Prostate Removed

ego
ego Member Posts: 6

74yrs old. January 2021 showed PSA >6.0, but digital prostate exam nml. Dr ordered MRI, which showed AREA OF CONCERN on anterior (front) side of gland (digital exam doesn't palpate this area). Biopsy showed very small areas of adenocarcinoma (cancer) in three of the eighteen biopsy specimens. Those specimens were sent to a lab in SLC to determine aggressiveness of the Cancer. Report came back: In 10yrs patient has a 3% chance of dying. Dr said I could: Live with it, radiation, chemo, or biopsy every year, etc. Discussion with wife and we both determined it was best to not wait but to get gland taken out while I was young enuff to tolerate the procedure. (Note: Younger males have a much better rate of total recovery of bladder function).  23 July I had ROBOTIC PROSTATECTOMY (@3=hr procedure). Went home the next day with indwelling catheter. Recovery was unremarkable since I had gall bladder taken out the same way: Thru small incisions in my abdomen: Tylenol worked fine for pain). Ten days later the catheter was removed and IMMEDIATELY BEGAN recommended Kagel exercises to strenghthen the one remaining control (sphincter). {see several web sites on correct Kagel exercises}. Subsequent pathology report on what the Dr removed showed CANCER HAD NOT SPREAD, BUT WAS ISOLATED TO JUST THE PROSTATE GLAND!!! Dr told me I needed no further Cancer treatment and would only have to come back on occasion for a PSA).I was determined to get bladder control back ASAP and thus did rigorous and vigerous and repetitive Kagels while wearing diapers and eventually undie liners. I first got night time control back (getting up a few times a night but not wetting the bed), and eventually got day time control back as well. NOW I am giving away all my unused pads because I am BACK IN CONTROL. To keep control I do kagel squeezes ten times after each time I pee. I SHARE THIS INFO FOR ONE REASON: Early detection and treatment is the key. ASK MANY QUESTIONS OF YOUR DOCTOR AFTER YOU DO YOUR OWN THOROUGH RESEARCH ON THOSE QUESTIONS FIRST!!

Comments

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,284 Member
    That's certainly good news

    about the pathology of the gland. 

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

  • ego
    ego Member Posts: 6
    edited August 2021 #3
    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!!

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    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!!

    Minor technical note....

    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
    ego Member Posts: 6
    edited August 2021 #5
    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!!!!!!!!!!

     

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    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!!!!!!!!!!

     

    Medical Teams

    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
    Grinder Member Posts: 487 Member
    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.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    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.

    mab

    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.

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    Less than X
    Hi there,

    I think the best way to express the analytical results is as less than something eg < 0.05 ng/mL.
    This comes down to the facts that the assays measure different things with a variable level of sensitivity, etc between assays.
    Other antibodies present in the serum may weakly bind to the PSA giving a very low false positive result.
    PSA is a bit of a misnomer because it is found in other body fluids and tissues, normally it is at a much lower level but as assays have become ever more sensitive we are now able to detect it at the very low levels that are found there.
    https://www.aacc.org/cln/cln-stat/2015/december/3/scrutinizing-psa-assay-methods

    Best wishes,

    Georges
  • lighterwood67
    lighterwood67 Member Posts: 374 Member
    edited September 2021 #10
    Got a handle on it

    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.

  • mike1900
    mike1900 Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2021 #11
    17 yrs on Lupron

    Calif. Diagnosed at 58 with PC in 2001. Prostate removed. Began chemo (Lupron aand Alendronate) in Feb 2002.

    CA had spread to lymph nodes ...according to surgeon.
    After several yrs of lupron shots in hip, I began to have painful back problems (usully 2-3 wks after shot)

    I did not have my original energy or zest for life and projects.

    I then switched to shoulder injections, (after 8 years), ..... January, right shoulder, February, left shoulder etc.

    After 17 yrs, I took myself off ALL treatment. My PSA at the time was .01. Now 3 yrs later (2021),  I intend to

    see what effect stopping tyreatment has produced. Stopping Alendronate seemed to weaken teeth

    as several front caps (from early hockey injuries) has causedthe caps to break off. Teeth are a mess. Will keep posted.

  • ego
    ego Member Posts: 6
    PC

    I am so glad many have weighed in with their experiences managing PC. We are a great source of information for those that develop this disease. Keep the info coming: I too am learning from those PC survivors of the past!!!!

  • Jklum345
    Jklum345 Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2021 #13
    Level of comfort after Radical Prostatectomy

    I am scheduled for Prostatectomy and have a lengthy school standardized test to take not too long thereafter. (Also I would need to study for the test as well). How long after surgery do you think it would be where I could sit comfortably with no pain for a 3 plus hour test with no breaks.

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 978 Member
    edited September 2021 #14

    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

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    Catheter

    Hi there,

    I found sitting down on a hard chair uncomfortable while I had the catheter in. I needed a soft chair or a cushion.
    Honestly, everyone is a bit different so it is hard to generalise.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • Josephg
    Josephg Member Posts: 372 Member
    Healing Time

    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.

  • Josephg
    Josephg Member Posts: 372 Member
    Sitting on a Chair while Healing

    I purchased a chair cushion from the Purple Company, and I believe that the specific model was the 'Double'.  It wasn't cheap for sure, but it was extremely helpful in providing great comfort during the healing process, while sitting on my good quality desk chair in front on my computer.  This cushion is still on my desk chair a decade later, and it looks and feels just as good as the day that I purchased it.

  • ego
    ego Member Posts: 6
    Post Op comfort

    I agree: Hard chairs are not good, but anything soft is just fine.......I too had the Foley for 10d.......not a problem inside or outside (around our home) because I strapped it to my belt loop (Bag hanging, tubing routed to my lower pant leg, and up inside the pants to the little guy). Stairs no problem or walking around pickin up dog **** for four dogs twice a day. GET URINE CONTROL BACK QUICK BY AGGRESSIVE KAGELS.........after the catheter comes out........GET AFTER IT!! 

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    ego said:

    Post Op comfort

    I agree: Hard chairs are not good, but anything soft is just fine.......I too had the Foley for 10d.......not a problem inside or outside (around our home) because I strapped it to my belt loop (Bag hanging, tubing routed to my lower pant leg, and up inside the pants to the little guy). Stairs no problem or walking around pickin up dog **** for four dogs twice a day. GET URINE CONTROL BACK QUICK BY AGGRESSIVE KAGELS.........after the catheter comes out........GET AFTER IT!! 

    Correct

    I agree with all ego wrote above (October 4).   My hospital, when I was discharged the day after my DaVinci, provided me with two urine bags:  one was large, for overnight use, and one was small with velcro straps, to place it under my clothing for getting about during the day.   The cath was really no inconvenience at all, and was wholly descreet.  I only wore mine for five or six days, because of when a holiday fell.  I wore diapers one (1) day, and easily changed to a pad, and then a liner straight away.

    max

     

  • RidgeP
    RidgeP Member Posts: 2 Member
    Always...and I Mean ALWAYS Stay Positive!!

    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!!