Any prostate cancer survivors out there. Little help

[Chuck in Indiana]

That picture was taken on a trip to Mexico.  ;-T
I know. Should take the SP.  ;D It needs a rear tire. The LeMans-don't trust the white float I repaired.  The LS is getting ready to be repainted,  The Ducati need front and rear tires.  The GS need front and rear. But, I know, should take the SP.   :BEER:
Matt

Yep, you might fall asleep and fall off that exciting K75.. ~; :BEER:

[dilligaf]

You got that right. I did however spend a bunch of money on the suspension. One of those tricked out Wilbers on the rear and Progressive on the front. All kinds of adjustments. Eye candy comes in many forms. Handles almost as nice as the SP and, sort of hard to believe, gets slightly better gas mileage.  The K75 in the picture is the one I hit the deer with. The one I currently ride is a combination of that one and a few others.  :BEER:
Matt

[Chuck in Indiana]

Not getting invited to K bike stuff either , huh Chuckie  ;D

  Dusty

As far as I'm concerned, the K75 is the best bike BMW ever made.  ;D  :BEER:

[dilligaf]

 :bike  And now back to Prostate Cancer 101.  ;D  :BEER:
Matt

[oldbike54]

:bike  And now back to Prostate Cancer 101.  ;D  :BEER:
Matt

Hey , you posted the pic , we were just responding . Spoil sport  ;D

  Dusty

[V7Record]

As a note, had my prostate biopsy today and it really wasn't bad at all. 
Worst part was just the doc moving the probe around (same as a digital exam with a finger), the part with the needles could barely be felt.
Results next week.

[guzzi4me]

May you have good news..less is better in this instance!

Great support group here..not only Guzzi's but life in general.

That's what makes this board so special....

Here's to....

Ride safe and often!!

Jeff

[oldbike54]

Yeah , WG is a good support group , well , until someone shows a pic of a cute Mexican girl on his bike  :D We are easily distracted  ;D

  Dusty

[V7Record]

I got my biopsy results today and drew the short stick.
My PSA is only 5.4 but 4 of the 12 cores came back positive scoring 3+3 for a G6 on each of them, a couple were at 10% and 1 at 30%.
Doc is leaning towards surgery but radiation is an option too.
I've got an appointment for a second opinion in a couple weeks and will be doing a lot of reading before then.
Thanks for all the info, opinions and support I've been reading here.
Brian

[redrider90]

I got my biopsy results today and drew the short stick.
My PSA is only 5.4 but 4 of the 12 cores came back positive scoring 3+3 for a G6 on each of them, a couple were at 10% and 1 at 30%.
Doc is leaning towards surgery but radiation is an option too.
I've got an appointment for a second opinion in a couple weeks and will be doing a lot of reading before then.
Thanks for all the info, opinions and support I've been reading here.
Brian

Those are not harsh numbers. You say Doc is leaning towards radiation. You are correct about doing a  lot of reading before your 2nd opinion. Don't let the Doc do the leaning towards surgery.  You learn and decide. You have to live with the with it and live with your decision.  How old are you?  Do not rush into anything. You have a lot of time to decide. Months and maybe longer if your numbers are stable.
You can learn a lot here YANA   http://pub2.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=154144579&frmid=42&msgid=0
I may have posted this site to Wildgooose before. The guy who started this site just passed from PCa. He died 20 years after a similar biopsy as yours and never had treatment until 15 years after his biopsy.

[LowRyter]

best of luck.  we're in your corner. 

[normzone]

Just my two cents here, no particular knowledge base.

My previous employers external auditor was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He's in his mid eighties. His doctor said that something else will kill him LONG before the prostate does, no big deal.

I had a spike in numbers a few years back, had a urologist check it out. Did biopsies, nothing of concern found. He pronounced it a prostate infection, which " are very difficult to treat, but not very dangerous ". Gave me sulfa to take once a day for thirty days.

Web research indicated that it's a very sketchy area, the infection diagnosis is questionable and so is the treatment. Good luck to you and please let me know results. My numbers are fine again.

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Normzone:

My previous employers external auditor was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He's in his mid eighties. His doctor said that something else will kill him LONG before the prostate does, no big deal.

