-
Penile Prosthesis
After years of trying different options for the treatment of erectile dysfunction - none of which worked very well - I have decided to have the penile prosthesis. The surgery is scheduled for July 20. On August 3, I will observe the 8 year anniversary of my radical prostatectomy - my PSA results remain stable. The last…
-
Open vs Da Vinci Surgery
I am trying to help my husband gather information. After much thought about whether to have surgery or radiation my husband has finally decided to go with surgery. His urologist likes the open surgery better, probably because that's what he performs. After reading many of your stories it seems like most of you have had the…
-
Advance Prostate Cancer at 51
Hubby continues to be special and has now failed doxetaxol chemo and will be starting mitoxantrone plus a drug trial next week. I understand some folks have better luck with mit instead of dox since it is non taxol based. Keep your fingers crossed he will have a positive response to the trial and mit.
-
Sonny- Just got back from my trip to Henry Ford Institute in Detroit
Well I just got home from my trip to the Henry Ford Medical Complex and the Vattikuti Urology Institute. Had a great trip and left feeling very confident that this is the place for my surgery. The have a great team assembled there and have a great patient first philosophy set up. In all I met --- different members of the…
-
Tomorrow is the big day
Hello all, Tomorrow is my robotic prostatectomy. It seems like a long time since I was diagnosed in late May but I am ready for surgery and beyond. This forum has been ever so helpful in getting me to this point. Thanks to all of you and good luck on your decision making and/or healing. Bill
-
hope??
Hi all I have been here before and theres 1 question I must ask. Is there anyone here who has had davinci and not had incontience issues? I hate the idea of a diaper (sorry no offense meant) and I have to work a heavy lifting job and from what I read here and elsewhere i have to deal with this issue. i know this sounds…
-
grlinfl are you out there?
Have not seen a post from you in a few weeks. Wondering how you were doing with your Social Security disability issues? Have you checked it out? Sheila
-
new patient
found out yesterday I have prostate cancer. doctor discovered problem thru blood work Im 45 with no other symptoms. my psa was 7. had biopsy 2 weeks ago and got results yesterday. doctor is recomending robotic removal,but ordered ct scan and bone scan. is this normal or should i be more worried. sorry i dont have more imfo…
-
Out Of Surgery II, Days 4-6
(note: I have my first post-robotic surgery report on the forum dated 7/29). Well, days 3-6 (Thursday through Saturday) have been about both less and more discomfort for me. The shoulder nerve pain I wrote about seems resolved as does the healing pain in three-quarters of my incision sites. I still have a deeper pain in my…
-
Newly diagnosed - Need Second Opinion
I found out about 1 1/2 months ago that I have Prostate Cancer. Just had a consultation session last week with the Radiation Oncologist and he gave me the results of my bone scan and CAT Scan. The bone scan showed a couple of things which I was x-rayed for. I will get the results this week. The Oncologist did not think…
-
Long shot here but who knows
Hi to all. My name is Nick and I just first want to thank all who have posted here. You all dont realize how much it helps hearing from others who have this insidious disease. Ok my long shot is does anyone here know anything about Mercy Hospital in Scranton and a Dr. named Robert Ramey? I had bone scan and ct scan friday…
-
Out of Surgery
First thanks for all of your wishes as I went into surgery on Monday. I thought I would share some of my experience throughout the last three days (before I forget or need to rest again). I started a full liquid diet two days before surgery and went from hungry to not so hungry. I kept myself real busy on Saturday and…
-
Prostate Cancer Screenings Essentially Useless
Regular prostate cancer screening has no effect on the risk of death from the disease, according to a large-scale, long-term study conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine. "There was little or no scientific evidence that it saved lives," said…
-
Cat scan and nuclear bone scan
Hi I am a fairly newly diagnosed prostate cancer patient and this Friday I go for a cat scan and a nuclear bone scan. It is to see if my cancer left the prostate and if not I am going to go for the Davinci so my fingers and toes (yes both) will be crossed until then. I seem to be edging closer to a conclusion and am…
-
Proton Beam therapy
I have a web acquaintence that I have spoken with on the phone recently who underwent Proton Beam therapy at Loma Linda last summer. He is in his early fifties and has done real well following the therapy. I don't seem to find much information on this forum about Proton Beam therapy, and haven't seen many posts here from…
-
can't sleep
I can not sleep, getting 3 maybe4 hours a night .Have had rad prostatectomy in Nov. 2009, followed by lupron had a 4 month shot and a 3 month shot the last one ends Aug.13. Also completed 45 radiation treatments. Still have some cancer cells. PSA 3. considering not having 3rd shot in Aug want to wait 3months see what…
-
Leaning Now towards External Beam Radiation
Today I saw my Urologist and he confirmed that the cancer looks to be contained within the prostate. I was leaning towards traditional surgery, but since I have a weak heart due to Congestive Heart Failure and a gaft implanted in my left leg due to Vascular Disease the Urologist said there may be complications and high…
-
Husband's PSA is now .18 post RP 8.5 years ago
My husband Paul is now 71.5 years old and had a regular RP 8.5 years ago and the doctor said the pathology reports said the cancer had penetrated his urethra, but that is was possible since it was on the border all it may have been cut out due to where he had to cut. For the past 8.5 years, Paul's PSA tests have come back…
-
Support groups in Philadelphia, PA area
Does anyone know of any support groups local to me here in Philadelphia, PA?
