Update........Medical opinion

[Gerry Mac]

I had gone for my routine medical and of course did blood work. Two days letter I recieved a call to see my doctor ASAP. Doctor tells me my PSA (prostrate) is 4X normal. It went from 2.3 in April 2009 (previous medical) to 16.4 in August 2011. I am 60 years old.



Anyone here have similar situation? I admit to being concerned.



Gerry Mac

 

[Richard L]

My advices it to go see your doctor...there will probably be more exams and test to determine if there is a problem. The PSA test is not definitive proof of Prostate Cancer, and other test and examinations will be required to determine the cause.



I have an annual PSA test and my doctor does the finger thing every year and that's the best and only preventative measure you can do. So far I have had no problems, but I am due to see my doctor in October...but I have not had any symptoms.





....Rich

 

[Scott Tanner]

don't be alarmed just yet... mine spiked to around the same numbers as you a few years ago, and they did a biopsy and found nothing.... The important thing is that you're checking on it before it is a major issue... 4 of the guys I work with werent so lucky... keep us posted

 

[Robert Thomas]

Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt. (really did get a shirt, keychain, and coffee cup). The notice you got is most likely, a computer alert. First thing they will do is get you another bloodtest, if you keep flunking test, then off to the urologist, then they will want to do a ultrasound, and then a biopsy.



If it gets to that point drop me a email, before the ultrasound test if possible.



Don't get too worried at this point. Worst case, you are really going to be inconvenienced for about a year. Good thing is that you will laugh at people complaining about getting patted down at the airport.



By the way my highest PSA ever was 1.75. I've heard of people with over 100 that didn't have cancer.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Be careful if the doctor is examining you and he has both hands on your shoulders! :bwahaha:



Seriously, don't freak out, but get it checked further. Good luck.

 

[gary s]

i work in a lab and as rich mentioned a PSA test is not definite proof.

also if there is an issue, early detection is key here in your case.

i am sure things will be fine as both my brother in law and boss had advanced prostate cancer and they are doing very well years later after treatment.

but follow asap for some peace of mind.

best of luck and keep your head up :haveabeer:

 

[Gerry Mac]

Dear ST Friends,



I am confirmed with Stage 2 Prostrate Cancer. Treatment will start when I return from Kansas on October 13th. Several options available including freezing, radiation seeds or as last resort removal.



Blood tests this week show extreme levels of blood urea. Oncologist is concerned that "may" be sign of renal damage.



I have had word fights, street fights and gun fights. I always felt prepared, this fight scares the hell out of me. I am NOT prepared.



Gerry

 

[Robert Thomas]

Not to worry. Piece of cake. Stage 2 confined to capsule. Sounds like you caught it early. Not to say that it won't be "literally" a pain in the ass for about a year and they will want to suck blood from you till the end of time. They should have already started drugs to reduce the size of the prostate.



Opinion on treatment.



Freezing - still a ways to go for initial treatment. Don't know many who have had it. It is one treatment that is used in followup of other treatment. Highest occurrence of collateral damage, during treatment.



Surgery - know several who have had removal and are very satisfied with results. Find a doctor that specializes 100% this treatment and you should have a low change of damage. Recovery time slow.



Radiation - I had radiation and was very happy with it. It needs to be done by a Center that specializes it prostate treatment only, in my opinion. 90% success rate in stage 2. Also need to treat the surrounding glands. 45 treatment, 12 min a day with no side effects.



Seeds - I had 80, two months after radiation which increased 90% to 93%. Overnight stay in hospital. About 2 months recovery. Very little damage.



Take your time and talk to Physicians that do each type of treatment. No need to be in a great rush. I took drugs for about two months before treatment which reduced the size of the Prostate and made the whole process a lots easier (less area to treat or remove). Make a decision that you are comfortable with. I found a Center that just treated Prostate Cancer and felt very comfortable with their documented success rate.



Had about two weeks which I was restricted from playing tennis. Made up for it when they gave me steroids after seeds. Painted the house.



The one night in the Hospital I had to give up beer.



:haveabeer:



"Pain is part of life, misery is self induced"

 

[Gerry Mac]

Thanks Redfish. I really appreciate the advice. We have a Prostrate Cancer Centre here and I understand they are very good.



You provided better information than the urologist. I asked to wait until after I get back from the race in Kansas and then hammer away at it.



I have your personal e-mail here and will let you know how it goes if you like?



Gerry

 

[Richard L]

Gerry,

Sorry to hear that the outcome of your tests was confirmed. I have never had that problem...yet but it sounds like Redfish has been there, done that, (probably has the T-shirt too):grin:



The only thing I can interject is that age plays an important part in the recovery. Most men do not have prostate problems until they are past 50...still a young age. If you are past 50 you probably already know that you don't bounce back as fast as you did when you were 35.



