britt1609

diagnosis of prostate cancer just received from BX. have to wait i week for CT and bone scan to check for mets before deciding on treatment. So many options. May I asked how you chose surgery over radiation? Did you look into any clinical trials?

I was 53 when diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer. Gleason score was a 7. It is a very aggressive form of cancer. But I have survived 11 years. I still have it in my body, and go every 4 months for checkups.

Greetings from Sebring, Florida.
Hope it is ok to send this to you BUT I thought it MAY be of some interest.

Check out this site AND his facebook page for some great Nutritional Ideas.

http://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/

ALSO a wonderful new book of Stories of People that have done very well and their story "RADICAL REMISSION" by Kelly Turner PhD.

Good Luck !
68 and just as shocked.

You state that you were Stage 2 and your Gleason score was 7. Did you have any symptoms of prostate cancer? Did you have biopsies taken, If so how many samples of the cells were taken and how many of the cells were cancerous.

I found this part of the 'recovery' to be very unsettling, but for me it actually went by fairly fast, or so I think. I was dry every night once the catheter came out. I was pad free in 6 weeks. Sounds like a long time, but it really went pretty fast. Keep up the Kegel's. There is an APP that I used to remind and track Kegel's. I did a TON of them.

I tried to answer your question but the link wouldnt work. I am now almost three weeks post op and have gained alittle more control everyday. Nights are dry, daytime depending on how active I am, I go through 3 to 4 pads. From what I have found it is very dependant on how well surgury goes. If they are able to spare most nerves the better or faster the control returns. It kinda sucks but you do learn to deal with it.

Thank you for your kind words

It's been a very hard journey for my dad. He was diagnosed last July and things have not gone well at all. His gleeson score was 9 and it's a very aggressive cancer. He has only had 7 months of hormone treatment and it has already stopped working, he is to begin chemotherapy next week. He also now has a suspected blood clot on his lung. I know that he does not expect to live very long now and he is very emotional. My mum is not coping and there is just nothing I can do to help

Britt,
There is another guy on this site that I followed. He has done a great job in documenting his journey. You should check it out he is Iworkman. He was about a month ahead of me and really did his home work.

i was 46 at diagnosis and 2 years post DaVinci surgery..quite a few treatment options for you out there... my biggest advise ... find the right doctor that you trust, get the pertinent case information for your specific diagnosis and educate yourself on the disease.
there is a lot of experience on this site and everyone will be more than willing to lend an opinion or answer a question.

best wishes

Hey there Britt. I'd like to know more about what has been done to diagnose you. Biopsies, PSAs and timeframes.
I was diagnosed at 42. Stage 3 PSA 8.6 Gleason 7. Had the DaVinci surgery 2 mints after diagnosis. THAT WAS WAY TOO FAST.
Digest this. Agree with others on getting other opinions. Breathe.
You will survive, you will find normal again. Don't rush and regret.

(By the way I married an ohio Britt!, 20 years ago!)

Brett,
Have you meet with surgeon yet? Be sure to ask how many procedures they have done and what their success rate is. Any surgeon worth using will give this information freely.

Hi Britt,
I am about your age and have just gone through what you are about to. The worst part pre operation is dealing with the fact you have cancer at this young age. Over the past month I have dealt with depression, just moments though. It helps to take sometime to yourself and face facts. The surgery was not bad at all. I was under for about 5 hours. I am a very active person in pretty good shape. I was walking 2 hours after surgery, lots of gas and walking helps to get rid of it. I came home the day after surgery and have been moving ever since. My surgeon said that 97% of nerves were spared which is great news for my future problems. Tomorrow I have catheter removed and then work on bladder control which I'm told could take a couple weeks. I think the best advise I can give is to take this on as a challenge. Don't let it define who you are. Its a bump in the road that's all. I am here to answer any questions you have. Its nice to have someone a couple steps ahead of you.
Steve

Although your diagnoses came at you at a young age, there is hope that your treatment will put you in a position like many of us at WN. Many are living without any active cancer and able to be active in many areas of life. There are adjustments to be made and sometimes there are moments of depression. I hope you find great treatment and can then begin recovery. All the best as you go forward. A survivor, Ross

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, at what I thought was a tender age of 53. The urologist commented that the age at diagnosis, is usually between 65-70. So, I was devastated at my diagnosis. THE GOOD NEWS: I am a cancer survivor for 10 years now! I can share my personal experiences with you, if you are interested? The more information you acquire, the better prepared to make your decisions about treatment. Your attitude WILL have a huge impact on your upcoming journey, in my opinion. I have survived a very long, 10 year journey, and attribute part of this to my upbeat attitude.

My posted photo is of me, with former boxing champion MIKE TYSON. He posed for a photo with me; thought that I wanted him to wear the boxing glove. No, I put the glove on my own hand. Mike raised my arm in a victorious gesture! He pointed at me and said that "I am the man!" I had this photo taken in this manner, to celebrate my victory over my prostate cancer! Do NOT give up your own challenge. There is the CBS show-Survivor. I view myself and ALL other cancer survivors, as the REAL SURVIVORS! Life is not a game. There is the concept that GOD only gives a person, the amount of challenges, that they can handle. When I was diagnosed, I honestly questioned that idea. GOD, why not share these challenges around, to someone else for a change, I thought.
GOD works in mysterious ways, I fully believe that concept....

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter