Wow, and I mean Wow! Here's the BBC account: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7502238.stm Only 2 and 1/2 years of data but it looks good. What a breakthrough if it works as well as hoped for. charley...
cvc My father died of metasticized pca at 73. I didn't start checking my PSA's until 1995 when I was about 58 and as you see below it started out fairly low but has now rapidly jumped. I've waited,...
Greetings All Following my last visit to my urologist, when he told me he knew nothing at all about Proton Radiation Therapy, I was quite fortunate in that the radiation oncologist he referred me to...
Hello Morgan Here's a site that I sure hope everyone on these forums knows about, the YANA pages. Scroll all the way to the bottom to find the PSA's up in the range you're talking about. You can then...
Aceguy I'm 70 and apparently just a few steps ahead of you in this drama. Puzzling, I would think your urologist would want to know what a recent DRE result would be after 3 years. I suggest you...
I've enjoyed a flower and vegetable gardening obsession for many years to keep my mind occupied, and I ran a small perennial plant nursery for a few years in the 1980's. Working with living plants,...
Thanks Richard Florida is coming up over MPRI, for a number of reasons. My treatment period may extend over turkey day and I could go see my son in WPB. My neuropathy acts up in cold weather. And...
Hello All, I have pretty much made up my mind to pursue the Proton Beam treatments. My question is: does anyone have experience with the MPRI in Bloomington, Indiana, or the University of Florida's...
Greetings I agree that a lifestyle change may well be appropriate for many, and for different reasons. About the time I started recording my PSA's at age 58 I also picked up a book by Dean Ornish...
Dave Yes, my experience has been similar. My first thought was surgery, to be rid of it, but I quickly learned it's not that simple. Then the seeds seemed right. So I read dozens of personal...
Dave Outrageous, right after I ordered Bob Marckini's book from Amazon, one arrived in the mail from the Florida Proton Institute. I had called for an information package and it was included. Good...
Thanks Dave I'll get that book and read it. I'm curious what my urologist will say regarding my choice when I see him Thursday. I would hope he will be supportive. He wasn't suggesting one over...
Greetings All The wait is about the same at MPRI. From my initial call, it is 5 weeks to consultation, and then she said about 6-9 weeks until start of treatment. Initial consultation is one day,...
Richard and all, I've decided to take that advice, and I have an initial consultation set for July 23rd, at the Midwest Proton facility in Bloomington, Indiana. Hopefully I'll be accepted as it looks...
The most interesting and important thing I've learned from this forum is that prostate cancer hits young men more than I ever imagined. I started my PSA readings at 58 in 1995, and they bounced...
I was prepared for the worst, but it really was only a discomfort. The lidocaine first, a little prick on each side just like he said, and then about a 5/10 minute wait before he began. The gun...
Thank you all for taking the time to inform those of us still stumbling in the darkness. I also found Yana so very helpful, and by just sitting for long periods reading personal accounts and letting...
Greetings everyone I have recently been diagnosed as T2a, Gleason 3+4=7, with 4 of 12 cores positive for adenocarcinoma by a urologist in Oak Ridge, Tn, who is waiting to hear from me regarding...
Thanks Tony In Feb I asked my primary doctor for a PSA retest. He balked, but then gove in and did it. Later when I got my Medicare statement it said they only covered a PSA every 6 months. I'm...
Has anyone had experience with the commercial PSA test kits that are sold over the internet? I'm faced with a few months wait to see a particular doctor and thought I would get another PSA test soon...
Thank you Siberian Yes, I've been reviewing the cryosurgery as you are, and I'm reading Dr. Walsh's book where he mentions the 3D mapping procedure. He does mention that prostate cancer is a...
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Thanks so much for the info everyone. Being out in the country and single is a major drawback I see, but that just means alot of driving, about 40 miles to the nearest location. Fortunately I have a...
Many of you will remember when Andy Grove, CEO of Intel Corp, wrote about his struggle to find the best treatment for his prostate cancer in 1996. It was the first time I had read much about PCa and...
For laughs I'll describe my introduction to clinical medicine. I was 18 and had gone to the medical clinic at Ohio State University because I was experiencing my first hemorroid. I had no idea of the...
