Prostate Removed

about the pathology of the gland. 

A PSA test shoud be conducted 6-8 weeks after surgery. Hopefully it will confirm your optimism.

ego said:

f/u to Old Salt

Being a retired USAF Medic (25yrs active duty) I am fully aware of subsequent PSA f/u. I pray the first and all to follow will be ZER0!!

Thanks for being a Medic, ego.   In the submarine service, the Corpsman onboard ship is in independent duty (there is only one corpsman on subs, and usually only one on smaller ships).  A huge responsibilty: they are trained in advanced life support and even surgery.

"Undetectable" PSA is not exactly the same thing as 'all zeros.'   PSA machines have varying thresholds and programming.  I have been 'undetectable' for six years now, but none of my lab results were all zeros; most are something like 00.0014, or some other number.   This does not indicate relapse or even the presence of any cancer whatsoever in the body.  These meters just drift about a bit, in the absence of any detectable pathology.  I only mention it becasuse the first time I was told I was undetectable, and then saw the numberos on MyCHart, I was concerned. DO not be.   

max

ego said:

f/u to Max

I too am independent duty trained.......spent a year remote in SK as Site Doc. I was trained in advanced life support, surgery, suturing, etc before I went to IDMT School. (blessed by Dr's who saw I was not afraid to take some of their workload off them). Texted my urologist last week about PO PSA and his response verbatim: "I suspect it will be undectable. We will check it at 3mos from surgery." (appt with him 03 Nov)

Thanks Max for your info........BIG RELIEF!!!!!!!!!!

 

ego,

Naval med is (I think) a bit different from the Army or USAF.   I learned only after six years' active duty, for instance, that Navy NURSES are all officers -- not what I expected.  Yet all Corpsmen are enlisteds.   Deployed, a sailor is un-likely to ever encounter a 'nurse,' unless at a hospital, or perhaps on a carrier (I never encountered a Nurse my whole time in the Navy).   Also, of course, the Navy provides all medical care to the Marines.  I saw when the 13 American military were killed in Afghanastan last week that one guy was a Naval corpsman, the rest were all Marines.  Almost certainly he was Seal Team or equivalent in training, given when and how he died.  My cousin joined the army as a medic as E-1, rose through E-7, became a Warrant Officer, and then went to med school and became a Physician's Assistant, eventually leaving the Army as an 0-4 -- an amazing journey.

Grinder said:

Cowpers gland

This is one source of that minute, nearly undetectable 

Antigen after the prostate has been removed... That we describe as "undetectable" even though there is a quantification.

 

"The bulbourethral ( Cowper's) glands are not removed during a prostatectomy. They do produce PSA -a tiny amount, unless there is a tumour there. Some think that this minor extraprostatic source of PSA might account for some of the bounce seen in the ultrasensitive PSA test readings."

Btw... I dropped in to let the guys know my five year PSA reading is undetectable.

 

Also, I am still in the monoclonal antibody study. In February of 2022 we will find out who is in the 90% experimental group and who is in the 10% placebo control group.

 

Also we have been warned not to get the mRNA vax until 6-9 months later.

There has been controversy where the mRNA vaccine antibodies to the spike proteins produced by the genetic vax can actually interfere with antibodies produced by natural immunity. 

 

When the study is over, I cannot say for sure if I am going with the vaccine, or waiting until the monoclonal antibody preventative treatment is available. If I get the vax, it sounds like the door is then closed to the MAPT.

 

God bless, fellas.

Grinder,

I am curious as to what monoclonia antibody drugs (often referred to as 'mabs') you are receiving.    MABs became very popular in the treatment of blood cancers around 15 years ago, and continue in wide use today.  The first and most famous is/was Rituxan (Rituximab) which is also used against R.A.   While Rituxan is to some extent curative of many lymphomas, it is mostly used in 'maintenance' to prevent relapse of dormant strains that are highly prone to recurrence.

Great news.  You have a handle on this.  I am a retired CMSGT.  26 years USAF.  Combat Communications.  Anyway, I am 70 years old; RP in March 2018.  PSA undetecatble last 3 years; fully continent; intimate with wife.  Good luck on your journey.

Hi,

If it was me I would reschedule either the test or your surgery, don't know what kind of pain or discomfort you could be in. The two week catheter period will occupy your mind while it's there.  In my case about three weeks after surgery had me pretty much back to normal as far as discomfort.

Dave 3+4

As you know, everyone heals a bit differently and at different rates, and measure pain differently, so there is probably no universal answer that fits everyone.  I had surgery on a Monday, I was walking around my house on Wednesday, and I started working from home on my computer on Thursday.  You will have a Foley catheter for 7 to 10 days after surgery, for me it was 2 weeks; however, you can still be mobile and do routine non-physical activities.  Depending upon how long "not too long thereafter" is in your situation, I believe that you can take the lengthy school standardized test.

I wish you the best of outcomes on your PCa journey.

Wanted to give a short synopsis of my journey with Prostate Cancer. Was 69 years old when diagnosed with what my Urologist stated wias "aggressive" cancer. 8 and 9 Gleason scores in 6 of 12 core samples. He also gave me a very unpleasant prognosis. I decided to take the prognosis and throw it in the trash. I was determined to whip it pure and simple. Here we are 5 years later and my PSAs continue to be undectable. I guess what I want to share is that no one...NO ONE can tell you exactly how you're going to progress. It's up to each individual to call on everything availabe to you to as weapons against the cancer and stay ultra positive. Continue to live your life. I know some guys who have just given up and said it's over. Well, it's not....not if you don't want it to be. My treatment consisted of Prostate Removal......Followup radiation....two rounds of Lupron....and eat a healthy diet. Keep the faith my friends....and ... Never Give Up!! Outcome thus far....Fully in control of bodily functions and am as active as I was before the diagnosis!!