Prostate cancer

[buggi]

Can I please urge anyone over the age of 50 to ask their doctor for a blood test for prostate cancer. The reason for this is:

1. My dad just found out he has it.
2. He's 68 and as prostate cancer is slow growing he could have had it for 10 years. However, if he'd found it in 6 months it would be a very different story.
3. He has had NO symptoms and it was only found due to one of those random well-man check ups and also just because the doctor decided to tick the check-box for "prostate" on his blood test form (the one that goes off for a cholesterol test).
4. The cancer was in 75% of his prostate which means he had no choice but to have it removed.
5. it's a nasty operation and here's the clincher which not a lot of men know... IT LEAVES YOU LIMP AND er... how can i put this... "short changed" (they have to remove some of the urethra along with the prostate, hence the resulting short willy and impotence.

BUT IMPORTANTLY...

6. if they catch it early there are other options other than those resulting in point 5 above. In fact, other options can mean a "70% full recovery in the function of the penis"... So please ask for a test now because i don't think any man deserves that.

my dad had his removed a week ago, and he's pulling the "cancer patient" look off quite well me thinks, dressed in my mum's dressing gown walking around with his catheter bag with bloody colour wee in it. However, although he was left with a pretty crap choice (ie. die or impotence) he has a very loving wife who wants him alive and well, and he's hopefully on the road to recovery (will find out on 20th if they got it all).


ps. symptoms can be same for prostate cancer as for an enlarged prostate, which are two entirely separate things, so if you have symptoms this does not mean you definitely have cancer but you should check. Also sometimes people with prostate cancer have NO symptoms just like my dad.

 

[Mrbez]

I'm only 24 myself, but I wish your father a speedy recovery. Cancer has affected me 4 times in my life, not me personally, but my family. My sister contracted leukaemia when she was 12, 3 days before her birthday infact, and she had her final 10 year check up last year. Fingers crossed for you, I am sure all will be fine!

 

[slowmotion]

Thanks buggi. I would be keener to go for a test if they just took a blood sample. The "finger up the bum", (digital examination), MTFU scenario, first thing in the morning, has been keeping me away from the GP for quite some time.

Thanks for the reminder

BTW, how well your bits work after the op. is quite often down to the skill of the surgeon. If he takes cares to avoid small nerves, " normal service may be resumed".

 

[henshaw11]

All the best for a full recovery for your dad - pretty sure my OH's father has had the same problem for years tho'doesn't talk about it, but he seems to be doing ok and he's in his late 70s.

Breast and cervical cancer gets a lot of attention, but prostate - not so much...

As you've said, it's worth asking for a checkup as a matter of course - (at 48) I was trying to get a possible bone density issue looked into (looks like I'll have to pay for that myself ) But I wound up with various tests, then wound up with a psa test too - indicated a possible prostate problem , cancer or enlargement. It seems it's just enlargement - IIRC normal psa is ~2 or below, my first reading was nearer 6 ! But things that increase it are anything that aggravates the prostate - sex and cycling being two examples. After 3 or 4 tests, a visitation from Mrs Marigold, and avoided cycling (etc!) in the run-up to tests - my readings were still above normal, but nearer (3, 3.5 kinda level) It's more concerning if the psa level carries on getting higher...

There have been a few clues, getting up for a piddle in the middle of the night more frequently (has been pretty bad after a night's drinking or tea/coffee later evening, tho' milk seems ok - come to think about it, laying off tea/coffee after about 9 seems to make the biggest difference...)

Generally most blokes are likely to die *with* prostate cancer, rather than from it - there's been some rethinking in recent years over when to operate, given the side effects.

Whilst the prospect of having someone's finger up yer bottom isn't necessarily that appealing...well, in that context ! - it's not unpleasant and good for a bit of piece of mind (eventually, in my case). You do have to hassle the bloody doctor IME - he'd ask for retests when it was high, but now it's normal-ish I've dropped off the map - I'll probably have to pester him in mebbe 12 months time...

Slowmotion - JFDI !

 

[slowmotion]

Slowmotion - JFDI !

henshaw11, I had to look that acronym up in the Urban Dictionary! Yes, you are right, and I appreciate your stern advice.

 

[Silver Fox]

I wish your dad all the best buggi, he obvioulsy has a loving family to support him.

 

[Gromit]

My Auntie who is in her 80's had a massive tumor removed a few weeks ago from her bladder and kidneys. For years she has not been getting a decent nights sleep as she kept getting up in the night to pee. Never thought of getting any help for the condition as she thought nothing could be done. Got a text from my mum the other day saying she now has to have her bladder removed.

My mum is on her third bout of cancer, the doctors say they can't do anything for her as she has already had two operations on her face and inside her mouth she will be 70 in November. She has had to have a feeding tube inserted into her belly button.

I think having a finger up the bum once every few years is better than having a nasty disease that eats away at your insides eventually killing you. So the men of the forum should stop being babies and go get checked out.

Being a female we have to go for smears and get checked out every three years, yes it is embarrassing but if it saves our lives by diagnosing a nasty illness then so be it.

 

[dellzeqq]

Thanks buggi. I would be keener to go for a test if they just took a blood sample. The "finger up the bum", (digital examination), MTFU scenario, first thing in the morning, has been keeping me away from the GP for quite some time.

Thanks for the reminder

BTW, how well your bits work after the op. is quite often down to the skill of the surgeon. If he takes cares to avoid small nerves, " normal service may be resumed".

The finger up the bum thing isn't so awful, and it makes a great topic for conversation.

 

[Fnaar]

The finger up the bum thing isn't so awful, and it makes a great topic for conversation.

As long as the doctor doesn't say "blimey, you've had some right cowboys in here!"

 

[betty swollocks]

Chis Bell from Highpath Engineering (makers of bespoke chainrings and other stuff) has written very informatively, candidly and movingly about his experience with prostate cancer here.

 

[ianrauk]

Wishing your father all the best wishes for a good recovery Buggi.

Unfortunately my father in law had his Prostate cancer discovered too late and he died in 2009. He was suffering from lower back pain for a while but stubbornly refused to go see a doctor about it. It was that cancer that was causing the pain.

 

[numbnuts]

All the best for your father

 

[Strick]

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery for your Dad, and anyone else with any form of Cancer of course.
Lost my Mum to it in 2006, its a horrible disease.

 

[pubrunner]

Can I please urge anyone over the age of 50 to ask their doctor for a blood test for prostate cancer.

Thanks buggi - this is a very useful posting; I suspect that many of us tend to put off this sort of thing, but a reminder is very helpful.

I had the blood test a couple of years ago and all was fine; but how frequent should the tests be ? Yearly ? every 4 or 5 years ?

And best wishes to your Dad !!!

 

[4F]

Buggi, hope you Dad has a speedy recovery.

Thanks for the reminder, just booked a well man clinic for Friday. Been 5 years since the last one.