This form of cancer is such an individual thing. My father was also diagnosed with PC in his mid 80s. His doctor said the same thing until a couple of years later when it appeared to be much more progressive than first thought. My father went through radiation and then surgery and died directly from the PC at age 90.
GliderJohn

[redrider90]

With all due respect stories of men in their 80s with PCa will do nothing to further V7R's knowledge base and decision making unless of course he is in his 80's. Many studies have shown that 80%-90% of men in their 80's have a latent form of PCa.
Stories about prostatitis are of no value for V7R either. Prostatitis is an inflammation sometimes infection of the prostate gland which has nothing to do with cancer.
V7R already has his diagnosis and now he needs to head down the path of finding out more about his disease and treatment options which may but not necessarily include active surveillance, surgery, radiation, hormone treatment and other options.  
I do not suggest that V7R do anything but take his time and learn learn and learn more before he makes a decision on if and when he treats his disease. When I was diagnosed in 2001 age 53 the average time between diagnosis and surgery (which was the majority treatment then) was 6 weeks. I waited 6 years. That 6 weeks from diagnosis to surgery was a  direct result of urologists hyping that all PCa needed to be treated immediately regardless of the aggressiveness of the cancer. Urologists also claimed that surgery was the gold standard even though they had no evidence to prove that it was more effective than other methods. So then things get murkier and more difficult to make a decision. VR7's numbers are low enough to suggest he has a slower less aggressive cancer. But more testing especially monthly testing is important to see if his PSA moves while he investigates. Some men want it out and want it out now. And the option is always there for them.  
Others like me took far longer than average to be treated. But I did not have a particularly aggressive cancer. That doesn't mean it will not recur even though I have been treated. Once you join the club you get regular PSA tests forever just like you change your oil on you Guzzi forever.
I hope V7R the best and finding oneself in this position is not fun. I remember getting a phone call from my urologist at 4:00 on a Friday afternoon saying I had cancer and need surgery in a few weeks thank you very much and hung up.
The most important bit of information I can give is learn about the disease and if and when you decide to get treated have it done by someone who has a good deal of experience in it.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Some researchers say men with active sex lives  ,partner or not, have a lower incidence of prostate cancer....This one of many such articles and there's aways contrary opinions..

         http://urology.jhu.edu/newsletter/prostate_cancer712.php

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Well,  don't that beat all.

[Testarossa]

Here's another update:  Consulted a prostate oncologist today (sent to him by my urologist). Scheduled to do an image-guided biopsy on Oct 14 -- this involves a CAT scan, then they knock you out and put the biopsy needle in through the abdominal wall, not the rectum. Based on the MRI images, oncologist says the mass, whatever it is, is well inside the prostate and nothing has spread outside -- we'll know for sure after the biopsy. He says if it is cancer, should be treatable with palladium-103 seeds, and I should be able to ski within a week of the procedure. No "conventional" sex for 6 weeks (or even spooning), because the business end will be radioactive. Will glow in the dark?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Will glow in the dark?

;D  ;D :BEER:  I'd have to check it out..

[Stormtruck2]

;D  ;D :BEER:  I'd have to check it out..

Umm, errr, gee, not really sure what to say Chuck.  :-\ ;)

[V7Record]

For the record I'm 56 and I don't think my family would ever let me wait 6 years for treatment.   ;D
I did order the book "A Primer on Prostate Cancer: The Empowered Patient's Guide " as some others suggested.
Thanks for the continued support.
Brian

[dilligaf]

Lot of great information. I could not have asked for more. Currently I'm in Lancaster, NH on a ride to Canada with my son in law. Going to stop in Bangor for the weekend and a stop at LL Bean to replace my stove.  :BEER:
Matt
PS: Yes it is cold. Not one of my smarter moves.  ;D

[Chuck in Indiana]

Lot of great information. I could not have asked for more. Currently I'm in Lancaster, NH on a ride to Canada with my son in law. Going to stop in Bangor for the weekend and a stop at LL Bean to replace my stove.  :BEER:
Matt
PS: Yes it is cold. Not one of my smarter moves.  ;D

