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bear24

New Member

Joined : Jun 2007

Posts : 1

Posted 6/17/2007 4:30 PM (GMT -7)

This is my first time here. I get my prostate removed june20, after reading some post here, I must say Iam not looking forward to it. I have had alot of questions answered here thanks.

pcdave

Regular Member

Joined : Oct 2006

Posts : 444

Posted 6/17/2007 5:04 PM (GMT -7)

Hi Bear 24

You have come to the right place. There is a wealth of practical knowledge here from the experiences of PCa patients, especially those who elected surgery. When you get a chance go to the control panel in the upper left corner of the screen and consider writing a footnote which tells us a little about yourself (see my footnote for an example). I hope all goes well with your surgery. Best of luck!

Dave

68, 29-core biopsy 9/27/06, PSA 7.1, Stage T1c, Gleason 7 (3+4) [less than 20% in one area], Gleason 6 [less than 5% in two other areas], negative DRE, bone scan and Endorectal MRI. Completed 39 Proton radiation treatments 2/22/07-4/18/07.

First PSA test to be taken 7/07.

Rufus

Regular Member

Joined : May 2006

Posts : 31

Posted 6/17/2007 5:55 PM (GMT -7)

Wishing you well Bear with your surgery! Had mine in Dec 05.

When able let us know how you are making out post op.

Russ

Diagnosed: August 05 T1c 1 of 10 cores positive 5% vol no palpable on DRE Gleason 3+4 or 7

Surgury: RRP Dec 05

Pathology: Jan 06 PT3 20% PCa total volume bilateral 4 positive margins Gleason 3+4 seminal vesicles clear LN not checked extraprostatic extension positive right base and right central anterior no perineural invasion HG PIN present both nerve bundles saved

PSA: Mar 06 0.87 referred to radiation oncologist

PSA: May 06 1.1 June 06 Began 36 treatments EBRT 64 Gy ending July 06

HT: 2 weeks casodex 50 mg, then Lupron Depot 7.5 monthly for 18 to 24 months - monotherapy

PSA: Sept 06 <0.1 (lowest reading on assay) Testosterone (T) <0.4 (lowest on assay)

PSA: Mar 07 <0.1 T <0.4 {:>)

myman

Veteran Member

Joined : Feb 2007

Posts : 1219

Posted 6/17/2007 6:28 PM (GMT -7)

Bear,

Welcome to our forum, this is a great place for you to get information and help with your recovery.

If you look on Bluebirds Helpful Hints (I'm going to bump it for you right now) that will be a good place to start.

We'll be waiting to hear from you post-op.

Wishing you well,

Susan

Husband Diagnosed 11/17/05 Age: 63 No Symptoms
PSA: 7.96, Positive DRE
Biopsy Right: 6 of 6 Cores Positive Biopsy Left: 1 of 6 Cores Positive
Gleason: 4+3 = 7 Stage: T2B N0 MX
2/09/06: LRP Restage: T3A NX MX
3 mo. PSA Post Surgery: 11.8, 12.9, 13.9 Bone scan, CT scan, Endorectal MRI, Chest XR - neg.
9/06/06: 6 mo. PSA: 18.8 CT shows distant lymph node involvement
Restage IV Start HT Lupron 3 mo. shots
12/06/06: PSA 0.8
03/07/07 - PSA 0.3
06/06/07 - 0.1

spinbiscuit

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2006

Posts : 818

Posted 6/17/2007 6:29 PM (GMT -7)

Hello Bear,

We wish you the very best of luck on the 20th, and a speedy uneventful recovery.

Glen

Diagnosed at age 60

PSA went from 2.2 to 3.8 in 14 months

2 of 14 cores positive at 10%

Gleason 6(3+3), negative DRE, neg. boundaries

DaVinci surgery on 02/23/06

bluebird

Veteran Member

Joined : May 2006

Posts : 2542

Posted 6/18/2007 12:03 AM (GMT -7)

Hi ~ Bear, W elcome to… H ealing W ell and A “ Special ” W arm W elcome to You ! Just a little hug to let you all know we will be there ~ in thoughts and prayers as you head into surgery… Please let us hear from you once you get home and settled…!! “Our hands will be on your shoulders” special words borrowed from hamala ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~~ )*&^% Group Hug %^&*( ~~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ From the 3 of us... Lee, Buddy, & Murphy (Direct Link ~ just click on the title below and a new window will open! Reminder … click on the REFRESH icon once you get there) Helpful Hints ~ & ~ Direct Links to Important Topic Threads ~ Hope this helps you!! :) « bluebird ~ Moderator for Prostate Cancer Forum

Mike A

Regular Member

Joined : Feb 2007

Posts : 213

Posted 6/18/2007 4:28 AM (GMT -7)

Bear,
So sorry that you are here, but so happy to welcome you! We will all be thinking of you on Wednesday, and looking forward to assisting in any way we can to your post-surgery recovery! See you on the other side!
Best,
Mike

