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I'm 43 just been diagnosed on friday

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User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 10:02
Hi I have just been diagnosed I'm 43 and apparently not showing up on Mir but on biopsy 1 positive out of 6 on one side and same on the other side, it is a shock as told too young to get it but they are saying surgery is the best way to get rid of it please I'm just after some advice as I'm in still young and read the side affects a bit worried as still very active will it really affect me that much and is there any other options sorry for putting up Thank you Jon
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 11:00

Hi Jon,

 

As usual it would be helpful to download or order the toolkit. It would help if you could let us know your PSA and Gleason score. 

 

Paul

THE CHILD HAS GROWN, THE DREAM HAS GONE
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 11:06

Hi Jon
Im so sorry you have had to find this site because of cancer . Everyone on here will help with anything you need to ask . Firstly , go to the publications section of the website and download the " Toolkit " or phone and order it . It describes everything in detail you will need on your journey . It sounds as though you may have time to read it thoroughly and not panic yet , but it would be good for people to know your PSA score , type of biopsy , Gleason grading etc , so they can help guide you . But mostly on here you have to make your own mind up where to go with treatment . All I would say is ensure you get as many options for treatment as you can before making your mind up . Don't be forced down a path you aren't ready for . There are a few of us " younger" men on here at the moment . Im 48 and had operation in June. Click my picture and you can read my journey . Also Raiden was operated on in July and he is 43. And Traleetrish husband Stuart at 46. So a few of us know exactly what you are going through and will have to go through . LOADS of people will help you and want to advise you . Please ask as much as you want
Chris

User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 13:22
Hi JohnM,

Good reply from ChrisJ., pretty much says it all. It does come as a bit of a shock and you need to give yourself plenty of time to get your head around it. If you've been offered surgery there's a good chance other curative treatments will be available to you also e.g brachytherapy. Re. The side effects, yes there are a few, which you'll no doubt read / be told about and will need to consider. Post any specific questions and we'll help you through this.

Flexi

User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 13:33

Hi Jon,

You are indeed young but a small number of men are diagnosed early. Whist it is not the diagnosis you wanted, the cancer has been found early and treatment, when it is given will hopefully result in a cure. I say when because some men who are diagnosed early defer treatment and potential adverse side effects by just being monitored (Active Surveillance) until the cancer develops to a stage when it is deemed advisable to have treatment. However, you do not wish to miss the best opportunity for cure. Younger men tend to have surgery followed by radiotherapy if surgery does not do the job completely. Older men tent to go for RT more which generally has more mild side effects, at least in the short to medium term. But not all men follow this division of treatment by age and there is an overlap. There are 3 main methods of removing the Prostate surgically and quite a number of ways of treating with RT. You can read up on these. HIFU and Cryotherapy are other methods of treatment in the UK but are are rarely used and then mostly as salvage therapy where RT has failed. Where HIFU is used as a primary treatment the results are better if the cancer is on one side (yours is on both sides of the prostate) but this would not necessarily rule this out, though other factors might.

Only you can decide on the way to go with treatment having done your research and considered what your consultants say. Often surgeons will advocate surgery and Oncologists a form or RT. It's not just a matter of the treatment itself but the potential side effects that have to be taken into account.

You might consider having your sperm frozen before treatment if there is the possibility of your wanting (more?) children.

Barry
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 13:56

Hello Jon and welcome from me too, wife of a PCa sufferer.

Firstly, please try very hard not to panic. The word cancer is a real frightener but take a big breath and try and get your head round the diagnosis.
Easier said than done I know.

The others have all given excellent advice.

As your cancer appears to have been caught very early there may well be a few options open to you including Active Surveillance as Barry says.

Active surveillance is offered when the cancer is at an early stage, is contained within the prostate and the prostate is relatively small. It means that you receive no treatment but are actively monitored with regular PSA tests and biopsies. Action only needs taking if the cancer begins to progress.

IF you have time on your side then AS gives you the ability to suss out all your options so that you don't rush into the first suggestion either the surgeon or oncologist makes to you.

All treatments are likely to have some possible side effects but not everyone gets them to the same extent.

There will be other members along to offer advice.

If you could supply your PSA, your Gleason score and any other info you have then it helps us help you.

Remember we answer anything on here, even those questions you might find embarrassing to ask at the hospital.

Get the Toolkit as suggested and use it to make a note of questions to ask at your next appointment. Take somebody with you if you can and also take a notebook and pen to write down answers.

