Just diagnosed

Hi James,

Try not to second guess, easier said than done I know.  Your bladder issue could be many things, inflammation, infection, or prostate pressing on it, not necessarily cancer but regardless of what it is you are now in the system and going through the pathways to find solutions.  You are doing well, being proactive and arming yourself with information and support. Try and just deal with each day as it presents itself and know that you are doing everything in your power to take a positive action to beat this and day by day you will get there.

kind regards

Linda

Thanks Linda I will do my best. I am having problems with my Pharmacy today. they have only sent 1 lot of my medication and don't what has happened to the other one. Everything always seems like an uphill battle.

Kind regards James.

I have just been speaking to my GP. He was suprised by what the specialist told me and said it was highly optomistic. My PI-RADS score on the tumours is 4 which means it is highly likely to be cancerous. I think the specialist was just trying to ease the blow when he said 0nly 20% of tumours in the prostrate are liable to be cancer. I trust my GP more than the Consultant who I have never seen before.

Sorry for going on about this again but I am very frightened.

Kind regards James.

Hi James

I can understand your worries and being frightened by not knowing - it's something most of us have been through just as soon as cancer is diagnosed. You are right to want to share your concerns.

As Linda said above, you are in the system, try not to guess what the results are - easier said than done. All the professionals have their own way of dealing with things but here are two facts for you to mull over:

* PI-RADS - a score of 4 from memory has a 60% chance of a tumour being cancerous and

* Modern treatments of both Prostate and Bladder cancer have a good success rate.

You are on the treatment path - if the professionals were worried as to how advanced your condition was, I think you would be fast tracked. Would it help by telling your G P of your anxiety and obtaining medication to help?

If you read through the various posts on here there are plenty of us who are "still here" after successful treatment.

(If you send me a PM I will have a conversation off line with you - it might help).

I hope this helps.

Brian.

Hello James, I agree with Brian, maybe you could speak to your GP to get something to help with your anxiety. But of course you’re frightened, everyone is when they get a diagnosis so overwhelming.  Try and just deal with one thing at a time.  It’s so easy to let your mind run riot but in the long run it won’t change anything.  You will get through this, just like Brian did and is still doing, as well as all the other lovely guys in here.  Maybe you should take up Brian’s kind offer of  a wee one to one chat it might really help.  Thinking of you.

Linda

Thanks Brian and Linda.

 I am already on powerful meds because of my Anxiety, Depression and OCD. I have been on them for along time and cannot increase the dose. I was allowed one extra Lorazepam before the MRI because I am Claustrophobic. The OCD is the real problem here. My Brain does not function like a normal persons. Everything becomes a catastrophe. Worse first thing in the morning getting better as the day goes on and I take my next tablets. I have a weird personality and I am a geek and overthinker.

 Really appreciate your comments and thoughts.

Kind regards James.

Hi James

Ah - I understand about the medication, and I can see the OCD being an issue too BUT (note it's a big BUT) everyone has their issues and don't think it's just you. We all have issues - as well as PC I am on pills for diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol - I rattle first thing in the morning. I think you are going to have to play this day by day and remember we as a community are here for you, so there's always someone to talk to.

Weird personality and a geek! - OK then here's one for you I am an accountant and run my own practice and have a couple of staff - yet whilst I was fit and younger I spent most of my spare weekends driving and firing steam engines on a preserved railway!! Now i am not as fit I follow my football team all over the country, home and away each weekend. Can I join the geek club too??  Don't put yourself down. It's fine to do as you wish and follow your thoughts and dreams.

Prostate Cancer (and other cancers) puts us all from all walks of life in a place we never thought we would be. The only people who truly understand the cancer, are the patient, the family and some professionals. We don't fight this alone - we are with you - I might be 19 months in front of you -but I am with you in this. No one fights cancer alone.

Best wishes.

Brian.

Hi,

 Just been looking at some treatment options and they all seem to have horrific side efects. Not sure if I can cope with these. They all seem to take a long time with considerable suffering. It might be better to refuse treatment seeing I am at the age of 69.

Kind regards James.

Hi James, I’m 2 months post op and whilst we are all different my side effects are not that bad. 
Best advice I received was “head down, keep calm and carry on”

Youll be stronger than you think!

Hi Retrovanian,

I’ve been reading this thread and want to chip in. I totally understand the anxiety and worry over this situation and it must be an exhausting time for you . I think I’m right in saying that everyone here has gone through moments of extreme stress, fear and panic with their diagnosis. Each person handles it differently. One thing I know for sure is that if you over think this and decide not to go through with the biopsy and decide not to have any treatments because of the fear of what MAY happen, you will be in a worse place. You will then have left yourself in an area of the unknown, a place where you can overthink and worry endlessly about this cancer and you will find no release from it, as you won’t have any solid answers available to you.

My partner had the biopsy and it’s was straightforward with mild discomfort after, next day he felt fine. If you can get the biopsy done you will then know what you are dealing with and then you can make an informed choice and decision of what you want to do next.= treatment or no treatment.  It’s one step at a time. As you say you are 69, most prostate cancers are slow growing, if you don’t want to have treatment you don’t have to. But you really can’t happily make that decision if you don’t really know the options available and the grade of cancer.

Don’t think beyond the biopsy. You’ve done lots of research and you know what sort of biopsy you want. Discuss this with your GP/Consultant and get it done. It’s very unlikely that you will get any side effects other than a bit of discomfort after. You will have antibiotic’s probably anyway and if not you can ask to have one. I think you know that your mind with give you no peace if you don’t take this next step. Research it some more so that you know you have everything in place in your mind. Focus on what coping skills and methods you will use to get through this next bit and utilise them . You can do it you really can- one small step at a time. Before you know it, it will be over and you will know where you are with it. 
wishing you all the best 

L