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Just been diagnosed and whirl of strong feelings

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 07:06

I was diagnosed 3 days ago and was very shocked.  Today I feel frightened.  It is early stages and I have been offered three options of active surveillance,  radiotherapy or removal.  I have still to see someone from another hospital and have a month to think about things.  Very confused

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 09:27

Laurence,  if you have been offered active surveillance that is a good sign.  It would be useful for forum members to see your PSA, Gleason and tumour scores.  They'll be better placed to offer guidance  

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 10:22

Hi Laurence, as Ulsterman says if you have been offered active surveillance that is good news. At your age it is no surprise you have cancer, most men have it by 67. You have a physical job you enjoy, any treatment may disrupt that. 

Based on the very limited information we have. I would say go for active surveillance, forget you even have cancer and get on with your life. Of course ever six months you will need a test so it will be hard to really forget your disease.

One day you may need treatment RT is usually accompanied by HT, that could make you more easily fatigued for about a year. You probably could continue working.

An operation would stop you working for at least six weeks, in reality with a physical job six months would be a likely minimum, and if the surgery has any complications your job is going to be impossible.

Dave

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 11:33

Just to reiterate, the fact that you were offered Active Surveillance means you have a low grade cancer, but it still helps us to help you if you can put your PSA, Gleason (e.g. 3+3) and Staging (e.g. T2b) into your profile, together with any other information you have (such as how many biopsy samples contained cancer).

Actually, you don't have a time limit to decide, because you can choose Active Surveillance and carry on thinking about it, as you can switch to active treatment any time you like. (Some people find that Active Surveillance doesn't suit them mentally, and then switch to active treatment.)

The period during diagnosis and being told you have cancer is very anxiety generating, because this is all new to you, you don't know what to expect, and cancer conjures up images of people dying in a couple of weeks (which doesn't apply to most prostate cancer diagnosis, particular those caught early). Prostate cancer grows slowly in comparison to many other cancers, and sometimes it doesn't grow at all (in which case Active Surveillance can be a good choice).

For many patients, the anxiety can be at least partially resolved by finding out more about the disease and treatments - knowledge is power - as they say, and anxiety is in part caused by not knowing what to expect and having a feeling of having lost control of your future. Knowledge helps you to know better what to expect, and when you get to make your treatment choice, that's a significant point in taking back control of your future.

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 11:58

Thanks.  We forgot the scores as we were shocked.  I will phone the nurse tomorrow and find out.

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 12:00

Thanks for the time you have taken on this

  I need to ring the contact nurse tomorrow and find this all out.  We were shocked and I forgot everything 

User
Posted 02 Oct 2022 at 12:01

Thanks Dave.  Good advice and lots to think about 

User
Posted 03 Oct 2022 at 22:55

That they've offered all those options is an indicator that they regard it as curable.  

It takes a while to take it all in and once you decide what treatment option you prefer you'll settle more.

Your next question  could be which treatment do I choose. People on here can offer their opinions.  You need to be comfortable with it.  You might find doctors prefer their own specialism. 

Reading other people's profiles can be useful.

As said above it's usually slow growing and can take years but don't be casual.  All the best, Peter 

 

 
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