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why not check men sooner

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 9/14/2006 4:48 PM (GMT -6)
hi everyone

i am feeling very p... off and angry . my father has been attending the hospital for the last six years on and of with kidney stones , he was 60 then and is 67 on monday coming . he was only ever in hospital once in his whole life that was about two years ago as he had a lot of large stones . he is otherwise very healthy as he is not on any medication . my issue with the hospital is that if prostate cancer has symptoms of blood in the urine the same as kidney stones why did they not do a simple blood test knowing the age he is . he had no other symptoms . it was only when he had the kidney stones again around two months ago that the new doctor there recommended

the blood test . my father has since told my brothers to get checked out and most of his own family members inlaws included have got it checked . thankfully they were ok . he has spoken a lot about pc to people and has made them aware which is a positive thing but it is not so good for him . i feel there should be leavlets in the doctors clinics ect , the same overload of information that us women have for cervical cancer as this thing has a terrible effect on men both mentally and physicaly . i have told a couple of people about my dad having pc and it amazes me how flippent people can be . its like ah thats terrible but atleast you wont die from it . yeah ... if its caught early enough and even if it is ,  its still takes its toll on people . my poor dad was told that nearly all the prostate is cancer . can anyone tell me what the process is eg. could the prostate get cancerous as quick as a few months or does it grow slowly over the years cause i am annoyed with the hospital as they are the people armed with the knowledge .

now on a lighter note i feel tons better after getting that of my chest . if you swithched off half way i dont blame

a very annoyed

petal  mad

Posted 9/15/2006 12:32 AM (GMT -6)
I agree with the above post. Beginning at at least 40, there should be a baseline DRE and PSA done. 50 is the suggested age but 40 would clearly catch more of these cancers in a curable stage. The catch? Men have to get over their white-fright and schedule those yearly physicals. Dr.'s can't do their job if we don't get there. They may not do their job if we don't ask in a lot of cases either. Petal, your father is now a messenger for those around him. How great is it that he now promotes others to be health wise? :>)

Women are just as guilty with that initial cardiac work-up. Ask a female of 45 if she's had a cardiac risk baseline done and 9 out of 10 will say NO!

I highly promote that everyone make it a health habit of scheduling a yearly physical as a birthday present to yourselves! No matter what else my family has been to the Dr. for throughout the year, they get a birthday present from me....a sheduled physical. I'm hoping my kids will grow up, move away and continue giving the gift to themselves.
Posted 9/15/2006 6:10 AM (GMT -6)
Right on Swimom! Jeff had not had a physical since turning 50 and his PC was only found because I scheduled him for a physical when he turned 56. We both feel that he probably had the cancer a few years ago...and we just didn't know it. It really is up to us to be in charge of our health care. I am 48 and have not had a cardiac risk baseline. so I'm adding that to my list for my physical next month. what exactly does the test entail?

Petal - vent all you want here. I'm also glad that your father is being proactive about this disease. who knows how many men he'll reach and help? take care....
Posted 9/15/2006 8:54 AM (GMT -6)

Petal,

Just wanted you to know that I felt the same exact anger!  My dad's last PSA test was 3.2 (five years ago).  His doctor said it was in the normal range.  Flash forward five years and his PSA was 20.  Yes....he should have gotton a yearly test.  I assumed he was.  He thought that his number was fine and could increase that dramatically in a few years. 

I have also had people "poo-poo" prostate cancer.  When I told some old friends they said ....oh don't worry no one dies from it....it is easily cured....HUH!!!

Let yourself get angry and upset!  Get it out!  It took me a few days myself and then I eventually focused on the positive and am thankful that there are treatments to extend his life :)

Good luck to you and your dad

Posted 9/15/2006 1:00 PM (GMT -6)
Petal
I too, after telling people received the same comments, even from my wife. "whats the big deal etc" I don't know if people really don't think it's a big deal or if men are just uncomfortable talking about it. Most guys change the subject immediatly. They are probably saying "sucks to be him but i'm ok". Best of luck

Daveed
Posted 9/15/2006 2:49 PM (GMT -6)

Good for your dad, Petal, for talking about it. That's one of the reasons we're just now starting to tell a few people. The ones who know take a poo-poo - at least your're alive and then assume you're a dribbling old fool. They wonder if you're leaking at that very moment. And then, of course, no one believes that there's a sex life or anything afterward. It's so ingrained in them that not only "thank goodness it's not me," but you poor people - your lives are ruined.

I think we're just in the beginning stages of seeing this disease move to the forefront of attention. Sorry we're on the bandwagon - but might as well do as much as we can to talk about it. We're working on that. (First, I suppose, we should tell my folks - ya think?)

(DaVinci on was 8/2 at age 65)

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