop in my teens - but there are other things - my clothes have to be put away a certain way and for some reason the volume on the car radio needs to be on an even number. However life is good and I am proof if it were needed that you can work your way through this cancer (if you have it!) and come out the other side.

Best wishes James - keep us in the loop.

Brian.

Millibob said:

for some reason the volume on the car radio needs to be on an even number.

Ah, no Spinal Tap for you then. Their amps go up to 11!

Ha Ha Ha - Seamus - That's just ruined my image of you - now I don't mind a bit of heavy rock myself but thought of you and your activities and could see you sat on the canal singing "Michael" by the Highwaymen, or "How much is that doggy in the window" by Patti Page. (gosh that gives my age away).

When I was having my RT sessions - in one of the later ones the Radiologists had an Abba CD playing and after they had left the room and my treatment started - I started singing along quietly - forgetting they can see and hear me. At the end of the fraction the two female radiologists came back in to get me down off the sunbed laughing and said "don't bother to enter any karaoke competitions".

In life and especially with cancer I find humour sometimes is a relief from the journey. 

My best wishes Seamus.- Brian.

I have spoken to my GP today and still no results and it will have been 2 weeks on Tuesday since I had the Biopsy done. I am terrified of getting a phone call and had a bad day yesterday with symptoms. Frequent urination or a sense of urgency when I stand up. Pain at the bottom of my Abdomen. Some pain on passing Urine. It seems to have settled today. My Bowels have been a litlle wayward as I have IBS and my GP thinks they where putting pressure on my Bladder. He still thinks my PSA is to low for an agressive form of Cancer. I however think it must be aggressive and the time wasted with all these failed Biopsies has given it time to grow even more. I cannot understand the time taken when this thing can be life threatening.

Kind regards James.

Hello James - I know just where you are at - I hate waiting for results - although to be fair I have now got to the point that whatever the result is - it's not going to change.

The facts in your favour are a low PSA and most people who have Prostate Cancer have a slow growing one. I can't remember if I suggested you reading my journey (I am not re-reading 23 pages!!) but go ahead, click on the icon of the beach. Mine is a Gleason 9 and 21 months from diagnosis I am amazing!

The issue we all have is the NHS is a massive organisation with millions of backed up appointments - they are doing their best and I am sure as soon as your biopsy results are in you will get the good news.

You can always try and improve your bladder control by starting "pelvic floor exercises" - it worked for me.

Thanks for keeping us up to speed - results day won't be long now.

Best wishes as ever - Brian.

I have read your journey Brian and I could not cope with all that you have been through. I am having a bad morning. The minute I got out of bed and stood up I developed and real urgency to pass water. This has just been happening in the last month or so. This is being caused by a progression of the Cancer. Other things have been happening just recently which are of a nature that could not be mentioned on here which are also symptoms of the Prostrate Cancer getting worse. My life is limited enough by my anxiety without becoming incontinent. I know I definately have Cancer Despite being told that is is only a 20%  risk by the consultant. I have had enough already and I have not been officially diagnosed yet. It does not take much to push me over the edge. Living on my own just makes things worse and more impossible.

Kind regards James.

Hello James.

Deep breaths again. Brian's case was an extreme. For every case like his there are hundreds of others who sail through with no, or very few problems. Your doctor has given you an indication that you may have prostate cancer but you still haven't had the results of your biopsy. You say you are having problems with urgency as well as other symptoms which you don't want to mention. For peace of mind please contact your trusted GP and discuss your symptoms with him as he has tools in his toolbox which may be able to help. You are in so much stress at the moment that this can affect your system and produce some of the symptoms you are experiencing and I know that your brain is working overtime in trying to process it. Letting your GP know what is happening may give him the ammunition to push for your biopsy results. There are many here who are willing you to hang in there and we will help you through your journey. My heart goes out to you being on your own at this time but you do have the Macmillan community behind you.

Hi James, just a thought but I wonder if you have had a urine test lately. I have just had a urine infection and urgency and frequency are some of the symptoms. With any luck this can be treated with a short course of antibiotics and actually have nothing to do with prostate cancer (well certainly not in my case ). Also, why are you convinced that you definitely have pc when your consultant has indicated that there is only a 20% risk. Even if it does turn out that you do have cancer, it is normally slow growing and most definitely treatable and/or curable if caught early enough. My husband's cancer was already spread and advanced when he was diagnosed two years ago, and considering his other health issues, is still with us and receiving treatment. 

Wishing you well and hope it is purely a urine infection.

Gina