HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

AS Travels

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/12/2017 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
Been a while since I posted. Just had a new PSA- 6 months after my second biopsy. The PSA has been climbing over time. Last one in July was over 7. This is what AS is all about. I try not to dwell on it, but the time has come for another consultation. I will see Dr. Patel on Wednesday of next week.

My last consult (march) was with my home uro doc who is very confident that he could do just as good a job as Patel using his open approach. I trust him. He is very skilled and quite respected around these parts. Plus he says that Patel does not do the whole procedure himself. His fellow will do a lot of it. Of course, I did ask Patel this same question and he said he does the most important part. The fact that I may have double hernia surgery in June has me leaning toward Patel if RP is coming down the road.

So I now wait for the results from the latest PSA and look forward to my 2+ hour drive to Orlando. The road awaits...
D
Posted 4/12/2017 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
How many surgeries has he done and what has the outcome been for his patients?
Where are you located?
All the best to you.
Posted 4/12/2017 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
samster- I don't yet have that info on my local doc.
I am just North of West Palm Beach.
Posted 4/12/2017 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
By double hernia surgery I assume you are referring to inguinal hernia surgery. If this is the case you might want to check if mesh will be used in the inguinal hernia repair. I had mesh installed in one of my inguinal repairs and it did cause the DaVinci RALP surgeon some headaches .... he needed to work around the mesh.

Hope all goes well.
Posted 4/13/2017 1:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks RCS. Yes, they are inguinal hernias. That is one of the questions I will ask Patel next week. If it really will be a complication, I might forgo the hernia repair. They don't hurt really, just a weird feeling with some burning sometimes. My wife, being a post-op nurse, is very surgery-happy. She is always pushing it. I resisted gallbladder surgery for years- finally, it is gone. Did it solve my digestion problems? No. Only after I cut out garlic, onions, broccoli, heavy fats and a few other things did that improve.

My other doc says that the hernias will make open surgery harder, but it should not be a problem.
Posted 4/13/2017 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
Depov, I don't recall from your previous posts....if you decide to have treatment will you consult with radiation docs as well? We have some great ones here in Florida and with your stats the radiation options should cure you as well as surgery with potentially fewer SE's.

Jim
Posted 4/13/2017 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Jim, I have been planning to consult some radiation docs and am looking for recommendations. Not sure where to start. Thanks!
Posted 4/13/2017 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
Depov, I went back and found a post from Tall Allen wherein he suggested Florida providers to another member. This might be a good starting place.

Jim

From Tall Allen:
"You're in Florida? I recommend you talk to Debra Freeman in Tampa for SBRT, John Sylvester in Lakewood for LDR brachytherapy.I can't think of a good HDR brachy doctor in Florida. Vipul Patel is the famous surgeon in Orlando. I can't think of a reason to prefer a long course of IMRT or PBRT, but UF Jacksonville would be fine for PBRT if that's what you want."
Posted 4/13/2017 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
The closest of these is probably three hours from home. Anyone know of someone near the West Palm Beach area?
Posted 4/17/2017 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
PSA now up to 8.5 (last Wednesday's). Looks like it is rising steadily, which is better than spiking. Still not great to see it just keep increasing like this.

My local Uro drew a curve for me to demonstrate how cancer can suddenly turn aggressive. The question was, am I approaching the curve, still a ways from it, or just beginning the ascent portion?
Posted 4/20/2017 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
Patel says that there is nothing to worry about. Just some BPH possibly increasing PSA. Maybe an MRI in October after the next PSA.

This is welcome news, of course. Especially since it was last year that both Patel and my local Uro were saying that I would need treatment within a year. Times have changed.

Things I've learned:

3T MRI can not see G6, but can see G7.
Docs are trying to spread biopsies to about 2 years- maybe longer.
A biopsy may cause elevated PSA even after 6 months time.

I was told that multiple biopsies create a lot of scar tissue- basically destroying the prostate over time. May just as well have it completely removed. The 3T is making things easier.
Posted 4/21/2017 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats on your good news. I'm not thrilled with multiple biopsies being an implication of choosing AS either. I feel like just the one I had turned my prostate into hamburger. I look forward to continuing improvements in imaging technology making biopsies less necessary.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply