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Has PCa been your worst medical problem, or have you had others as serious (or worse?)

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Prostate Cancer
Has PCa been your worst medical problem?
PCa has been my worst one so far - 56.7% - 17 votes
I've had a couple or so (incl. PCa) - 26.7% - 8 votes
Three or four - 10.0% - 3 votes
More - 0.0% - 0 votes
More than I can count! - 6.7% - 2 votes
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Posted 8/29/2015 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
This has to be a problem for a number of us. We have PCa, of course, and we understandably spend a lot of time thinking and talking about it, and a lot of that time right here.

But if we as individuals are also are having to deal as well with a heart, a lung, a stomach, or some other issue (such as an ulcerous esophagus in my case), how do we go about reaching a balance, a mentally agreeable plan, or how do we juggle things in our minds, in dealing with all of the multiple health issues that we may be facing at one time?

Do we set up a "worry priority list" for them, with perhaps the most potentially lethal condition that we have at the top of the worry list? Worry most about the one that may turn out to be the most expensive to fix? Concentrate on the one that concerns our loved ones the most? Try not to worry about any of them?

I don't suppose that there is any one answer to this that fits all, and that each of us works out his or her own way of dealing with this.

But perhaps it would be useful, in addition to answering the above survey, for those of us who wish to do so, to post below and mention the various health issues that you may be dealing with, and the strategy or strategies that you yourself have found to be especially useful in dealing with, managing, controlling, etc. the challenges and stress that they all bring.

It could be useful to others to hear how you do it.
Posted 8/29/2015 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
Excellent question, but not so easy to answer.

I've had a variety of issues, but I really think most of it is a result of the HT. Hence, looking at it that way, the PCA is my worst problem. I've had ZERO symptoms from the disease itself, but plenty of issues from the tx.

The worst for me is the mental anguish of getting PSA tests every few months, just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Mel
Posted 8/29/2015 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
Great topic.
As has been documented on this forum, soon after surgery for PCa, i was diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease, and had 2 stents inserted. Scared the crap out of me. Since i am so far undetectable, on PSA, and i am a low intermediate risk PC survivor (i like that better than PC Patient), i am more concerned about heart issues, as those can get me, very suddenly.
How do i deal with it? With a great deal of difficulty. I was very depressed, and down for some time. I have started seeing a therapist, to help me understand why i cant seem to control my anxiety sometimes, to the point where it takes over my life.

Last week, my Cardiologist sat me down and had a "come to Jesus" talk with me (or in my case "come to Moses". Told me he understands my anxious nature, he's the same way, but i really have nothing to worry about, I'm taking great care of myself, and as long as i continue to do that, I'l be fine. And he told me i really need to get a grip, and move on from this.

For whatever reason, that was a big thing for me, and i have felt much better about things ever since that day. But how long will that last? Who knows. Probably until something else happens.

I think all we can do, like anything, is our best. Take care of ourselves, find the right Drs, be educated, and do anything else to give ourselves at least some sense of control, and that, at least for me, makes it easier to deal with.
Posted 8/29/2015 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
PC has been my only medical issue. Always went to doctor to get cholesterol checked and got the news about PSA.
Posted 8/29/2015 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with, and had surgery for, Malignant Melanoma in 2006. I get an annual skin exam, and have avoided developing any new spots since. But that could change next week (appointment is Sept 10). Other than high cholesterol basically forever, no other issues. And I think I'm one of the small population that just runs high on cholesterol regardless of diet or exercise or anything.

I'm currently trying some things to deal with a hiatal hernia without drugs. My online mail order pharmacy decided to switch my GERD meds to "save money (theirs)", and the stuff they forced me to flat doesn't work. So, for a few weeks I'm going to see if I can manage it with diet. I'm having some success.

