Prostrate Cancer survival

[JohnGadd]

You can survive I have for 17 years but not without loss of some body function. 

The is NO effective national organization representing males health care. Yes you are discriminated against in health care. Never doubt it. 

[Darryl Partner]

Hi John. Welcome.  You touch on two entirely different but important topics.  What kind(s) of treatment did you have?  Second, what kind of discrimination has been directed at you?

[JohnGadd in reply to Darryl]

I had radiation-Successful but permanent ED Kaiser Permanente has major events for breast cancer but nothing in the way of events for males. 

[maack1 in reply to JohnGadd]

I somewhat suspect that rather than "discrimination," many cancer treating facilities though having several specialists in, for example the breast cancer of which you speak, or other specialties, may not have a specialist on board for prostate cancer.  If external beam radiation was your only treatment, I am somewhat surprised with your remark that you now have "permanent" erectile dysfunction.  Though neurovascular bundles can be traumatized by radiation, they usually recover but make take quite some time.  It is important that men work on that recovery with daily PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra) to aid penile rehabilitation of arterial blood flow and oxygenation.  Penile injections with bimix or trimix is an even more direct route in the penis spurring that arterial blood flow/oxygenation.  The Vacuum Erection Device (VED) can be useful to exercise the penis to prevent atrophy and maintain length/girth, though because the blood drawn in with the VED is venial blood, it is not the product to use expecting effective penile rehab and eventual return of normal erectile function.

[BigRich in reply to maack1]

Chuck,

I hope your doing well. I know you have been fighting this disease since 1992. I have been fighting this disease since 1998. I take my first ever Lupron injecting today. I will lower my Casodex to 50 mg. from 150 mg. daily.

I hope we both have a long time before we make that journey into the night. He promised us a safe port, but not a smooth sail.

God Bless,

Rich