BinaryBob
Moderator Emeritus
A few of my friends have prostate cancer. Sometimes seems as prevalent as the common cold.
You CAN and you WILL beat this Jeff!
You CAN and you WILL beat this Jeff!
Prostate cancer
- Thread starter Alpena Jeff
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
8Muddypaws
Well-known member
I know that every case is different but I can talk about 2.
One of my friends got chemo, hormones, and radiation. His cancer came back and has infiltrated his pelvic bones. He had and still has pain and his long term prognosis is not good. He's on just hormones and chemo now and says he can't walk past a shoe store without going in.
The side effects of radiation & surgery are about the same but from what's I've learned the scarring from radiation is larger and gets worse over time. Unless it's neutron beam surgery then they are about the same.
I had robotic surgery. I has almost no pain. In fact I did not take pain meds after leaving the hospital. Wearing a catheter for two weeks was the worst part. As long the cancer has not infiltrated the nerves (which it commonly does) you probably will not lose sexual function. Regaining continence can take a while but there's lots of help in that area. I've had three follow up PSA tests since and they have stayed at zero, as they should.
My Gleason scores were higher.
One of my friends got chemo, hormones, and radiation. His cancer came back and has infiltrated his pelvic bones. He had and still has pain and his long term prognosis is not good. He's on just hormones and chemo now and says he can't walk past a shoe store without going in.
The side effects of radiation & surgery are about the same but from what's I've learned the scarring from radiation is larger and gets worse over time. Unless it's neutron beam surgery then they are about the same.
I had robotic surgery. I has almost no pain. In fact I did not take pain meds after leaving the hospital. Wearing a catheter for two weeks was the worst part. As long the cancer has not infiltrated the nerves (which it commonly does) you probably will not lose sexual function. Regaining continence can take a while but there's lots of help in that area. I've had three follow up PSA tests since and they have stayed at zero, as they should.
My Gleason scores were higher.
OP
OP
Alpena Jeff
Well-known member
I appreciate all the well wishes. It means a lot.
If any of you have recently been through my treatment program and want to share privately, feel free to pm me.
Best, Jeff
If any of you have recently been through my treatment program and want to share privately, feel free to pm me.
Best, Jeff
Cooperhawk
Well-known member
Rene T said:
Oh my Lord is that an understatement. I put off the Colonoscopy as long as I could, but then a test came back positive for Colon Cancer. Had the procedure on Wednesday and they removed the problem and all is well. I guess. I'll bet the Drs. office has a suggestion box asking "How can we make a Colonoscopy even more revolting?"
Had a good friend with Prostrate Cancer and he is cured and doing great. Hang in there.
SargeW
Site Team
Cooperhawk said:
That's a tough way to learn that lesson Jim.
ELeland
Well-known member
Hang in there Jeff! Just under a year ago after a Fusion Biopsy ( https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fusion-guided-biopsy-a-smarter-way-to-look-for-prostate-cancer/ ) my Gleason Score came back at 7and 8 and two doctors recommended surgery. I think because of the location of the cancer neither doctor thought radiation would be a good choice. I had robotic surgery at Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami in December. Pathology results were 9.5 and 10, so I am thankful I had it removed. The first 6 to 8 weeks after surgery were a little tough but no long term effects and PSA's have consistently been zero since. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions I may be able to answer for you. You are not alone, hang in there!
Bill N
Well-known member
Rene T said:
I had my 3rd one last year. On each one they have found and removed minor growths but nothing that was not benign. Yes, the prep is the worst part. I slept through the procedures by my wife stayed awake the whole time for hers and was fascinated to watch on the TV....lol Usually after the first they schedule them every 10 years or at least that is what Medicare will pay for.
Good luck to you also Jeff. You have the right attitude to fight the good fight.
Bill
Larry N.
Well-known member
When they found some growths (benign, thankfully) on my wife's colonoscopy a couple of years ago, they cut them out (normal, of course), but there was one moderately large growth they couldn't really get to very well at that time (it was in a fold or something), so she had to go to a different place (with extra equipment) to get that out. The result was that a couple of times her colonoscopies were just a few months apart, then a year apart, and the last one they finally told her to come back in five years (they got the growth out).
On my first one they found six polyps and told me to come back in three years.