Selmer, you said: "In other words, it could well be that your true psa is only in the 5.5 to 7 range rather than the 8 to 10 range. Now, as you know, I'm no doc but this difference in psa together...
Hello Selmer Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm sort of in a daze but none of it is unexpected. This forum is of tremendous value, and having some knowledge always calms me. Regarding the core samples,...
Hello Jim Truthfully I don't think I knew about the doubling concept at that time. And I think I was getting a yearly PSA test at the city where I worked, and not at a urologist's office. My guess is...
Amazing. My urologist waited the full two weeks following my biopsy to call and schedule a discussion. The discussion seemed perfunctory, and he briefly outlined my results and the possible...
It's been 10 days since my biopsy and still no word. I'll call when they open. I have a mental image of a group of doctors standing there examining my samples, discussing the findings, etc... Or is...
Even the gun was less than I expected. After the first two samples, it seemed hardly noticeable. Some of the samples felt different than the others, as if they were tougher tissue. I'm really curious...
What luck, the biopsy was a piece of cake. No problems, and I was amazed at how little I felt. The two needle pricks for the lidocaine or whatever I barely felt, and the first two snips I felt a bit,...
Thanks so much, I'm getting a little nervous, but reading and knowing what to expect sure helps. It's hard to imagine having the 90 core 3-D biopsy I read about yesterday, but whatever it takes I...
Quick question: How long following a regular 12 core biopsy do I need to wait before driving? I live about 40 miles from the urologist's office. An option is, I could have a friend drive me to their...
Pre-Diagnostic PSA record, begun 1995 at age 58..... now 70: 1995 - 1.2 1997 - 1.7 1998 - 1.4 1999 - 1.7 2000 - 3.4 2001 - 2.0 2002 - 4.6 on 6/6, 4.1 on 7/24, 3.5 on 10/1 at urologist's office 2003 -...
Fat's in the fire..... Appointment for biopsy is the 6th of May, and I'll find out a little more of the puzzle. I'll get my signature up here today....
Hello Selmer Thunk! The other shoe falls. This PSA came in at 8.8 so I guess I'll schedule the biopsy. I feel alot better about it now that I've done some reading and gotten over the initial shock of...
Truth is I could say the same about alot of places. Some folks just eat like there was a famine scheduled for tomorrow. I'll blame it on my mother, as I remember growing up listening to her fear of...
Selmer, I'd say you've got the diet thing down cold. I didn't get involved to that degree, and most of it was directed toward keeping my heart healthy and weight and blood pressure down. My blood...
Hello Selmer I quizzed my sister regarding my father's problems and she mentioned that he was alcoholic, also had gout, and went regularly to a urologist. Perhaps he was aware of the pc but figured...
Another quick question if I may. Are all urologists equally competent to do the DRE exam?...
Hello Swimom and Selmer Thanks for the comments. We hit 26 last night, which should be the last freeze. Got my potatoes which I thought could take some cold. This week will be beautifully warm and...
Opps, sorry Bluebird I just went to the control page and deleted the quote. /community/emoticons/tongue.gif Charley, You're a good man...thanks... We are all here for you ~ Stay Close......
Hello Selmer Well I collected the remaining numbers. Looks like I've been asleep at the wheel these last few years. Here's the whole list: 1995 - 1.2 1997 - 1.7 1998 - 1.4 1999 - 1.7 2000 - 3.4 2001...
Seems the missing years were in the 3-4 range. Maybe I can call and get them tomorrow. Looking back, I see I've been riding a wave of hope - each year hoping that my PSA would just stay low one more...
Bluebird Thanks, the donut cushion is one of the obvious things I haven't gotten yet. I do switch to a kneeling chair every so often but it still puts a weird pressure on the base of the spine. And...
Yes, I've read a bunch now about preparations for the PSA. Yes, I'm going to relax and get away from this machine. I usually walk every day with the dogs, which involves some climbing around the...
Thanks to you all, I'm feeling a little more comfortable about things after reading all your comments. I think it will move faster now. I'm in the middle, I don't want to get into alot of procedures...
Thanks Lifeguyd I confess to the stupidlty of bringing on my p/n by putting down the malt liquor for a number of years. Although both my parents were serious hard liquor alcoholics I had no problem...