This forum is for the discussion of anything to do with Prostate Cancer. There are only four rules:
No fundraisers, no commercials (although it is OK to recommend choices of treatment or medical people based on your personal research; invitations to participate in third-party surveys are also acceptable, provided there is no compensation to YANA);
No harvesting e-mail addresses for Spam;
No insults or flaming - be polite and respectful at all times and understand that there may be a variety of points of view, all of which may have some validity;
Opinions are OK, but please provide as much factual evidence as possible for any assertions that you are making
Failure to abide by these simple rules will result in the immediate and permanent suspension of your posting privileges.
Since this is an International Forum, please specify your location in your post.
after sugury 3yrs ago, radation 2yrs, psa is up 3.8
8 months ago 1.9
i'm doing a wait and see
however i seem tried latley, not like me maybe the stress of psa
sometimes a sit in a open field on my friends farm, and wonder how long before i'm gone
everytime i get a ache or pain, or get tried for no reason, i think it must be the cancer growing in me
this web sight is my outlet
i do not mean to be down just sometimes it gets the best of me
just when it starts to leave me mind, it is time for the psa test again
thanks for hearing
The stress of your diagnosis, treatment and your fears for the future all add up and it is no wonder that you feel down sometimes. I doubt that there is a single man who hasn't felt that way at some time during the PCa journey. I certainly have - only last week I was very low for no real reason, but I'm on the up again now.
People like George and Joe - and others - have posted about how depressed they have been and how great it feels when they have got over their issues and started to feel better again.
Have you looked for any professional help for your depression. I have to say that the first time this happened to me - many years back, I thought I could fight it on my own, that it wasn't manly to look for help and so on and so forth. Fortunately I have a strong non nonsense wife who made me seek help. And that fixed me pretty quickly, I can tell you.
As to how long before you're gone - wel, who can tell. From these little snippets you have let drop about your diagnosis and treatment, it would seem longer rather than shorter. The fact that you have what is termed 'bio chemical failure' - a rising PSA does not mean that you are about to leave us - merely that the time may come soon when you move to the next stage of treatment.
The daughter of a friend of mine was very worried about her father's rising PSA six or seven years after therapy. Her mother had breast cancer fifteen years earlier and she wasn't worried about her. The difference, as I pointed out, was that there was not PSA test, or anything similar for her mother - and it was only the PSA test that was causing problems for her. Both parents seem well and lively, in their mid-70s and if it wasn't for PSA no one would be unduly concerned.
He went on to ADT for his rising PSA and it's down and undetectable now.
Look for help and stay positive once you're stabilised.
My psa started climbing almost immediately after surgery. That was nearly nine years ago. I have been doing intermittent Hormone treatment with Casodex. My quality of life is good, in fact the last 8 years have been the best of my life. Don't be scared of the cancer.It is treatable. I feel that living with prostate cancer is the same as living with any other chronic illness, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. Handling the depression is very important.
