New to it all

Good Morning Badgersdrift 

A warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Prostate Community - I am so sorry to find you here - but we are a decent bunch!!

First of all I would say - yes a cancer diagnosis is devastating news, however thanks to your having a PSA test it's been found and you are on the cancer pathway. I am a T3aN0M0 and am on a "Curative Pathway" so there are positives to look for.

It would help us to help you if you could update your profile with your journey to date and full diagnosis - Initial PSA, Gleason Score and full TNM staging. - To do this on your home page click on the chair - top right, then "Profile" and then "Edit". Once you have written something then press "Save". (You can read a community Member's profile by clicking on their name or icon - you can read mine - but I had other issues as well as PCa!).

The one thing I would advise you to do now is keep up with the training as which ever treatment path you are going on "fatigue" will be lurking!! I hope this helps, once we see your full diagnosis we will be in a better place to advise and help you.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thankyou.i will do this ,mine is t3a nomo as well

Hi Badgersdrift , very sorry you have joined our Club and while non of us want to be in it, I think you have been incredibly lucky to get diagnosed while still curable.  Another 6- 12 months might have given a very different outcome!  If you have read any other posts, you will see that a common thread with all of us is the initial diagnosis and the way it knocks you sideways.  Every waking thought seems to be about PCa.  I can assure you, that things will get better in time and life does go back to normal.  Brian ( Millibob ) is absolutely spot on with encouraging you to keep your fitness regime where you can.  You may need to watch you don’t push too hard and we always say ‘listen to your body’.

You are young and fit so your starting point is good.  Let us know how you get on and please ask any questions you have. Best wishes, David

Hi Badgersdrift,

I am so sorry to find you here but as the guys said you are at the lowest point of this journey which is just after diagnosis. You are not going to believe it now but you are very lucky to be diagnosed in such early stage. According to your diagnosis details you will be probably put on curative path. Many of the men here on curative path, after treatment went back to their normal life. Alpinewaderer@  just finished his treatment few weeks ago and he is hiking the European alps. Your life will settle into a treatment plan but will be almost normal. Even my own husband, with advanced PC live almost normal life. 

We are doing exactly what we were doing last year this time. We are both enjoying the summer, looking forward to the football tonight and have lots of fun and laughter. We even plan and book our holiday in September and if you would tell me that in November when he diagnosed I would not believe it. My husband is very sporty like yourself and he keep swimming everyday for an hour and top it with few times a week in the gym. He is more tired but he his doing really well. And you have your youth on your side, a baby of 62!

Please stick with this community here, this is a god send of knowledge and love and we are all fighting this bastard together. 

Lots of love

Dafna

Hi Badgersdrift, sorry you’ve found your way here, but there’s a bunch of great guys & girls on here for you to take away what you need from this forum.

Myself, fit, only been Ill Ill once in my life before, I’m 57 and have T2c Gleason (3+4) prostate cancer & I’m in for my radical prostatectomy a week Friday.

I believe it’s a matter of where you are in your head and the support that you have around you that gets you through this, I’m a positive person naturally and yes there are the odd down days but I won’t let this canger dictate how I go about my life, for instance this week I’m in Lanzarote with extended family, because I can. Next week I have my operation, but that’s next week and I’ll deal with that then. Once the ops done I’ll deal with the recovery period & any side effects that present themselves, but as long as the cancer is gone that’s me done and it’ll be move on time, if in time I find that it’s not all gone, I’ll deal with the next stage of treatment. 

I know not everyone is the same way as me, but I’m only of the lucky ones, I get to choose my option for a cure as it was found early and to that end, I’m not ill, I just have cancer, don’t mistake this for flippancy, it’s just the way that I am, issues in life are dealt with.

Take care, make the right informed choice for you, make sure you have someone with you at each appointment as 2 pairs of ears are better than one plus you can discuss what you both heard, but above all, stay positive, this cancer doesn't  get to rule you, only you rule you, and continue with your life as normal as possible until this stage is a distant memory.

Good luck

John

Hi Bangersdrift.

Good afternoon it's great to meet you today please don't be sorry about asking for the PSA check as at least your cancer has been picked up and you will soon be on a treatment pathway which is really important.

Mine was picked up by accident as I was having a bladder scan at the time and they noticed a large shape (prostate) pressing on my bladder 

I also had all of the scans and tests which confirmed confirmed "Advanced Cancer" and I was told that I was "Treatable but not Currable"

My PSA was 1000+ and I was put straight onto 'Hormone Therapy"  My PSA dropped within weeks and 12mnts on it now stands at 0.9.

I have got another treatment to take up once the PSA numbers start to rise again (chemo) 

There's a number of ways that I can have these when the time comes which is great news.

There are a number of treatments available nowadays for prostate cancer dependent on diagnosis.

And the landscape is changing all of the time with new treatments coming on line constantly which is very encouraging.

Please come back to me if you need any further help or support???

Prostate Worrier.

Thankyou

Hi JohnyBoy,

I think we are both lucky in having a similar outlook on life, dealing with things as they are at the moment & not  overly worrying about what may happen next.  It doesn't necessarily mean that we don't consider the next stage, but my philosophy has always been that it is what it is, & worrying isn't going to change anything. 

I really feel for anyone who struggles with fear & doubt etc as it must be so difficult to manage.  Hopefully your comment  

JohnyBoy said:

above all, stay positive, this cancer doesn't  get to rule you, only you rule you, and continue with your life as normal as possible until this stage is a distant memory.

will bring comfort to all who read it.

Hope all goes well with your operation next week & that you have a speedy recovery.  In the meantime, enjoy Lanzarote.

Best Wishes

Brian

Cheers Brian, I think positivity and not being afraid of a fight works in its own way as a natrial medicine, that’s always been my way and this time on this occasion there will only ever be one winner … me !!

all the best for your recovery / op and where you’re at now

John

Hi Badgersdrift - just back from a couple of days in the Peak District.  Yes, there is life after diagnosis!  I’m T3a, N0, M0 as well as you with similar PSA initial reading.

check out Alpine Wanderer for my journey.   you’ll be fine, try not to worry.   AW