how do u know

my question is and i have so many of them how do u at the end of the day decide wat the best treatment is even afta al the medical advice and tests which can be endless by the look of things im in a position where that decision is a wee way away but it doesnt mean im not considering al the options being the main income earner to a certain degree it comes down to recovery time and back to work this is a road i feel no matter wat i do it wont be the  rite thing  never ben so unsure or scared in al my life guess it could be worse as know a lot of people in here have ben to hell and back guess maybe need to go with the flow so to spesk sort wish never had the blood test done in the first place  cheers room

It's not easy, so don't worry about the fact that it's not easy, just try and concentrate on the big picture.

The intro at
www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/site/c.itIWK2OSG/b.46638/k.82C4/Prostate_Cancer_Treatment.htm
tries to get the balance right.

There is no "one size fits all" treatment for prostate cancer, so each man must learn as much as he can about various treatment options and, in conjunction with his physicians, make his own decision about what is best for him.

For most men, the decision will rest on a combination of clinical and psychological factors. Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer today will likely live for many years, so any decision that is made now will likely reverberate for a long time. Careful consideration of the different options is an important first step in deciding on the best treatment course.

Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes.

Why not click on the link on the website I just quoted that is labelled:
Chapter 2: Initial Treatment: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Each Option
and try working you way through.

what we choose to do depends on a combination of our age, our PSA level, the rate of change of our PSA level, our Gleason score, the DRE, scans etc that all help tell us how big the problem is, where it is and give an indication of how nasty it is. So for a start I think in your case the doctors would suggest you do not consider Active surveillance so you can narrow it down from there. etc

Your doc will also be able to advise you about starting work after treatment etc

All the best

Alfred

Bedamed, your situation has been felt by millions of people of all walks of life. When you hear the words "you have cancer," no matter what type it is - it is only human to feel that word to the very core of your being. You want to make the right decisions and you want to be as sure as possible of the best outcome. Sadly, since none of us has a crystal ball - and neither does any doctor - you don't know if the treatment you choose is the best. Being unsure and scared is part of the package, and you are not alone.


You are a young man and need to think long term...you also need to look at your personal statistics: PSA of 12 with a Gleason 4+4.

In your earlier posts, you mentioned surgery. Has something happened to change your mind? I'm not saying that surgery is the way to go for you - only you and your doctor can make that decision.

I can't remember if you've met with a radiation oncologist to discuss the pros and cons of this type of treatment. Zufus is right in that you need to explore your options but, at some point, you must make a decision about how you are going to attack the beast.

Hey BD,
Everyone's PCa is different. Everyone's body is different and everyone has an opinion. I'm not a doc and can only explain what happened in my case.
You can see from my stats that things were happening quickly. I was in great shape, perfect BMI, active for my age so I felt I would recover quickly. I wanted the PCa out of me - now and "liked" the idea of radiation as back up. HT scared me.
There are no good alternatives only less bad.
I had Robotic surgery 8 months ago.
So with all my planning how did it work out for me in the four key areas: Cancer, Incontinence, Potency and Overall health? At 8 months:
Cancer: My PSA at 6 month was 0.05. Great.
Incontinence: I'm a total leaker. about 300 ml, 10 oz, per day. It is getting better very slowly.
Potency: Nothing. Pill and Pump don't work either. Trimix injection works.
Overall Health: Excellent. I feel great both physically and mentally.

My email is here if you want to talk. (Sorry Pal, I'm not calling you in NZ.)
Good Luck,
Jeff

bedamed,

we all understand the fear part, and the not wanting to make the wrong decision part, each of us ahead of you have had those very same fights in our head and hearts.

when its all said and done, you just have to go with what you feel right for you. you don't do what your dr. is telling you to do if you know its not right for you or in your best interest.

you do what you have been doing, asking questions, researching, getting medical opinions. then at the appropriate time, you make your decision, and you just go for it. for many, you can actually feel a sense of relief and a wave of calm when that is done. many have reported that here.

i am not telling you to rush any decision, but reality says, you are 46 years old, you have confirmed PCa with a Gleason 8, something needs to be done, as you can't afford to let it grow and spread more. It is your body, your cancer, and your life we are talking about here. While thinking through possible side effect issues and so forth, you have an agressive cancer at work inside you, please don't loose track of that thought.

In the end, you just have to decide what is right for you. Everyone else will rally around you. There is no magic answer, and in the end, each and every man here had to make his own choice for his own reason.

Good luck, and still the best way to shake some of that fear out of you, is to continue to educate your self. The prime goal with your numbers, is to eradicate the cancer you do have, and hopefully contain the beast before he decides to spread elsewhere. Incontinence and ED possibilities should be playing a distant second and third on your list of priorities. Get the cancer, my friend, get the cancer.

David in SC

bedamed

You have come to a great support place.

Hang in their friend. Do your research, decide what is best for you, make a decision and don't look back.

My advice and contact point is contained in my story and journal at www.gleasonscore10.com

I wish you the best

Richard

thank u all for the info find each day is differrent mentally wise some the option in the usa and canada are not avaible here or if they are they are dam costly and one has to got private to get them ,however i have time on my side
i am seriously lokin at the seed inplants as may being the most suitable option for with the least amount of side effects my partner also likes that option as less invasive that some of the others and sounds as one can be up and running so to speak quite quickly which is wat i need
will know a lot more afta the scan and with any luck it will just be pc and not taken a detour to any other destination
got to admit this room as been a god send to me
today may be the last day im on line for a bit got to head up north for a bit to cart the kiwi fruit in to the packhouses be good to be busy for a bit

BD, sounds like you have a plan in place, and that's a good thing. As already stated, you definitely need to take action on your disease. Good luck with your scans, and hope they come back nice and clean!