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User
Posted 05 Nov 2020 at 21:44

Hi

I'm new to this so I'm not quite sure how to start, but here goes...

I am 52 years old and fit and healthy. I had a routine medical a couple of years ago which picked up an enlarged prostate with a PSA of 3.3. Since then I have had several PSA tests, most recently three months ago which came back at 3.7 (relatively consistent with previous tests). I have also had two MRI scans over the past two years which came back clear. DRE examinations have always shown a smooth prostate.

I was surprised when my consultant recommended a biopsy recently, given the relatively consistent previous test results. However, the biopsy showed localised G7 (3+4) split between 95% G3 and 5% G4. Technically the stage is T1 but because there is a small amount of G4 in both lobes I guess it arguably falls under T2c.

My consultant tells me he is not 'excited' by the results - which he says is a good thing - and has basically suggested that I can consider three options: AS, RT or removal. Without indicating one way or the other I suspect that he thinks AS may be the best route to go down (I can change my mind and have treatment at any time) but he has put the ball in my court to make the decision. Playing on my mind is that I have family history of prostate issues as my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his mid-70s, but successfully overcame it with RT.

My initial reaction was to have it dealt with by RT but, on reflection, I am now considering AS. This would involve a PSA test and DRE every three months, and an MRI and template biopsy next September. The biopsy would involve 24 'hits' to give clearer results (my consultant referred to it as being similar to a game of Battleships). 

My concern is that the AS may miss any aggressive pick-up of the cancer, and that I may also be delaying the inevitable by not having treatment. But at the same time, I don't want to have unnecessary treatment at my (relatively young age!) of 52 and also have to face the potential long term side effects of RT or removal.

I'm sure many of you out there have wrestled with the same conundrum so I would appreciate any advice or similar experiences as I try to make my decision...

Thanks

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 15:36

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Is removal a better option for me then RT if I'm in my early 50s?

 

John was 50 at diagnosis and his first choice was brachytherapy but he was refused this for being 'too young' - at the time, there was concern about the risk of bowel cancer in future years although this was later shown to be only a tiny increase in risk. He opted for surgery indecently quickly - 4 weeks after diagnosis - and has regretted it pretty much ever since for a) the impact it has had on him physically and mentally and b) it didn't work anyway and he needed salvage RT / HT 2 years later. 

For some men, RT is better than surgery and for others, surgery is better than RT - it depends on your diagnostics, lifestyle and your mindset / approach to risk. AS is not a permanent choice of course; as long as it is done properly, you can revert to radical treatment as soon as there are indicators that the cancer is evolving or becoming more active. 

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

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 22:10

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
It is a long time since I joined but I believe the ground rules also include not naming hospitals or clinics, although we all ignore that one

 

I looked it up again...

Online Community Member wrote:
Don’t share the names of healthcare professionals who are treating you, or disparage particular hospitals or GP surgeries – publishing that information could be considered libel.

_____

Two cannibals named Ectomy and Prost, all alone on a Desert island.

Prost was the strongest, so Prost ate Ectomy.

Show Most Thanked Posts
User
Posted 05 Nov 2020 at 23:20

I was 50 (3+4) and T2a on my paperwork (although in both lobes, so not quite sure why it wasn't c). 

I went to see both onco and surgeon. I wasn't offered active surveillance or permanent seed Brachy because "there's quite a bit of it".

The onco started with "before I say anything else I should really say that at your age and fitness, you're almost certainly better off having surgery". His main reasoning was that "we expect you to live 25+ years and in that time-frame you will almost certainly experience negative side-effects from radiotherapy."

I did opt for surgery in the end (it was my first instinct on diagnosis). Didn't need to agonise over it. Seemed like a no-brainer to me. But it might well be different in your case. It was nice to be given the choice though.

If yours isn't very big, you can choose AS and defer your decision until it grows. Prostate cancer often grows very slowly, so this might possibly give you years without the need for major surgery or RT and their potential side-effects. It's worth considering, depending on how you are likely to handle it mentally.

Edited by member 05 Nov 2020 at 23:24  | Reason: Not specified

_____

Two cannibals named Ectomy and Prost, all alone on a Desert island.

Prost was the strongest, so Prost ate Ectomy.

