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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 30, 2024 15:19:51 GMT -5
That's great 6, here's hoping it's smooth sailing from here on out. Because many of us are in the same "demographic" vulnerable to this, it'd be interesting to know what the course is now. Monitoring PSA, radiology, etc.?
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Post by LTB on Mar 30, 2024 23:37:50 GMT -5
Glad you are having something done about it. My dad passed away in 2021 in great pain due to the Prostate cancer getting into his bones. He was told by a doctor 11 years before he passed away “at your age (then 82) you are not likely to die from prostate cancer” and suggested he not worry about it. It is true he died at age 94 from congestive heart failure but the cancer started affecting him over 100 days before he passed away and pain increased as more cancer entered his bones. If he had done something about it at age 82, things might have been different.
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Post by Vibroluxer on Mar 31, 2024 3:24:11 GMT -5
Wonderful news!!
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Vman
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Post by Vman on Mar 31, 2024 8:44:07 GMT -5
I'm glad you found such high quality treatment so close to your residence.
Your attitude has been inspiring throughout this ordeal. You're one tough hombre!
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professor
Wholenote
"Now I want you to go in that bag and find my wallet." / KMMFA
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Post by professor on Apr 2, 2024 9:03:37 GMT -5
Well I missed this but great to hear that things are moving along and here's to a full recovery!
The stories seem to have a common feature of the medical professionals being inconsistent in recommendations (test more/ wait and see/ PSA/ no PSA/ over 70/ "pick an option", etc.) Also, I have a friend who was recently prescribed a testosterone supplement. He's very active, 74, and had complained of not feeling as energetic, so, Rx. A famous politician also takes testosterone as part of his "wellness plan" and is pretty jacked for his age, 70. I understand the obvious benefits, but seems it is just additional fuel for any potential cancer.
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pdf64
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Post by pdf64 on Apr 2, 2024 16:56:09 GMT -5
Maybe a testosterone booster provides extra zing, dunno, but the 0 testosterone I've lived with for the past 6 years (hormone therapy to control my cancer) hasn't been a problem, I'm pretty active eg run 5km + 2 or 3 times a week.
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Post by 6l6 on Apr 3, 2024 11:29:33 GMT -5
That's great 6, here's hoping it's smooth sailing from here on out. Because many of us are in the same "demographic" vulnerable to this, it'd be interesting to know what the course is now. Monitoring PSA, radiology, etc.? The radiation is done for good (I hope). At 4 month intervals (which started in November 2023) I have to get a hormone shot that kills testosterone (testosterone is to cancer what throwing gas is on a fire). SO... I had that shot in November, then another in early March, and a third is scheduled for July 9. A fourth shot in November is optional. I won't kid you, that shot is a bit of a bear. It hurts going in and creates major hot flashes which have come on since my first shot last November. But it IS manageable and eventually wears off completely. My procedure involved a special shot of gel through the poop chute into the area around the prostate. No fun, but it separated the other nearby organs away from the prostate so they avoid the radiation. Next was the insertion of 24 radioactive pellets into my prostate (obviously I was knocked out for this procedure). They attacked the cancer and after one month were fully depleted. The spent pellets remain inside my prostate for the rest of my life. Once that month passed it was onto the radiation table, 5 days wk for 5 weeks. That part was painless and only lasted about 5 minutes of actual radiation. SO... because of all the radiation received, a PSA test is not valid for a year from the date of the last radiation treatment. Fingers crossed they got it all and they've told me there's a better than 99% chance they were successful. I'm good with that. My advice is to pay close attention to your PSA test. For the past 5 years or so I've been in the "safe" zone, but barely. Turns out I was actually a "7" on the Gleason "10" scale with a "10" being untreatable! If your PSA test is borderline, I strongly suggest you see a Urologist and get a biopsy performed. Thanks again to all my fellow FDP'ers for your support! 6
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Post by ninworks on Apr 9, 2024 14:48:14 GMT -5
I lucked out. Just had my PSA checked and it was .68. Bad news is my A1C is now 6.6 so I eased into being Type 2 Diabetic. 6.5 is the limit. Too many years of being overweight and eating whatever I wanted. Now I'm going to have to lose some weight bad knee or not.
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Post by reverendrob on Apr 9, 2024 15:35:07 GMT -5
I lucked out. Just had my PSA checked and it was .68. Bad news is my A1C is now 6.6 so I eased into being Type 2 Diabetic. 6.5 is the limit. Too many years of being overweight and eating whatever I wanted. Now I'm going to have to lose some weight bad knee or not. Remember that they jacked the numbers around about a decade ago. It was over 7 before.
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Post by roly on Apr 9, 2024 19:11:13 GMT -5
Best wishes. I am the only son who doesn't have prostate cancer. Younger brother had his removed, older brother got advice similar to what you describe. He was advised to do nothing, just monitor PSA. Again, best wishes.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 9, 2024 20:18:54 GMT -5
My PSA is still very low but unfortunately so is my PSI.
🫤
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Post by markfromhawaii on Apr 10, 2024 0:09:40 GMT -5
I lucked out. Just had my PSA checked and it was .68. Bad news is my A1C is now 6.6 so I eased into being Type 2 Diabetic. 6.5 is the limit. Too many years of being overweight and eating whatever I wanted. Now I'm going to have to lose some weight bad knee or not. That’s not too bad. My A1C was under control for awhile but I got careless and let things go. Went up over 8 and I put myself on a strict vegetarian, low sugar diet mid-February. I started doing the morning stick and was shocked to see my blood glucose over 300. It’s now hovering around 150. Take care. They don’t call diabetes the silent killer for nothing.
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pdf64
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Post by pdf64 on Apr 10, 2024 7:56:41 GMT -5
Don't just rely on a 'below 3.5' PSA result as being an assurance that all is well, always insist on a finger test (digital rectal examination DRE) too. I recall it's about 20% of prostate cancers don't cause an elevated PSA. I try to remind my friends / family / acquaintances to get themselves checked annually, it's amazing how many get fobbed off by medical centre staff, eg 'no need for any tests, you don't need to worry if you've not got any urinary symptoms', 'you don't need a DRE if you're PSA is ok'.
Anyway, one friend had acceptable PSA test a couple of years running, when we discussed it I suggested that he insisted on a DRE as well next time. What do you know, despite his PSA being below 3.5 still, the DRE indicated a problem, a biopsy showed an intervention was necessary, and he followed pretty much the same treatment pathway that 6L6 described above. Thank God I mentioned about the DRE when I did, and his cancer was caught before it spread!
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Post by LTB on Apr 10, 2024 20:45:35 GMT -5
Interesting. Thanks for telling us this pd64!
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Post by Mikeyguitar on Apr 11, 2024 19:14:36 GMT -5
FYI - it's my understanding that PSA does NOT measure cancer - it's a measure of inflammation. My PSA tends to be around 4-5... I certainly have symptoms of PSA issues. But we're in a "wait and see" mode at the moment.
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Jake
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Post by Jake on Apr 12, 2024 17:40:46 GMT -5
Hoping for the best outcome!
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