Down the road, arthritis is going to be my companion. I've got beginnings of it in both shoulders now and one knee. Yay.
Posted 8/30/2015 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
So far I win the prize.....my SRT which failed 18 months after treatment lead to a secondary cancer in my rectum 10 years later...12 in of colon was removed, then a year later a single met to the liver was surgically removed, now another year later 2 mets to my right lung...am looking at treatment options currently. During all this had 17 rounds of very nasty chemo.....and developed type 2 diabetes from the continous HT (am now castrate resistant).....all I can say it that prostate cancer for me has been the gift that keeps on giving....oh lest I forget all this has also created a significant dose Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome ...thank you prostate cancer !!
Posted 8/30/2015 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
I have had to deal with hypertension for my whole adult life. It was first noticed when I was 15 and by the time I was 24 I was taking meds for it. I've also have gout since then with occasional very painful bouts. Thanks to meds and watching my diet, I haven't had a bad gouty attack in years and I've been able to reduce my BP meds.

I've had one other life threatening illness - gallstones. One day my gallbladder went bad and I landed in ER with surgeons telling it comes out now or you'll never go home. Fun times.

A few years later the PC thing hits like a train wreck in slow motion. Now PC is just another of a list of conditions I monitor and treat.

Peace, love and chocolate chip cookies,
Andrew
Posted 8/30/2015 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
I had a major cardiac arrest in 1988 at the age of 43. Happened on the road while I was stopped at traffic lights. Luckily there was a police car behind me and when I didn't move off on green, they got me out and resuscitated me. My cardiologist tells me I am the longest surviving out of hospital Cardiac Arrest he knows. Apparently odds of surviving an out of hospital attack are pretty low.

Incredibly, I had no further treatment other than change of life style. No bypass or stents. Very conservative treatment at that time. However I did give up smoking and started an active exercise program. Also adopted a very different attitude to my career.

In 2007 I was found to have severe blockages in both Carotid arteries. This followed a number of short blackouts. At the same time, I was found to have intermittent periods of Ventricular Tachycardia. So the Drs were not quite sure whether the blackouts were due to the Tachy or the blockages, but I had an implantable Cardiac defibrillator installed and one of my carotid arteries cleaned. Couldn't do both as there was some nerve damage to one of my vocal cords (a known possible side effect of the surgery). Damage to the other vocal cord would mean the need for a tracheotomy.

Have to say neither of these problems has caused me undue concern. Although I do get stressed about somethings, my health isn't one of them. That may seem strange, but so long as I actually feel OK and capable of doing the things that I want to do, I tend to just get on with it.

PCa is the 3rd bump in the road and I guess I am a bit more fatalistic about that. Seems like that may get me in the end, but at age 70 and a plan to last a good few years yet, I am not too worried.

Contrary to Pratoman's fears, I actually hope the heart problems get me first. Nice quick clean painless demise - well will be if it is anything like my cardiac arrest. Knew nothing about it.

Chas
Posted 8/30/2015 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
My hip replacement beat me up more initially but the RALP was far more stressful. You go into the hip replacement knowing in a short period you will be doing a lot better with no more paine. Before the RALP I felt fine going into it but didn't know how it would turn out or what the side effects would be.

The recovery was about the same length in total but different in terms of what exercises could be done. Both were about six weeks but could do upper body exercises at three weeks and the lower body / legs at six weeks after the hip replacement. Nothing but walking after the RALP and slower building back up. Then there is the incontence an ED issues which thankfully were minor and cleared up after a couple of months.
Posted 8/30/2015 2:59 AM (GMT 0)
Overweight since 2006 when I quit smoking. Cholesterol a little high since then and rising blood pressure. Oh and Low T from 2006 forward. But by far, this is the worst that I have suffered.
Posted 8/30/2015 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
My bout of pancreatitis at age 28 (talking about 1981) was nearly fatal, until it was properly dx, which took many hours in the ER in Dallas. Spent 10 days in ICU and 15 in hospital. Still unknown to this day, why it happened, as I was already a non-drinker even back then.