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 00:35
If the urologist says your staging is T1, you shouldn't be upgrading it to T2c yourself; T2c can be felt during a DRE and yours was only identified by the biopsy. They wouldn't be offering you AS if they thought it was a T2c.

What you haven't included here is how many cores were taken, how many of the cores were positive and what % of each core was affected - all really important bits of data when deciding whether to go for AS or radical treatment.

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

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 05:58

I presume you had the ‘cheapo’ and increasingly discredited TRUS (up the bum) biopsy, which is why a targeted or template transperineal second biopsy is being suggested, as unfortunately, is so often the case. Buy one, get one free! I had 42 core samples taken during my template biopsy. Two friends warned me against a TRUS biopsy, as they too had to undergo a second transperineal one.

Get one, and depending on the result, go with active surveillance for as long as your medics think you can get away with it.

My mate has been on it for five years, and is doing great, with very close monitoring. No incontinence, no erectile dysfunction, no ‘sort of’ dry emasculated orgasms, no loss of penis size, no months of recuperation from surgery or potentially years of problems with HT and RT. Happy days!

Best of luck.

Cheers, John.

Edited by member 06 Nov 2020 at 06:34  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 07:15

I was 55, T1 Gleason 3+4 in 2 out of 12 cores and less than 5% in those 2 cores so caught pretty early (vagaries of a TRUS aside)

I chose AS which was fine for 2 years but things eventually restaged and had the operation in March this year

The AS didn't impact QOL apart from the time between blood tests and PSA results

It gave me a bit of time to come to terms with things and ultimately felt I could make an unrushed decision

I had a new partner and I definitely didn't want a fairly major operation to get in the way of things

On reflection I'm glad I didn't leave it any longer. As it was margins were clear, nerves were spared and (certainly for now) PSA undetectable and left with no significant side effects

 

 

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 11:04
MikeW hits upon one aspect there. If you leave it too long, then the outcomes of surgery may not be as good. Firstly, it may have spread and, like me, if you go for surgery, you only get nerve-sparing on one side; secondly, the older you get the less able your body is to recover - though at 52 you have a few years in the bank.

It also depends somewhat how much you get on with the biopsies. I had problems with both of mine, so wouldn't have been keen on having more of them (not that I had a choice). You might be fine with them.

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 13:46

Thanks for all of your comments - it's really appreciated and means a lot to me.

It's a difficult decision which is all down to me to make a call on. I wasn't expecting the consultant to give me three options - in some ways it helps if a doctor tells you what needs to be done, instead of giving you the decision to make based on limited information and my lack of knowledge around the subject.

I'm still leaning towards AS (at least in the short term) but have now found out that a template biopsy is more involved than the one I had a couple of months ago, which has given me pause for thought. I'm also considering removal for the first time - up to now I had only really considered RT. Covid does't help as having surgery and then recovering in a pandemic will presumably weaken my immune system.

Is removal a better option for me then RT if I'm in my early 50s?

Given the relatively low change in my PSA since June 2018 I'm hoping that if I run with AS for 12 months, and then have a 'proper' biopsy, things won't have advanced to any serious degree and I should have a clearer picture of what I am up against then. And given my age if I decide to have treatment in a year's time I should still hopefully be fit enough to get through it. Regular PSA and DRE tests in the meantime will hopefully give me reassurances that things aren't suddenly seriously progressing.

My mind's bouncing around all over the place as you can see! 

 

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 15:16

Hi Richard

Please take a look at my journey 'Retzius sparing RARP + NeuroSAFE journey' 

I was pretty much in the same place as you are now. 

Roughly same age and PSA was hovering around 3.9-4.5 from March 2016 to July 2019 when it spiked to 5.6. Although I had foolishly left it for nearly 18months since previous PSA and 1.5T mpMRI (PiRADS 2) around Jan 2018 as was given the all clear but advised to continue regular PSA's.

Following the PSA spike in July 2019 to 5.6 I went for a 3T mpMRI locally which came back PiRADS 4. Booked in for template biopsy at Princess Grace in London early Sept 2019.

5/10 cores positive with gleason 6(3+3) grade 1 adenocarcinoma in all four quadrants of the prostate.

Advice was it would be fine for AS and this was echoed by the London MDT. 

