How to cope with anxiety over PSA results?

Farmz, PSA anxiety is pretty much universal to everyone involved with PCa. So Not much to offer. Just know that you aren’t alone in this.
Try to just think about being in the moment so to speak, take it day to day. If it’s going to be a monthly test, try your best to not think about it till a few days before each test, its not going to change anything. If it’s going to be bad news it’s going to be bad news. But if it’s going to be good news, don’t waste a month worrying about it because that will be, so to speak, a waste of good days.

I know, easy to say, hard to do. I’m on monthly tests now as well.
Hang in there, I hope someone else has a better suggestion.

I saw my MO last Friday. I was so nervous and VERY anxious to the point that
He said” I am concern about your state of mine more than the cancer” or something
Close to that, I was so nervous and I don’t remember. He said I should see a doctor
Specialized in that. I left the office and forgot to ask about names to call. It’s
At mskcc. But I am not sure what the doctor is going to say, don’t worry you will
Be fine? I don’t know. It’s hard stuff. Every person handles stress in a different
Way unfortunately.

Anxiety over PSA result is very common among prostate cancer survivor. I had the most agonizing 46 days between my PSA test in July and August. The August result came out to be more or less exactly I was expecting and dreading about. It increased from 0.9 to 1.3. I know the numbers are low. But, my PSA was undetectable in January and rose to 0.2 in April.

Venting on this site can be helpful.

There is always meditation/mindfulness training. As the mind becomes more settled you are increasingly able to watch as these anxiety/panic/stress/?? thoughts begin to form. When you can begin to see them forming it is much easier to deal with them than if they are hitting you fully formed as if coming out of nowhere.

I started a thread several weeks ago concerning this topic that explained a little more. Contact me by email if you are interested.

Roger

May all beings be well always free from animosity and oppression.

logoslidat said...
IT...from looking at your signature...and the kind of anxiety you are describing..begs for standard psa test... it certainly will not affect your situation...just my take...but to cover my butt...I support you maybe not your decision making skills...Me Im just a radar hack from Hackensack... your gold man your gold... man I wish there was a Alfred E Newman emoji available...what me worry will have to do

thanks logo. I’ve thought about doing that. I’ll start another thread. Don’t wanna hijack...

FARZ53 the anxiety that you and your family are feeling shows how much you love each other. Thomas Mann who wrote the wonderful book The Magic Mountain said this, " The perishableness of life … imparts value, dignity, interest to life.” Transitoriness creates time — and “time is the essence.” Potentially at least, time is the supreme, most useful gift. Your anxiety is part of life. As Subdenis said anxiety is about the unknown. Everything is in transition with life, but "Without transitoriness, without beginning or end, birth or death, there is no time, either." Thomas Mann. I hope that helps.

Personally, I write poetry or build things in my workshop to distract my brain.

Long walks, good books, going to movies or sharing an adult beverage with a friend also help.

Andrew

Thanks everybody. I have a silly confession to make: When I try distracting myself, I feel like as if I am denying the reality and deceiving myself. I do know we can do nothing about it, yet when I try to forget it, I assume myself a coward.
Hope I explained it clearly. Anyone relates?

I had surgery 4 1/2 years ago. When I was first diagnosed, I was anxious and worried.
I convinced myself, that surgery was the best thing that could possibly happen in my life. I kept telling myself that until I believed it.
The day of surgery, I was completely relaxed and happy to have the operation. The anesthesiologist never gave me a shot to relax, he said I didn't need it. I went into the operating room wide awake. Most people go in half asleep. The surgeon asked what was going on and I told him, "I'm happy, you're going to save my life" and I really believed that.
So how can you and your father turn this around? He needs to convince himself that treatment is the best think that can happen and be happy we live in these days of advanced medicine. It's not easy to change his attitude but it can be done. His body did this to him, treatment is the best thing that can happen.

A couple of things:

1. When I'm in that thought-loop (dwelling on what might be), I have trained myself to think like a puppy dog. Have you ever thought of what goes through a puppy's mind? They have no concept of the future, so they have no worries about it. I know, most of us cannot just do this. TA's many comments on the process of mindfulness is about as close to a training course in this as there can be. Look for online tools to learn mindfulness (and maybe train dad). It will help you focus on what is, rather than what could be.

2. For those who suggest contacting a social worker - BRAVO! There is no shame in seeking help. The real shame is that there are many who really need help but, for various reasons, shun it. Also keep in mind, licensed social workers are also trained psychologists. They not only know of many resources and tools to help with this, but they can treat the patient, helping him to deal with his issues on his own terms.

GoBucks said...

Paxton said...
Also keep in mind, licensed social workers are also trained psychologists.

That would be very rare. Trained psychologists practice as psychologists. Many social workers have training in counseling. Here(Ohio) they have the designation LISW (Licensed Independent Social Worker). But you are correct that more people can probably benefit from some counseling. It helped me.

I think we're splitting hairs. I know that in Illinois and Massachusetts, for a social worker to gain licensure, they must have a degree in social work from an accredited college. The curriculum includes training in psychology and the license grants the social workers the right to practice as counselors and psychologists. They are not allowed to prescribe medications, but they are allowed to perform other psychological therapies.

They are trained. Not all have degrees in psychology, but many do. Those having masters degrees are the ones to whom I refer. They are usually granted licenses as Licensed Clinical Social Workers or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers.

I should have clarified my comments more clearly.

GoBucks said...

Paxton said...

I think we're splitting hairs.

Please don't. I don't have many to spare!

I shouldn't be one to talk -- plenty of hair on top, but after SBRT, some thinning "down there."