Stunned

MFPC45--

Sorry to see you here, but welcome and you will find this site to be extremely helpful, informative and most of all supportive. Anything you need to discuss or wonder about is open and on the table with this group. A great group of well informed people to provide insight! I am in the decision making stage my self (for treatment that is). First breath deeply, know you are in control of the decision of treatment to be made, do the research, compare , contrast, talk to people . Ultimately the type of treatment decision is yours and those of who you choose to have relevant input....dont be bullied or overwhelmed by DOCS. Think about what you need and want for your future. What will work and the side effects of each proposed treatment. We all will get through this. Be stunned it is the right perspective at this point.

MS

M, Welcome! Stunned is an apt way to describe the initial shock. You seem to be headed in the right direction by getting some appointments with the experts. The answers to your questions run the gambit from cured to the other extreme. I personally would try to focus now on what the next step should be, not too far down the road. We all have different short and long term side effects depending on treatment(s). Do your research, speak with the professionals, read the threads on HW.

You've found a great place to be right now and we all know how overwhelming this is. We'll be here!

Cheers, Doug

Welcome to HW, sorry you need to be here.

It is a punch to the gut. Take some time to deal with that. While those aren't the best numbers and G8 puts you at higher risk, you do have a little time to do your research and make an informed choice. Don't take too long but do see a surgeon and RO at the least. Take some time to learn about this thing.

All the treatments have some level of side effects. ED is generally a bigger risk with surgery but it does affect some who've had radiation. With surgery you get all the side effects right away while with radiation they start slowly and develop over time.

One of the more difficult questions to answer will be, is the PC confined to the prostate? If it is, then all most any treatment mode would work. If not, you've got fewer choices.

At this point, I bet you're more than a bit overwhelmed with it all so I won't throw too much information. Check out the sticky threads at the top of the forum and get all your consults done.

We'll be here when you have more questions,
Hang in there and keep us updated on your progress.
Andrew

Hello MFPC45 and sorry that you have to be here. That said, we'll help get you through this and I think you'll find that things aren't nearly as scary as they initially are.

First off, you're already doing the right things by consulting with other specialists. To the extent that they have specific experience with prostate cancer is very important--until I hooked up with the right experts I was not necessarily receiving the best guidance.

My numbers at diagnosis were not far off from where you are, as you can see from my signature below. I opted for the triple play of HDR brachytherapy, IMRT and 18 months of hormone therapy. Hormone therapy was by far the biggest challenge of the three. I'm still in the early innings, but I'm doing well. My PSA remains low and I really don't have much in the way of SEs at this stage, although my testosterone isn't bouncing back as quickly as I'd like. (The equipment all works, but libido is only so-so...)

Best of luck to you and I encourage you to hang around here and ask as many questions as you'd like.

I had my biopsy on Dec 2, and the phone call on Dec 5. Merry Christmas. The afternoon of the call, I got home from work and there was a message on the machine to call the Urologist office. I call, get the word. I sat down in the recliner and I don't think I moved for the next hour and a half. My wife got home, I told her the results. I don't think I slept that weekend.

Then, the day of my cat/bone scan, in between tests I went to get something to eat and I ran into a retired co-worker who had the same diagnosis 15 years ago. He had open surgery, and has had a complete recovery. THAT helped. There are so many of us out there, and everyone is willing to tell their story, and that brings hope.

Hang in there. I call it the 800 lb gorilla living in my head. We're getting used to each other. Eventually, he'll shrink to a manageable size. It will take what it takes.

Hello !

I'm just a bit older than you are --- I just wanted to let you know you are not alone in any of this --- and some of us are just in our 40s, as you are. I know where you are standing right now --- I've walked in your shoes --- and I am traveling on this same path with you. You can already tell by the messages you have received that you have others standing side-by-side with you in this. It's an important moment when you suddenly realize you are not facing this alone.

Just remember --- this website is like a "Band of Brothers --- and also Sisters" who will support you and encourage you and advise you, in any way that you need. The members of this forum are here --- seemingly 'round the clock --- seven days a week --- and you can turn to this forum whenever you need it.

Stay on course like you have been --- get some family and friends and colleagues rallied around you for support --- meanwhile, keep in touch with this website --- and you will soon realize what a valuable network of support you have waiting right here. Since we are in the same age bracket, I just wanted to let you know you are not alone. We're all here for you, as you can already see from all the messages you have received.