I wasn't suitable for focal therapy and generally RT wasn't advised for someone <60yrs due to potential for primary secondaries later on in life.

Surgery also an option but local team suggested no need to rush although AS has ongoing impact in terms of PSA anxiety, biopsies and scans.

I spoke to a number of fantastically helpful folk both on here and via local support network. Also connected with an ex who was a cancer trials researcher with a couple of the big pharmas. Also researched myself the risks of leaving the #lowgrade cancer in situ. Basically, the longers its left the higher the risk of potential spread or metastasis. With my case one of the tumours was thought to be very close ~1mm for prostatic capsule. 

I concluded looking at the research and the fact there were fairly recent studies which show that although Gleason 6 cancer is low risk there is still a low probability of spread/metastases. Plus I was also mindful that I may have higher grade cancer although not discovered which is the case ~40% of the time with post-surgery histology results.

Speaking to my ex and some medical friends this was echoed and helped me conclude the best thing to do in my case was to bite the bullet i.e. surgery.

Next steps were to get a second opinion.....

Via the great support network I found a very well respected high volume London based surgeon (Prof Whocannotbenamedhere) and setup a consultation to move things forward.

I decided to have the relatively new technique which is yielding great early stats in terms of continence. ED still very much hit and miss on a case basis plus a realtime pathologist on standby during the op to feel live feedback on tissue taken to better determine safe negative margins.

Procedure I opted for with the Prof was the Retzius-Sparing RARP +NeuroSAFE. Basically less disturbance or the bladder during surgery and disturbing critical nerves associated with bladder control.

I went in for surgery end of November. Great team and really looked after me. Think I closed my eyes about 8:45am and awoke at 11:45am.

No pain post op at all. Some should cramps the next day which were expected due to the gas used to inflate the abdominal cavity. I came home 2 nights later. Felt really good but had to be mindful of following the guidelines set out by the team in terms of recovery.

Histology came back within a week and showed I was indeed prudent not to wait any longer. The grade had increased to T2c Gleason 7 (3+4) and the cancer was more extensive than seen on the MRI. Had I waited longer things might have been very different as the tumour was extremely close to breaking out. 

Catheter was removed 2 weeks after surgery. Very good continence although slight leaks and drips here and there...mostly in the afternoon or when tired. Never any nocturnal issues. I wore pads up until week 6 routinely mostly for reassurance.

From an ED perspective I consider myself very lucky. I had stirrings in that region day after surgery. And have made a good recovery and can have penetrative sex without the need for tadalafil or such like. Although when I'm tired I may need 2.5-5mg tadalafil which basically makes me feel like I was back in my early 20s :-)

So surgery was a bit daunting. The night before I was in autopilot and booked at hotel right next to the hospital as needed to check in for 7am. Amazingly I got 3hrs sleep! No regrets whatsoever and nearly one year later PSA' s still undetectable.

My overall goal was hopefully cure as early intervention but also to buy me time so science (immunology) to catch up so if it does return in the future hopefully there will be other options on the table.

Hopefully that answers a few questions but feel free to ask and I sure there will be many as I had!

Best of luck!

Simon 

 

Edited by member 06 Nov 2020 at 15:28  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 15:29
Also needs to be acknowledged that while TechGuy and a couple of others here have been happy with their experience, we also have a couple of members who feel that particular surgeon has ruined their life and / or have reported the aftercare to be appalling. That is one of the reasons that we are not allowed to name or recommend medical professionals on the website and using 'hewhocannotbenamed' makes a bit of a mockery of this if all other identifying information is available.

It is a long time since I joined but I believe the ground rules also include not naming hospitals or clinics, although we all ignore that one :-/

The exception to naming medics is where we are quoting research, conferences, etc

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

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 15:36

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Is removal a better option for me then RT if I'm in my early 50s?

 

John was 50 at diagnosis and his first choice was brachytherapy but he was refused this for being 'too young' - at the time, there was concern about the risk of bowel cancer in future years although this was later shown to be only a tiny increase in risk. He opted for surgery indecently quickly - 4 weeks after diagnosis - and has regretted it pretty much ever since for a) the impact it has had on him physically and mentally and b) it didn't work anyway and he needed salvage RT / HT 2 years later. 

