My husband diagnosed yesterday

User

Posted 10 Dec 2017 at 02:05

This is an interesting question and certainly one to ask the urology department about. Taking 6 cores must pose less chance of an infection than more I reason. However, taking more cores increases the chances of finding tumours and more advanced cancer cells . Sometimes when PCa is suspected but no cancer is seen in the cores, a further TRUS biopsy is done. There have been occasions in such circumstances where even a second TRUS has been done but revealed nothing and then a Transperineal Template biopsy has been done which could be of the order of 50 cores. This is unusual although we have had at least one member who has had this.

Barry

User

Posted 15 Dec 2017 at 16:36

Well the call has come for the consultant appointment. It’s two weeks to the day since the first appointment. Hard to believe my husband has had CT scan, Biopsy and bone scan. The Urology dept has been so efficient. I had hoped we could see someone before Christmas but I’d expected to wait longer really.
We are feeling a bit shocked to be honest that on Tuesday we will know what we are up against. Our grandchildren are counting the sleeps before Christmas, I’m counting four sleeps to Tuesday! If anyone out there has any advice how to best support my husband I’d be grateful. I know I have to be strong but I feel a bit wobbly today.

User

Posted 15 Dec 2017 at 17:36

From the sound of it you are supporting your husband. What I found was my wife just being there was pretty much and still is the support I need. Hold his hand when he’s scared, even though you will be as well. Cry together because this isn’t what either of you had planned for the future. But remember to leave plenty of time for laughs.
All the best for Tuesday.
Dave

User

Posted 15 Dec 2017 at 17:47

Thanks Dave, that’s lovely. Have a good Christmas. Hope we can.

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 11:35

Hi Susie

We are in a similar situation to you and your husband. My husband was diagnosed last Monday with a psa of 179, and after the examination the consultant was certain it is cancer.

He's had his bone scan, is currently having the TRUS and another scan for tissue (I think) is booked in for Wednesday, and then it's the wait. He has been given hormone tablets, and is booked in for an injection on 27th.

It's such a difficult time,

I wish you and your husband all the very best xx

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 13:33

Just being there counts hugely, on a more practical note, going along with prepared questions in a notebook and a pen to write down the responses. I’ve got my little red book which is almost a journal of our visits over the past ten years, so, be positive, you need to get a good thick notebook! Good luck for Tuesday

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 14:21

Hi Elaine, so sorry to hear your husbands diagnosis. I guess we must both be going through the same agony. The waiting has been hard as you can’t get it out of your mind. I was really worried for my husband when he had the TRUS but he coped really well and had no particular issues afterwards. I really hope your husbands tests go well and that you get your staging diagnosis soon. It will have taken 2 weeks to first appointment and 19 days to tomorrow’s staging consult. Amazing really it all happens so fast, even if it does feel like an eternity.

I know the psa level will be bothering you, it is me. I have found this site so helpful and people have been so kind to take the time to message. It feels really supportive.

This time tomorrow we will know what we are up against.

Take care and keep in touch.

Susie

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 15:23

Hi suzie and eastyorkshire, its the waiting that we found the hardest its like been stuck in limbo, but once theres a plan for treatment decided it seems that its easier to deal with things one step at a time, although its still the worst situation to be in, its still early days on our treatment plan still on ht been 3months today to continue for probably 18months after treatment awaiting high dose brachy 29th december and 41/2 weeks external beam radiotherapy 15th january were finding that each goal is a step forward on this awful journey, were just trying to deal with it in stages trying not to let it impact on our lives by carrying on as normal while able too if that helps in anyway, talking helps and putting things into perspective, this community has been fantastic in helping us so many helpful kind people with so much experience and great advice..take care.jo.x

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 17:42

I too am in the same position as you Suzie. Tomorrow my husband goes for a bone scan and the next day a pelvis and thorax scan. He is quite stoic too but I'm not and like you it is all I can think of. We see the oncologist on 28th December so we have Christmas in between. Please keep everything crossed for us. Everyone on this forum are going through the same thing and success stories even at the darkest times help us hope for the future.