Medicare and the supplemental insurance have paid for all of those, so 10 years is just for when everything is more or less normal.
judway
Well-known member
Jeff
Just remember, radiation can cause cancer as well as kill it. Be sure to keep up to date on your colonoscopies. The colon and prostate are in the same area. Usually if you are under age 70 they go for the operation, if over 70 they tend to go for the radiation. With the operation you always have the radiation as a backup if it comes back. With radiation the backup is to put in menopause. Good luck!!
judway
Just remember, radiation can cause cancer as well as kill it. Be sure to keep up to date on your colonoscopies. The colon and prostate are in the same area. Usually if you are under age 70 they go for the operation, if over 70 they tend to go for the radiation. With the operation you always have the radiation as a backup if it comes back. With radiation the backup is to put in menopause. Good luck!!
judway
Bill N
Well-known member
Maybe someone who has been had the prostate operation can answer this question. I have heard that there is a high likelihood of incontinence with the operation. Any truth to that?judway said:
Bill
8Muddypaws
Well-known member
There can be. For most it doesn't last long. It mostly depends on how much 'stuff' they had to remove and your general condition prior to the surgery.
I used pads for a few months and was beginning to think that would be what the rest of my life would be like. But then I noticed that the pads were getting less damp every day, and then I didn't need them any more. I use an app on my iPhone/iPad named myKegel. Following their program for a few weeks was just what I needed. I still do them 4-5 times a day. Small price to pay for being alive.
I recently had a toe amputated. (Surfing accident many years ago) I was in 10 times more pain from that than from my robotic prostatectomy. My scars have faded to the point that I hardly notice them anymore.
There is tons of information online, and hundreds of support groups. If you have specific questions feel free to PM me.
Neither of the surgeries improved my spelling or typing.
I used pads for a few months and was beginning to think that would be what the rest of my life would be like. But then I noticed that the pads were getting less damp every day, and then I didn't need them any more. I use an app on my iPhone/iPad named myKegel. Following their program for a few weeks was just what I needed. I still do them 4-5 times a day. Small price to pay for being alive.
I recently had a toe amputated. (Surfing accident many years ago) I was in 10 times more pain from that than from my robotic prostatectomy. My scars have faded to the point that I hardly notice them anymore.
There is tons of information online, and hundreds of support groups. If you have specific questions feel free to PM me.
Neither of the surgeries improved my spelling or typing.
Bill N
Well-known member
Thanks so much for that good information.
Bill
Bill
judway
Well-known member
Attached is a copy of my PSA over the years, I think. If you have had cancer have your PSA checked at least one time each year.
56safari
Well-known member
Jeff, your now on the prayer list. Had robotic surgery 11 1/2 yrs ago, still no detectable PSA. My Gleason at biopsy and after surgery was 8. Cancer had gone beyond the prostate and lost most of the nerves on the right side. Three weeks with the catheter doing Kegels the whole time( ask your wife). Continent within a month of the catheter removal and the leakage was minimal even at the beginning. I recommend you get"DR Peter Scardino's Prostate Book." It has excellent info. One thing to consider is that radiation is a one way street. If it's not successful they can't do surgery. You can still get radiation after surgery if the cancer returns. By the way, 58 at the time of surgery. PM me if you want more details.
WILDEBILL308
Well-known member
"One thing to consider is that radiation is a one way street. If it's not successful they can't do surgery. You can still get radiation after surgery if the cancer returns."
Never heard that before and read it in any publication. I was lucky to get one of the top rated doctors who has people coming in from all over the country and some internationally.
Bill
Never heard that before and read it in any publication. I was lucky to get one of the top rated doctors who has people coming in from all over the country and some internationally.
Bill
GA_Boy
Well-known member
Best of luck Jeff, I had it several years ago and underwent Radio active seed implants (78 of those little suckers chained together) and I'm fine now.
Marvin
Marvin
OP
OP
Alpena Jeff
Well-known member
OP here with an update
Radiation therapy has begun and will continue until late January. So far all is well.
We will head to the desert once I am cleared to travel.
Thanks to all for the support. We got this!
Jeff
Radiation therapy has begun and will continue until late January. So far all is well.
We will head to the desert once I am cleared to travel.
Thanks to all for the support. We got this!
Jeff
Back2PA
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2015
- Posts
- 5,766
Alpena Jeff said:We got this!
) Small bump in the road Jeff. More time for ice fishing 
