New member, friend of DaSlink

Derf---you don't qualify until you get the Dx and we'll all keep out fingers crossed that you don't become a club member. Keep the faith, and let's see what happens.

IMO, good thinking on the MRI guided biopsy--especially if it's the newer 3T technology.

Best wishes....

Derf,
Welcome to HW! DaSlink sent you to a great place here to get support and information. Your post indicates a good knowledge of what you are dealing with and you've obviously done some research. Best wishes that your bx is uneventful and only good news. We'll be waiting to hear back when you get the results.
Beth n Gary

Deerfield, welcome to the forum, your in good hands for support and education. The biopsy isn't bad at all, as I'm sure Daslink told you, be prepared for bloody piss and bloody semen for a while. Other than that, the only hard parts are shedding your dignity and waiting for results.

JNF,

I hear ya. The part about Dave was more tongue and cheek, but who doesn't love Leslie?? FYI, we have been friends for about 32 years or so...

You will be uncomfortable for several days after a prostate biopsy. Personally, knowing what I know now, I would re-think your planned 6-hour car ride...save it for another weekend.


Here's a super important point you should bear in mind and be aware of BEFORE you go into your biopsy (and especially BEFORE you get your biopsy results): the purpose of a prostate biopsy today is not to find out whether you have prostate cancer (PC) or not—you probably do (explained below). Rather, the purpose is to find out whether the PC that you likely have is one of the rather infrequent cases that actually needs prompt treatment (or any treatment) or not.

I didn't see here any mention of your age, but the overall strongest attribute associated with PC diagnosis is age. This statement is based on several interesting autopsy studies which were conducted on men of all ages who died in accidents. It turns out that the percentage of men with detectable PC was roughly equal to their age, starting at around 40. So roughly 60% of all 60-year olds are walking around today with at least some prostate cancer. 70% of 70 year olds. Etc. If you're over 50, then you are more likely than not to also fall into the category of having at least some minor form of PC.

The important fact is that most of those men will never realize that they have PC, and it will never affect them in any way...it's just that they have never run into the set of circumstances which have led them to having a prostate biopsy. As it turns out, most who ARE diagnosed DON'T actually need an aggressive treatment, and in fact "over-treatment" of favorable-risk PC has been a recent epidemic in this country.

You have now encountered a set of circumstances which has led you to agree to a biopsy. (By the way, your PSA values wouldn't concern me greatly, especially because you didn't indicate any steps were taken—usually done before a biopsy—to eliminate the very common possibilities of you having a prostate infection, or other benign cause of elevation.

So, be aware of the purpose of a prostate biopsy. If you are over 50 and you have a biopsy and are "diagnosed" with PC, you will be falling into the "ordinary" range. It will be extra-ordinary if you actually need treatment in the short-term.

best wishes, and welcome.

Post Edited (JackH) : 4/25/2016 11:49:58 AM (GMT-6)