Jock67B's Cancer Ward (Cancer Support and Discussion Thread)

[chrisf]

When I received my diagnosis just over a year ago I too was told that my newly discovered prostate cancer had already colonised some nearby bones.  I was given four weeks' worth of medication which as far as I can tell [and I'm easily confused] has done much to neutralise it.  I will know more when I see Professor Oncolgist a week on Monday but I take not a little heart that he did not feel the need to see me again for six months.  Whatever he tells me I shall take nothing for granted.  Do not be afraid to ask questions of as many relevant medics as you can.

 

As for grief, I lost my father to lung cancer 11 years ago.  By far the greater part of my grieving took place in the three precious months between his diagnosis and his demise.  Rule out nothing.

 

Chris

[Tim Dubya]

Thanks for the heads up guys.

 

I have my PSA test tomorrow and a follow up next Monday with my GP to discuss the results.

[BSW01]

The test itself is just taking a small blood sample. However, if you get a call the same day, like I did, it might be more serious. However, if you have to wait for a week without hearing from the doctor, then you'll probably be ok.

 

Good luck.

[Tim Dubya]

Yeah, just having a blood sample taken tomorrow after discussing it with my doc and doing a a questionnaire with her a week back. The next appointment is to discuss the results and have a physical exam, if required.

 

Cheers for all the F&S's guys

Edited June 5, 2016 by Tim Dubya

[BSW01]

The physical examination, although a little uncomfortable, even a bit embarrassing, but it really isn't so bad. It's much better than the possible outcome of ignoring any symptoms.

[The Lurker]

I've just caught up with the elegy written by AndyB and the order of service posted by Andrew. Thanks for doing so guys.

[Tim Dubya]

Yeah, just having a blood sample taken tomorrow after discussing it with my doc and doing a a questionnaire with her a week back. The next appointment is to discuss the results and have a physical exam, if required.

 

Cheers for all the F&S's guys

 

 

Been to the Docs and have had  the all clear (PSA @ 0.8 and nothing found after PR exam).

 

I need to have some more tests as my symptoms now point to diabetes.

 

Thanks guys, I would never have gone without reading this thread - diabetes (if I do have it), I think can handle!

 

Cheers

 

Tim 

Edited June 15, 2016 by Tim Dubya

[russ p]

Well done Tim, I know diabetes isn't good but it's better than cancer

[BSW01]

Tim, I'm so glad the results show that you don't have cancer, that must be a huge relief and I hope what I've written encouraged you to see the doctor, if so it was all worth while.

 

If anyone missed it, I'll repeat myself again below, the major symptoms are;

 

Difficulty in passing water,

Getting up frequently in the night to pass water,

Difficulty with an erection,

Difficulty ejaculating.

 

If you have any of the above guys get checked out.

Edited June 14, 2016 by BSW01

[chrisf]

I'd rather have neither but have both.

 

Chris

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

There is an update on the last post :-

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/83357-a-long-tale-of-illness/

[Gwiwer]

For some reason our system software determined I was not following this topic and I have thus had no indication of recent replies.  That has been rectified and I am delighted that we find an ability to share and openly discuss matters here.

 

Last month my employer promoted Men's Health Week.  We had a Women's Health Week early in the year and this balances things somewhat.  I was invited to speak at an informal lunch.  During the ten minutes for which I had the floor you could have heard a pin drop were it not for my voice.  Around 30 of us - as many male staff as could be released - sat or stood around the Station-Master's large board-room table while I spoke of my journey and brush with male cancer.

 

You could see some were confronted, some were uncomfortable.  There was shuffling and twitching.  But not a murmur as I recounted the route from diagnosis through treatment to outcome.  The frank openness and the willingness to talk about such things in front of colleagues, not all of whom are well known to me, seemed to be disarming.

 

At the end I was loudly applauded, shaken by he hand and patted on the back.  Most of those assembled took a moment to ask me further questions and to thank me for speaking so honestly.  

 

That is the least I could do.  We gain nothing by hiding our conditions.  We have to be open and honest even if it's uncomfortable and potentially life-altering.  To be anything else is to deny what is happening with our own bodies and which could prove fatal.

 

As always the hand of friendship is offered here to any and all who may be in need of it.  No-one has to walk this road alone.  It is easier - much easier - with good company.  And the positive approach works wonders when it comes to enduring sometimes painful and disfiguring treatment and to recovery.  

 

In case the above seems familiar it was erroneously posted in another thread last night but one where it remains relevant nonetheless.  It was very late - almost 2am - when I hit "Post" and failed to realise it wasn't where I intended to post it.

[BSW01]

I thought I'd post an update.

 

I had a blood test done 2 weeks ago and I've got my PSA results today, they remain at <0.1, they have been at this level now for almost 3 years, we are both relieved and pleased. I've had my ups and downs with my treatment, but I cannot praise the NHS staff who've looked after me enough.

 

For me personally, the two biggest side effects of prostate cancer treatment are, incontinence and impotence. Although I've suffered from them both, luckily incontinence was for a very short period towards the end of radiotherapy and for a short period after it had finished. Luckily, it wasn't total continence, just the sudden and immediate urgency to go. I only had to wear incontinence pads at night for a couple of weeks or so. I'm quite a hirsute individual (but perversely not on my head) so another strange side effect was a loss of body hair, not a complete loss but a general thinning all over. That has now slowly started to reverse itself, but my legs seem to be the slowest to revert back!

