Prostate Cancer

[cdiggy]

Everybody knows about breast cancer. It is well advertised. October is breast cancer awareness month. NFL players use pink colored gear during October and everybody knows about the pink ribbons. 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer in their lifetime. Most don't know that November is men's health awareness month (baby blue ribbons) and that 1 in 6 men will have prostate cancer in their lives. I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. I am not looking for sympathy, only awareness. My father died from it because he did not know and did not get it treated until it was way too late. This is unacceptable. Fact is nobody wants to see "Dr. DRE" ( the dreaded Digital Rectal Exam doctor ) but, as unappreciated as his job is, he saves lives. This is a symptomless cancer. I had NO symptoms. The ONLY reason I know is because I had a very simple blood test (the PSA test) which triggered the other tests that diagnosed me. I was very close to being in a very bad way (like my father). Again :unacceptable. Education is paramount. This test saved my life, because my cancer was very close to leaving my prostate and seeking greener pastures. I am only 50 (when diagnosed) with 30 years of quality life left.
Get it checked. Simple blood test. Nobody wants to hear it but if you ignore it, it will most certainly kill you. Once again. I had NO symptoms. My boss has every symptom and is completely benign, and we, as men, know the symptoms as we get older: getting up 4-5 times a night to pee, weak stream, intermittent stream, painful orgasm, etc. once again I had none of these symptoms but they do occur. It is a familial thing as well. It runs in the family. The ONLY reason I got it checked was because my father died from it. Black men are at a higher risk as well. I had to press my family doctor to do the blood test. He was not even going to order it but I was persistent. 1 in 6 men. Seriously, don't ignore it. Being proactive about it saved my life.
Normally my life is private and is my own business, not to be shared with anyone but this shit is important. Everyone gets the lecture from me these days.
Don't delay... Dr. DRE is waiting for you. (After you have the blood test of course if it leaves your prostate and gets to your lymphatic system your chances of surviving plummet dramatically. Get it checked. Don't be a dope.
End rant.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Its a good reminder. I'm turning 43 in March. Time to look for a slender asian (preferably female!) Doctor.

 

[cdiggy]

"Yo Doc, the least you could do is take off your ring..."

"That's not my ring, young man, that's my watch."

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

An addendum

I was having the usual male prostate problems typical for my age.  I knew I didn't have prostate cancer, my regular doctor ordered the test once a year along with a couple of others.

I decided to see a urologist anyway.  My urine sample showed microscopic traces of blood.  Absolutely NOTHING was visible to the naked eye.  Long story short, I had bladder cancer.  We caught it at an early stage and the treatments seem to have been completely succesful.  I'm rechecked once a year, and there's been no sign of it coming back for more than five years now.

The older you get, the more important "routine" tests become.  

Regards
John

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

I'm so glad you fellows have brought this up. We women care about you and want to see you take care of business.
My father went thru prostate cancer treatment, I think about 7 or 8 years ago. He is strong and well and 84 years old and walks-fast, every single day, even when he feels bad and he lifts weights.

 

[Tinman74]

I had Prostate Cancer when I was 59. All is well now. I find that most men do not even want to talk about the subject and totally ignore it, some times till it is too late. After my surgery I had a number of women friends that ask if I would mind talking to them on the subject because they were concerned about there husband their husband just didn't want to broach the subject.
My advice, don't wait, have a PSA blood test. Worked out well for me!! Catch it early and it should work out well for you too.
Bob

 

[akrvbob]

I've heard that if you live long enough it's almost a certainty to get prostate cancer. For most of us something else gets us first.
Bob

 

[Wabbit]

Mid 40's here, not a huge fan of doctors. Thnx for the reminder on how a lil preventative care can make all the difference. Will get in soon and get an age appropriate check-up.

 

[Tinman74]

Bob,
That is true that most men will die with PC than of it but there is a more aggressive form which is not quite as forgiving. You never know which type you may have.
Not a bit sorry that I had the surgery. The fact of having the frequent urination problem is not in itself a sign of cancer but a sign of BPH (Benign Prostate Hyprtplasia), enlargement of the prostate, the operative word here being Benign. The PSA reading is not a definite sign either. As my DR. told me, it is the only sign they have to work with and it shouldn't be ignored.
I hope this sheds some more light on the subject.