This is the same weekend last year that the kid and I froze our buns off in the UP, eh?  ;D

[redrider90]

For the record I'm 56 and I don't think my family would ever let me wait 6 years for treatment.   ;D
I did order the book "A Primer on Prostate Cancer: The Empowered Patient's Guide " as some others suggested.
Thanks for the continued support.
Brian

The Primer is a very good book. I am not suggesting nor would I ever suggest to anyone that because I received treatment 6 years after I was diagnosed  that you or anyone else should do the same.  I provided my history for informational purposes only. Just like I provided my treatment choices for informational purposes only. In 2001 at age 53 I never expected to not be treated. It was only a question of when. Regular tests with a prostate cancer oncologist helped guide me through the maze. 2014 diagnostic technology is far superior than 13 years ago. Even though I had 2 major medical centers within 10 miles of me I went to see a doctor Fred Lee (who should be mentioned in Donna's "Primer") who developed the protocol for 2D color doppler ultrasounds that improved diagnostics. Now technology has 3D color doppler ultrasound machines improving that part of the diagnostics even more.   
As for your family, we each have our own relationships to our loved ones. That is just another consideration one needs to take when you decide your path you are going to take.
I found that I had to ignore many of my friends, family and even the men in the local prostate support group who were pushing me get it treated now. Delaying treatment is a treatment option and my hope was to buy time so that technology would improve my outcomes. Of course the flip side of that is if my cancer progressed fast then technology be damned. But when I got to picking hormone therapy and radiation there were enough studies to show that combining the 2 had a synergistic affect improving outcomes.
Additionally the radiation technology I picked improved significantly in those years. I think I did the right thing and I hope I did the right thing but I and only I am the one to live and die with the consequences of my decision. 
I do not believe men who have been treated should push other men towards any treatment options(s) whether i be surgery radiation, hormone therapy,  active surveillance and all the rest. One exception is when I see a man with very new diagnosis of very aggressive disease being pushed by his MD towards surgery as the only option. With very aggressive disease (Gleason 5+5= 10) the odd of successful remission improve when combining multiple therapies. And I do find myself suggesting to those men they consider carefully treating their disease sooner and consider multiple therapies.
How you let your family into your treatment decision is another deeply personal decision. I for one decided it was going to be my decision with my Doctor's assistance as to the method (s) and when to do it. Your numbers are not so bad; hence you have time to read "The Primer" and maybe find yourself consuming other material before making the choice. Good luck. This reminds me I am a month overdue for my 6 month labs. I better call and get the RX for the blood work.

[Texas Turnip]

I had 74 seeds put in almost 12 years ago in the Seattle, VA hospital by DR. Kent Walner. He has written two books on PC and would even return my call on a Sunday evening. My PSA has been jumping all over the place for 8 years. Now it has shot up to 19.6, but I'm not going thru surgery and have a 30 per cent chance of wearing a diaper. The Doc at the Dallas VA said when it got to 50 it was too late to do anything.

There has never been a male member of the Hand family to make it to 70 and my dad and uncle exercised, watched their diets and didn't smoke. I've cut back from 5 cigars to 3 and even tried eating some steel cut oats. What crap!. I put sausage gravy on them and still couldn't eat them. Even the buzzards that were eating a dead hog wouldn't touch the oats. I'm not going to worry about it and enjoy what few years I have left.

PC is about lots of tough decisions that only you and your soulmate can decide what to do.

Best of luck,
Tex

[Testarossa]

Upate: Had the image-guided biopsy yesterday (Tuesday). They took 27 cores and I get the report next Tuesday. It's ambulatory surgery, involving three docs -- anaesthetist, oncologist, urologist. Clean the bowel first: clear liquids only the day before, no intake at all for ten hours before the procedure. I arrived hungry and crabby. Probe goes through the perineum so no riding for ten days (maybe I'll have the T restoration finished?).

The nurses let you out of recovery when you can piss. I couldn't: urethra blocked by a clot. So in goes a Foley catheter, not fun if awake. The flat pissbag, size and shape of a dinner plate, is designed to hang from a bedrail and not to be strapped to the human leg. Walking is awkward, especially at first because the hose exits laterally from the undies (packed with surgical dressing), tugging the junk sideways -- then try to route it through the fly of your street pants. The indignity.