I'm 65 and I think Redfish is pretty close to my age too. So depending upon how old he was when he had prostate problems, he seems to have bounced back very well, and I'm sure you will too.



Keep us posted on your progress.



...Rich

 

[Les]

Had radiation and seeds, outpatient procedure. Missed one day of work, the prep was the worse part of the experience. Out to dinner and drinks, same night.

 

[Gerry Mac]

I am turning 61 in January.



I have plenty of points to retire. I only need 80 and have 98 points. That is a whole other issue. No financial reasons really, I just love to do my job. Done it so long that I can't ever imagine not doing it.



Thanks guys for the advice. I promise to keep you posted.



Gerry

 

[Robert Thomas]

65 now, 60 when I got treatment.



Gerry, get me your address and I will send you some information. No reason to retire unless you want to. Yes keep me informed.



Les is right-on, prep and testing it is worst part. I have a theory on it.



"Long, long ago in the 50's and 60's we frequently hear of rednecks constantly getting abducted and probed my aliens. As you have noticed this no longer happens. My theory is that the aliens had funding problems, so they have now taken the identity of prostate doctors. Now they probe at will, no rednecks are on TV complaining about them, and they get the probe-e's to pay them."

 

[Gerry Mac]

"Long, long ago in the 50's and 60's we frequently hear of rednecks constantly getting abducted and probed my aliens. As you have noticed this no longer happens. My theory is that the aliens had funding problems, so they have now taken the identity of prostate doctors. Now they probe at will, no rednecks are on TV complaining about them, and they get the probe-e's to pay them."

Well at least you got me laughing.



I will send you my home address.



Thanks

 

[Robert Thomas]

How's it going?

 

[Gerry Mac]

Hi,



Well the news is not great. Its not a death knell either, at this point anyway. My prostrate is at 80cc. A normal prostrate should be 30cc. It is too large to remove. 3/4 of the prostrate has high-grade cancer. 8 of the 12 samples were 100% cancer. The Gleason score is 7.

My options are 1. Do nothing and wait for the inevitable. 2. Try to remove the prsotrate and risk serious consequences including incontinence, impotence and death. 3. Start a heavy program of radiation. That would be 5-6 weeks of daily radiation treatments with the accompanying side effects.



I have allowed myself to get very down about this and have to make a decision by this Friday, Nov 25th. If someone would to come give me a kick in the ass I would appreciate it.



I am not sure I want any of these options and have considered an easy out. I won't do that to my wife or my colleagues.



That's it guys. Sorry to dump all that but you guys are like a family to me. Just not so annoying.



Gerry

 

[H D]

My grandfather did radiation for the same diagnosis. Worked for him.



Praying for you.

 

[Robert Thomas]

"Pain is part of life, misery is self induced"



It does not sound like you have any indication that the cancer is outside the prostate. This is very good. You should of gotten a bone scan and CT scan by now, but still you never know for sure.



Radiation if done properly is very good at reducing the risk. I had 45 radiation treatments and seed implants without and side effects. This treatment had a 93% success rate if the cancer was not outside the prostate. They should be giving you drugs to reduce the size of the prostate and radiation or surgery should not be started for about two or three months after the drugs have worked. The drugs were the worst of the whole thing. Don't quite understand why the 25th has to be you date. Don't let individual doctors push you into a decision.



Email me with any questions anytime. Sorry I couldn't get the book to you.

 

[Richard L]

Gerry,

Did the doctor give you any estimate of success with the radiation therapy and/or the surgery??



I would think that the radiation therapy would be my first choice, but even that may have some serious side effects which you need to discuss with the doctor



If that fails then I would assume you should still have the option for the surgery? Again check with the doctors about the success rate, and if this option would still be available to you if the radiation treatments did not work.



I have heard of a radiation treatment where they implant a small radioactive seed in the prostate and it kills off the cancer cells without all of the side effects normally associated with conventional radiation treatments.



Either way, keep your chin up...and trust your doctors to do what's right for you, and you will probably come through this just fine. 80% of the success is in your attitude. Keep an optimistic outlook and you can beat this.



....Rich

 

[Robert Thomas]

Rich & Gerry,



"Seed" is plural, very plural. Eighty to one-hundred twenty depending on the size of the prostate.



Normal and a proven radiation process is to treat the area outside the prostate, with daily treatments for about 10 days. Then treat the prostate for abut 25 days. Then treat the surrounding glands to be safe. Total number of treatments should be about 45. Eighty to 90% success rate. I traveled 2 1/2 hours one way, got a 12, min treatment, traveled home, and played tennis in the afternoon.



Seed implants without radiation treatment is 80 to 120. One day in the hospital. About a week light duty. Not fun but not bad. 80 to 90%



If you get radiation and seeds. You get the radiation, wait about a month, get seeds, then go back in about three months and get the last radiation treatments. 93% success rate.