Surgery in Leicester

User

Posted 06 Jan 2017 at 18:15

Hi. I'm 55 and from my diagnosis in November with a Gleason 3+4, my prostrate was removed on the 4/1/17 by those wonderful people at The Leicester General Hospial with the Da Vinci robot and by a brilliant surgeon who's done 70 of these operations in the last 12 months. Apparently i'm not allowed to name him Oh well i suppose i got carried away with still being alive for now .

I am home now and recovering, and consider myself very fortunate that it was all confined within the prostate. I cannot thank the nurses who work for this charity for their help and advice in dark times, and YouTube has been brilliant too!

All the best guys,
Tony

Edited by member 08 Jan 2017 at 12:11 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 06 Jan 2017 at 18:15

All the best guys,
Tony

Edited by member 08 Jan 2017 at 12:11 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 06 Jan 2017 at 19:28

Great news Tony
All the best for a speedy recovery.
Michael

User

Posted 19 Jan 2017 at 21:38

Hi Tony

Glad to hear all went well. I am 49 with a Gleason score of 7 and have surgery with the Da Vinci robot on 29th Jan. All quite scary but good to hear such a positive post from someone who has just gone through the process.

Alex

User

Posted 20 Jan 2017 at 11:50

Hi Alex

I'm two weeks since op and got discharged the next day and had catheter removed two days ago ( a relief let me tell you ) but for a bit of mild uncomfortableness for two weeks it's a very small price to pay in the grand scheme of things .

You'll have 6/7 little cuts across your stomach which are a bit sore for a day or so but again nothing really .

Take baggy trousers or lounge pants so it's easy to roll up to empty the bag

Don't be alarmed by a bit of blood in your urine in the bag for a day or three .

A bit of urine will leak out of your Gentlemans sausage but nothing to worry about to me it shows the pipe is healing.

I hope you get the great care like I had in Leicester in these very tough times.

All the best

User

Posted 03 Mar 2017 at 21:57

Hi all

@ Tony

Sounds as if you owe the GP lady a big (huge ?) thank-you. (3.7 is only marginal and depends if you had others symptoms or not)
Probably saved your life in many ways. Early detection. Maybe cut / paste this into your profile as this 'disappears' down list.
and easier to find if folks look up profiles. Great positive encouragement .

@ Chris

Thanks. re. Heads up Aspirin
I think there's a typo in URL (an 'I' missing)
I had a look at site - all the best and thanks

@ Ulsterman

Good to hear you are well.

@ Graham

I don't think dosage matters, from what I've 'googled' , seems 75mg fine , needs to be 'regular' .
Seems 'good' for digestive type cancers ... so I'll put some on the shopping list next week.
The only med I would then take so why not ?

Edited by member 03 Mar 2017 at 21:58 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 09 Mar 2017 at 07:40

Have the RT in the next four months and it will actually be adjuvant RT rather than salvage RT

Good luck

Bri

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User

Posted 06 Jan 2017 at 19:28

Great news Tony
All the best for a speedy recovery.
Michael

User

Posted 06 Jan 2017 at 20:04

Nice first post and glad you are home safe although you won't know for sure that it was all contained until you get your pathology results and first PSA test - those few weeks will start to feel like a long time :-(

It might be a good idea to edit your post - we don't have many rules on the forum but naming doctors is a no-no.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 06 Jan 2017 at 22:10

Hi Tonyd61,

To echo Lynne's post, yours is a nice first post, and welcome to the site and the forum.

So, to deal with the comments above.

You may not be aware but you have already probably undergone a first "Path Lab" analysis of your prostate, as far as I am aware.

Once you are "under" and have your organ removed, the bits are sent to a Path Lab for a 1st "looksie", while you are under. just in case it is felt, discovered, revealed or shown that more might need to be removed. A secondary "full blown" analysis or "LOOKSIE" will be undertaken in a lab with your organ in a petri dish viewed under a microscope or several.

Then, and only then, with any greater degree of certainty will you know if your cancer was contained. That is a fact. Ish.

But, when I was in the position you are in now, WAITING, my results at 1st looksie, were confirmed by the 2nd in depth lookisie.

So, if I were you, I would be feeling confident at this time, not concerned by speculation about what "may be".

There is a lot to be said for not worrying about the possibility of a situation until it materialises.

Enjoy your weekend.

atb

dave

been where you are now, and much later, making good progress, still

edit to remove "uninformed" before speculation, as it was unnecessary.

Edited by member 07 Jan 2017 at 10:25 | Reason: Not specified

All we can do - is do all that we can.

So, do all you can to help yourself, then make the best of your time. :-)

I am the statistic.

User

Posted 08 Jan 2017 at 12:38

Thank you for all your replies and iv'e edited the surgeon .

With regard to the organ contained bit i'm going by what my consultant urologist said my consultant oncologist and the surgeon said .

As far as i know the path lab bit wasn't done . I don't doubt what you or what the consultants have said is right or wrong and i'm at the beginning of this journey and have a very long/short way to go till the end . Because of my age surgery was the only option for me and i was told if my Gleeson was 6 3+3 i wouldn't of been offered anything except regular psa checks . I feel grateful that in these tough times that the NHS got me in so quickly when there's far more deserving cases than me that don't get the same attention .

User

Posted 19 Jan 2017 at 21:38

Hi Tony

Alex

User

Posted 20 Jan 2017 at 11:50

Hi Alex

You'll have 6/7 little cuts across your stomach which are a bit sore for a day or so but again nothing really .

