Prostate cancer. A useful resource.

[The general]

They gave me a nappy to put on!

Yes they certainly put a lot lot of numbing gel up the bowel ! It worked for me

 

[rod_vw]

I had a telephone consultation yesterday and to cut a long story short, as part of my ongoing monitoring I’m booked in for a second biopsy procedure in August, two PSA bloods to be done in the meantime (April/July).
The Consultant quipped “It’ll give you something to look forward to whilst you’re getting a tan somewhere”
Only those that have had it know

Only the minor discomfort and sharp sting of the local anaesthetic being injected. A good friend who had been through it a while ago likened the equipment to a reverse potato gun.
The rest depends on your susceptibility to being embarrassed, I had a pleasant nurse sat beside me for reassurance, we had quite an amusing conversation whilst it was happening especially when I likened the position to child birthing.
I accepted it as something that had to be done so best get on with it, actually met another patient that I had been at collage with fifty five years previously. Small world!

 

[The general]

The rest depends on your susceptibility to being embarrassed,

All in a days work ! For the hospital crew ! Seen it all before , i mean if having rt , sometimes you might pee yourself whilst on the bed , or like me had red card once my bowel too full ‘ go and see if you can empty ‘!! which i managed but i had to go thru drinking water again expanding my bladder even more boy i had to rush to the toilet with the other patients cheering it was like a big family ,all in the same boat ! I found it most interesting

 

[DavidG58]

The general

I was warned about any number of potential risks and side effects, not quite this graphically

 

[The general]

I remember rt takes about 12 mins ?? Music is played , once I remember bat out of hell ex !!

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[Sunseeker 115]

how often do you guys get your PSA tested? I would like to know if what I had so far has reduced mine from 750. Just waiting now to start chemo. Have advanced prostrate which has gone into the bones.

 

[The general]

I get

reduced mine from 750.

Whats the reading now ? I am on 6 month test , a guy i know is on 2monthly , he refuses ht ????? They can’t operate or have chemo /rt underlying health problems . His psa 11.4

 

[rod_vw]

My hospital doesn't seem to be following my PSA so I asked my GP for a test back in January. Here are my figures from the first test to date...

29th March 2023 – 10.3ug/L
3rd May 2023 – 9.4ug/L
On HT since 27th September 2023
4th January 2024 – 0.76ug/L
Appointment with RT department next Thursday 28th March 2024. If they don't request a new test I will.

 

[DavidG58]

I have been told they won’t be checking my PSA, they don’t need to the hormone treatment will be reducing it.

I did ask how they can be certain and was told I need to trust them that it will be

At least mine was only 5.58 at last test

 

[Hettie's Crew]

how often do you guys get your PSA tested?

Every 12 weeks

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[The general]

I did ask how they can be certain and was told I need to trust them that it will be

Correct it will

 

[The general]

Here is my psa record , you can see it started at 6.4 after two ht injections it dropped to 0.64 mid treatment dropped to 0.19 .treatment finish end of jan 2019. Had one injection in march ? Then follow up oncologist on my birthday !!! 4/4/19 daid no need for any more ht . As from then just 6 month psa test , no spikes allowed and the magic number is 2.0 before they think any more treatment needed ? Which would be HT

 

[The general]

My key dates thru this cancer

 

[lorger]

Big day tomorrow, in for my Rezum treatment at 2pm. Not really sure what to expect, some reports say there’s nothing to it and some say it’s painful so I’ve booked the first one
Due to the distance I’m staying in overnight although usually you’re home the same night.

 

[MandP]

Big day tomorrow, in for my Rezum treatment at 2pm. Not really sure what to expect, some reports say there’s nothing to it and some say it’s painful so I’ve booked the first one
Due to the distance I’m staying in overnight although usually you’re home the same night.

Good luck

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[Oldrat]

Best of luck

 

[gus-lopez]

Big day tomorrow, in for my Rezum treatment at 2pm. Not really sure what to expect, some reports say there’s nothing to it and some say it’s painful so I’ve booked the first one
Due to the distance I’m staying in overnight although usually you’re home the same night.

good luck with that tomorrow

 

[DavidG58]

Big day tomorrow, in for my Rezum treatment at 2pm

No idea what it is Gerry, but wishing you best luck

 

[lorger]

No idea what it is Gerry, but wishing you best luck

David it's a procedure to shrink my prostate, they do it via steam injections in to the prostate. By most accounts it's pretty painless, I believe some folk have discomfort for a while after the procedure. I keeping my fingers crossed it works as it seems the least invasive with very few side effects, the only downside is it will probably get worse before it gets better and can take about 10 weeks before seeing the benefit.

 

[Deep Owl]

Had my PSA done last year (I’ve had it done occasionally over the years); what a rigmarole! Went in to surgery to collect annual blood test forms, “can I have a PSA as well”, “have to make an appointment with doctor for that”! Letter to Practice Manager: women have Cervical Smears and Mammograms thrown at them, why do I have to waste a consultation? Three weeks later, come and collect a form.
This year, “can I have a PSA test with my bloods”? “Can’t do it without doctor’s agreement”. I said the King has prostate cancer, celebrities are screaming at us to get tested and I can’t get a test at this surgery without an appointment; I even showed her last year’s result on my phone NHS app, no can do! A serious letter to Practice Manager , reply awaited.
P.S. I am a retired GP.

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[lorger]

Had my procedure carried out on Tuesday, kept in overnight due to the distance I’d traveled or I’d have been home that night.
No real pain in the prostate area just a burning sensation when the catheter moves, I have the valve for daytime and a bag for nighttime. I’ve to keep this for a week then go for a void test and hopefully have the catheter removed.

