Popular Post drzaius Posted October 19, 2022 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 19, 2022 My last checkup showed way high PSA levels, so the doc sent me to a urologist for more tests and a biopsy (not a lot of fun there), which came back showing a fairly aggressive type of cancer, but it was caught early. A month later I had a radical prostatectomy (even less fun) and I just got the pathology report that showed no cancer in any surrounding tissues. I still need to pass another PSA test in 6 weeks to be officially clear. It's been a roller coaster, from being healthy to having cancer to now not having it. The local prostate cancer center is wonderful with support resources for just about everything a cancer patient has to face. I'm feeling extremely fortunate that this was caught early and my care being so excellent. The surgery is nothing to sneeze at. I chose open surgery rather than the robotic surgery because that would have meant more of a wait. It's been just over 3 weeks and parts of me still hurt like a melonfarmer at times. They say 6 weeks for recovery and it will be all of that I'm sure. So guys, get that prostate checked. Most forms are so slow growing that they can be just left alone and observed, but that wasn't the case for me. Things could have turned out much differently. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 19, 2022 Report Share Posted October 19, 2022 Frank, so glad they/you caught it early. I wish you well on your recovery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 Sorry you had to go through that, but good to hear they caught it early and were able to get rid of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 Glad your news is good, Frank! I have a cousin battling through intensive chemo for a similar prostate cancer, maybe the same variety. He's having a really hard time of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 I'm glad that you were able to catch it early and beat it. I just had my annual doctor visit 2 days ago. My advice is dont' be afraid to ask questions you think are dumb. You never know what that one odd thing that is nothing may lead to. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 Dr. Z as happy as I am to hear how you've come through this, I am saddened to hear you had to take this journey in the first place. I hope you get well quickly, and completely. And thanks for sharing this story. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted October 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 13 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: Glad your news is good, Frank! I have a cousin battling through intensive chemo for a similar prostate cancer, maybe the same variety. He's having a really hard time of it. I hope your cousin's situation improves. Once that cancer takes hold and spreads, it can be very nasty indeed. That's a road that I'm so grateful not to have to travel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 Frank glad to hear everything turned out good for you!! Cancer is scary stuff! I hate doing it but they saw something at 50 so I have been doing it every two years since last year they advised I could go to 5 years checkups now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 All my best wishes. Regular check ups are so important. I have had the same Family physician for about 30 years so we know each other fairly well. I can aske him anything and he always gives me a straight answer and a prostate exam. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted October 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2022 Several years ago they started to move away from doing routine PSA testing because so many false positives were leading to unnecessary treatments. Now PSA testing seems to be making a comeback. It's really useful to have it done yearly, which creates a base line which makes it easier to determine if a given level of PSA is a spike or just a normal reading from a healthy prostate. My level was historically around 2, but had spiked to 7.5. That sudden change indicated that things were amiss. The digital exams are not done as routinely as they once were, which doesn't bother me a bit 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coop Posted October 22, 2022 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 22, 2022 Several years ago my brother had a similar spike in his PSA test and his doc recommended a biopsy. He decided on getting another opinion and that doc said it was probably an infection and gave him a healthy dose of antibiotics which brought it down. After several months of constant nagging, his wife convinced him to have the biopsy, just to be on the safe side. Lucky that she did as they caught it early and chemo or radiation zapped the tumor. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted October 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2022 Having had a biopsy, I'd say it isn't that much worse that a digital exam. I takes longer, but not that much discomfort involved. Personally, I like to know exactly what's going on as opposed to not knowing and just hoping for the best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted October 22, 2022 Report Share Posted October 22, 2022 As a younger person i appreciate these conversation. I'm glad people are willing to talk about subjects like this. I think on the whole it'll help people be more comfortable making the appointments. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 22, 2022 Report Share Posted October 22, 2022 Although not so much a 'younger person', I agree with Drew. But someone please answer me this: Why do these docs ALWAYS seem to have the hands of a NFL lineman??? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legenddc Posted October 22, 2022 Report Share Posted October 22, 2022 I’ve always wondered why someone would choose that profession or a podiatrist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted October 23, 2022 Report Share Posted October 23, 2022 Other medical specialties have plenty of ‘unpleasant’ procedures. We have some family/friends in specialities I would have never guessed, but they were interested in the medical/scientific side of it or had a personal connection to the topic. I always thought that men going into OBGYN were setting themselves up for failure (what woman is going to pick the male provider over female for for that?), but I know a guy that’s going that route, even though he had never even considered that profession until he had done his required rotations in it. Podiatrists are not MDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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