Just diagnosed

Hi all,

 Sorry I have not been on but things are getting difficult. They tried to do a Local anaesthetic Biopsy but stopped the minute he put the probe in. He said my Saturation had gone down to 74%. I am assuming that he could see the Cancer had spread. He told me I would have general anaesthetic at N.M.G. My doctor wrote a letter to him because I have bad memories at N.M.G. Booking kept ringing me to get an appointment and Pre Opp. I contacted my Doctor this morning because booking could not find the letter or e-mails they had sent explaning things to the surgeon. My Doctor said he would ring them this morning. An hour later I got a phone call from Rochdale Infirmary to see the consultant at 11 am tomorrow. This is to quick so I am assuming the Cancer has spread.

Kind regards James.

Hi James,

Not necessarily spread James. Remember most prostate cancers are slow growing. When you say your saturations had dropped I’m assuming you mean your oxygen saturations, which could well be caused due to your anxiety and panic attacks, hence suggesting a general anaesthetic? I’m sorry you’re having a tough time but I honestly think that considering your OCD and anxiety your coping very well and being proactive.  Good luck for tomorrow and please let us know how you get on.

Regards

Linda

Hello James

Nice to hear from you - I was only thinking about you on Saturday when I was following up a few people who had fallen off the radar.

I agree with Linda above, it was no doubt your drop in oxygen levels, although I have heard that an alternative name for the transperineal biopsy is a "Saturation Biopsy", but I am not a medical person.

I agree you are being very brave in posting today and keeping us up to speed with your progress in sorting this issue out. I wish you all the best tomorrow and please keep in touch with us - we are all with you on this journey.

The great thing is you have the right attitude and are facing up to the challenges before you -well done -keep it up.

Best wishes - Brian.

When they do the biopsy they monitor your blood pressure and oxygen levels and I suspect that they abandoned it due to your oxygen level dropping. My husband’s blood pressure rose during his and they had to pause a few times. This was due to the position he was in as well as the stress. He had to sit for a which afterwards until his blood pressure went down.

If they were unable to take the samples and you've not had any further scans, they won't know what is happening with the cancer. I suspect the reason they want to do a general anaesthetic is to make it less stressful for you. 

I hope tomorrow gives you some positive news.

Thanks so much all of you. I have been in a bad place for quite sometime now so I have not posted.

I am very grateful your are all still here.

Kind regards James.

Hi James

That was a "man hug" from me - All the best for tomorrow - don't worry - you will be fine.

If you have any concerns about anything - you can drop me a private message - my message box is open - you don't need to send a friend request or anything.

We are all here to support you on this journey.

Best wishes - Brian.

• Hey James, best of luck for tomorrow, be positive, Deal with the facts. The science nowadays is excellent and they have really good results in treating us. Whatever the outcome, there is a route to take and with it being a slow developing cancer, we can live a full and good life. Stay strong. 

Thanks guy's

The Consultant is now saying I must have this Biopsy done under a GA. The only thing that bothers me is the number of samples to be taken. I have read that a usual maximum was about 24. The Consultant told me it would be 80 and that is normal now. I thought the higher number of samples meant a more certain case of Cancer and result in a very swollen and painful Prostrate. I will probably have to go to North Manchester General rather than Rochdale Infirmary. N.G.M was a dump when I was last in there with Windows nearly falling out on the ward I was in.

Kind regards James.

Hello James

Thanks for the update. I must say as far as I was aware the number of samples in a biopsy was between 8 and 18. Are you sure he said 80 and not 18? - I have never known any one to have that many taken.

In the last 2 years I have had two periods where I have been "resident" at North Manchester and although the building is in need of some TLC (one of my windows needed an orbital sander to clean it!) the treatment, care and food for stays of 9 and 2 days was brilliant.

Try not to worry too much about something that may or may not happen - I "donated" 8 samples of my Prostate to the NHS and I was up and running with no pain in less than an hour.

You will be right - and at least you will have some answers.

Best wishes - Brian.

I've been waiting for someone else to respond to you first to see if we shared the same thoughts.

As Millibob has already suggested I wonder if you misheard as we can all do when we are in stressful situations. I'm not sure if there is a norm for the number of cores taken but my husband had 24 and I assume that this was a lot due to the MRI showing that the tumour was breaking through the prostate capsule. 

With your relatively low PSA I feel that maybe 18 cores is more likely. 

I also think that although you need to prepare for the possibility of a cancer diagnosis, you need to realise that until you have had the biopsy you've not had a cancer diagnosis. In the event that it is, it could be very low risk. I've read through your posts going back 3 months and you said you'd been diagnosed back then after your MRI, I'm not a Dr, but I'm not sure if that is possible.

I know that it's easier said than done because I am also the biggest worryer in the world, but please try not to catastrophise. Even if this does turn out to be cancer it can be treated and there's a good chance that you'll have many good years left. 

I recently watched an episode of GPs behind closed doors and a lady who was accompanied by her daughter was referred for tests to rule out cancer. When she left the surgery she immediately rang another family member and told them that she'd been told she had cancer. Her daughter corrected her. In moments of stress we can focus on the possible negatives in a conversation and filter out important positive words.

Last week my husband and I had a conversation with one of our neighbours and discovered that in the same month that my husband’s tests started he was given the all clear following a biopsy. You could also have the same result and I sincerely hope that this is the case.

Stay strong.