Love and hugs

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 18:53

Hello adnyl, sorry to hear that you too are in this awful situation. For the first time on here I feel I can actually offer some support. The bone scan and Ct were very easy according to hubby. Really well organised and lovely staff. I took my kindle and just tried to concentrate on my book. I’m beginning to used to the anxious waiting room situation already. We are in Leeds and I honestly cannot fault the care we have had so far. Hope you manage to have some time for enjoyment over Christmas. We will all have to get together on here in the new year and pull together. I’m feeling very nervous tonight. Counting down the hours!
Good luck tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of you both. Think about taking something to read, book, newspaper etc. Cos you will have 3 hours after the injection to wait till scan. We had breakfast then found some comfy chairs and read for an hour.
Very best wishes, susie xx

User

Posted 18 Dec 2017 at 19:02

Hello J.t.
Interesting to read your story so far. We are at St James and they have been so good. Sounds like you are getting good treatments. I’m not expecting we will be as lucky with results as Hubbys PSA was 210! Still we will know tomorrow.
Feeling very scared tonight. Take care
susie x

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 00:19

Hope all goes well tomorrow, for the both of you. I’ll be thinking about you and if your husband finds he’s in a similar position as me as far as treatment goes I may be able to give you some useful info. Sorry, just realised tomorrow in now in fact today.
Dave

Edited by member 19 Dec 2017 at 00:20 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 07:46

Hi susie just wishing you luck for today thinking of you, our path has been a bit of a long one so far as my partner understaged at first at our local hospital so things seemed to take longer but once properly staged treatment and care has been great..sending love.xx

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 19:21

Well results afternoon could have gone better. Or possibly worse!
After a PSA of 210 we now know that the tumour is T3+ N1M1b. So bone mets, and also lymph involvement and left kidney involved and not draining correctly.
Hubby was put on Bicalutamide 3 weeks ago and now has had injection of Prostap.
New year we will attend oncology appointment. Expecting Docetaxel. Think I got that right. Then we are on our journey, proper. We were expecting the bone but hasn’t thought too much about the lymph and soft tissue.
We were assigned specialist nurses and phone numbers and the one we met today was really lovely and helpful.
So feeling a bit stunned tonight.
Hope eastyorkshire and adnyl get better news! Thinking about you.
Thankyou so much to all who have supported us. You have really helped.
Susie xx

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 19:58

Good luck with it all Susie. Mine is a strange case in that I have lymph involvement only noticed post surgery , and I have a rapidly rising psa. Yet no scans have found any bone or further tissue spread. Hopefully the chemo will slow it all down for you.

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 20:53

Hi Susie,
I’m sorry to see that you’ve got more than you bargained for. I don’t have any knowledge of the soft tissues but I can give you info about Docetaxel if you need any.
All the best and take care

Dave

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 21:06

Hi Davywls
Thanks for the offer. I’d be really interested to hear about you got on with Docetaxel. I have no experience of chemo at all. How often did you have it?

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 21:36

Hi Susie,

I have been holding back from posting for you as even though I knew your probable outcome with your husbands PSA , we always live in hope .

It is so easy to live in fear and be gripped by terror trust me I took that route for quite a long time.

I know at this moment in time you are feeling scared and overwhelmed, I was too 4 and a half years ago but the biggest thing I learned in those years was to accept and live everyday , squeeze every moment .

So many on here are are still going strong many years after a pretty dim diagnosis.

You can do this

BFN

Julie X

NEVER LAUGH AT A LIVE DRAGON

User

Posted 19 Dec 2017 at 21:41

Thankyou Julie. How kind of you to send such an inspirational message. I am really going to try to sqezze every moment! Xx

User

Posted 20 Dec 2017 at 08:42

Hi Susie
My husband had a similar diagnosis but without the soft tissue. He had 6 sessions of Docetaxel, one every three weeks. The HT worked on it's own to begin with as before Chemo started his PSA had gone down from over a thousand to about 12. With the Chemo his PSA reduced to 1.1 although now it has started to increase again. He didn't find the Chemo too bad and continued to work most days. You will need to watch for any rise in temperature and react very quickly, you will be told when to act. My husband did have one and ended up in hospital with antibiotics for a couple of days.
For now the HT should be working and already bringing the PSA down so try and enjoy Christmas.

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