 

Impotence however, well that's a different story. That was the biggest side effect of the hormone treatment. The treatment stops the body producing testosterone, which feeds this type of cancer. Of course the lack of testosterone causes a loss of l1b1do. It wasn't immediate, it took quite a while to become evident, well into early 2013 (some 7-8 months after starting the treatment) before it was total. But the drug didn't just effect my l1b1do, as well as being unable to get an erection, it also stopped my desire too. So, because I wasn't thinking about it, I wasn't really missing it, it sounds strange but that's how is was! I could of had drugs to overcome this, but as I'm the type person who HATES taking drugs and only takes them when it's absolutely necessary, having read of people having heart attacks etc after taking it, I declined the offer.

 

By the middle of 2015 we'd both got used to my drug enforced celibacy, but just recently things have started to improve, both my desire and ability to get an erection have returned and over the last few months we've enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in our 5ex life. Things have started to get back to some semblance of normality, and it's been a very pleasant surprise to us both. Although it's still early days yet, (I'm not quite like a dog on heat), but it does appear however, that there's still life in the old dog yet!

Edited July 28, 2016 by BSW01

[PhilJ W]

BSW01, If you are going bald or already bald on top you will find that you will also start losing hair from your lower limbs. This is natural as male baldness in most cases starts from both ends.

[BSW01]

PhilJ W.

I've been bald for donkeys years, started loosing it in my mid twenties, (around the time that we had kids), doubt that there's a connection, but I do still rib them all about it!

 

The hair loss on my lower limbs only started after having been on the hormone treatment for about 18 months. It's taken a while but IS now slowly starting to grow back, as well as any other body hair (I'll leave there) which had also thinned out.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

BSW01, If you are going bald or already bald on top you will find that you will also start losing hair from your lower limbs. This is natural as male baldness in most cases starts from both ends.

 

Strangely, the bald patch disappears as the body hair also does. I have noticed that leg hair grows slower any way so any loss tends to be very very slow to recover.

 

For me personally this is a Godsend.

 

Indeed as part of my battle against prostate cancer I am having an orchidectomy next Friday.

 

I can no longer trust drugs to do the job effectively and permanently without collateral damage to my heart.

[Oldddudders]

Strangely, the bald patch disappears as the body hair also does. I have noticed that leg hair grows slower any way so any loss tends to be very very slow to recover.

 

For me personally this is a Godsend.

 

Indeed as part of my battle against prostate cancer I am having an orchidectomy next Friday.

 

I can no longer trust drugs to do the job effectively and permanently without collateral damage to my heart.

 

Most of us would find that choice of treatment terrifying beyond belief. I hope it goes comfortably and yields a lasting reverse in your cancer. 

[Andrew P]

Rick, (GWIWER) suggested that I bump this tread to re awaken awareness of it, and it's good cause. I'm greatfull to you Rick for the suggestion, it's a super idea mate.

 

Rather than that I thought a Post might be the answer.

 

Don't forget, it's here for you all, if you have anything  to say about Cancer.

 

I wish you all a Peaceful 2017.

 

Thanks.

[Gwiwer]

I PM'd Andy as only the OP can bump a topic.  This had dropped some way down the pages and even the site search didn't find it for me.  I had to go via My Content which is of no use to a first-time visitor.

 

We are here 24/7/365.  Few of us are in any way expert in the subject of cancer but many of us have had personal experience or been close to a relative or friend who has suffered.  Not all have survived.  But we here are all friends and within these electronic walls, if nowhere else, all are equals.

 

Please feel free to post your comments and to send a link to this thread to anyone who might benefit from it.

 

All the best for 2017.  Strength and courage to those undergoing treatment and recovery, or caring for others who are.  No-one walks this road alone.

[Andrew P]

Lovely post Rick, Thanks.

[laurenceb]

Lost a friend to melanoma last month. If you find anything unusual please get it checked it might be nothing or it might save your life

[jamie92208]

It's a horrible disease in all its forms.   My wife has had a good friend from school days who had to cancel her 70th birthday party at short notice.   She had a pain in her back and when she had it checked out it turned out to be kidney cancer.  She went in just before Christmas for it to be taken out and they found it had spread so much there was nothing they could do. She's due home today but isn't expected to ahve long.   Beth was due to go away with her for a week next year and it's hit her very badly.

 

Jamie

[Ian J.]

A friend of mine lost his wife aged 56 back in October after a two year fight with the spread of kidney disease. It's added to the feeling that 2016 has been a torrid year for people passing away.

 

If anyone else notices that they are sweating more than usual, then please get yourself checked out for kidney cancer. Apparently my friend's wife had started to sweat more than normal about a year before the finding of the kidney cancer, but had put it down to menopausal effects.

[BSW01]

I've already posted this on another thread, but thought that I'd post this on here too.

 

Today I got the results of last weeks blood test, my PSA has risen slightly, from <0.1, (a figure it has been at since May 2013) to 0.2. It's still very low, but the fact that it has risen does give me cause for concern, I just hope that it doesn't start to rise further.

[jamie92208]

I've already posted this on another thread, but thought that I'd post this on here too.

 

Today I got the results of last weeks blood test, my PSA has risen slightly, from <0.1, (a figure it has been at since May 2013) to 0.2. It's still very low, but the fact that it has risen does give me cause for concern, I just hope that it doesn't start to rise further.

 

Very sorry to hear that Brian.  I hope they keep on top of it.

 

Jamie