Sent with my best,
Cyclone

Arguably at your age and your Gleason I would already have a surgery date scheduled! Having made that statement, given the advancements that are being made in terms of non-surgical treatment a cooler head would be doing posh exactly what you’re doing…. Investigate, confirm… investigate, confirm…, make a decision and jump in with poise that all the due diligence has been completed

Hero

MFPC45
Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It's a real shock when the Doc tells you that you have cancer. I felt my knees give way and the floor beneath me fall. It took some time to come to terms with the fact that I have cancer. I can remember days when I would sit alone and just cry about the fact that I was given an expiration date. Not that the Doc actually told me how much time I have, but getting that diagnosis was like reading the expiration date on a milk carton. Best if used by / / /. Things went much better after I actually had surgery. I think for me, making the decision was taking a proactive step in my recovery. For me, having surgery was a longshot. Kind of like a Hail Mary at 4th down at 4th quarter on the 50 yard line and two points down. Doing nothing was certainly a loser but doing something, well at least I did something.

My Doctor explained all the risks and benefits of my decision to have surgery. The potential for incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and the possibility that the cancer still might be advanced. I had a combination of Hormone Therapy and surgery. Hormone Therapy was very difficult for me. Complete lack of energy, Hot Flashes, emotional mood swings, bone pain, loss of interest in sex, no desire, you name it, I got it. Many guys do much better on it than I did.

Healing from surgery took some time. My surgeon said he cut real wide and I think that was part of the reason why it took so long to heal. I really think it took me about 90 days before I started feeling better.

So am I happy with my decision? Yes! I am really glad that the gland that was the birth place of my cancer is gone. Yes, I still need treatment but there can be no more cancer being produced from my prostate. Both my nerves were removed and I can say that I can't get a woody like before but there is something that goes on down there. Not enough to have any meaningful relationship but maybe someday.

Post Edited (Almost a 10) : 1/13/2015 5:33:53 PM (GMT-7)

Welcome to the forum. Sorry you have to be here. I'm a noob here myself, and at 47, can empathize with what you are going through. Sounds like you are on the right track for the information you need to make your decision. Best of luck.

While I don't know the numbers (although I'm sure someone here does), I would guess there's a lot more surgery guys out there than radiation. Keep in mind that most folks are diagnosed by urologists, who by training are surgeons, and they will typically recommend what they know best. And for those that just want that dang thing out, it's a preferred option.

For the lower risk guys, pretty much any treatment will help. Many of us higher risk guys (but not all) will opt for radiation since there's a higher chance for us that the cancer will already have escaped the mothership and moved on. If that happens, then those that have had surgery will typically need radiation to mop up. The downside of that approach is having the SEs of surgery and radiation.

I mention this since you are a Gleason 8, which puts you in the higher risk group. But it also means it's even more important to get a second reading on your slides as recommended above. If you are downgraded to a Gleason 7, that could change the way that you approach this.

I can't comment on robotic versus open surgery, but I'm sure lots of folks that can will jump in. Good luck on your upcoming consults!

My choice of HDR Brachy, which I just made like yesterday, was a choice based on my own psychological profile coupled with with the fact I am somewhat low risk. I had treatment options and like everyone else on this site did my extensive research and came to a conclusion for ME. Is it the best? Is it the right one ? Time may tell.

But I feel good about it, or good enough. And as I said in an earlier post....


5. why wont this f*&%king beast go away but it wont, so one has to take a leap of faith , and I guess this is mine.


MS

Dear stunned,

I was diagnosed November 4, 2014 with prostate cancer Gleason score of 7 (3+4). My PSA was 3.49. I'm 60 years old. Like you I was stunned I couldn't believe that I was diagnosed with the cancer.

My urologist told me that all the test results look good that the cancer had not spread but we wouldn't know until a final pathology. My urologist was very informative and did not push me into a decision. In fact, he said you have some time to make a decision but did say I needed to make one within a few months not years.

His recommendation was a radical prostatectomy. However, he was very clear I had other options including chemo radiation the freezing one and to watch and wait. He said even though I'm 60 years old I was relatively young and I would do well and with the radical prostatectomy otherwise he would not recommended it.

Anyways, I did a lot of research into the different procedures and I did decide on the open surgery for a radical prostatectomy versus the robotic surgery.

What I found during my research was every man's results are different. That I couldn't rely on one specific story or person's experience. With that being said do the research read the stories and you'll come do your own decision at some point.

I had my surgery on December 16, 2014. I'm replying to your post this date January 15, 2015, almost one month after the surgery. Post surgery pathology shows that the cancer was specimen contained it had not spread to my lymph nodes nor the seminal vesicles. Follow-up recommendations did not include radiation or chemo just monitoring and PSA blood test. My first PSA blood test will be scheduled in February.

Only concern the doctor found was the cancer had approached near the urethra neck but says this was not uncommon and he's not overly worried.

I have pretty good urinary control with a little bit of leakage but it seems to be getting better and better every day. I'm able to get erections and have orgasms although they're dry which is kind of weird.

I don't know why I'm lucky and blessed to have the outcome I have but I do attribute it to a lot of prayer and a great surgeon.

I wish you the best and keep us posted.