Prostate Cancer are you over 50?

I'm at home recovering from the surgery to remove my prostate I had at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital on the 15th of this month. I'm doing quite well.

1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer and 13,000 each year will die from it. If you’re over 50, or you’re black, or your dad or brother had it, you’re at even higher risk.

Prostate cancer is not always life-threatening. But when it is, the earlier you catch it the more likely it is to be cured. The first indicator is a PSA test but it does not diagnose cancer but it is an indicator you may have it. MRI scans and a biopsy will be done to confirm if you have it.

My cancer was found in 2018 after my old man MOT. My PSA had risen from 1.9 to 4.5 in 12 months. A biopsy confirmed I had cancer. It then settled at just around 3 and 3.5 and then steadily rose until it reached 8.88 last year.

When I was first diagnosed I was low risk and I opted to have active surveillance. This entailed 4 blood tests a year and an MRI scan. I'm one of the lucky ones who were caught early. Being symptomless many men don't get a diagnosis until it is too late. I opted for surgery after Barnsley DGH referred me to the Royal Hallamshire.

This is an appeal to everyone over 50 or anyone who has a family history of this cancer.
Please get your self tested at your GPs. Don't let them put you off, every man over 50 has a legal right to this test. Lastly don't panic if you are diagnosed with it and do your research into the treatment you are offered. I was 6 years from diagnosis to having it removed.

 

I’m a member of this gang, 37 radiotherapy sessions in the Bexley wing at Leeds St James’s. Every weekday and you are in at least 2 1/2hrs each session.
On my first visit there was a lady in white playing a harp in the main hall. I kid you not.

By far the worst part was queuing to check in with children in the queue.

 

- Wishing you the best. A couple of my relatives are having RT but they are not my blood line.

 

Thank you for these posts Euro and Tingley. Raising awareness is so important. I wish you both all the best.

 

Awareness is the key.Thank you for telling your story.

 

I buy my own test kit from the net, works out about 50p every 6 months. But glad to hear the good news. Got to agree with you on seeing kids suffering I took my daughter to Jimmy's to visit a friend of hers and I couldn't stop the tears seeing kids in the wards with no hair. Best of luck my friend.

 

Just to add the nurse told me they have made large strides in dealing with it but she added that they are finding it showing up in younger people.

 

I’m currently doing the prostrate cancer UK March challenge and I swear to god every time I go out for a walk it starts to piss down.

I’ve been heavily involved in a campaign across all our building sites where we got male sanitary bins put in each cubicle as a standard at the end of last year and this year we are in the process of installing dispensers so we can have free male San products in every toilet as well as female ones.

if the corporate bods sign up we should be running a national campaign about this as we are the first UK construction company to do it.

https://marchthemonth.prostatecance...mi_ecmp=BCJ_PCUK_MTM_24_Recognise_100pcTarget

 

I saw something similar about sanitary bins in male toilets and loved it. Unfortunately it attracted a lot of hate from transphobes.

 

Well said.
Can I just add, if there's a family history make sure you're tested regularly after your 40th birthday. And I mean insist. That's advice from my consultant at Leeds.

 

I’m 70 this year and my Dad died of prostate cancer at 72.
3 of my good friends have been diagnosed and treated successfully in the last few years.
After reading your post, I will be contacting my GP after Easter without fail.
Thankyou and I wish you well in your recovery

 

I have an enlarged prostate which I take medication for (Tamsulosin) Not sure if this even helps, but last time I contacted the GP surgery they advised me to keep taking them and contact them if any changes. I just feel they ought to periodically send for you for a ‘check-up’. My best mate is terminal with Prostate cancer, and it has spread to his bones. He keeps on at me to insist on a ‘ check-up’ but I feel like I’m being ‘fobbed off’ at best of times. All the best to you who have diagnosed prostrate ‘problems’ or are awaiting results.

 

Just booked an appointment for next week.

 

Make something up, tell them your condition has worsened, anything.
Then insist on a PSA test.

 

Advocate for yourself. Tell them you want one and ask when it will be scheduled for. You can only be fobbed off if you let them.

 

I went and got checked on the back of my brother been diagnosed just over 3 years ago. I was absolutely devastated to find that I had it too. I had absolutely no symptoms and as I said, I went to get checked purely on the back of my brother's diagnosis.
Thankfully it was caught early and I was treated successfully in Leeds with Brachytherapy.
Please guys, if you're worried, insist with your GP that you get checked out and get the best chance to catch this horrible disease early whilst it's still very treatable.
If anyone ever wants to chat with me through my particular journey. I'm more than happy to help.

 

My dads on end of life care at moment with prostrate cancer / spread to his bones now . I asked my Gp for a Psa test last year to be on safe side , and Gp said because I had no symptoms he wouldn’t test . I will ask again after Easter now

 

it’s odd that because in the real World when you talk it through with people the response is overwhelmingly supportive and people think it’s a great idea. I guess social media attracts the worst of the worst.

Not sure how the transphobes think it impacts them either way. Though I have put some non gendered bins in non gendered toilets on building sites which you’d think would have people kicking off but in fact again the opposite was true.

 

Something I keep meaning to get booked in for. Mi fatha had it, had the RT therapy at LGI and thankfully recovered. I'm now 52 and never been checked. Gonna set an alarm to remind myself to do it after Easter.

 

This is what causes confusion, when you read Feffered’s post about showing no symptoms, yet unfortunately tests positive, but as in your case, can’t have a test as no symptoms shown, despite both of you having family history. Best wishes to you, and sorry to hear about your dad.