June 2005 - Age 53 PSA 4.8 at regular physical
October 2005 - After several rounds of anti-biotics, PSA 5.2 at Urlogist
November 2005 - Biopsy negative
July 2006 - PSA 5.9 at regular Physical
October 2006 - After several more rounds of anti-biotics PSA 8.1
November 2006 - Second biopsy - Positive
December 2006 - Gleason (3+4=7), Tumor T1c, CT Scan and Bone Scan Negative
January 2, 2007 Robotic Prostatectomy, University of Rochester Medical Center - Tumor confined but larger than thought, only one nerve able to be spared. Margins clear.
February 2007 - Three to four pads a day, no erection with viagara.
March 2007 - Down to two pads a day, had first intercourse with Erecaid pump and bands, otherwise still flat tire.
April 2007 - First Post-Surgical PSA 0.02 and a great relief! Down to one pad a day. Still unable to achive erection without pump.
May, 2007 - Still one pad a day, even try a smaller pad on occasion. Slight improvement on the ED.
"If patience is a virtue, I feel like the most virtuous guy on the planet!"

kdnole

Regular Member

Joined : Jun 2007

Posts : 152

Posted 6/18/2007 5:59 AM (GMT -7)

Hey Bear,

I too am a bit anxious about my surgery or more so about the recovery but I know things will be fine. Just stay positive and like everyone here has let me know the biggest challenge is to "Be Patient". Easy to say but I know they are right. The people on this board are great!

Age 44

PSA 4.8

Gleason 3+3=6

Da Vinci scheduled 7/31/07 @ Duke

Joes411

Regular Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 87

Posted 6/18/2007 6:55 AM (GMT -7)

Welcome Bear, this site has been very helpful to me too. I was anxious about the surgery too but very happy to be past it now.

Good luck and check in again after you surgery so we can see how you are doing.

Cheers,
Joe

Age: 51

PSA Jun06 4.1 (PSA Jun05 1.2) DRE negative

1^st Biopsy Nov06 – Atypical cells but no cancer

2^nd Biopsy Jan07 – 1 of 16 cores positive

Stage T1c Gleason 3+3=6

DaVinci Prostatectomy 5/17/07

Pathology: clean margins, clean seminal vesicles, organ confined

Tamu

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2006

Posts : 626

Posted 6/18/2007 1:16 PM (GMT -7)

Bear,

Anyone that is or was looking forward to prostate surgery was only doing it from the elimination of the cancer perspective. I was resigned to it and that is the only way I could deal with it. I am glad that you have received help from the forum. Stay with us through your journey and we can help as much as possible.

As you travel down the surgery path may the road rise up to meet you, may the Sun always shine on you and may the wind always be at your back.

Tamu

Diagnosed 7/6/06, 1 of 10 core samples, 40%,Stage T1c, Gleason 3+3

Da Vinci on 11/01/06, Catheter out on 11/13/06

56 Years Old

Post Op Path, Gleason 3+3, Approx. 5% of prostate involved

Prostate Confined, margins clear

Undetectable PSA on 12/18/06

No more pads as of 1/13/07

Began injections in April '07

Dutch

Regular Member

Joined : Feb 2007

Posts : 400

Posted 6/18/2007 1:45 PM (GMT -7)

Bear:

Glad you found this forum - it will be a wealth of info and support. Good luck on your journey and keep us posted.

Dutch

Diagnosed Feb 2001 (Age 65) Currently 71

PSA 4.8

Gleason 3 + 3 = 6

T2b

Completed Proton therapy @ Loma Linda - Aug 2001

5yr PSA 0.17

Have had no side effects.

mvesr

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2007

Posts : 823

Posted 6/18/2007 3:37 PM (GMT -7)

Hi Bear 24. Glad you found this site. There are a lot of good caring people here to help. Glad you decided to have surgery. Myself, I had the open surgery and have done very well with it. Only a day and a half hospital stay after surgery and had the cath in for two weeks. The pain was not bad and hopefully you will get a good pathology report. Report back to us and let us know how you are doing on the (Other Side).

Mika mvesr

bluebird

Veteran Member

Joined : May 2006

Posts : 2542

Posted 6/23/2007 10:23 AM (GMT -7)

Hi ~ Bear, Thinking of you and wanted you to know… Hope to hear from you soon!!! In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy

lawink

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2006

Posts : 621

Posted 6/23/2007 11:51 AM (GMT -7)

Bear, so glad you found us as you go on with this journey. We too were apprehensive and were not lucky enough to find healing well until after the surgery. The help and support have been comforting and nothing short of amazing.

Bob's surgery was September 27, 2006 and we are now sitting and saying to each other . . "wow, what a difference a year can make" . . . . he was diagnosed May 2006. We also were one of the lucky ones to need no further treatment and have follow up psa's that have been undetectible.

We look forward to hearing from you as you progress beyond surgery. I think it's waiting and knowing there's nothing you can do to change your diagnosis that gets to a person. The positive attitude and help of these friends truly makes the journey easier.
;o) Linda & Bob

Bob (61) - Laproscopic Prostate Removal Sept 27, 2006.

2 of 12 malignant biopsy samples - gleason 3 + 3 = 6.

Pathology - cancer completely contained, even a second more aggressive, previously undetected cancer)

PSA UNDETECTABLE Nov 2006, Feb and May,2007.

Bob also has two secondary conditions -- Polycythemia (elevated red & white cells & platelets) and . . Myelofibrosis) -- If anyone has experience with or information on these, please email us.

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