Best wishes and good luck. You've found us now so you are no longer dealing with this nightmare alone.

 

Edited by member 01 Nov 2015 at 13:57  | Reason: Not specified

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 17:10
Hi Jon,

As Chris said my husband also diagnosed at a young 46, there are a few of us on here. Stuart had his op in July by Da Vinci robot, recovery has been good and he is now fully continent. The sex side is a slower recovery and although very frustrating he just wanted the cancer taken away, come back with your results and read as much as possible in the meantime. if you have any questions pls feel free to DM me at anytime, it's such a shock at the beginning and it does take time to get your head round it all.

Keep posting, we have a great bunch of people on this forum.

Best wishes,

Trish X

User
Posted 02 Nov 2015 at 04:29

hi jon

well some great advice again on here, I would like to add when considering one option of treatment check what it may affect having later but you will find all this info in the toolkit

nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

User
Posted 02 Nov 2015 at 07:29
Hi Jon,

Just wanted to welcome you and wish you all the best with your results today.

Steve

User
Posted 02 Nov 2015 at 09:24

Hi Jon,
Being first told is a shock to the system but you have found a great forum here and I've found everyones comments and advise very useful. I was dx about 6 months ago now and started treatment. The mention of side effects is very worrying, but not everyone gets the same SE. I've been lucky so far and life is as normal as can be with Pca.

Good results tomorrow.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 16:25

Hello, my other half was diagnosed last year age 57. psa was 3.7 gleason of 6. We were encouraged to do active surveillance. But that was July and by December it was 4.7 so he decided on treatment. I think different hospitals must have different opinions as prostate removal was not really mentioned. They still wanted him to leave it longer, they suggested brachytherapy as my other half has bowel problems and they said this would have the least effect. So he had brachy in Jan. What they also never mentioned was the fact that if you have brachy it is difficult to treat the cancer if it returns. (Some hospitals apparently don't offer brachy to younger men, a friend of ours had it at 49.) If you have the prostate removed and it returns you can have radiotherapy. I do believe the odds of it returning are the same whichever treatment you have.

Whatever you decide try to make it your decision and don't be pushed a direction you don't want to go. I don't think you have a rush to make your decision. Good luck.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 16:28

My husband's original PS was 5.7 and Gleason 3+4 so he went on active surveillance for a year. PSA rose to 5.9 then 6.3 at which point he opted for permanent seed brachytherapy at age 73/4.

As William says, you have been very lucky that you were diagnosed at such an early stage.

I'm a bit puzzled by the "they are going for surgery more than anything". Were no other options offered to you?

Unless there is something about your situation that causes an urgent decision I can't understand why they have not allowed you to investigate other options.

By the way, they aren't the ones having to make your choice are they so the"lets chop it out of you asap" view is easy for them  isn't it.

Have you got hold of the Toolkit yet from Publications. It may help you make a decision as will asking questions on here.

None of us will turn round and say to you you should do this or that because it is a very personal choice but we are here for you if you want advice.

I am a little bothered that perhaps the decision is being made for you, and indeed it may well be the best choice, but given the details you have supplied I would think that you have time to look at other treatment routes before you make a decision.

Edited by member 03 Nov 2015 at 16:29  | Reason: Not specified

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 18:17

JonM,

A PSA of 4.1 and a Gleason score is 6 puts you prettyy much in the low risk group, where the cancer is unlikely to grow or spread for many years.  Have the MDT (multi-disciplinary team) picked up something on an MRI scan to warrant the urgency of surgery?  For low risk patients, active surveillance is an option.

Surgery does offer a cure (as does radiotherapy) if the cancer is contained within the prostate, which yours is likely to be. However, "chopping it out" is no guarantee unfortunately, and you will need to be monitored for many years (by PSA test).

As all treatments come with life-changing side effects, it's important to get to the bottom of why they are offering you only surgery and at this time.  Asking "Why" five times usually helps getting to the root cause, i.e. ask "why" each time the nurse responds to your question.

