What are cancer appointments like for you?

I was just wondering how everyone feels when they go for their follow ups. For example, are you nervous, even after many years of going through this? I am always nervous when I go with my dad. I am nervous for about a week before the appointment. I find myself thinking things like, "at least I know I have the weekend and won't be getting any bad calls those days," etc. So anyway, I dread it so bad that I am sweaty and have a fast heartbeat. I wait in the waiting room looking at the others and I wonder what kind of cancers the others in the room have and how they take their disease and if they feel as nervous as I do. It seems like none of them are nervous. Then my dad gets called back and the butterflies start churning around even more. The doctor comes in and gives him his report and just asks him how he's feeling, etc. and then she tells him what the next step is. She has never told us it is hopeless or anything of that nature. She made a specific point of telling me not to worry about him. It's amazing how my mom just takes it as it is but since coming to this forum a few months ago and reading your stories, I am getting much better at doing that too. Why focus on the negative thoughts when they generally aren't true anyway?

As for my dad, I think he's plenty nervous but doesn't want to let on. He always thinks it's the end. Then after he realizes she hasn't throw in the towel everything goes ok until the next time around. My dad will never be able to change his outlook because he was raised in a negative household and is too set in his ways.

So what is it like when you go to the doctor or get your test results?

Because I get my test results online before seeing the doctor, the doctor visits aren't high stress -- I pretty much already know where I stand medically and the visit is just to discuss options. Where I'm more anxious is waiting for test results, but I'm fortunate that I haven't had worse news yet than losing the "<" in my PSA.
In another thread, I'm pretty sure I suggested a few weeks ago that you talk with a therapist or social worker who specializes in working with cancer patients and their families. I consulted one a while back, and it helped me a lot. Many cancer centers have a social worker or therapist on staff. While being available for a sick family member is a blessing, overstressing about a family member's medical condition isn't good for you or your loved one. These aren't your test results -- they're your dad's. You're no less loving and caring a daughter if you accept whatever the news is without treating it as if it's the end of the world. That will also allow you to accept whatever decisions he makes about his own health care -- decisions over which you may have some influence but not any real control.

I am always a little anxious going in and my blood pressure is usually up a bit. As a G9 guy whose psa is starting to climb again I know Zytiga is in my near future and am trying to relax more.

What is helping me is I go twice a week to a gym that has an hour program for cancer patients. So talking with these people getting to know them as we have all had our struggles seems to relax me somewhat more now a days. Walking our dog is also relaxing no headphones just listening to the birds etc.

I wish you and your dad the best!

Still get nervous even after 6 years of being undetectable. I get my results 45 minutes after the blood draw and those are the longest 45 minutes of my life. I finally told the nurse not to take my blood pressure until after I get my results. Anxiety before my yearly test is my one side effect from this whole ordeal, so I guess I'm lucky.

Tom

I go to the doctor almost as often as I sleep. Nothing phases me anymore except when the nurses collapse a vein. So I went and got a port put in.

I get my labs while i'm in chemo. They have to get most of them done to see if I can support it that day. PSA is always back the next day (they only do those overnight), but I know what my path will be in all cases.

The thing that is haunting me right now is passing from my known insurance morass into Medicare. That will happen here shortly.

I go every three months. So now some 32 regular visits with my urologist. He has become a good friend and a trusted confident in many areas. I do not fear the meetings. I do not have PSA anxiety. I know wha t is going on and my risk level. I am confident in my treatment team.

My urologist practice has me in the high risk group and watches me very closely so that the second my PSA steps out of line we already have a plan. I am confident and thus very comfortable.

My wife has twice had full blown breast cancer in the last 20 years. She also has excellent doctors and is very closely watched. We never talk about our cancer but we regularly help others. In the last two weeks I have assisted a friend and two clients with their PCa and my wife spent three hours today with a friend with breast cancer. She will do well because my wife could help her find the very best doctors.

Thankfully for most of us this is a chronic disease we must manage, like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. so we manage......we don’t freak. Life is as good as you make it and we want to make it very good for a very long time. Much of that is managing stress and uncertainty.

For whatever reason, I don't get anguished at all. That might be because things have been pretty good since finishing my treatment. But also after years of getting used to the whole PCa thing, I feel like the chances of it ever killing me are very, very low. Now I do worry about other things that will might get me, but PCa is not on that list.