Hi I’m new here

Hi Caroline

welcome to this forum, I’m sorry that you’ve found your way here, but a warm welcome to you.

I’m one of those who chose the op route (T3a cancer) and had my prostate removed back in early July, I’ve written about my journey on from waking up after the op to my results just last week (I no longer have cancer) and if your husband gets to choose his route I would say have a read of that, and I know everyone is different but there may be something that you could take away from that.

If I may make one piece of advice at this early stage of his journey, it’s to keep away from Dr Google, there will be many things on there which are irrelevant, mis-informed and just plain wrong. Stick to the Macmillan website and to the Prostate Cancer UK websites. You’ll find the best information to hand on there and a very friendly community to come and visit on here, whatever issue you wish to talk about, none is too small or irrelevant and you’ll find someone who will be willing to advise or give you a direction as us guys have been through our various journeys and there are plenty of ladies on here too who have been and are supporting there menfolk today.

One other thing, it will feel daunting, confusing and a massive deal, but the one thing to look for or keep hold of is positivity, it goes a long way towards keeping things smooth.

If you have questions now or further down the line regarding operations, I’m happy to tell answer any question you or your husband has if it’s operation related.

Best wishes and good luck to you both

John

Hello Caroline (Caroline1957) 

Another warm welcome to the Macmillan online Community from me too.

 JohnyBoy above has given you some cracking advice so I won't repeat it. I am a T3aNoMo and I went the other way and have gone down the HT/RT route - Hormone Therapy/ Radiotherapy (I had a few other issues along the way). You can read my journey by clicking on my name or avatar.

I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have however trivial you may think the questions are. We are one big family on here so feel free to ask anything - don't worry you will get answers.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi John 

That’s fantastic news will you need regular check ups?thank you for your message l really appreciate it my husband is quite fit so hopefully he can have the operation when we got the news it was like a ton of bricks had fell on us he really wasn’t expecting that but I take my hat off to them they have moved really fast he was to have a pet scan tomorrow but cancelled it today I didn’t know about this on line someone at work told me which I am thankful take care John and yes we will stay away from dr google 

Hi Millbob 

thank you for your kind welcome both you and John have given me some good advice I feel just so helpless that I can’t help him the specialist has also said about the hormone treatment and radiation treatment if my husband has that treatment will he have regular check ups ? 
Take care 

caroline and ray 

Hello Caroline & Ray (Caroline1957) 

Which ever treatment path he choses he will have regular check ups and PSA tests to keep an eye on his progress. As his journey progresses he will have a team he can contact and also a Cancer nurse Specialist (CNS) to contact.

I am under The Christie in Manchester and we have a "Self Management" scheme where I have two dedicated named nurses I can contact at any point during the week either by telephone or e-mail.

As your cancer journey progresses it's wise to keep a note of every contact you make and their telephone number and e-mail address - you never know when you might need  them.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Caroline, the only follow-up I have to do now is a PSA blood test every 6 months for life just to keep an eye on things, but I’d rather do that than not to be honest. I was offered the option of an op or hormone therapy with radiotherapy, and to be honest I chose the op route for 2 reasons, a) to get the cancer out and move on b) if I’d chosen the therapy route and the cancer was still there at the end of 18 months of treatment, I wouldn’t be able to have the op as second choice, so to me, it was a no brainer decision for me.

Anyway, stay positive and feel free to ask anything you like of me & others

John

Hi Caroline, I can only echo John's reasoning. I would also add that I didn't fancy some of the possible side effects (vanity, self-esteem, well-being) but that's another story.

Hi Caroline and another welcome to the forum.

I was 71 when diagnosed in 2018 with T3A N0 M0 (the same as Brian Millibob ) but with a PSA of only 11. I was offered both surgery or HT/RT but chose the latter as I do a lot of rowing and was warned that surgery could leave me with "stress incontinence" when rowing. 

It's nearly 6 years since my RT was completed and over 3 years since my last Prostap injection. I was having biannual PSA tests until this June and have now been moved to annual tests from 2025. My PSA has been stable at 0.2 for the last 2 years so I am considered to be in remission.

Exercise is a very important part of the recovery process and now, at the age of 77, I walk at least 30 miles every week, swim a mile twice a week and row as often as possible.

I hope that helps.

Hi and good morning I have been reading your journal on you treatment and have just read it to my husband and this has helped like all of you your advice and help is immensely appreciated as a wifI feel helpless as anyone’s partner is and feels all we can do is stay strong and positive thank you and please take care caroline and ray 

Hello Caroline and Ray and a warm welcome from a wife here whose husband is T4. Just by being supportive and going with Ray to appointments offers great help so don't underestimate your contribution. This is very much a couples disease as we also go through a range of emotions, particularly at the start of the journey when our lives seem to be turned upside down and we are do not know what is involved or where our final destination is. You have had excellent replies from other members but can I also recommend that you look at the journey of Alpine Wanderer who went down the Brachytherapy route. Don't make any decisions until you have the full diagnosis as this will then give you a better indication of the risk factors of Ray's particular form of prostate cancer and may guide the best treatment route. In the meantime you can help by keeping Ray as fit as possible as well as ensuring that your diet is optimised - there are some general guidelines like reducing animal fat, increasing plants based proteins, eat more fruit and vegetables....