Take baggy trousers or lounge pants so it's easy to roll up to empty the bag

Don't be alarmed by a bit of blood in your urine in the bag for a day or three .

A bit of urine will leak out of your Gentlemans sausage but nothing to worry about to me it shows the pipe is healing.

I hope you get the great care like I had in Leicester in these very tough times.

All the best

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 12:36

Hi All
Went to see surgeon 8 weeks after op and my psa is currently 0.1 but i did have nerve sparing .
However there's a chance it could come back so he's making an appointment for me to see an Oncologist to see what he thinks and ive been offered a clinical trial which im reading the paperwork now .
He did say the nerve sparing went really well and the fact that i'm continent and ed is getting there 8 weeks post op it doesn't get much better so i'm encouraged by this and the superb service iv'e received .

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 19:17

Hi Tony

Great news. The trial I was offered was Radicals. I followed it up however declined as didn't want rt. I'll take my chances. I see that trial has just ended so results will appear in 5 years or so.

May I ask what prompted your PSA test or tests ? I was asymptomatic. .

Also are your PSA values given at just 1 decimal place ?? Not a problem it's just some members post to 3 decimal places.

Gordon

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 20:05

Hi Gordon
This was my first psa test post op which I had on 4/1/17 .
My first one was 3.5 approx 3 years ago then it went down to 2.7 two years ago and then last year it went up to 3.7
My trial if approved involves taking aspirin

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 22:24

Tony

You're the second person I've heard of on an aspirin trial. From the day my urologist told me I had PCa, he put me on one aspirin per day. He said aspirin had great cancer fighting properties. But this isn't a trial - I'm on them for life, so to speak. He also prescribed a vitamin D tablet per day and a statin.

What is the name of the trial?

Ulsterman

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 22:24

Tony

What is the name of the trial?

Ulsterman

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 22:54

Ulsterman, I think your urologist is running his own little trial. It is not common practice for men to be prescribed these things on diagnosis. But if it works, don't knock it, eh?

The big trial is called ADD-aspirin and is intended for men with early stage PCa.

Edited by member 02 Mar 2017 at 22:57 | Reason: Not specified

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 22:56

The trial is called add aspirin trial. There have been a couple of conversations on the forum. Search for aspirin in the search box and they should come up. There is a website www.addaspirintrial.org.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-trial-looking-at-whether-aspirin-can-stop-cancer-coming-back-after-treatment-add-aspirin

Added From the Cancer research site,"This trial is looking at using aspirin to see if it can help stop cancer coming back after treatment. "

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 03 Mar 2017 at 22:28 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 02 Mar 2017 at 23:38

Thanks Lyn and Chris. I've looked at the website. Interestingly, with my pT3b, I wouldn't be eligible to join the trial. So I'm glad my urologist has me on his own wee programme.

Ulsterman

User

Posted 03 Mar 2017 at 09:53

I have also heard about the trial (it seems to still be open according to their website). However, if there is something in it, I'd rather not risk being in the placebo group! I have been taking aspirin daily ever since the RP, though the dosage is very unclear. 75, 150 0r 300mg? I've settled on 150mg for no particular reason.

I'll discuss on Monday when I go back for the big post-op pathology report. Fingers drumming.....

cheers
G

User

Posted 03 Mar 2017 at 20:47

If I'm approved it involves taking real aspirin for 8 weeks and if I last that long none of the side affects with aspirin have bothered me it'll continue for 5 years but I won't know if I'm taking the real thing or a placebo. Also if I need zapping at some time it won't affect that .

User

Posted 03 Mar 2017 at 21:57

Hi all

Edited by member 03 Mar 2017 at 21:58 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 03 Mar 2017 at 22:25

Rob

Thanks Rob now corrected and below is an alternative link.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-trial-looking-at-whether-aspirin-can-stop-cancer-coming-back-after-treatment-add-aspirin

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 03 Mar 2017 at 22:30 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 04 Mar 2017 at 12:34

Thanks Rob
I do consider myself very fortunate and I did go back to the lady to thank her even though she was surprised by the diagnosis.
My symptoms was not completely finishing when peeing and this went on for more than three years and occasionally blood in semen but they couldn't feel anything and my psa remained low until it went to 3.7 and she offered me a biopsy for the first time.
Now the next chapter begins and I'm encouraged by a psa of 0.1 and t3 and speaking to one of the great nurses on this site yesterday.
So it started with No matter how much you wiggle and dance you always leave some in your pants

User

Posted 08 Mar 2017 at 20:43

Hi Lyn

Had letter from surgeon today after last weeks meeting and it says PC extends to the right posterior margin and the pathologist have called it T3.

He also says that my psa post op is 0.1 ideally it should be less at this stage. However it's still nor formally called PC until psa goes up to 0.2 and given my pathology there's a good chance of PC remaining.

Then he goes on about me seeing an oncologist etc

User

Posted 08 Mar 2017 at 22:33

I am sorry to hear that Tony. Salvage RT is the next step then? Will that discount you from the aspirin trial?

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 09 Mar 2017 at 07:10

Hi Lyn

If I have to have salvage RT it won't affect trial and it means I get tested more often so should my psa go up it will be dealt with sooner. I've always felt in myself that this was going to be some journey and it wouldnt end after the operation.

User

Posted 09 Mar 2017 at 07:40

Have the RT in the next four months and it will actually be adjuvant RT rather than salvage RT

Good luck

Bri

User

Posted 09 Mar 2017 at 10:06

Hi Bri

If I need it let's hope so and I get the right oncologist because I've read a lot of them are not keen but I will definitely ask the question.

Has anybody on here had it ?

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