Haven't visited for awhile, but good news from my most recent physical. Still non-detect PSA about 21 months post-op. Keep up the good work, everyone!...
Good luck, David. Hoping that you feel relief and some comfort for the weekend....
Welcoming Bear to the club!...
Not a doctor, but I believe the two terms are used essentially interchangeably....
Great news, Tim....
Joey: Best wishes, good man. Please keep us posted on how you're doing, and on what treatment regimen you elect....
Hooray! My number at 3 months post-surgery was 0.03, or "non-detect" by the standard interpretation. My doctor is pleased; to discuss with him early next week. Life's good!...
Bless you, man. Cipro is usually very fast-acting, so I hope it works like yesterday for you. Sucks in the meantime, though. Our thoughts are with you....
Great news, Ricky. I'll hoist a Racer5 in your honor tonight!...
For those who find ads at top annoying, you may want to change browsers. I'm using Google's Chrome more and more, and it may supplant Internet Explorer as my primary browser. Chrome doesn't show...
With respect to the back-to-work question: I'd say that's extremely variable. Some men take at least a month (or even more). In my case, I was ready a week after open surgery (I know I was a lucky,...
Bottom line is that prostate cancer, when caught early, just does not have that high a mortality rate, statistically. That's not very comforting to those whose prognosis isn't good for whatever...
Tim: I also am now without any incontinence problems, but I find that I can't hold urine as well as before the surgery. I urinate every couple of hours at least. Not a big issue, all things...
F8: I also had that little spot at the end of my lowest rib, and that caused me a lot of anxiety. Fortunately I discovered (from a second x-ray) that I had a broken rib that left a dense spot on the...
I had the 12-core biopsy with Lidocaine only. Glad I loaded up the iPod with some interesting podcasts to keep my mind off the procedure! Frankly, the intrusiveness of the doc fooling around up my...
Hope the upturn continues for you, David. Sorry that you've had to deal with so much....
By the way, defender, glad to hear you're doing pretty well. ("Pretty well" is about all we hope for around this town, PCatown, unfortunately.)...
Glad you were able to walk so much (may seem like too much, and maybe better to cut back, but still good to walk). And good to hear you overcame the temporary depression. It hits most of us, for...
A little more than 2 months post-op and I had the opportunity to shovel after 13" of snow here in central Ohio. Kind of wish my surgery had been last week, instead. :tongue: Seriously, it was good to...
Hey, tattoo: thanks for posting this article. It's not one most of us would have seen, and information is always a good thing! The question that immediately arose to me is this: is medication that...
It has been a real shame that my uro told me not to shovel snow this winter. :devil:...
My insight, such as it is, is that accuracy of the test is such that increases or decreases of less than 20% of reading are probably not statistically significant....
I've said this same thing elsewhere, but don't conclude that 0.1 to 0.2 is necessarily an increase in actual PSA. Lab accuracy and precision can produce irregular baseline. Re-testing is a good idea,...
Ahoy, Cap'n! Cap'n Zero! Set your course for blue skies and many more zeros!...
I understand the desire for two decimal places, but so close to the detection limit, I'd question whether the second digit is very meaningful. Taurus, your PSA results look pretty consistent to me....
Excellent point. I think you'll find most posters here who have had successful treatment (whether surgery, HIFU, brachy, whatever) will have a bias favoring that approach. Readers need to recognize...
David - add one more who is concerned about you and who is wishing a favorable end to your pain and struggles. The irony is that knowing you are going through all this and remain so nurturing and...
I have to admit, as a businessman the idea of buying illegal generic formulations of erection drugs causes me a frisson of ethical discomfort. I think US companies deserve the patent protections...
I found mixing one part of the laxative solution with three parts Coca-Cola was very effective in masking the nasty flavor. (The doctor's office told me Coke was no problem as an admixture.) Some...
twotall, I think the key is what your post-op PSA test results are. You can look at statistics and nomographs all you like, but for you, specifically, if your PSAs are non-detect, that's all you are...
The comments about anesthesia seem right on to me. I was fortunate in that my anesthesiologist elected to give me a spinal, in which I was awake (more or less) throughout the procedure. The docs said...
Great, great post. Important for all to remember, at all points of the process. Kudos, geezer!...
Frankly, I have found that interviewing nurses is probably the best way. That, and asking doctors I know socially who are not in the same specialty....
It's probably not really a "variation in one week." Labs have inherent inaccuracy in reporting. It may not be a bad idea to have another blood draw and have it analyzed by a couple of different labs....
As a non-surgeon and engineer, I agree whole-heartedly with brainsurgeon. In my work, I look for the "robust solution" - one that does not compromise the feasibility of a backup plan should it not...
JB: I caught something in one of your posts above that I hope you don't mind my addressing - your comment about the long scar whose appearance has worsened with your weight gain. Weight gain is...
Great news, from yet another Captain Zero! :yeah:...
Coughing and sneezing were really the only sources of pain I had post-surgery. (Catheter was more an annoyance than actual pain.) Neither was horrible, but neither was pleasant. I was given Percocet...
1. Went to the driving range and hit some balls. (Had to hit into a net; too muddy for the guys to take the tractor out to pick up range balls.) No problems with my swing - other than those I had...
Stories like this illustrate quite clearly why it's such a good thing that I did not go into medicine. That sounds exactly like the kind of thing I'd say. :cool: Glad you were able to find a more...
Squid, given the inherent baseline instability that labs have close to their detection limit (and for PSA that's typically 0.1, I believe), I'd recommend a re-test before making such an important...
Soft, fluffy cotton balls to clean around the catheter Rinse-free liquid soap Wet wipes Stool softener Recovery would have been fairly miserable without the above....
Well, one thing you've left off the list, obviously, is ammunition. J/k. I didn't see beer on the list, though. I'd have been lost during my recovery period without beer. Thank goodness the nurses...
It's not fair - that you who bring so much comfort to others, experience so little yourself. Prayers go out for you, good guy. We're all pulling for you....
Best wishes. If attitude were the sole determinant of outcome, you'd be a shoo-in for no more problems. Here's hoping that's exactly the case....
Great news, Sheldon. Hope to be joining you in the Zero Club soon....
The concept that it is preferable to be ignorant than to be provided information that you might misinterpret is about as stupid a concept as I've heard....
I don't see your observation as ignorant in the least, Goodlife. But my surgeon told me basically that his overall view of the surgical site is better when he does open surgery (he also does robot)....
Hot dog bun? Seriously, hope you have a "bang-up" time!...
We're certainly in accord that the surgeon makes more difference in likely outcome than any other factor. I agree with you - pick the best! And not to beat a horse who's close to being glue, but...