For some men, RT is better than surgery and for others, surgery is better than RT - it depends on your diagnostics, lifestyle and your mindset / approach to risk. AS is not a permanent choice of course; as long as it is done properly, you can revert to radical treatment as soon as there are indicators that the cancer is evolving or becoming more active. 

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

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 16:45

Thanks for your comments Lyn

I'm going to continue to reflect on things for the next week or two, and maybe arrange another appointment with my consultant to better understand what's involved with the template biopsy, and his thoughts on removal vs RT. Still leaning towards AS at the moment but still having a few wobbles about not going for the treatment route sooner rather than later.

I might also ask him if I can have the template biopsy sooner than September next year given the relatively commonly held view that the bog-standard biopsy (which I had a couple of months ago) is not valued very highly by the majority of participants in this online group.

Stay safe.

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 16:58

Hi Simon

Thanks for your detailed reply and for taking the time out to send me your thoughts 

I've had a look at your journey which looks like quite a ride!

I'm going to spend the next week or two reflecting on this and maybe arrange a follow-up meeting with my consultant to ask a few more questions, some of which have come to mind through this discussion. It's not something I'm going to rush into straightaway as it's such a big decision which at the moment feels a bit like 'damned if you do, and damned if you don't' !

Really appreciate your input, thank you.

Stay safe and keep well

KR Richard

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 17:13

Cheers Richard

Thanks for the kind words.

Yes, its was quite surreal and a lot to take in as I suspect you are well aware.

Took me ~10 days post diagnosis and a barrel of beer with a close mate to get my head straight.

Time is a good idea. I took about a month before I worked out what best fits for me. As Lyn eludes too there are no guarantees. All you can do it work out which best fits where you and your family are now in life and try and ensure as many of the variables are stacked in your favour as possible.

I had accepted ED would be an issue so was lucky in that respect. Another chap who was down the corridor from me and had another surgeon has similar outcome and good erectile function but its important to look as wider outcome data rather than anecdotal evidence.

Shout any of anytime as the community here were my rock.

Simon

 

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 18:00

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
I might also ask him if I can have the template biopsy sooner than September next year given the relatively commonly held view that the bog-standard biopsy (which I had a couple of months ago) is not valued very highly by the majority of participants in this online group.

 

It is true that the TRUS had fallen out of fashion in many areas of the country so are you sure that is what you had rather than an image guided biopsy?

The problem with the template biopsy is that it requires an operating theatre and with Covid, so many hospitals nationally have had to convert most of their theatres to extra ICU / HDU beds. 

Edited by member 06 Nov 2020 at 18:02  | Reason: Not specified

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

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 19:58

Yes, it was definitely a TRUS biopsy

All I know so far (without asking the consultant further questions) are the notes he sent to my GP which were:

"Right 2/6 cores 10mm out of 45mm

Left 1/6 cores 2mm out of 51mm

Gleason score 3+4 (95% Gleason 3; 5% Gleason 4) No PNI No LVI no ECE"

So it was close to Gleason 6, but not quite. My PSA is around 3.7 (it was 3.3 in June 2018) which would suggest not much movement in two and a half years

There was a small amount of G4 in both lobes but this was central and not close to the edge of the prostate

Covid is certainly having an impact both on theatres but also risk of infection, another factor weighing on my mind!

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 20:15

That’s helps loads. I would definitely ask questions about leaving even a small amount of grade 4 cells for AS. Grade 4/5 are more likely to metastasise as they start to exhibit characteristics which enable them to break free of the extra cellular matrix.

Edited by member 06 Nov 2020 at 20:22  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 21:46
I can only speak for myself, but I had a TRUS Biopsy showing completely clear at age 60. By the time I had the transperineal one at 68, based on a blood test for something different showing a high PSA (despite the "finger test" being clear), I was at T2c.

I'm not sure whether that shows how bad the TRUS biopsy is, or how fast the cancer can develop, but it definitely would have made me change my attitude if I knew then what I know now.

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 22:04

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
I can only speak for myself, but I had a TRUS Biopsy showing completely clear at age 60. By the time I had the transperineal one at 68, based on a blood test for something different showing a high PSA (despite the "finger test" being clear), I was at T2c.

