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Another Thing to Worry About

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Posted 11/16/2014 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
So I read that the most common area for positive margins is in the Apex. And that the Apex is where the nerves for sexual function are and also where the urethra crosses. I ALSO READ that the Apex is the most common place for the cancer to spread outside the capsule.

I looked at my path report and noted that my G6 (formerly G8, before Epstein downgraded it) with 80% involvement, is in the right apex. Which now has me completely freaked out.
Is this something I need to worry about? Or is it less of a problem with Robotic and an experienced surgeon?
Posted 11/16/2014 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
Prat,
It doesn't mean surgery will not work, but it does increase the probability of positive margins and ED. Radiation or Brachy are better suited for dealing with apex tumors.
Posted 11/16/2014 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately, if you look for things to get freaked out about, with this disease you will find them!

Mel
Posted 11/16/2014 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
I know. I should stop looking. But I cant, I've been doing this crap all weekend.
In this case, I'm glad I found it even though it led me to my new best friend, Xanax. Because when I meet with my doc, and the next surgeon, on Tuesday, at least I know to ask him about it.

I know you guys are going thru more than me in a lot of cases and I'm sorry I'm coming off like a two year old whiner. It's just so disconcerting, I've never been so mentally up and down and up and down. I pray that when I meet with Tewari he tells me he's got a technique to deal with this.
Posted 11/16/2014 6:34 AM (GMT 0)
I am worried that you haven't complied a complete list of things to worry about.

Come guys, let's get Pratoman a really good list to worry about.

:)
Andrew
Posted 11/16/2014 12:12 PM (GMT 0)
My suggestion is get away from the PC, books, this website and go do something completely different. Go for a really long walk or bike ride, go for a theater marathon and binge watch five movies, go find a friend who does not know your medical circumstances and invade their hospitality. You are torturing yourself here. Part of coming to terms with any disease is processing information slowly, then evaluating other inputs from a considered perspective. If you try to short circuit that you will overload yourself with information and worry. This is a slowly evolving disease, you have time (weeks and months in my opinion, not years) to determine the right way forward for you. Don't rush it, don't heap even more pressure on yourself, use this board sparingly and you will be as fine as you can be.
Posted 11/16/2014 12:51 PM (GMT 0)
Radiation or Brachy are better suited for dealing with apex tumors.

Also better if you are concerned about sexual function as I was. Perhaps that was John's point. I understand the worrying thing...been there...did that. But I have to tell you that 7 years after my original dx, life has never been better. I'm not sure if it is because of the pc, but I am determined to 'live every day of my life'.
Posted 11/16/2014 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
Prat, I think you're a perfect candidate for surgery. Get the pathology report, then you will have some hard facts to worry about, or not. You're probaly not a candidate for AS, you would worry to death. Get on with your life and be proactive. You've been DX'd with PCa, the lowest grade with the most options for treatment. You're going to have SE's no matter what you do and will have to adjust.
I would imagine that you focused your research, initially, on a G8, well, if you have to continue focus on a G6, you'll find debates if a G6 should even be classified as Cancer, people don't die from a G6!
Andrew is right, we could compile a list and you can worry until your hearts content. Worrying is stress, stress kills. Suck it up and focus on the positive steps you can take to make your situation better, not WORSE! There are a lot guys on this board who would love to swap stats with you and I'm one!

Cheers, Doug
Posted 11/16/2014 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
arguably the S/E from surgery are more severe than BT. this is well documented form the responses on BT on the forum, at least. Maybe a thread to provoke responses from surgery guys would help. Me , my experience was mystical and recovery was hard fought, and I like a fight, it brings out the best in me. but I would have done BT knowing what I know now. No regrets, I'm living the dream. But yes absolutely BT would be my choice.
Posted 11/16/2014 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
Agree, Logo. A point that I try to make as often as I can. There is no need to learn to live with SE's if you don't have any.
Posted 11/16/2014 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
@we can do this, I am going to try to take your advice, thank you
Posted 11/16/2014 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Pratoman, I thought I was covering worrying on Saturday.

<--- Look at my name. And even I know that worry doesn't help.

What will help? Exercise, eating right, getting rid of those extra pounds you've been hauling around. Emptying your prostate like Al Capone voted: early and often. Do kegels. All of it is training for the fight.
Oh, and if you ever thought you might want to experiment in the bedroom, do it now. There is no point in waiting.

I wish someone had told me all this before my date with the robot.

Jeff
Posted 11/16/2014 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks WG, I forgot. But it's ok I'll take the worry over for the next few weeks.

