Get your PSA checked.
 

Although this is a public service announcement, that is not the PSA I am talking about.
PSA = Prostate Specific Antigen. I have been in amazingly good health all my life. I have gone 10 years and more at a time without visiting or even calling a Doctor. Thankfully for me, Sherri made me start yearly check-ups. Also, thankfully my primary physician (looks like he graduated high school about 4 years ago… but I digress) paid careful attention to the blood work. I really did not believe I was at risk for cancer. Even though my father went through four bouts of four different cancers over 14 years, after finding out (8 years after he died) that he spent a full year in Japan immediately after the bombs were dropped. So, I attributed his etiology to his 12 month continuous exposure to the radiation.

Had routine blood work done in August. Doc calls and says he is leary of my PSA count. Wants me to abstain from sex for a week (sick bastard) and have more blood drawn. I oblige. It is even higher the second time. Something is amiss here. Sends me to a prostate Doc. Prostate Doc schedules me for a biopsy (mild form of medieval torture). In September we find out I definitely have prostate cancer and that my prostate is the size of a baseball. And, the cancer is aggressive (they have a little chart that lets them know how fast it is spreading).

November 13 I have a radical robotic prostatechtomy with every attempt to spare all the nerves that allow little Lynn to perform all the marital gymnastics he has grown accustomed to. 4.5 hours of surgery. Prostate has grown to softball size with an extension growing into my bladder. They took the two closest lymph nodes as a precaution.

Good news: no cancer on any margin, and no cancer in the lymph nodes. No need for radiation or chemo. I now have a 99% chance of full recovery. Bad news: apparently all the extra work on my bladder required the catheter to be in for 30 days instead of the normal 10. I developed a post op infection from hell that put me back in the hospital. Just barely got home for Christmas. Unbelievable pain in the lower abdomen area. Could not get in and out of a chair or bed by myself. Second good news: doing much better now. I am so lucky to be married to an angel. She takes such good care of me.
I have shared some of this with just a few guys on this board. I wanted to share with the rest of you, because I feel it is important to get checked yearly after 50. I am turning 65 this month.

Here is the weird part. You see all these commercials on TV about guys who can’t take a leak normally. Given the size of my prostate (should be smaller than a golf ball) one would expect I would have had some of those symptoms. I had none of the symptoms you would expect. Pee’d normally, normal stream, never had an issue fully emptying my bladder. Rarely got up more than once a night to pee. Some guys develop an enlarged prostate even without cancer.

So, get checked even if you have no symptoms. Had we not caught this early, I could have been dead in another year, and not known until I started feeling exhausted, that I had prostate cancer that spread to the lymph nodes and was killing me. I found out the day of my biopsy, that one of my cousins’ husband died two days earlier…. from prostate cancer. He was 67 and had no symptoms until it was too late.

Get checked. If you wait until you have symptoms, it may be too late.

Went thru the same thing 8 years ago.........Robotic Surgery is the Bomb.....Everything perfect since then........PSA non detectable..........You are right about the Blood Tests.....So simple with todays Technology.................

Ken

Wow Lynn..... quite the ordeal, but very glad to hear you're expecting a full recovery. Thanks for the timely reminder to get checked out.

Glad to hear all is going well Lynn with you and you are now doing better. Thanks for the reminder. I just had my test last year...along with the colonoscopy....:shocked:

Bruce: colonoscopy: another medieval torture. Not so much the procedure, but the day before.
Looks like now they have a very simple test that is not so invasive. I plan to talk to my doc about doing that one yearly, and going 5 yr. increments on the colonoscopy. Will see what he says.

Hope Holly is doing well. Did I even spell her name correctly? Our 23 year old is still doing well after his transplant in 2012. Now, we are waiting on a kidney transplant for my son in law. I really like him. He is almost good enough for my daughter!

Glad it all worked out Lynn. Colonoscopy the end of January. I hate the evening before!!

