Thanks for the reassurance guys! I had that .01 figure so stuck in my mind that it took some time for me to feel comfortable with the <.02 result. I most likely will just leave it at that and go to...
My long awaited ultra-sensitive PSA result came back this morning. It took only 2 days despite my urologist team telling me it would take 2 weeks. It was a Quest lab where the results were obtained...
I'll be going to a Lahey lab. It's the same medical affiliation as the hospital where I had my prostatectomy. Two weeks does seem like a very long time but it took me longer to get my post-surgery...
Thanks for the feedback. Well, tomorrow is the day. I've never fasted for PSA tests before so won't for this one. I plan to go mid-morning. PSA tests have always produced some anxiety but this one is...
I'm due to have my first PSA test post-surgery in about 2 weeks. It will be an ultra-sensitive one. I know for men with prostates there is a strict protocol of no sex or heavy exertion for 3 days...
Thanks for posting that study. My pathology said "Very focal cribriform architecture is present". I'm not sure if the "very focal" part would make my chances better of not having a BCR. As stated...
e.noont - thanks for your comment. I'm glad that a genetic test was ordered for you and that helped steer you in the right direction. halbert - I went into quite a bit of detail about why I can't...
My whole journey is outlined in the "My Story" post but I thought I'd start a new thread about this subject specifically. It's been 2 months since my prostatectomy and I've had time to think about...
I was able to get a prescription for the 5 mg of Cialis from my PCP and with a coupon I had it filled at Costco for $17 for a 30 day supply. This is far less than the cost I was originally quoted....
Congrats Halbert and what great news that you've reached this milestone. Thanks for all your help at the forum!...
Checking in at 6 weeks post-surgery. I'm still doing well on the continence. I am dealing still with more abdominal discomfort/bowel issues than before surgery but that's all very manageable. Fatigue...
Thanks for the further insight. I guess I'm just adjusting to the new normal. My anxiety about what to do about my prostate cancer has now shifted to a different type of worry. After the initial...
Thanks guys. I found the info at both links to be interesting. My last PSA reading was actually from June at 3.8 versus my highest of 5.1 from last January. I put in both values and note that the...
I wanted to do a separate thread from my "My Story" one that contains my whole history. I just had a prostatectomy on 10/21/24. My pathology was a mixed bag with stage pT3A and two EPEs but I have...
Thanks for the tips. I'm thankful I have a desk job and work from home. There are days I still seriously question whether I'd be able to work outside the home yet. I know I need to focus on the...
Thanks for the reassurance about time needed to heal. I also know not to expect a linear improvement. I've tried to be very careful so far with lifting wanting to avoid a hernia if at all possible....
I am now at the 3 week mark post-surgery so thought I'd do a little update. Abdominal pains have significantly improved but things are still a little "different" with my bowels. I'm finding I need to...
Thanks for the detailed analysis Mumbo and DjinTonic. I found this on the report: "Lymphatic and / or Vascular Invasion Cannot be determined: Focally equivocal Perineural Invasion Present" It's...
I just got my long awaited pathology report. I think it's mostly good news but I do have a few questions. The good: Soft Tissue, Other, TISSUE OVER PROSTATE: FIBROADIPOSE TISSUE, NEGATIVE FOR...
Thanks halbert for the reassurance. I know it's only been 10 days since surgery so I can accept being patient so long as there's nothing truly wrong. It's affected my appetite some so I've been...
I'm still doing great on incontinence. I'm starting to be a little concerned about my ongoing pains in my lower abdomen. It feels like gas pains but I don't normally have them. I'm able to pass gas...
I've been obsessively checking my email waiting for a notification but nothing yet. I was told it could be 3 weeks. Most guys seem to get their pathology results in a week so I don't understand why...
Thanks guys. Maybe I'm rushing the announcement but I think I may already be fully continent. I've coughed and gotten up quickly and still no leaks. I'm able to stop my flow mid-stream as well. I've...
Thanks halbert. I just got back from my post-op appointment. The relief of getting the catheter removed was incredible. I absolutely hated having that thing in me. The inside of my penis still feels...
