My first post. My journey so far

User

Posted 11 Jan 2021 at 09:51

It started in September 2020. I can’t remember the exact date. I had a really bad case of gout in the big toe joint of my right foot.

The doctor contacted and pictures of my foot taken and sent I was prescribed naproxen and omeprazole. I had also to make an appointment for a blood test once gout attack had cleared.

The blood test was on 5 October. Whilst talking to the nurse taking the blood I mentioned a change in going for a wee. (I thought it was due to the cooler weather).

8 October. Telephone appointment 08:45 with doctor re blood test results. Was told of gout blood results and some concern re psa count and

8 October. Visit to surgery. Showed doctor foot. Now prescribed allopurinol. Also DRE. The examination that we all dread. Advised that I would be referred to urologist.

What happened after that was letters and phone calls to arrange appointments.

15 October. Nuclear medicine appointments, 1 for injection followed by full body bone scan.

25 October. MRI scan. (On a Sunday!!).

27 October. Appointment with urology. Advised that almost definitely prostrate cancer. Another DRE (oh joy). Referred for a biopsy.

10 November. CT scan with injection.

Letters received with results and next appointment details.

Results are

PSA 113. T=3 N=0 M=0. Gleason 3+4=7

7 December COVID test.

9 December biopsy day. Given the choice of general or local anaesthetic. Chose local (first in Torbay to have new procedure and done by local anaesthetic). It proved to be a good choice as I was d able to drive myself home after.

23 December. Called by cancer care nurse. I am to have hormone treatment, but need to start taking tablets (bicalutamide) with a hormone injection to follow about 2 weeks after the start of taking tablets.

24 December. Called by urologist. To check if I had received tablets and to discuss any concerns I might have.

Next appointments are 12 January for hormone injection and 21 January to see oncologist.

Various information booklets etc received from nurse.

That’s me to date. Just thought I’d share.

I had been until all this started under the impression that signs of prostrate problems was getting up during the night for a wee. That is not a problem I have ever and still d not have. My problem was going more often during the day and a reduced flow. I now know that any wee problems could be an indication.

Thanks for everyone before me that has shared their journeys you are all an inspiration, and thanks for reading mine so far.

It’s worth mentioning that at first I didn’t want to share with anyone except my partner. I didn’t realise the pressure this put upon her. She needed to talk to someone too. Now that it’s out there we and those around us are easier with the whole thing.

User

Posted 11 Jan 2021 at 10:47

Sorry you find yourself here but glad you found this site as you will get lots of support and advice here. When I joined earlier last year I was pointed in the direction of the “toolkit” on the main PCUK page. On the main page there is a freephone number if you need to speak to a nurse or you can engage in an online chat (look for the pop up at bottom right of page “chat now”).

Best wishes with your treatment.

User

Posted 11 Jan 2021 at 11:51

John,

Sorry you find yourself here. It sounds like you are being routed towards radiotherapy, but maybe that decision hasn't been made yet.

The issue of telling people is part of how you cope is very personal. I also didn't tell anyone initially, not until I'd got a long way through diagnosis (which took many months in my case). First person I did tell was my brother, and it was actually a massive relief to do so, and then gradually more of the family, and some close friends, and I became involved in support groups. I found local support groups to be useful, not to mention I've made a bunch of fantastic new friends via the groups, friends with which we can talk about absolutely anything, including all the stuff men normally never talk about. Only when I finished my radical treatment did I go fully open/public. A lot of this was down to knowing how to handle peoples' reactions - I didn't want people to feel uncomfortable talking with me, not knowing what to say, etc. I told people when I thought I was up to handling their reactions, and in my case, that meant being able to joke and laugh about it, to show I'm OK talking about it. I would not have been able to do that at the initial diagnosis or for a while afterwards. I think all my friends are comfortable with it now. Everyone is different in this respect, and my strategy certainly wouldn't be for everyone.

Do feel free to ask absolutely anything. There are no silly or trivial questions. This is even more important in this era of limited clinician access.

User

Posted 11 Jan 2021 at 11:59

Hi you have come to the right place to get answers as i did in September 2016 when i was first diagnosed .The members are all friendly and we give good advise to help ease some of the worries. Click my avatar for my journey so far it may help if you are suitable for Brachytherapy or not, but of course listen to the professionals first.

Good Luck John.

User

Posted 14 Jan 2021 at 11:01

many thanks for the reply and the tip on using the site. i usually access via my mobile phone. things seem to be different on there, so today I have logged in on my laptop and am slowly finding my way around.

User

Posted 14 Jan 2021 at 11:52

Hi John,

The HT is important it puts a halt on the cancer but I guess on the 21 Jan they will start talking about further treatment. You will see a few posts on here discussing choice between radiotherapy and surgery, they are worth reading. Your medics may make a clear recommendation but often the choice will be yours.

When it comes to letting other people know. I am a very open person, but I did not want to "cry wolf" about cancer so I only told close family and two very close friends that I had gone to the doctor with some minor symptoms, and that statistically it was unlikely to be cancer. Those people I kept up to date with the diagnosis process and they along with I could see that it was becoming increasingly likely it was cancer. Once I was fully diagnosed I told other friends and told them not to keep it a secret and let others know. I didn't want sympathy, but I don't get annoyed if people are sympathetic, and I didn't want people tiptoeing around the subject. Now three years down the line, no one bothers to mention it, prostate cancer is seen as very curable and people just assume I'm cured and back to normal. As any member of this forum knows, you never know if you are cured, and life is never the way it was before.

Dave

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