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User

Posted 12 Apr 2023 at 00:49

Great news GG, so pleased things are going so well.

Really hope things get better with the pump for you. What Lyn has described is exactly how my husband used the pump and it works for him 🤞🏼

User

Posted 12 Apr 2023 at 18:21

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Humph, you wouldn't think that if you met me in real life - I am pedantic, brutal and make people cry a lot. I have big boobs though and, if I speak at a conference, someone always comments on my beautiful shoes 🤣

Love it.... I too have been known to appreciate a great pair of Manolo Blahnik's 😉

To hell with that pedantry, brutality and tears!!

Jamie

User

Posted 15 Nov 2023 at 21:27

Hi all, sorry I haven’t been around much recently. I can be a wee bit obsessive and prone to overthink and overanalyse situations. So I made a deliberate decision to spend the summer away from PC forums since I did not want to let my diagnosis define me or dominate my thinking. Instead I tried to just enjoy the summer ( I think it lasted an entire day here in Scotland)

20 months since my RP and I have just received my first 6 months results - PSA is still undetectable so I am overjoyed.

Still fully continent and the only bad news is I still suffer from ED despite the surgery being nerve sparing and trying pills and pump. I am awaiting an appointment to start injections where it hurts 😂 and am hoping for a better outcome.

I am now looking forward to a relatively worry free Christmas and wish all on this journey the very best with your treatments and procedures.

take care, GG

User

Posted 15 Nov 2023 at 22:00

Hi,

I'm in a very similar position but a few months behind you.

Best of luck with the injections mate. They don't hurt and Invicorp was quite successful for me.

Adrian

User

Posted 15 Nov 2023 at 22:39

Great new GG, you seem to be doing very well.

Derek

User

Posted 19 Nov 2023 at 13:32

Hello everyone.

This forum is terrific with loads of great information and advice.

I had my diagnosis about three weeks ago. I have a 30mm tumour and three other small cancerous areas. All are anterior on the prostate and there's no spread.

I'll be 75 in February and my options are robotic surgery, radiotherapy (no mention of hormone) and Nanoknife which would cost a minimum of £16K. I have to decide by Christmas.

I've been very lucky with my health so far so I'm quite the rookie at this surgery stuff! The most intrusive thing I've had was my recent biopsy under GA. That was the second one. The first was under a local but they missed the cancerous bits which were picked up by an MRI, so I had to go back for another burst!

Like many, many before me, I'm absolutely agonising over this and it's getting to me a bit today.

The robotic surgery should nail it but the after-effects scare me a bit. The radio seems OK but it's 6-7 weeks of commuting to Reading which may be a slog if the fatigue sets in, and what's the prognosis in the longer term?

As for Nanoknife, it's only been around since 2009 and hasn't yet been fully approved by the NHS. However, it's day surgery, or one night in the hospital as a maximum) and a couple of days to recover. The longer-term prognosis also seems pretty good but have they enough evidence to be sure about that?

This is just an introduction really but any comments would be very welcome. I'd also be most interested in the Nanoknife procedure if anyone knows of it, or anyone who's had it.

Best wishes to you all.

Mike

User

Posted 19 Nov 2023 at 14:50

Hi Mike,

I think you might be better starting your own thread about this…you’ll get lots of informative and helpful responses I am sure. I would be surprised if you get RT without HT but I’m no expert. For me the RT wasn’t a problem but the HT can be quite debilitating at times for some (including me😟). Others don’t have serious side effects, but if you do have HT chances are it will be for up to 3 years. So, it’s not the easy choice it may seem, but knowing many who have had robotic surgery(through Maggies), they are happy with their choice but it’s not without its own issues(incontinence, fatigue and ED). Can’t comment on nanoknife. It’s a difficult decision which might be helped by talking directly to other men who’ve had these treatments. If theirs a local PCa group go along to one of their meetings if you can.

all the best with your decision,

Derek

User

Posted 19 Nov 2023 at 15:37

Thanks so much Derek.

I'll follow your advice and move my post to a new chat in the next day or so.

All the best.

User

Posted 19 Nov 2023 at 16:57

MikeLaw

We have something in common. I was 72 when I had prostatectomy 12 years ago. I chose surgery because the cancer was well contained with good margin, I was fit with no other health issues and the RT route, 12 years ago, was still in the 'experimental' stage; situation is much better now. So it is a little more difficult for you to choose. I was lucky that I had a friendly consultant who was very experienced in robotic surgery. He made it quite clear to me that because of my age even nerve sparing surgery will, if anything, make my ED situation worse, and that I should not expect to return to my presurgery erectile function. We weren't bothered about that because my erections were beginning to wane and we were in the process of doing something about that. As for incontinence he expected me to regain full continence. He was right about the former but not quite so about my continence. I did not regain my continence fully – I am 99.9% continent – I tend to leak when sexually excited and when I orgasm. Would I take the same route again? Yes, definitely. To cut a long story sort, through our love, determination, imagination and good communication we were able to re-establish our sex life and we are now leading a happy ‘new-normal’ life. In my view ‘nerve sparing’ surgery is a little oversold. I have come in contact with many men (over 60) who have had nerve sparing surgery but haven’t returned to their original state; they still need some help to achieve strong enough and reliable erections for penetrative sex. Whatever route you choose, although this is a life changing event, with a bit luck you can expect a reasonable quality of life for many years after treatment. I would be happy to answer any question you have; you may wish to send me a private message. Good luck.

'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.' Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

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