Thanks for the feedback about the gas. I can still feel the bubbles in my neck and face but the discomfort has gone down some. I actually felt more tired today and only did a brief walk in my...
Thanks guys. I got my appetite back some this evening. I had passed some gas earlier in the day but honestly didn't expect to have the gas bubbles where they are. I was expecting to just have the...
Hi guys, This is the update I sent to friends and family about my surgery yesterday. I'm still very fatigued but hope to share more details later. I just wanted to give a quick update about my...
Thanks guys. I've had a few days to process the conversation with the surgeon. I have tried to be extremely analytical and thorough in this process so it hit me hard to hear the potential negative...
I have slowly worked my way through his entire blog finishing it this morning. He is a great writer and I benefited a lot from all his observations. I'll continue to follow his journey. There were...
I was supposed to have my video appointment today. It turns out the doctor was with another patient so he had his nurse come on the video. She was able to answer most of the questions but the two key...
Thanks for all the advice. I have my video appointment on Tuesday with the surgeon in preparation for surgery on 10/21/24 and want to compile a list of things that I'd like to discuss. This is what I...
Thanks for the comments and relating your experiences. I know it's quite a long thread but to review, I thoroughly looked into radiation and expressed how disappointed I was that I was told by three...
After discussing with the urologist who had initially recommended AS, I have decided to proceed with surgery. There's just too much risk now to play around anymore. My surgery date is already set for...
Thanks for the comment and the link. What's odd is that I'm almost positive the urologist was holding a copy of a report that looked like the sample ones in the link. He never offered to give me a...
I just got back from seeing my urologist. He concurred that the MRI didn't show any movement but I unfortunately was hit with news that totally surprised me. As I mentioned in my last post, I got a...
See my last post just above for the latest from last month. I had my follow-up MRI done this morning and the results have already come back. I'm cautiously optimistic that I not only can continue AS...
I do feel better about proceeding with AS after this visit. Those studies have always impressed me but having my urologist confidently assure me that I should be fine with AS for the time being...
I just had my follow-up appointment that I mentioned would be today. This was with my original urologist who has been following me for the last few years (see first post for full details). To briefly...
Thanks for all the helpful tips. I have a head start on the strong core as I've included abdominal exercises for many years as part of my strength training. I was doing kegels in March when I thought...
I outlined in my first post on this thread about the two urologists I saw back in March. One had done about 1000 and the other 2300 prostatectomies. My plan for now will be to have the latter one do...
I left a message with PCRI and they already got back to me. They concurred about radiation being out. So it's all about surgery when I'm ready....
So I just had my video visit with a top radiation oncologist out of Mass General in Boston. She had even more concerns about my compromised rectal area. She went further than the Lahey oncologist who...
Thanks for the comments. I did review that AS guide again. I meet a lot of the criteria for AS but am certainly on the riskier end. I note that they recommend a follow-up biopsy about a year out from...
I should say that I'm not a big fan of alternative treatments nor do I feel that any kind of extreme diet could change things much. I eat pretty much like I used to before being diagnosed. Honestly,...
I just got my PSA results back. My PSA dropped from 5.1 to 3.8!!!!! December 2021 - 5.1 April 2022 - 3.5 November 2022 - 3.6 November 2023 - 4.9 December 2023 - 5.1 June 2024 - 3.8 I am taking a...
Thanks for the responses and those are good questions to ask myself. I did feel very comfortable with the RO I saw today. I appreciated his honesty, the time he took, and how thorough he was. I was...
I just got back from seeing a radiation oncologist with Lahey. I think at my stage of favorable intermediate grade prostate cancer, I've now come to accept that there is going to be a lot of...
Thanks for the additional feedback. Terry's Cellar - thanks for the detailed analysis of what is involved with SBRT. It certainly seems like an excellent choice. The only complication is the rectal...
I still have my appointment coming up next week at Lahey but was able to get into Mass General today because of a cancelation and was able to meet a radiation oncologist with 20 years' experience....
So I've been thinking a lot about all the recommendations made here to at least consider radiation. I did not realize that it's possible to have it at my favorable intermediate stage without also...