Hello kinlar and welcome. The first few weeks are the most frightening as we don't know what to expect in terms of tests being carried out, what the results mean and then what treatment is likely to be offered but be reassured that treatment is available even when you have other health conditions. There is a book which you can download for free which explains a lot of this so read this first.
If you can give us a little more information if you have it like PSA, TNM and histology from biopsy then this will help us to give you more tailored information.
The statistics show that 98% of men die with it and not of it. If caught early then it can be treated with curative intent or even just having active surveillance. Even if it has developed to the non curative stage it can usually be treated for many years.
Please ask any questions and we will try and help.
Hi kinlar , good luck with your appointment. If you have any questions before or after your meeting feel free to ask. We will help you through this. David
Hello kinlar . A PSA of 17 is high but not overly so. On its own the PSA can only tell you that something is going on but you need the biopsy and the scans to tell you what. Have you had any of these yet and if so do you know what they say? Age and other medical conditions can affect the type of treatment you are given but these will be taken into account when the experts come up with a plan. The waiting is difficult but it does get better once you know what you are dealing with. Do you know which department you are waiting for at the hospital - if so you can ring them and let them know that you can take a cancellation at short notice but also tell them that the waiting is making you anxious. I hope you get an appointment soon and let us know if you have any more information or questions.
The first step will probably be to call you in for an MRI scan of your prostate.
If there are any suspicious areas in the MRI the next step is a biopsy where they take tissue samples from the prostate to see if there is cancer present.
After these tests your clinical team will know whether or not you have cancer and will discuss the options with you.
The MRI and biopsy happen quite quickly but the final diagnosis can take a little more time.
Its a stressful time so be patient and distract yourself with the people and things you enjoy.
Once you have a diagnosis and a pathway to management or cure you can start to get back to normal.
Hi kinlar . Take things one step at a time. I am sorry to hear that you are having waterworks problems and a tablet can help -do you have a name for it? Like any medication it can come with side effects particularly when you first start taking it and until your body gets used to it so if you feel a little bit funny you must speak to your doctor. Can I ask how old you are as waterworks problems often come with age. There is also something which you can do yourself to help improve things - this is called pelvic floor exercises. Basically you can strengthen your internal muscles - when you go for a wee try stopping it mid flow - these are the muscles you use but it is important to do the exercises properly. There is an app called the SQUEEZY APP or here is a link explaining it.
