Hello, is treatment and aftercare a bit of a post code lottery? My diagnosis was picked up by chance 4.5 years ago. I first started showing symptoms about 8-10 years ago. My father died from it aged 74 so I was aware of the dangers of ignoring it. After being examined and having a couple of PSA tests, I was prescribed medication and referred to the hospital for more checks and was told that it was just enlarged. I had no further check ups. After a couple of years I reduced my fluid intake so that I didn't have to run to the loo so often. 4.5 Years ago, I decided to visit my GP to check that I wasn't dehydrating myself. He arranged a blood test to check my kidney function and said I should have another PSA test. The kidney function results were fine but my PSA had increased slightly. I was therefore sent for a biopsy which tested positive. After having my scans I was diagnosed as being locally advanced. It had been picked up just in time!
A year or so before my diagnosis, a brother, 11 years my junior had also been referred for a biopsy, which proved negative.
I opted to have radio therapy and hormone treatment. I had several of the usual side effects but all seems to have gone well. Everything is more or less back to normal, considering my age, 73! I initially had 6 monthly PSA checks which have now been extended to 9 months. After my first post treatment test I'd heard nothing from my GP and had to call them for my results. They gave me the figure and said they don't normally send them out. I've had no feedback from any of my other checks. Last week, my younger brother told me that he is monitored regularly with 6 monthly PSA checks and also MRI scans every 2 years. He has been issued with a folder and kept up to date with all of his results. We live in different areas with different GP's, although we do use the same hospital.
So does the follow up all depend on yor GP practice controlling their budgets?