I'm not sure whether that shows how bad the TRUS biopsy is, or how fast the cancer can develop, but it definitely would have made me change my attitude if I knew then what I know now.

 

I had an image guided (mpMRI) TRUS biopsy which graded me at  Gleason 7 (3+4).

My post prostatectomy grading after pathology was unchanged at Gleason 7 (3+4).

Can't really argue with that. YMMV.

Targeted TRUS seemed to work out for me, although I did get given an antibiotic with some very scary potential side-effects (ciprofloxacin), which thankfully I did not get.

_____

Two cannibals named Ectomy and Prost, all alone on a Desert island.

Prost was the strongest, so Prost ate Ectomy.

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 22:10

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
It is a long time since I joined but I believe the ground rules also include not naming hospitals or clinics, although we all ignore that one

 

I looked it up again...

Online Community Member wrote:
Don’t share the names of healthcare professionals who are treating you, or disparage particular hospitals or GP surgeries – publishing that information could be considered libel.

_____

Two cannibals named Ectomy and Prost, all alone on a Desert island.

Prost was the strongest, so Prost ate Ectomy.

User
Posted 06 Nov 2020 at 23:19
John's PSA was 3.1 and he had a completely clear MRI but they did a TRUS just in case. It found G7 (3+4) - I consider it to be a blessing even if it was pure luck. If mpMRI protocols had been in place, they wouldn't have offered him a biopsy at all.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 00:25
Hi Richard

The fact we had choices blew our minds too when my husband was diagnosed with a large G6 (3+3) following a PSA of 3.56 a Mp MRI showing something abnormal ans a 46 core template biopsy under general anaesthetic . A later biopsy regraded him to G7 (3+4). Our options were:

AS

RT

RP

But as a result of fear of ED and in continence we explored focal options ( no offers of cryotherapy) but were offered back in 2016

Whole gland HIFU

Focal Laser Ablation ( USA)

The decision to go focal has been an interesting and bumpy journey starting with that trip to the USA but unfortunately 2019 saw a reoccurrence now at that higher grade but focal HIFU in the UK was now on offer ( or an RP still) so Feb 2020 the focal HIFU wax done but needed another go in September.

So three focal treatments ( he is in in 50s ) and if it reoccurs he will have to have a removal but last scan was clear so fingers crossed.

Recovered quickly from all 3 procedures with no incontinence and help with tablets only needed for a few weeks before a full recovery of functionality

Not a standard journey - he still has his prostate but orgasms have been dry since his first treatment. Other than that QOL is unaffected but PSA anxiety is a real thing whatever treatment you opt for it seems.

Good Luck

Claret.

User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 01:00

Richard,

There are situations where certain treatments are ruled out or one may be considered more appropriate for you. However, in many cases it is left to the individual patient to decide between options. You need to thoroughly research each treatment on offer, including AS and potential side effects and timing. Even then you may react differently to the majority of men so there are no certainties. As regards timing, you have to consider how you feel about deferring potential side effects against the risk that late radical treatment may narrow your chance of treatment option or chance of effectively eradicating your chancer. It is understandable in the light of this that this has to be your decision and one the consultants don't want to make for you.

Corrected as last sentence didn't convey what I meant.

Edited by member 08 Nov 2020 at 05:37  | Reason: Not specified

Barry
User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 03:19

Transperineal biopsy, my experience:

Visit hospital in the morning as a day case. Go to operating theatre. General anaesthetic. Wake up wondering if anything has been done (it had). Recuperate in a room with tea and biscuits. Go for a wee and blood streaked urine feels like pissing razor blades.

The bloke in the bed opposite was in agony as this was his second biopsy after a TRUS (buy one get one free, remember?), and a lot of doctor attention behind the bed curtains, and I think he had to be catheterised, and certainly wasn’t leaving hospital any time soon. I think he had a bad dose of cancer/reaction to the anaesthetic/problems with his catheterisation during the biopsy.

Off for second wee, felt like pissing slightly blunt razor blades. Felt absolutely fine, and a child of a doctor came to see me and I told him I was ready to go home (around 2pm). He told me I could not. So I asked for a form to discharge myself. There was a bit of a kerfuffle as he’d never encountered anyone who wanted to discharge themselves, and didn’t know what forms were involved.