I too was diagnosed with prostate cancer this summer. It was caught early and not considered the agressive type. I was told I had 3 choices, surgery to remove prostate, direct beam radiation, or Brachytherapy(radioactive seed implants). At age 56 it was still recommended I have my prostate removed using "DaVinci" robotic surgery. I did my research and talked to a lot of other men who had the surgery, others who had direct beam radiation and also others who used the Brachytherapy. There is a wonderful facility within a mile of my house called the Chicago Prostate Center which specializes in the Brachytherapy procedure and is the only facility in the country that is solely dedicated to prostate cancer. I opted for this type of treatment and had my radioactive seed implant procedure on August 24th. On December 20th, 2017 I had my first PSA test and my numbers had dropped significantly from 8 down to 1.5.
Like Lynn said, if you're over 50 get yourself checked out every year. A simple blood test can save your life.

Ya gotta do what you gotta do, right Sami? It will all come out all right in the end.

Wow..there is nothing worse than the Colonoscopy prep...just did it a few months ago. Now I have to do it every year.. Lynn. Go to Facebook and look up Cannabis oil success stories...lots of good info out there. I have a good friend that was sent home to die of liver cancer. When he got home his sons buddie said he could cure it with Marijuana.. HE took two gel caps of concentrated oil every night for 6 months and his cancer is gone. There might be something you can do that will also help. Marijuana is still federally illegal so there is not much in the way of controlled studies but at some point there will be. Try to keep a open mind. Good luck moving forward. Scary stuff.

My wife runs the Urology clinic at Johns Hopkins so I am fully aware of all facets of Prostate cancer and what can be done to combat it. A world renowned doc, who is a past Chairman of the Urology Dept. is the brilliant man sent from heaven who discovered the nerves that let men (and their spouses/partners) still have quality of life after Prostate removal. Until that discovery, things were “soft” because those nerves were severed during surgery. Several other docs have tracked patients and can now quantitvely evaluate the growth of the cancer (not 100%, but darn near), and make recommendations based on that data.
Guys (and their gals), please get checked every year. Our age group is the most vulnerable, but with proper physicals life as we know it can go on. This is no laughing matter.

Like most guy's I never went to the doctor for anything nor did I have routine physicals. Last year at the age of 56 I had a scare (blood in urine) immediately went to a Urologist. Luckily it turned out to be an infection that was treated with medication. I had a Cat-scan/MRI, Cystoscopy and Colonoscopy. All results came back okay. Because of this scare I am now on a yearly checkup plan. I think what scared me the most was the thought of not seeing my 4 Grandchildren grow up. I want to be around to enjoy them! I just want to stress the importance of what these guy's are saying
and,

IF YOU EVER SEE BLOOD IN YOUR URINE SEE A DOCTOR ASAP! DO NOT IGNORE IT EVEN IF THE BLOOD EVENTUALLY GOES AWAY!

I get blood work every 6 months and my PSA is still nice and low(1.9) even though my Dad had prostate cancer and just had a Colonoscopy last month too.. Necessary evils of getting old :(

Its been 12 years since my Cancer surgery, was diagnosed in my 40s. Was having my PSA checked since early 40s due to my Father passing from it. The Da Vinci was just getting started then and was not readily available. But Dr who did the normal surgery said when he was in there there were complications that the robot would have had trouble with.

But the good news is Prostate cancer saved my life! While going through pre-op screenings, the found I had kidney cancer too! So a sudden switch of gears, I had the kidney out 1st since it's chance of metastasizing was greater then the prostate, 2 month recovery, then the Prostate surgery.

The recovery of the kidney op was more painful then the prostate, but the 2nd surgery was a longer recovery due to the catheter and bladder healing and retraining :(

But all better now!

Good luck to all you gents that have gone through it and are going to go through it.

I'm a Stage 4 throat cancer survivor. 53 years old when it happened to me back in 2011. Four days before this past Christmas my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, found it through a routine mammogram.
Seems like every family has had their trial with cancer these days. People our age need to go to the Dr. every year for a physical and listen to their Dr.'s advice. Don't think for a minute it's not going to happen to you---- you could be dead wrong.
Shalom

You spelled her name right...and she's doing great. Sorry to hear about your son in law. Please keep in touch!

Lynn, thanks for the great prep talk and glad things turned out the way they did. I for one will be making an appointment.

I received news that my sister-in-law passed away early this morning from cancer. She was healthy a year ago and was just here in July. A week ago she took a nose dive and now she is gone. Get checked routinely people. Add me to the list.