 

Flexi

 

 

 

 

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 18:27

Jonm,

for some people its the best option, usually once its been surgically removed you wont get cancer there again simply because you dont have a prostate,

if you go the radiation route I believe you cant then have surgery at a later date if the raditation doesnt work, these are questions you can ask the nurse when you meet , I don't think its the easy or cheaper option either, I would hope its based on whats best for the patient

if your offered surgery in 3 weeks I assume you must be private, I had to wait 19 weeks (NHS) from meeting the consultant.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 19:28
It all sounds very different to our hospital. They encouraged leaving it as long as possible before treatment. I am fairly sure the odds of it returning are the same if you have the prostate removed (it returns where the prostate was) to it returning after radiotherapy. But as I said earlier you can have radiotherapy if it returns when the prostate has been removed. I know some people have had brachytherapy as salvage treatment following radiotherapy but after brachytherapy I don't think you can have radiotherapy if it returns as you've had the maximum dose of radiation, prostate removal is difficult, though possible if the cancer returns in several years time following brachytherapy. (If you can understand all that) we live in the hope that if it does return that there will be newer treatments available.

Do read up on all the info you can. I don't see why they are rushing you. Good luck.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 20:42

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

JonM,

Surgery does offer a cure (as does radiotherapy) if the cancer is contained within the prostate, which yours is likely to be. However, "chopping it out" is no guarantee unfortunately, and you will need to be monitored for many years (by PSA test).

As all treatments come with life-changing side effects, it's important to get to the bottom of why they are offering you only surgery and at this time.  Asking "Why" five times usually helps getting to the root cause, i.e. ask "why" each time the nurse responds to your question.

 Flexi

 

 

Hi JonM,

It is important to get as much information at this stage, but it needs to be accurate.  All treatments DO NOT necessarily come with life-changing side effects, as stated above.  It can be difficult to be absolutely clear and accurate with few words on a forum, and therein lies the problem.  Unless clarity is given, or correction offered you might go away scare witless of the life changing side effects that are supposedly guaranteed with some treatment options.

So, what are the potential side effects of surgery?  

1. Potentially death on the table.  A remote chance but still a possibility.  I was warned about this.

2. Urinary incontinence, a possibility.  Some recover full control eventually, some quicker than others. The younger people on here seem to make quick recoveries if they are going to make that gain.  Others regain partial control, some no control. Nothing is guaranteed.  I was warned about this.

3. Faecial incontinence is also a possibility.  I do not know of anyone who has suffered this, I have never read about it here, but it is warned about prior to surgery.  Was for me anyway.

4.  Loss of erectile function is also a possibility, the younger members here seem to make the better recovery, not all sadly.  Some of us old blokes, I was 56 at my op date, have made a pretty good recovery, thankfully. 

 

As well as the physical side effects you may also wish to consider the mental side effects of surgery or not going for surgery, or watching and waiting or whatever you decide to go for?

For some the option to "get it out as soon as possible, come what may" is the only option.  Understandable in my view.  Others are happy to go form less intrusive options such as Brachy, Chemo Radiotherapy etc.  What will your mind tolerate?

Apparently, most of the treatment options offer the same chances of longer term success, so I read here.  

Only you can make your choice as only you will have to live with the consequences, hopefully for many many years to come. 

Important though, to make that choice on the best most accurate information, because once you make that choice and start it, second chances can be limited. 

atb

dave

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 03 Nov 2015 at 23:04

Sorry CB, I disagree. All treatments do have life changing side effects, including infertility, complete or partial loss of ejaculation and emotional distress, anxiety, fear, etc. The other side effects are not certain but many of them are highly likely. We do people a disservice if we perpetuate the myth that it is possible to be diagnosed, get treatment and then sail on with life as if nothing ever happened. Most men (and often their partners & families) are left with some scars.

As always, important to remember that one side effect of treatment is to be alive!

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

Show Most Thanked Posts
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 11:00

Hi Jon,

 

As usual it would be helpful to download or order the toolkit. It would help if you could let us know your PSA and Gleason score. 

 

Paul

THE CHILD HAS GROWN, THE DREAM HAS GONE
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 11:06

Hi Jon
Im so sorry you have had to find this site because of cancer . Everyone on here will help with anything you need to ask . Firstly , go to the publications section of the website and download the " Toolkit " or phone and order it . It describes everything in detail you will need on your journey . It sounds as though you may have time to read it thoroughly and not panic yet , but it would be good for people to know your PSA score , type of biopsy , Gleason grading etc , so they can help guide you . But mostly on here you have to make your own mind up where to go with treatment . All I would say is ensure you get as many options for treatment as you can before making your mind up . Don't be forced down a path you aren't ready for . There are a few of us " younger" men on here at the moment . Im 48 and had operation in June. Click my picture and you can read my journey . Also Raiden was operated on in July and he is 43. And Traleetrish husband Stuart at 46. So a few of us know exactly what you are going through and will have to go through . LOADS of people will help you and want to advise you . Please ask as much as you want
Chris

User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 13:22
Hi JohnM,

Good reply from ChrisJ., pretty much says it all. It does come as a bit of a shock and you need to give yourself plenty of time to get your head around it. If you've been offered surgery there's a good chance other curative treatments will be available to you also e.g brachytherapy. Re. The side effects, yes there are a few, which you'll no doubt read / be told about and will need to consider. Post any specific questions and we'll help you through this.

Flexi

User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 13:33

Hi Jon,

You are indeed young but a small number of men are diagnosed early. Whist it is not the diagnosis you wanted, the cancer has been found early and treatment, when it is given will hopefully result in a cure. I say when because some men who are diagnosed early defer treatment and potential adverse side effects by just being monitored (Active Surveillance) until the cancer develops to a stage when it is deemed advisable to have treatment. However, you do not wish to miss the best opportunity for cure. Younger men tend to have surgery followed by radiotherapy if surgery does not do the job completely. Older men tent to go for RT more which generally has more mild side effects, at least in the short to medium term. But not all men follow this division of treatment by age and there is an overlap. There are 3 main methods of removing the Prostate surgically and quite a number of ways of treating with RT. You can read up on these. HIFU and Cryotherapy are other methods of treatment in the UK but are are rarely used and then mostly as salvage therapy where RT has failed. Where HIFU is used as a primary treatment the results are better if the cancer is on one side (yours is on both sides of the prostate) but this would not necessarily rule this out, though other factors might.

Only you can decide on the way to go with treatment having done your research and considered what your consultants say. Often surgeons will advocate surgery and Oncologists a form or RT. It's not just a matter of the treatment itself but the potential side effects that have to be taken into account.

You might consider having your sperm frozen before treatment if there is the possibility of your wanting (more?) children.

Barry
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 13:56

Hello Jon and welcome from me too, wife of a PCa sufferer.

Firstly, please try very hard not to panic. The word cancer is a real frightener but take a big breath and try and get your head round the diagnosis.
Easier said than done I know.

The others have all given excellent advice.

As your cancer appears to have been caught very early there may well be a few options open to you including Active Surveillance as Barry says.

Active surveillance is offered when the cancer is at an early stage, is contained within the prostate and the prostate is relatively small. It means that you receive no treatment but are actively monitored with regular PSA tests and biopsies. Action only needs taking if the cancer begins to progress.

IF you have time on your side then AS gives you the ability to suss out all your options so that you don't rush into the first suggestion either the surgeon or oncologist makes to you.

All treatments are likely to have some possible side effects but not everyone gets them to the same extent.

There will be other members along to offer advice.

If you could supply your PSA, your Gleason score and any other info you have then it helps us help you.

Remember we answer anything on here, even those questions you might find embarrassing to ask at the hospital.

Get the Toolkit as suggested and use it to make a note of questions to ask at your next appointment. Take somebody with you if you can and also take a notebook and pen to write down answers.

Best wishes and good luck. You've found us now so you are no longer dealing with this nightmare alone.

 

Edited by member 01 Nov 2015 at 13:57  | Reason: Not specified

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 14:18
Thank you so much for your messages yes I'm getting head around it a little they have said surgery as the option they want to go down, but I have calmed down a bit I will go down every avenue before that , I will find out my results tomorrow and post them, again thank you so much don't feel as alone now god this is scary even worse than my divorce last year lol Jon
User
Posted 01 Nov 2015 at 17:10
Hi Jon,

As Chris said my husband also diagnosed at a young 46, there are a few of us on here. Stuart had his op in July by Da Vinci robot, recovery has been good and he is now fully continent. The sex side is a slower recovery and although very frustrating he just wanted the cancer taken away, come back with your results and read as much as possible in the meantime. if you have any questions pls feel free to DM me at anytime, it's such a shock at the beginning and it does take time to get your head round it all.

Keep posting, we have a great bunch of people on this forum.

Best wishes,

Trish X

User
Posted 02 Nov 2015 at 04:29

hi jon

well some great advice again on here, I would like to add when considering one option of treatment check what it may affect having later but you will find all this info in the toolkit

nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

User
Posted 02 Nov 2015 at 07:29
Hi Jon,

Just wanted to welcome you and wish you all the best with your results today.

