The ONE good thing about PC for us long term prostatitis sufferers is that the BPH problems are over. I had a five year run with BPH and had just finally solved it when I decided on ONE LAST PSA and free PSA to insure I didn't have PC. Guess what? The PSA was still OK, high but I had a big, irritated prostate. The free PSA told another story. I decided on a biopsy. NO WAY do I have PC, not in the family, I've always been as healthy as a horse, no cancer at all in my extended family. The usual denial.
I had most recently treated the prostatitis with an extended (2 month each) run of three antibiotics, Bactrim, Doxycycline, and Cipro, and was taking a cocktail of Uroxatral, Avodart, 25MG of Viagra, and Arcoxia, the "son of Vioxx, not available in the US, but available everywhere else in the world). The Viagra and the Arcoxia put the frosting on the cake, and I finally thought I had the prostatitis figured out. The insurance picked up the cost of the Uroxatral and Avodart, both expensive, and I was sourcing the Viagra and Arcoxia offshore.
My wife (and I too) dealt with a lot of unexplained UTI's during the five years. Since the prostate was removed, neither of us have had any problems (except for the pseudomonas I picked up in the hospital, which was quickly taken care of with 3 days of Cipro).
So, in some small way, prostate cancer was a blessing for me. I had a LOT of lower abdomen pain, which I ignored. That's gone. What I couldn't ignore, until I finally got it under control, was the constant urination issue. That's all gone now. I pee when I want to. I DO miss the ejaculation, but "You can't always get what you want . . . " Erectile functionality is about 75% of what is was 6 months post op, and improving, and my orgasm is every bit as intense as it was.
Good luck Mikey, and let us know how your progress.