Coping with storms.

[dougbgt6]

I've recently had the prostate rebore op, My enlargement was benign, but it had nearly killed me. I got an bladder infection which spread to my kidneys and I got sepsis, NHS patched me up and I wound up with a catheter. I found myself on the rebore waiting list, 37 months  at the hospital that got me back on my feet.

The catheter has to be changed every 3 months and after my 3rd change I'd had enough. I enquired about going private and self funded. I had the op in July, surprisingly painless and I'm now peeing like a shire horse. The best money I've ever spent. I recommend it!

Doug

 

[Colin Lindsay]

12 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

I enquired about going private and self funded. I had the op in July, surprisingly painless and I'm now peeing like a shire horse. The best money I've ever spent. I recommend it!

Doug

I've had Private Insurance for almost 40 years, now paying £77 per month. Need to go see about a hernia op soon, I can't ignore it any longer but can't get a GP to sign the forms to authorise me to inform the Insurance Company that I need treatment. People complain about a two-tier Health Service, but if I want to spend my money on myself rather than a new car or foreign holiday, or manicures and hairdressers, why not?

[Iain T]

5 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I can't ignore it any longer but can't get a GP to sign the forms to authorise me to inform the Insurance Company that I need treatment

I registered with a private GP who then organised everything. My NHS GP was informed of treatments by my private consultant. It worked fine. My NHS GP didn't have a problem and as my consultant has more egg on his cap he just logged the information and followed instructions. 

Iain 

[dougbgt6]

Yeh, same thing. I asked my GP about going private, he gave me contact details and I went to see a private doctor. He advised that he would contact the insurance, if I had any, which I didn't. 

Doug

 

[Wagger]

7 hours ago, Iain T said:

Had my 6 monthly test result at 3.93 which is down from my average of around 4.5-5.0. On the NHS app the result said normal which for 60-70 year old it is as 4 and under is normal. However as per my biopsy I know I have a very small area of cancer hence the 6 month "active supervision" tests. Value goes up to I think 5 for more mature ages... Your value is very good but as my consultant said its when the number rises and how quickly that you need to watch. 

Keep posting it's good therapy to talk. 

Iain 

 

I have posted somewhere else on this topic Iain. Basically, I am 76 and into my 4th year of remission from stage 4 APC. Had chemo, radiotherapy and an orchiectomy so am one of about  5% who survive this extreme of the disease. I live a wonderful life with a lovely understanding wife. I joined a gym and swim centre to combat muscle wastage and this is working well. (No testosterone due to having no gonads).  One had a growth on it anyway. I do not miss them.

Do not allow the disease to escape from the prostate if at all possible. Have the bloody thing removed rather than that. Incontinence may follow, but that is better than not surviving.

I still have my prostate as my disease had escaped, so no point in having it removed, therefore it may return one day.

I have a healthy 86 year old brother who had his prostate removed, but the 85 year old one is having palliative care now because he chose to keep his due to being on thinners following a bypass op.

This really should be on another section, but, if it saves one bloke from doing the wrong thing, then is well worth while. Anyone can PM me for re-assurance if they wish.

[Iain T]

6 minutes ago, Wagger said:

Do not allow the disease to escape from the prostate if at all possible

That's the big fear and always at the back of my mind. Consultant said I had three choices, active surveillance, radio therapy or removal. He recommended the former but if my psa starts to move the bloody things coming out. My dad had prostate cancer which travelled so he had his prostate and bladder removed but it had already spread. 

Iain 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Iain T

[Wagger]

41 minutes ago, Iain T said:

That's the big fear and always at the back of my mind. Consultant said I had three choices, active surveillance, radio therapy or removal. He recommended the former but if my psa starts to move the bloody things coming out. My dad had prostate cancer which travelled so he had his prostate and bladder removed but it had already spread. 

Iain 

Looks like your team are 'On the ball'. My doctor in 2011 missed having me screened. Aged 72 in 2019, my PSA was 1100. Fourteen days later, it was 1400. It was in Runaway.

What you do not need either is anything else going wrong. That was the problem with my 85 year old brother , he had a heart problem before the prostate played up, preventing further surgery.

Keep yourself fit, and you will be ok.

I believe that this could be classed as 'Coping with Storms' so I continued here. Will be back to topic one day. (Maybe).

[dougbgt6]

I'm on blood thinners due to a blood clot on my lung 10 tears ago. They never figured out why, probably extreme lethargy and lack of exercise but I'm still on 'em. This was not a barrier to my prostate op, as long as they know before hand.

Doug