One promise I didn't keep was staying away from here today. But couldn't help myself.
I hear you on the exercise, and keels. I've been doing keels in and off, hope I'm doing them right. I do sets of wo, standing up, lying down, while I'm walking

I've promised myself to get myself together and start hitting the gym daily, I need to get myself together to be in that frame of mind. I think once I make a final decision as to treatment and a date, it will be easier to do that.
Also gonna start doing crunches, planks, and squats

I forced myself to get dressed and do a 2 1/2 mile walk today before football. Tonight I'm going to dinner with a friend and our wives. Just to get out of the house. Unfortunately (or fortunately, I don't know what's best any more) he's a RObotic Surgey vet from 4 years ago.so I guess the conversation will come around to PC .

I'm trying
Posted 11/16/2014 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
You have passed the threshold, most who have given advice, I feel will agree. Exercise is the best way to deal with stress, follow your own advice. there ain't much that will give you 100%, but 100% of the time I have never said, " darn I wish I hadn't done that" after a session. Well maybe the time I got hit by the bus…. Kidding, Im Kidding… it was a truck…kidding,I'm kidding…… Good luck Pratoman.
Posted 11/17/2014 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
PratoMan,

Dunno if it will help you to know, but nonetheless truth in advertising requires me to point out that most of the commenters on your threads -- the guys who are so calm and sure -- the ones telling you how to keep it all together -- were nervous wrecks when they -- when we -- were where you are now. I had a pretty distinct tremor; my hands shook constantly and I needed to set my alarm clock for 1:00 am to take my second sleeping pill to try to sleep until sunup.
Posted 11/17/2014 3:09 AM (GMT 0)

PeterDisAbelard. said...
PratoMan,

Dunno if it will help you to know, but nonetheless truth in advertising requires me to point out that most of the commenters on your threads -- the guys who are so calm and sure -- the ones telling you how to keep it all together -- were nervous wrecks when they -- when we -- were where you are now. I had a pretty distinct tremor; my hands shook constantly and I needed to set my alarm clock for 1:00 am to take my second sleeping pill to try to sleep until sunup.

Yep, I'll second that. I was completely freaked out for the first couple of weeks. Completely. First few nights up at 3 am, a couple of times just shivering bodily with abject fear. Very scary days and nights.

My "calm and sure" comes and goes, ebbs and flows! The guys here helped me a lot, but it was very hard at first, still is sometimes. Vent as necessary...

Jerry
Posted 11/17/2014 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Peter, don't know why, but your post made me laugh.

Just got back from dinner with good friends at a nice Manhattan restaurant. Didn't even enjoy it. I was off in. Another world. As I mentioned in an earlier post he's a 4 year RRP vet. He noticed, told me I need to figure out how to get my focus off it for a while. Yeah, right.

Unrelated question, but not worthy of its own thread....
Anybody have stomach issues after biopsy? My stomach has been bad since the biopsy, maybe a day or two after. about 10 days now. Maybe nerves, but I wonder if it could be something to do with the procedure.
Posted 11/17/2014 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Prat,

The GI events would be stress.

I haven't had dinner in Manhattan since about ~1987. A real first generation Italian family place below 35th, don't remember the name or address, but my Italian boss was addressed at first sight as "Don .." and I was "Dottore". Then I made the error of saying no, I was a judicial officer, that really messed things up. We had some great food, wine, and extraordinary attention. I went back another evening alone. There was the same attention, but no check. I tried to leave a tip, but that was refused, and they covered the cab to my apt. Early on, I decided to give the cabbie an address one block away. Later discovered it was all up and up, my boss spend thousands there for business every month, all on the books with names and company names.

Stress less, live more. When the hole seems to be getting too deep, Stop Digging.
Posted 11/17/2014 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
Good story Peter :-)

Honestly, I can't stand going into Manhattan. But for our anniversary in August my two kids bought us a gift card to this restaurant. Osteria Morini
Food was terrific, too bad I went to the bathroom three times.
Posted 11/17/2014 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't sleep well for a few nights after the biopsy - nerves, worries and stress. We get all kinds of weird symptoms from stress. Often when I go see my doctor about something, the first thing she'll ask is what is my current stress level.

It's hard sometimes to sort out what is caused by the PC stuff and what is just normal other issues. Takes awhile to figure that out.

Andrew
Posted 11/17/2014 5:19 AM (GMT 0)
people are funny in how they respond or do not respond to different posts and why they respond the way they do. Quite easy to decipher, once you see and connect. I stay sad, cuz, tho…kinda scary to see too much... close to a curse…. A breeze from a vent, doubt its understood, which is a good thing... wasn't meant to...
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