Steve

User
Posted 02 Nov 2015 at 09:24

Hi Jon,
Being first told is a shock to the system but you have found a great forum here and I've found everyones comments and advise very useful. I was dx about 6 months ago now and started treatment. The mention of side effects is very worrying, but not everyone gets the same SE. I've been lucky so far and life is as normal as can be with Pca.

Good results tomorrow.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 15:07
Ok right I'm on this now my psa is 4.1 and my Gleason is 6, spoke to my cancer nurse today as it was a shock and she said they are going for surgery more than anything else but I really don't understand why they would go this route due to so low at least give some thing else a try first I would have thought what are your thoughts, I am so grateful for the kind replys I have had Thank you Jon
User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 16:25

Hello, my other half was diagnosed last year age 57. psa was 3.7 gleason of 6. We were encouraged to do active surveillance. But that was July and by December it was 4.7 so he decided on treatment. I think different hospitals must have different opinions as prostate removal was not really mentioned. They still wanted him to leave it longer, they suggested brachytherapy as my other half has bowel problems and they said this would have the least effect. So he had brachy in Jan. What they also never mentioned was the fact that if you have brachy it is difficult to treat the cancer if it returns. (Some hospitals apparently don't offer brachy to younger men, a friend of ours had it at 49.) If you have the prostate removed and it returns you can have radiotherapy. I do believe the odds of it returning are the same whichever treatment you have.

Whatever you decide try to make it your decision and don't be pushed a direction you don't want to go. I don't think you have a rush to make your decision. Good luck.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 16:28

My husband's original PS was 5.7 and Gleason 3+4 so he went on active surveillance for a year. PSA rose to 5.9 then 6.3 at which point he opted for permanent seed brachytherapy at age 73/4.

As William says, you have been very lucky that you were diagnosed at such an early stage.

I'm a bit puzzled by the "they are going for surgery more than anything". Were no other options offered to you?

Unless there is something about your situation that causes an urgent decision I can't understand why they have not allowed you to investigate other options.

By the way, they aren't the ones having to make your choice are they so the"lets chop it out of you asap" view is easy for them  isn't it.

Have you got hold of the Toolkit yet from Publications. It may help you make a decision as will asking questions on here.

None of us will turn round and say to you you should do this or that because it is a very personal choice but we are here for you if you want advice.

I am a little bothered that perhaps the decision is being made for you, and indeed it may well be the best choice, but given the details you have supplied I would think that you have time to look at other treatment routes before you make a decision.

Edited by member 03 Nov 2015 at 16:29  | Reason: Not specified

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 17:12

Thank you all so so much you are all so wonderful to offer your responses and yes I'm getting my head around it, just had phone call from hospital again my nurse saying she will book me in for appointment for a chat about other options and I didn't mean to but I was a bit off with her saying why they have decided surgery is the best option for me as I'm healthy a little over weight but apart from that nothing else she couldn't answer, they say as quick as 3 weeks for surgery but they are not pushing me into that until i get all the facts, I understand if it's chopped out it won't come back again but seems very strange why they should pick that route or is it the cheapest and quickest to get there stats up and balance the books as you said it's easy for them to say chop it out but it's my body not there's. Sorry for having a moan a little angry at this thing inside me none of us want it but I'm sure as other people think, I thinking why me :-( Jon xx 

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 18:17

JonM,

A PSA of 4.1 and a Gleason score is 6 puts you prettyy much in the low risk group, where the cancer is unlikely to grow or spread for many years.  Have the MDT (multi-disciplinary team) picked up something on an MRI scan to warrant the urgency of surgery?  For low risk patients, active surveillance is an option.

Surgery does offer a cure (as does radiotherapy) if the cancer is contained within the prostate, which yours is likely to be. However, "chopping it out" is no guarantee unfortunately, and you will need to be monitored for many years (by PSA test).

As all treatments come with life-changing side effects, it's important to get to the bottom of why they are offering you only surgery and at this time.  Asking "Why" five times usually helps getting to the root cause, i.e. ask "why" each time the nurse responds to your question.