Eventually they were produced, and he was still a bit flustered, but signed me out and they gave me a course of antibiotics to take to prevent an infection. Left about 2.30. A bloody massive big blue, yellow and purple bruise the size of a grapefruit had developed on my perineum where the forty two needles had been inserted.

No further pain on subsequent micturition, but pink semen for about two weeks. I told Her Loveliness it was strawberry flavour, but she didn’t believe me, sadly.

I had already twigged I had cancer before the biopsy, and the surgeon who came to see me before the biopsy procedure admitted as much when I asked him straight out.

So all in all, the transperineal biopsy was no problem for me, and an interesting day out. I doubt if the gentleman in the bed opposite would say the same.

So, go and get one. Then consider the result and your future plans in conjunction with your doctors. If you do decide on any treatment, have as much sex/orgasms as possible beforehand, as they will never be the same again.

I hope your biopsy goes as well as mine did!

Cheers, John.

Edited by member 07 Nov 2020 at 03:31  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 07:44

I can echo John’s experience with regards to TPM biopsy. Arrived at a London Hospital (45mins train/tube ride) around 11am to check in. Taken to room to settle in.

Walked in the theatre prep room about 12:30pm GA administered about 12:45pm and woke up as if I had blinked 45mins later.

Really didn’t believe anything had been done as perception of time was so brief. 

I was up and walking after about 20mins and fine. I was fortunate as no blood in urine but felt like razor blades to pee. Spent 4hrs conducting flow tests and recording the information for the nurse. Had something eat and drink and then released about 6pm

en route home I stood outside train loo as needed to go every 10-15mins given water ingested.

Following days I developed an epic bruise downstairs but after a few days all settled.

User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 10:52

Hi Richard,

Please visit my profile, albeit it's maybe a little cryptic in places.

I'm 6 years from Dx. PSA 0.02

Lots of info already posted, other to add to mix. 6 weeks recovery min. re. Surgery. Are you in a manual job ?

Distance to hospital re. RT etc

I only joined this forum about 1 yr after op.  I realised how little I knew or was told.

Key.  Don't rush..   Cross each bridge  as you need to.

All the best

 

Regards Gordon

User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 14:28

Hi Richard,

I had my Brachytherapy in September 2016  at 70 years old with Psa  2.19 Gleason 3+4=7  and 5 out of 20 cores positive.The first Specialist seem to think i would go with his operation for robotic removal but i asked to for a second opinion from the Brachytherapy specialist and decided that was the option for me at my age and possibly less side affects.

So far 4 years on all good Psa down to 0.18 at December 2019 and next test due this month, did i make the right decision in 2016 who knows ask me when I'm 84.

If you click on my Avatar you can see my journey so far ,good luck.

John.

Edited by member 07 Nov 2020 at 14:29  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 07 Nov 2020 at 15:10

Thanks for everyone's replies

I'm new to this site and had no idea how helpful this would be. It's great that there's a community out there which is so willing to engage and offer advice and thoughts, as well as sharing experiences

It means a lot to me knowing that I'm not alone with this

I'll return to these pages once I have made a decision on my next steps

Thanks all 

User
Posted 08 Nov 2020 at 13:05

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
I had an image guided (mpMRI) TRUS biopsy which graded me at  Gleason 7 (3+4).

My post prostatectomy grading after pathology was unchanged at Gleason 7 (3+4).

Can't really argue with that. YMMV.

Targeted TRUS seemed to work out for me, although I did get given an antibiotic with some very scary potential side-effects (ciprofloxacin), which thankfully I did not get.

I had ciprofloxacin after my transperinael biopsy; it gave me the (quite severe) runs by day 2. OTOH whatever they gave me after the TRUS was ineffective, as I got an infection, which required three different antibiotics to clear.

Perhaps these experiences felt worse to me as I normally don't even get colds, so I'm not used to dealing with infections or drug side effects.

User
Posted 08 Nov 2020 at 13:30

I had ciprofloxacin 500mg for three months when initial symptoms were thought to be prostate infection. No side effects other than minor case of ringworm rash which I treated with nizoral cream.

Saved a fortune having lime sodas in the pub 🥶

 
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