 

[repairer]

Had my procedure carried out on Tuesday, kept in overnight due to the distance I’d traveled or I’d have been home that night.
No real pain in the prostate area just a burning sensation when the catheter moves, I have the valve for daytime and a bag for nighttime. I’ve to keep this for a week then go for a void test and hopefully have the catheter removed.

I had the TURP operation about 7 weeks ago, they did offer me the “steam treatment” as an option but informed me it was not guaranteed to work, so opted for the TURP op, still in recovery, I was in full retention before op, catheter for 3 months before op.

Will be interesting to hear how your treatment goes.

 

[lorger]

I had the TURP operation about 7 weeks ago, they did offer me the “steam treatment” as an option but informed me it was not guaranteed to work, so opted for the TURP op, still in recovery, I was in full retention before op, catheter for 3 months before op.

Will be interesting to hear how your treatment goes.

My urologist mentioned the TURPS but recommended the Rezum, he seemed pretty confident it would work and from my research it has a 96% success rate. He did say it’s not been on the go long enough to know how long it will work for, although he’d hope for 10 years min. His main reason for recommending this was less chance of side effects and as I’m only 56 he thought it better to try this first and if only last 10 years, then at that age the side effects with TURPS might not be as much a concern.

Hope all goes well for you.

 

[repairer]

My urologist mentioned the TURPS but recommended the Rezum, he seemed pretty confident it would work and from my research it has a 96% success rate. He did say it’s not been on the go long enough to know how long it will work for, although he’d hope for 10 years min. His main reason for recommending this was less chance of side effects and as I’m only 56 he thought it better to try this first and if only last 10 years, then at that age the side effects with TURPS might not be as much a concern.

Hope all goes well for you.

Hope all goes well for the future.

I am late sixty’s thought I would opt for the one I was informed had better chance of success for me.

Whilst the op wasn’t as unpleasant as I expected, recovery is taking a bit longer than I expected, on a good note everything is working!

 

[rod_vw]

Had my PSA done last year (I’ve had it done occasionally over the years); what a rigmarole! Went in to surgery to collect annual blood test forms, “can I have a PSA as well”, “have to make an appointment with doctor for that”! Letter to Practice Manager: women have Cervical Smears and Mammograms thrown at them, why do I have to waste a consultation? Three weeks later, come and collect a form.
This year, “can I have a PSA test with my bloods”? “Can’t do it without doctor’s agreement”. I said the King has prostate cancer, celebrities are screaming at us to get tested and I can’t get a test at this surgery without an appointment; I even showed her last year’s result on my phone NHS app, no can do! A serious letter to Practice Manager , reply awaited.
P.S. I am a retired GP.

About twelve months ago I rang my GP practice to ask for a PSA test, initially I was told 'not available simply on request' I said, 'that's not what the media and NHS suggest'. Call centre person re-referred to a medic and I had an examination and blood test form the next day.

I'm now waiting for an appointment for radiotherapy!

Don't take any truck from them, stick to your guns.

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[Deep Owl]

About twelve months ago I rang my GP practice to ask for a PSA test, initially I was told 'not available simply on request' I said, 'that's not what the media and NHS suggest'. Call centre person re-referred to a medic and I had an examination and blood test form the next day.

I'm now waiting for an appointment for radiotherapy!

Don't take any truck from them, stick to your guns.

Exactly! The point I made to the Practice this year was that, despite the publicity, many men will not continue to bother to ask for a test if they have to wait for a consultation (too much faff) with potentially disastrous consequences!

Best wishes to all you gentlemen who are undergoing treatment for this unpleasant condition. And for you of a certain age or with reduced stream, get a test. The reason for a yearly test is to observe any increasing titre, or of course if your test is high first time.

 

[Ingwe]

Had my PSA done last year (I’ve had it done occasionally over the years); what a rigmarole! Went in to surgery to collect annual blood test forms, “can I have a PSA as well”, “have to make an appointment with doctor for that”! Letter to Practice Manager: women have Cervical Smears and Mammograms thrown at them, why do I have to waste a consultation? Three weeks later, come and collect a form.
This year, “can I have a PSA test with my bloods”? “Can’t do it without doctor’s agreement”. I said the King has prostate cancer, celebrities are screaming at us to get tested and I can’t get a test at this surgery without an appointment; I even showed her last year’s result on my phone NHS app, no can do! A serious letter to Practice Manager , reply awaited.
P.S. I am a retired GP.

I asked about a PSA test last week when having my annual BP test and bloods taken. I’m aware of the unreliability of PSA tests ( in the sense of false positives) and was told PSA only carried out on my age group (late 60s) after a physical exam i.e. rectal exam of prostate.

 

[The general]

And for you of a certain age or with reduced stream, get a test.

And having pain peeing especially after drinking things like coffee , and if you are leaking a bit

 

[gus-lopez]

or with reduced stream,

I went with that 40 years ago to be told it was 'within the norms'. When I was referred here back in 2016 for raised psa test & bhp they said it wasn't ? but as I wasn't referred for the low flow the consultant would not address that issue as it was seperate.
I now take tablets for the bhp & signed off from hospital in 2018 back to dr if any further problems.psa is tested yearly.

 

[Deep Owl]

I asked about a PSA test last week when having my annual BP test and bloods taken. I’m aware of the unreliability of PSA tests ( in the sense of false positives) and was told PSA only carried out on my age group (late 60s) after a physical exam i.e. rectal exam of prostate.

Yes and no. If you have a consultation, a PR (per rectum) would be expected, but you’re not going to want that every year (?) and the PSA yearly with the other bloods will show a trend.
There is a machine which will measure your flow just by peeing on it! The point I’m making is that any change from your normal routine, be it urine or bowel or even lung, is something to take note of, particularly of sudden or quick onset; it does not necessarily mean it is sinister but worth advice.

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