The office Just called and my PSA number is 3.0

Wow, that's great! All that studying sure paid off. :)

Moses, thanks.

I had a psa of 9, repeated two months later, and then biopsy one month later showed 25% cancerous, aggressive. Had a robotic prostatectomy within three months at UCSF. No family history whatsoever. That was when i just turned 55.

Glad you're OK. The Da Vinci is really changing the surgical treatment of prostate cancer. Great technology.

Yep. The manufacturer is down here in Mountain View and I went to one of their road shows first and played with the device. amazing.


cgar, best wishes for you

I agree. Small incision, rapid healing. Make sure your Doctor is highly skilled and is not trying to build his numbers and is practicing on you. Again, as I mentioned before, the Doctor cannot guarantee he will save the nerves attached to the prostate. And you may need a pee bag or diapers for the rest of your life. He will give you odds of slightly greater lifestyle changes at about 10 to 15%. Know before you go.

John_AZ

My PSA was 8.4. Did biopsy; cancer.

Did the DaVinci - was piece of cake, could do a sit up after I woke up. Home the next morning. Was 3 years ago.

No other probs w/ 'the equipment'.

3.0 is not alarming...

I feel better, It looks like my Doctors office can handle it:

Urology Surgeons, P.C., is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our urologists combine skill and experience with innovative urological care. Some of the specialties of our practice are laporascopic surgery and robotic surgery.

Our practice offers robotic surgery as a treatment option for prostate cancer. Dr. John Lobo, trained in robotic surgery at the Mayo Clinic, has performed many robotic prostatectomies since the introduction of the da Vinci® Robotic System.

Craig, I thought a 3.0 was a passing grade. Are you going to need to get your bumm reamed?

NO NO NO!! From what I understand the 3.0 is now a base from which to track it, My Dad's started out at a 4.0 when first check then many years later when it spiked to 6.0 they cut out a piece to check it and then removed the whole thing because it was bad, he has been fine ever since and now 78..

OK, so the G2 Performance machine shop doesn't have to gear up yet. But just think of the missed opportunity to make a twin-plug bumm. :eek:

0-poop in 2.8 seconds?

How is it that the conspiracy theorists always end up posting on the medical threads?

For that matter, where the hell is my check from Joe Schmoe HMO that I've been waiting for? I figure I've killed a couple hundred people so far from denying them life saving medical care to cut costs...I oughta be getting something out of it by now...

:rolleyes:

HMOs are a conspiracy, almost by definition. If you have an HMO and they even give a hint of a potential problem with anything, bug them for specifics and for your own protection pay for a second opinion and a frank discussion of your options if you have a problem. Then SUE the bastards, if you must, but get them to pay for the treatment you paid insurance for. Just remember they don't give pain meds for the lowest cost plans, just the surgery.

Doc just got finished with my biopsy. not bad at all, (relative term). Will know in a week.

Good! Let us know how it turns out.

Thanks Moses. For what it's worth and for future reference...
Two, one in each cheek, anti-biotic shots then novocain jell. After that the ultra sound probe, oh baby. Was doing ok until the novocaine shot up the butt, stung a bit and wasn't prepared for that. Then the sample needles. He took 12 samples. That didn't really hurt but I was grasping the rail tight the whole time due to the novocaine shot, perceived/anticipated pain. All you hear/feel is a snap if you will each time.
He actually was pretty cool. Was playing a cd when I arrived. I said can we at least listen to Elvis while we're doing this. In pops an Elvis cd.
In the beginning we started talking about the energy 'crisis'. He starts getting worked up and I'm thinking to my self, "Man I don't want him pissed!!! But again he was awesome.
After-wards, he says most people have a problem with the ultrasound probe entering the rectum. He said I didn't have a tight sphincter. Now before you guys say anything!!!... I am not a Butt Pirate :D

Dude, you are a seriously brave man to let that kind of info out into this crowd!!!

Dieing of PC IS a miserable way to die...and men do die from it...

If your in your 70's they can arrest it for years (4 years seems to be the number) However it does tend to come back someplace else. PC Cancer is a function of the male hormone Testerone turning against you as you age. The best course of treatment is to STOP testerone production. Ask me how I know all this...

PSA test efficacy or not, it STILL is your first line of defense...

There was a long term Scandinavian Study that is being replicated in the USA now, that has shown that taking Vitamin E reduces the risk of PC by about 35%, however to be effective vitamin E usage has to be long term as in 10 years.

So guess which little pill I pop every morning...for about 10 years now.

Now I am not one to claim a GDmed thing about nutrition or vitamins..but I have noticed that with Vitamin E I don't get colds anymore. So whatever benefits it may give I do subscribe to it a boosting of the immune system.

I also pop one of those low Mg asprins everyday..it thins the blood a bit and can be preventative of HA and Stroke. Now I eat all the Ribs and eggs I can gourge myself on without worry...yeah right.. anyway last Cholesteral test was 133...thats is down by 85 from where I was in 4/07 and 130 from my all time peak.

IIRC my doc never gave me the novocaine for my biopsy. Those samplings stung something awful.


Best wishes to you.

Thank you all. Will post results in a week or so.
And RIck, yeah it's a tough crowd but as Tabs and Dan in Pasadena have said it's amazing how people will come together in times of need. And what the hell, have to be able to make fun of yourself sometimes!

Stopping testosterone has side effects. It makes all muscles much weaker. The heart is an important muscle that you do not want to get weaker.

Less testosterone =====Male Menopause
From Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061116115443.htm

Serum levels of testosterone decline with age, and many aging men with low levels of the hormone may experience depression, sexual dysfunction, diminished lean body mass, muscle volume and strength, and reduced bone mineral density, according to background information in the article. Such changes, in association with low testosterone levels, have been called "male menopause."

Additional edit: Lowered (nonexistant) sexual frequency or desire.

Childs aspirn-OK. Vitamin E-eat healthier. Stop testosterone=No

John_AZ

Tests negative :D Just inflamed for what ever reason. semi-anual testing from now on.
Thanks to those with the kind words.

Now you need to get on a regular exercise program for the prostate!

Great news!

Exactly what are Prostate exercises?

I believe the data suggest a need for flowing fluids, rather than stagnant sem... to decrease prostate cancer risk:)

So a BJ a day keeps the doctor away? I'll let the GF know. Can someone write me a script to show her? :D

My brother called this morning. He got his latest PSA test yesterday. 1680. Things aren't working.

Ian

The current biopsy shows the cancer getting a bit more aggressive so I have a prostatectomy scheduled for this October 2022 Had a good meeting with the cutter and he put me at ease:

Craig