Surgery or not?

Welcome Lyrical. Firstly, it helps members give advice if you can provide information. Ie PSA, Gleeson score etc. The more you read, the more confusing it becomes eh?
Download (or order from here) the sites TOOLKIT which will be more info for you to read if you haven't already done so.
The only observation I would make is that, since as you say the cancer is localised, don't rush, or be pushed into a treatment plan too early.
Talk to as many specialists as you can. Take a list of questions with you and make a note of answers. Take somebody with you as well. Two heads being better than one. You won't remember them otherwise.
I'm sure somebody else much wiser will be along soon.
Glad you did at least manage to find the site. Everyone on here is very helpful. As far as the sexual side goes, that will depend on your treatment but nobody is shy on here so ask away if you have specific questions.
Good luck and keep us posted. Best Wishes Sandra

The decision you make as regards the course of treatment you undertake is one only you can make based upon the results of tests you will have had or are going to have. Generally speaking, people on this forum will not advise you to do one thing or another as it is a personal choice for you and only you. Research everything and you will find the steep learning curve is relatively easy to climb.

My cancer was high grade, only just contained and surgery was an option. Some people are not given that option. I am extremely happy with my decision to have the surgery. You are welcome to read my account of what happened and this may help you to decide.

As far as a future sex life is concerned I can only reiterate what my consultant told me when I discussed that matter with him and that is 'there are no free lunches in this game'. In other words both surgery and radio therapy are likely to have some effect on erectile dysfunction and it is probably better to make your treatment decision based upon the best outcome for treating the cancer you have rather than on whether this or that will have a more or less negative impact on your future sex life. There are of course other forms of treatment and one of these may be suitable too. Someone on this forum once famously said 'Having sex isn't an option if you are dead'

Good luck to you and I sincerely hope that everything works out for the best when your decisions are made.

Hello again Lyrical.
My husband started at 5.9, 3+4 and just as yours was found it was a last minute decision by the GP to add PSA to a blood test and from there we are where we are.
He had a year on active surveillance, and on 3rd June this year he had 58 brachytherapy seeds implanted. Just prior to my John's procedure, member Kennt also had it done.
If you look at both profiles it may give you some sort of guidance. Remember though that everyone is different.
Good luck with your choice.

Hi Lyrical,
we are in Leeds as well. Brachytherapy would have been my husband's first choice but it wasn't available to him because he was considered too young; however, you are a fair bit older than he was so it may be a good option for you. My husband had surgery but found the side effects so hard to bear - plus it came back and he ended up needing salvage hormone treatment and radiotherapy anyway. Now, it all seems a long time ago, he is absolutely healthy and we have found a new 'normal' life.

In comparison, my dad was your age at diagnosis and chose surgery, he was in remission for 13 years although it has come back recently. My father-in-law was worried about side effects and opted to do nothing .... he lived for only 4 years.

Whichever treatment path you choose, whether that is radical treatment or active surveillance, buy into it wholeheartedly because regret can be very difficult to bear.

Go for surgery, get rid of it in one go then you can consentrate on living and get your life back, I did 12 months ago with no regrets, you won't feel a thing, and you get to go home the next day with only a bit of discomfort for about a week, from the dreaded catheter. Do your pelvic floor exercises as of now, stay positive and if possible stop smoking, that for you is probably the most difficult, but it pays dividends when having surgery, and after.Good luck and Best Wishes Diesel.

I'm certainly not pushing the Brachytherapy Lyrical, I've already commented on our situation above and at the end of the day the decision can only be for you and your wife.

I would just say though to go ahead with the meeting regarding it. All knowledge is power.

John was told in the January that something needed to be decided so we started down the enquiry route but nothing happened until June. Like you, his prostate was small and cancer contained and we had time to consider.

There are members on here not in the same "fortunate" position of having time.

Our surgeon was different to yours. He thought any other option was irrelevant and was dismissive of the Brachy. He also emphasised that if Brachy was our preferred route then NO surgery would happen afterwards 
You appear to have been told that it can - even with the proviso that after effects may be worse.

Radiology consultant told us surgery COULD go ahead after Brachytherapy although it is more difficult, and in any case she said there were other salvage treatments available. So, two doctors - different views.

Much like on here really. Many members for surgery, many trying to do all they can to avoid it.

All I can add is that (so far anyway) there are no major problems. No incontinence since the initial situation following the implants
Tamsulosin is currently sorting out mild urine retention although John was advised to double them until he has a camera down. Intimate  life pretty well back to normal although it needs more "planning" than it previously did !

John was never very interested in investigating Prostate Cancer, the treatments or the possible side effects. I had to do all that. There is such a mine of information out there and it does become confusing.
I found it helped to do a little chart type thing laying out the treatments, possible side effects etc. By looking at them laid out like that we were able to number our preferred options for the possible best outcome which would suit us.

Good luck with any decision you make.

Best Wishes to you and your wife. Glad she is on this journey with you.

Edited by member 23 Oct 2014 at 09:07  | Reason: Not specified

Alan

Good luck with your treatment. Hope all goes well.

Paul

Hi Alan, really good news for you, excellent news in fact.

You made the correct choice for you and it has paid off. I really admire your courage in opting for Brachy, I could not get my head around having "it" inside me, even if "it" was zapped to death.

Your success will give hope to others who are at the decision stage. Even so, I have no regrets.

atb

dave