At home I shed the surgical undies stat, and found that the whole rig fits inside a pair of sweatpants thus restoring natural alignment. A proper ambulatory pissbag would be shaped to ride alongside the lower leg, like a whiskey flask. Have to wear this until Friday morning. The indignity.

Mood not helped by calendar coincidences: Tuesday was the second anniversary of Bev's death, Thursday I spend the day (with pissbag) talking to the DA in preparation for the trial beginning next Tuesday. Hoping for good news on the biopsy report.

[redrider90]

Upate: Had the image-guided biopsy yesterday (Tuesday). They took 27 cores and I get the report next Tuesday. It's ambulatory surgery, involving three docs -- anaesthetist, oncologist, urologist. Clean the bowel first: clear liquids only the day before, no intake at all for ten hours before the procedure. I arrived hungry and crabby. Probe goes through the perineum so no riding for ten days (maybe I'll have the T restoration finished?).

The nurses let you out of recovery when you can piss. I couldn't: urethra blocked by a clot. So in goes a Foley catheter, not fun if awake. The flat pissbag, size and shape of a dinner plate, is designed to hang from a bedrail and not to be strapped to the human leg. Walking is awkward, especially at first because the hose exits laterally from the undies (packed with surgical dressing), tugging the junk sideways -- then try to route it through the fly of your street pants. The indignity.

At home I shed the surgical undies stat, and found that the whole rig fits inside a pair of sweatpants thus restoring natural alignment. A proper ambulatory pissbag would be shaped to ride alongside the lower leg, like a whiskey flask. Have to wear this until Friday morning. The indignity.

Mood not helped by calendar coincidences: Tuesday was the second anniversary of Bev's death, Thursday I spend the day (with pissbag) talking to the DA in preparation for the trial beginning next Tuesday. Hoping for good news on the biopsy report.

Good luck and do not be surprised if you clot even days later. Heck I was out in the yard and was having trouble getting into the flow: this was 2 days after my biopsy.  All of a sudden what looked like a boulder of a clot came out along with red piss. My semen was murky brown for 6 weeks. Great fun talking about our crown jewels.
 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Good luck and do not be surprised if you clot even days later. Heck I was out in the yard and was having trouble getting into the flow: this was 2 days after my biopsy.  All of a sudden what looked like a boulder of a clot came out along with red piss. My semen was murky brown for 6 weeks. Great fun talking about our crown jewels.
 

Oh, yeah.. BTDT. Blew out a blood clot and a piece of meat.  :o That smarted some.  ;D Apparently got an infection..  ~; still negative with a high PSA and smaller than normal prostate. Changed docs. He's mystified, too..apparently.

[redrider90]

Oh, yeah.. BTDT. Blew out a blood clot and a piece of meat.  :o That smarted some.  ;D Apparently got an infection..  ~; still negative with a high PSA and smaller than normal prostate. Changed docs. He's mystified, too..apparently.

Chuck,
I have been in a prostate online group for a decade and guys like you pop up regularly. Cannot find cancer higher PSA. Gotta be infection most likely. Sometimes they recommend a saturation biopsy 36 sticks.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Chuck,
I have been in a prostate online group for a decade and guys like you pop up regularly. Cannot find cancer higher PSA. Gotta be infection most likely. Sometimes they recommend a saturation biopsy 36 sticks.

I had the 12. Then 12 in different places. Then an MRI with dye injection found a "suspicious" area. Biopsied that. Nada. I guess all this is good news, but still...

[redrider90]

I had the 12. Then 12 in different places. Then an MRI with dye injection found a "suspicious" area. Biopsied that. Nada. I guess all this is good news, but still...

If you have had all that and nothing then I would not even consider the "but still". Easy for me to say cause I've been through the mill. I understand none the less your "but still".  Just got back from my blood draw for PSA etc. 7 years out of hormone and radiation.
I'll be hyperventilating when I open the email in a couple of days. I am 2 months over due for blood work. I hate this part.