-
Just Starting Lupron
My 48yr old Husband started Lupron Shot 6/26 after radical prosectomy 5/14/09. path stage T3c N1 MX..Post Operation PSA 1.0. Radiation is sheduled Late Aug/ Early Sept.. So far no real side effects.. Also using Trimix with some success - a little leaking with that otherwise, completely dry even with heavy lifting and…
-
ELEVATED PSA
I HAVE AN ELEVATED PSA AFTER RADIATION OF THE PROSTATE. IT HAS NEVER GONE DOWN. THE FIRST WARNING WAS 14 AND ELECTED TO HAVE TOMOTHERAPHY (41 TREATMENTS). SINCE THEN THE PSA HAS NOT BEEN BELOW THAT AND IS NOW AT 56. I HAVE HAD BONE SCANS AND MORE BIOPSIES THAT ALL ARE REPORTED AS CLEAR OF CANCER. DOES ANYONE HAVE SIMILAR…
-
Read replys and ????
Hi and good luck to all those patients who have made a decision either way. I havent got that far down the road yet and am sorting through this mountain of information both here and elsewhere. I had some bad side effects with my prostate biopsy and am therefore more scared than I should be. Seeds or surgery? I only want 1…
-
Is Hormone Treatment after Radiation What Most Get?
Currently, I am at the end of the staging phase. And about to pick a treatment. I am 54 years old, have a PSA of 6.4 and Gleason Score of 7 (3+4). I am leaning towards surgery. But still open. Talking to the Radiation Oncologist he says with the External Beam Radiation hormone treatment is generally required afterwards.…
-
Artificial Sphincters
I posted yesterday about being newly diagnosed and received some very useful information. It would seem the most often encountered side effect of the da Vinci operation is incontinence. I am a sports official umpiring baseball and softball in High School through College. I umpire 200+ games a year. An average game behind…
-
radiation and colon damage
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 08. I had 40 radiation treatments in Feb. and March of 08. Before the treatments were over, I was bleeding from the rectum. My doctor said not to worry. But I have gotten worse. I had surgery in April 09 to burn the bleeding points. It has not helped. I am looking for…
-
How to pick a doctor
Hi i live in northeastern Pennsylvania and have a problem, it seems I cant figure out a way to find an experienced doctor in my blue shield network. They wont recommend a doctor and the specialist I have I really dont trust. He seems to want to rush me and never told me the doctors name that he wants me to see. If any of…
-
What is perineural invasion Posted by NM
I have this phrase throughout my cancer report and am confused as to its meaning. Any help would be appreciated. Also my dad had PC and choose radiation, And his cancer went to the bone i believe 7 years later. Is this normal for radiation? Right now i am leaning to removal of mine but am as yet undecided. I would like to…
-
Patience, Discouragement, call it what you will . . .
It has been 2 months post radical robotic for me. I am 55 years old. I have read the postings by kreinholt, tpelle, lion1 and others. How do you measure improvement? I soak 4 depends type diapers every day. I do the Kegels as often as I can. I hate the results!! I am tired of wearing and feeling a wet diaper. My check up…
-
Just getting started
Hi I am new to all this as having been just diagnosed and seem to be rushed into a quick decision by my urologist (he wants robotic surgery for me) My gleason scores all seem to be 3+4=7 and some segments say positive for perineural invasion. I am trying to research all this and am now completely lost. Any advice from…
-
1st PSA after surgery
Got my first PSA result today after Davinci a month ago. It was 0.3 which worry's me. The doctor said it should go down in another month. Any of you guys have a similar situation? Cheers, George