 

Flexi

 

 

 

 

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 18:27

Jonm,

for some people its the best option, usually once its been surgically removed you wont get cancer there again simply because you dont have a prostate,

if you go the radiation route I believe you cant then have surgery at a later date if the raditation doesnt work, these are questions you can ask the nurse when you meet , I don't think its the easy or cheaper option either, I would hope its based on whats best for the patient

if your offered surgery in 3 weeks I assume you must be private, I had to wait 19 weeks (NHS) from meeting the consultant.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 19:28
It all sounds very different to our hospital. They encouraged leaving it as long as possible before treatment. I am fairly sure the odds of it returning are the same if you have the prostate removed (it returns where the prostate was) to it returning after radiotherapy. But as I said earlier you can have radiotherapy if it returns when the prostate has been removed. I know some people have had brachytherapy as salvage treatment following radiotherapy but after brachytherapy I don't think you can have radiotherapy if it returns as you've had the maximum dose of radiation, prostate removal is difficult, though possible if the cancer returns in several years time following brachytherapy. (If you can understand all that) we live in the hope that if it does return that there will be newer treatments available.

Do read up on all the info you can. I don't see why they are rushing you. Good luck.

User
Posted 03 Nov 2015 at 20:42

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

JonM,

Surgery does offer a cure (as does radiotherapy) if the cancer is contained within the prostate, which yours is likely to be. However, "chopping it out" is no guarantee unfortunately, and you will need to be monitored for many years (by PSA test).

As all treatments come with life-changing side effects, it's important to get to the bottom of why they are offering you only surgery and at this time.  Asking "Why" five times usually helps getting to the root cause, i.e. ask "why" each time the nurse responds to your question.

 Flexi

 

 

Hi JonM,

It is important to get as much information at this stage, but it needs to be accurate.  All treatments DO NOT necessarily come with life-changing side effects, as stated above.  It can be difficult to be absolutely clear and accurate with few words on a forum, and therein lies the problem.  Unless clarity is given, or correction offered you might go away scare witless of the life changing side effects that are supposedly guaranteed with some treatment options.

So, what are the potential side effects of surgery?  

1. Potentially death on the table.  A remote chance but still a possibility.  I was warned about this.

2. Urinary incontinence, a possibility.  Some recover full control eventually, some quicker than others. The younger people on here seem to make quick recoveries if they are going to make that gain.  Others regain partial control, some no control. Nothing is guaranteed.  I was warned about this.

3. Faecial incontinence is also a possibility.  I do not know of anyone who has suffered this, I have never read about it here, but it is warned about prior to surgery.  Was for me anyway.

4.  Loss of erectile function is also a possibility, the younger members here seem to make the better recovery, not all sadly.  Some of us old blokes, I was 56 at my op date, have made a pretty good recovery, thankfully. 

 

As well as the physical side effects you may also wish to consider the mental side effects of surgery or not going for surgery, or watching and waiting or whatever you decide to go for?

For some the option to "get it out as soon as possible, come what may" is the only option.  Understandable in my view.  Others are happy to go form less intrusive options such as Brachy, Chemo Radiotherapy etc.  What will your mind tolerate?

Apparently, most of the treatment options offer the same chances of longer term success, so I read here.  

Only you can make your choice as only you will have to live with the consequences, hopefully for many many years to come. 

Important though, to make that choice on the best most accurate information, because once you make that choice and start it, second chances can be limited. 

atb

dave

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 03 Nov 2015 at 23:04

Sorry CB, I disagree. All treatments do have life changing side effects, including infertility, complete or partial loss of ejaculation and emotional distress, anxiety, fear, etc. The other side effects are not certain but many of them are highly likely. We do people a disservice if we perpetuate the myth that it is possible to be diagnosed, get treatment and then sail on with life as if nothing ever happened. Most men (and often their partners & families) are left with some scars.

As always, important to remember that one side effect of treatment is to be alive!

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

User
Posted 04 Nov 2015 at 00:57
But equally for some Men infertility is not an issue and neither is lack of ejaculate. For some women both of these can be seen as positive side effects.

The picture presented is always different depending on who is looking at it and from what circumstances

Xx

Mo

User
Posted 04 Nov 2015 at 07:54

Lyn, Mo, you are both right,

That is the problem with limited space on a post on a web forum. I did not mention infertility, nor change in taste buds affecting food choices, nor aches and pains in legs if you take meds. Nor fully go into the mental trauma that can be felt. Not enough time or space. My intention was to balance the statement put forward that the side effects are mandatory, they are not.

By virtue of the diagnosis life will change just as in if you miss a bus, your life will change, the film Sliding Doors represented the concept quite well.  Or the concept that the ripples from a pebble dropped into a pond on one side of the world are felt on the other side.  

Life, post diagnosis is best looked at from a living and treated viewpoint. A changed life is better than no life.

atb

dave

Edited by member 04 Nov 2015 at 08:30  | 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.

 
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