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Worried daughter on first steps of journey

User
Posted 13 Jun 2020 at 07:36

Ok here goes, this is the first time I've felt the need to do anything like this, I've been through more than my fair share of medical issues myself but it's totally different when it's your father, even I'd he does do your head in most of the time lol.

I'm female and nearly 50, he's a very paranoid 88 year old who trusts no one, he's been fobbed off with his weight loss by a doctor at our surgery for months now, but I didn't realise how bad things were until I stepped in and insisted he see my lovely GP. As his daughter he gave me written permission to have access to his medical records at our doctors a few years ago which had proved really helpful. After doing his bloods (incl his PSA at my request) the surgery called him in 14 hours later to talk about his results cos something had been flagged up. I sat in with him while he had the consultation with Ruth (my GP) to hear that him tell her that he's lost a good 3 stone since Christmas, he's having water works trouble, needing to go a lot, especially first thing in the morning, trouble starting, not flowing very well, trouble stopping and a very painful right kidney area but only when he sits down and leans on it, Ruth examined him to find that he's also lost muscle mass too. His PSA is 27. She put him on the cancer pathway and put me as their contact as he's very hit and miss with answering his phone. That was at 4pm last Wednesday, at 10am Thursday I was being called by Stoke hozzy and dad was having his first telephone nurse's consultation at 3pm the same day. He rang me back at 4pm to say she said that they would be contacting me within the next 7 days to haul him in for tests incl a bone density test. And so our journey begins.

I do have one question though, can anyone tell me if a bone density scan is normal procedure before he's even had a cancer diagnosis?

Best wishes to all x

User
Posted 13 Jun 2020 at 09:35
Bone density scans are not used in prostate cancer diagnosis - they are a method of checking for osteoporosis, etc in people at risk (perhaps because of age, medications, etc). At 88 and with a lot of weight lost, they might just want to rule osteoporosis out.

Or maybe dad misheard. They might have said that a range of tests would be arranged, including a nuclear bone scan; that would be normal if the doctor already has good reason to suspect prostate cancer, e.g if she was able to feel the tumour during the rectal examination.

As hard as this is for you, your dad's GP may know your dad and his approach to medical matters very well and had concluded that at 88 he might be better not knowing. Treatments have a significant impact on quality of life and 80% of men in their 80s have some prostate cancer although most will never be diagnosed and die of other causes

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

User
Posted 13 Jun 2020 at 14:56
As our Matron (Lyn) has mentioned above, 80% of men in their 80s will have some prostate cancer, most of whom are not affected by it. In fact there is no “normal” level for PSA over 80.

Maybe Dad is having a bone scan to see if there is any cancer that has spread to his bones. My father-in-law aged 86 has similar symptoms to your Dad, but his GP is reluctant to refer him to urology as he has lots of other problems too.

There are tablets such as Tamulosin and Finasteride (sometimes together) to help with the waterworks problem. You might like to order or download the “Tool Kit” from this website which deals with all aspects of prostate cancer and its symptoms.

Good job you are on the case, but try not to worry too much and try not to worry your father either.

Best of luck.

Cheers, John.

User
Posted 13 Jun 2020 at 23:28

I've said this before on the forum. My aunt had a breast cancer op at 90 it was successful and she lived another three years in the nursing home and died from heart disease, but I really don't think she should have been put through that treatment for so little benefit. 

Dave

 
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