My 3 bouts of porocarcinoma are high on the list. With such an ultra rare and dangerous cancer, and so few known cases, I was fortunate to beat it all 3 times. The fatality rate can be as high as 50%.

I have had now 2 intenstine blockages in less than a year, this last one, where I was recently in the hospital, I was minutes away from needing emergency major surgery. Dodged the bullet on that, for now.

My PC, should have been a shut and dry case, but we all know how twisted my journey has been for 7 years, and I still have the PC with a pretty high PSA level, and blew right through surgery and radiation. The treatments are what damaged me so bad and left me disabled, not the actual cancer.

Many have had worse medical things than me. Who knows what the future holds for any of us. Getting old is no fun, but part of that great circle of life. I keep taking the punches, guess I am too stupid to stay down and out, I keep bouncing back up for me. Either that, or I am a glutton for punishment
Posted 8/30/2015 4:49 AM (GMT 0)
Prostate cancer is the worst so far, but I'm sure as I get older (thanks to successful PCa treatment!) other things will come along. For the past 6 months I've been having palpitations (preventricular contractions) that are annoying and getting worse. No underlying disease was found aside from some very minor mitral valve prolapse, but I'm suspicious that there IS something serious going on. On some meds to suppress the PVCs, but it only partially helps.
Posted 8/30/2015 10:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

PC has certainly been the scariest, but a melanoma 2 years ago that ended up being totally removed was pretty scary too. Have to have a skin check every 6 months.

Other then that, many broken bones and dislocations from lots of sport. Also presently have gout ( medicated), hypertension ( medicated), migraine ( medicated) and also suffered from depression on and off.

All in all, I consider myself lucky when I see others with more debilitating sicknesses then me.

PC has given me a much better perspective on the things I have, but are not life threatening.

Well, off to take my pills. Lol

Cheers
Greg
Posted 8/30/2015 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
My worst issue was severe depression and anxiety which took 15 years to overcome. Second worse was two shoulder surgeries including total replacement. These were the most painful. PCa treatment SEs have not been that bad, but ADT was the worst, and I need it again. So far no symptoms from PCa.
Bob
Posted 8/30/2015 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
PCa is the first "game changer" for me.


New spot on the side of my face so I'm off to the dermatologist tomorrow.


For whatever counter-intuitive reason...The words of my PCP always seem to make me feel better...

"It's not that things could be worse. It's that things will BE worse". (Then we laugh).

When I can remember this "truth", it tends to make me grateful for today and gives me persective.

Post Edited (island time) : 8/30/2015 8:35:10 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/30/2015 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
I had a cancerous bladder tumor removed a year before my prostate surgery, so that was cancers first kick in the teeth. The prostate cancer diagnosis was shocking, to say the very least, as it was my second cancer diagnosis in a one year period. These were for me major events, even though I had a laminectomy about ten years earlier to remove a non-cancerous tumor in my spine.

So far, for me. the side effects from my 33 SRT treatments was by far the hardest thing I have had to overcome ... and I am not over them yet ! But I am undetectable : - ) !!
Posted 8/30/2015 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
PCa was hard (last year) but my hiatal hernia this year was far worse for me physically - especially with regard to recovery time. Part of which I spent 7 nights in the hospital (6 prior to surgery) and had 2 ER visits during this as well - didn't eat anything for 8 days (2 days were fed via bloodstream) with an NG tube in the whole (except for 8 hrs) time.

That may change though as I'm having quite a bit of urine retention that my Uro wants to deal with if the new meds don't help in a few weeks and my PSA numbers aren't dropping as quickly as expected so there may be more to that later in the year as well.

The toughest part of PCa was finding out - and waiting for the biopsy results - and then choosing a course of treatment. I went with HDR Brach mono-therapy which I still think was the best decision at the time and until my recent problems I had completely gotten back to normal. If I knew what was going to happen a year later I might have elected for surgery instead...but you can't second guess these things.
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