Bob

 

[cdiggy]

Bob,
That is true that most men will die with PC than of it but there is a more aggressive form which is not quite as forgiving. You never know which type you may have.
Not a bit sorry that I had the surgery. The fact of having the frequent urination problem is not in itself a sign of cancer but a sign of BPH (Benign Prostate Hyprtplasia), enlargement of the prostate, the operative word here being Benign. The PSA reading is not a definite sign either. As my DR. told me, it is the only sign they have to work with and it shouldn't be ignored.
I hope this sheds some more light on the subject.

Bob

True about psa numbers. When they look at these numbers they use an acceleration rate (how fast the number is raising as opposed to how high it is. ) Mine went from a 5.1, which is high, to an 8.0 in just two weeks even with the antibiotics they have me because infections can raise the number as well so they take all factors into account. My tumor was about 50% of the total mass of my prostate. Again, it was getting ready to leave the prostate.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

good point Cdiggy keep preaching, I get a PSA done every year, been doing yearly prostate checks since I was 35 my doctor at the time had a patient that was 28 who got it, so it is never too soon. When I get the bloods done they also do a cardiovascular risk assessment, cholesterol and blood sugars. Small price to pay,

 

[mconlonx]

I'm not scared to go to the Dr. when needed. Just did a regular 5yr complete checkup which included the digital exam and PSA along with the other bloodwork. I'm 46 and everything checked out fine. I never want to be that "If only I'd got this checked out earlier..." dude. I'd rather be embarrassed talking about it--embarrassment is probably better than death...

 

[Theadyn]

Very good reminder, thank you for sharing. I hope for a speedy recovery for you!

 

[cdiggy]

Thanks! I have made a full recovery but I am at high risk for recurrence. Will need periodic blood tests for the rest of my life but it is no longer a death sentence

 

[vanman2300]

My Doc checks every single time on the yearly physical.

I'll add that my Doc has a sense of humor and one time told a shy male patient that they should feel fortunate rather than embarrassed. The patient asked why and the Doc said because if you were a lawyer I'd be using 2 fingers!

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

Another cancer you want to avoid is colon cancer.  Like prostate cancer, it's slow growing with few symptoms.  There is no excuse for anyone to get colon cancer.  I had a colonoscopy about 15 years ago, and I'm getting another on Monday, appropriately president's day.  I was told I had to have a driver with me or they would not do the procedure, then when I read their materials I saw that it said you needed a driver IF you were having anesthesia.  So I called them and said I did NOT want anesthesia.  My procedure is at 2:30, I asked when I would be done, and she said well, since you're not getting anesthesia you should be able to leave at 3:15.  

I wasn't given the "no anesthesia" option for the first one I had.  I wish they had told me.  

I'm not going to eat anything other than gatorade and ginger ale until then.  I'm going to have a really clean colon.

 

[patschum]

Another cancer you want to avoid is colon cancer.  Like prostate cancer, it's slow growing with few symptoms.  There is no excuse for anyone to get colon cancer.  I had a colonoscopy about 15 years ago, and I'm getting another on Monday, appropriately president's day.  I was told I had to have a driver with me or they would not do the procedure, then when I read their materials I saw that it said you needed a driver IF you were having anesthesia.  So I called them and said I did NOT want anesthesia.  My procedure is at 2:30, I asked when I would be done, and she said well, since you're not getting anesthesia you should be able to leave at 3:15.  

I wasn't given the "no anesthesia" option for the first one I had.  I wish they had told me.  

I'm not going to eat anything other than gatorade and ginger ale until then.  I'm going to have a really clean colon.

 

[patschum]

I had this test without anesthesia. Do yourself a favor and bring a friend and do the drugs. It sucks without.

 

[cdiggy]

It is painful without anesthesia. Do yourself a favor and get knocked out.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

It is painful without anesthesia. Do yourself a favor and get knocked out.

One problem with anesthesia is that sometimes you don't wake up.  That's why their malpractice insurance is so expensive.  And I don't have a friend to drive me, although I guess I could hire a uber driver.  Pain doesn't last, it serves a purpose and is just a part of life.