I also recently went for a yearly check up my PSA is usually under 3 it was over 5. The doctor gave me some antibiotics said maybe I have a infection and said lets do another test in a month. The next month when I had the test done it was 6 so it was recommended to go see a urologist. The urologist gave me a choice of a byopsis or wait 2 month and redo the test, I waited 2 month it was 6.5 so I had a biopsy done and it came back negative. They had me worried but I guess a slight rise in PSA doesnt always mean u have cancer

Wow, Lynn, glad you are feeling better.

Man. Glad you guys are alright.

I'm 55 and the last physical I got was in 1989 to get on the Atlanta Fire Department.

Looks like I might be due...

Sorry for your loss Rick. I go annually and get my PSA as well as a full general check up. Going for my colonoscopy next week. I'm 51 and just trying to stay alive to watch my 7 yo grow up. Worth your time and effort to get checked annually.

I'm glad you guys are discussing the importance of these tests and physicals at least yearly. Any of you who aren't having these tests and a yearly physical done please consider doing so. I have my PSA checked yearly along with the standard blood panel for lipids, cholesterol, thyroid, etc. I have to have a colonoscopy every 5 years as my dad died of colon cancer when I was only 19. Best of health to all you guys.

Rick, we are so sorry to hear about your SIL...Sandi and I are heading to Ontario this week for a cancer related funeral. I went to see my buddy 5 weeks ago and now he's gone...I have been getting annual PSA checks done for over 20 years now. Don't put off making that appointment...it can save your life.

My doctor noticed a nodule on my prostate in my early 40’s (about a dozen years ago). She sent me to a specialist for a second opinion. It didn’t hit me how serious this was, until I found out that specialist was at the Cancer Center. They made a big deal about how I was one of the youngest patients they’ve had. Their counsellor did a terrible job of trying to assure me that I could “probably” still have a somewhat normal sex life if it was, in fact, prostate cancer. I had a biopsy which turned out to be benign. Apparently, biopsies aren’t 100% certain because the biopsy might miss a localized cancerous growth? Needless to say, I had many restless years watching my PSA closely and getting my prostate examined by both my doctor and a specialist (not at the same time). My specialist always joked, as he held up two fingers, saying... I was fortunate that I only needed a second opinion and not a committee approval (as he wiggled the five fingers in his other hand).

I’ve had an annual physical every year since, and last year my specialist said that I no longer need his second opinion. I still have that slight nodule, but it hasn’t seemed to change.

Thanks for all your testimonies guys, and the good words of advice. Especially sorry to hear about the hardships and losses for some of you, and thankful that others have overcome such hardships.

Another terrific thread by real friends on the best site ever!

Thanks Lynn, This is so important. I tell my wife all the time- "never underestimated a man's ability to convince himself that he doesn't need hospital or doctor"!
Going in tomorrow for the physical and review blood work. Fingers crossed- turning 52 this year.
Stay healthy everyone so we can enjoy life as long as possible!
Cheers
Jerry

Glad everything worked out well for you Lynn!
Buddy

I lost Dad in November of 2016 to Prostate cancer at 65. I have a birthday coming up and I'm now at the that age for all the checkups and tests that none of us enjoy. I'm glad your doing well Lynn. Thanks for the reminder

Tommy

Lynn, glad you caught it early.....

I going to schedule some test.....no issues, but that does mean anything from what I'm reading!

Had my first colonoscopy today, and I'm all clear, thank Jesus. I recommend getting it when you turn 50 (I'm 51) and even though the prep is mildly annoying, it's definitely a good idea to do it on time. Now I'm good for 10 years.

Late to find this thread. Lost my Dad to mesothelioma in '15 (worked in a Kelsey Hayes plant here in Detroit -asbestos masks and bibs.) Was dormant for 40 years before symptoms were present. Mom diagnosed with B Cell Lymphoma in '16. Successful treatment and a fantastic Oncologist. Really plays tricks with your mind and turns you into a borderline hypochondriac. Turning 5-0 in a couple of months. Camera time but beats the
alternative...

Just a FYI for the So Cal car guys.In Sept they have the Cruise for a Cure at the Orange County Fair grounds.They have free Prostate screening there.Although I get a screening every year along with a stress test I get the free screening while at the show.I guess another opinion cant hurt.Tom