I am sooo f**king SCARED

[DeanNelson]

I was just diagnosis yesterday, I havent slept since...I have to have a bone scan next Tuesday.. I am so scared i cant even think

[gusgold]

A lot of new drugs out there...get a good MO....the only good fact about PCa is it is a slow killer

[Darryl Partner]

Hi Dean Maybe we could help put your mind at ease if you share some of your "numbers." PSA, Gleason, Your Age, MRI results,your health other than prostate cancer etc, etc. Good that you found our community....you now have hundreds of new brothers.

[DeanNelson in reply to Darryl]

I don't even know what a Gleason score is....My Doctor is 77 and spends about 30 seconds with me...then called me yesterday and said ...yes biopsy shows PC....my PSA in April of last year was 2.2...this year it was 3.66 but I have had a hard time peeing and then started peeing blood...I a 54 year old male...father had it when he was 54 and had rad and chemo but lived another 30 years.....he died from a heart attack NOT PC..

Doctor said it may have involved my bladder also

I am moving next week to MD Anderson Cancer in Jacksonville Florida..

GUSGOLD what is MO?

[erjlg3 in reply to DeanNelson]

Hi Dean,

Medical Oncologist is MO. Breathe. You will learn Soo much here! Research, ask questions and learn how to keep yourself alive. With the help of your new doc.... get 2nd and or 3rd opinions. When you go to this next doc.... get copies of all of your results.... start a binder so you have every paper.. result, labs, doctor reports and notes, scans etc. Keep it all together so you can be ready to go anywhere. Again breathe. You're at the right place.

Good Wishes,

😊Jackie

[DeanNelson in reply to erjlg3]

Breathing....last night was awful.....All I could do was cry and panic....I am feel ok...but I am afraid I have like 3 months left to live...

[erjlg3 in reply to DeanNelson]

It's terrifying Dean........ it's definitely not right.... We thought that same thing almost 14 years ago. It's going to be different, difficult, hard work and so on.....Do something fun, Go on a trip, do what you love! If you need to go on medicine.... you may be fatigued... so go find some fun this week. I hope you find a way to be okay. I think you'll be around for a long time.

Most sincere,

Jackie

[DeanNelson in reply to erjlg3]

Thank you Jackie

[Darryl Partner]

MO= medical oncologist. Though Gus’ suggestion may be premature. Please hook up with different urologist for clearer discussion and direction

[erjlg3 in reply to Darryl]

Is there a question list for newly diagnosed men to take to 1st doctor visit Darryl? Like things you need to ask your doc..... Gleason, psa, etc.?????? You know 😉 Do we have that somewhere here? I think it would be helpful for them. It may already be here and I just don't know it. Thank you either way.

😊Jackie

[Chask in reply to erjlg3]

Haven’t seen that here, but there is some excellent advice on a pinned post on the “Healing Well” website, see -

healingwell.com/community/d...

Something similar here would be a great idea.

Chas

[DeanNelson in reply to Chask]

Thank you all so much.....I slept some last nite.....

[erjlg3 in reply to Chask]

Thank you Chas!

😊Jackie

[Darryl Partner in reply to erjlg3]

malecare.org/read-this-first/

[erjlg3 in reply to Darryl]

Thank you Darryl! 😊

[Darryl Partner in reply to erjlg3]

malecare.org/wp-content/upl...

[DeanNelson]

Thank you so much Darryl.......I am able to take a deep breathe for the first time in 36 hours....

[npac]

Dude, take a deep breath. I know how scared you are because I was too. But your psa is still very low, the peeing blood could be from an infection, and there are many curative options for you. What you are feeling is normal but you will learn to transform that fear into an action plan.

[Burnett1948]

Burnett1948.DeanNelson. I did the same thing; paniced when I found out I had Cancer and then a PSA of 7.6 and a positive biopsy with a Gleason Score of 3+4 in 2005 at the age of 57. My experience says an older Doctor would be unlikely to have kept up with the fast changing Prostate Cancer improvements of the last 10 years. Don't rush. Make sure you engage the best clinicians to advise and treat you.

[Attitude67]

Blood in your urine. Not being able to void normally. These are not the end of the world. You need a Urologist specialized in PCa who may find that you have a stone lodged somewhere in your urinary tract, or that you passsed one that tore you up a little.

A PSA of 3.66 is indicative of PCa but you will need to have a biopsy. It’s uncomfortable but we all had one. You will need to take some drugs to reduce your PSA then youll need to receive whatever treatment you and your team agree on. Since you have been diagnosed early you may be a candidate for a prostatectomy with a nerve sparing procedure or any number of other treatments with the intent to cure.

Hang in there. Read everything you can then make an informed decision. Do not procrastinate. Fear is a mind killer and at this point procrastination and fear can lead to poor choices. Have faith in your treatment team and have faith in God. Faith can work wonders and carry you thru these desperate times. Soon you will be a veteran of a disease that almost all men get and most learn to live with for a very long time.

[Jimraz]

I was scared to. I found a great support group, now you have to. Get as much Iinformation as you can to make your decision. M D ANDERSEN IS a great play center to help you. GOD l bless you.

[DeanNelson in reply to Jimraz]

Thank you Jim.....I have a rough day.....scared......frozen......but I think it may have let go for now..

[adlerman in reply to DeanNelson]

Check with local hospitals to see if one of them has a Prostate Cancer Support Group. Your can usually get a lot of information from people attending them-

[DS_WAVL]

Dean, there is a lot of wisdom in what you wrote.

Of course you're scared. We were too, and some of us still are.

That's where you are now, so it's good that you named it and are reaching out to the rest of us because that's how we all heal and get through it.

No matter where you happen to be, we'll do our best to meet you there. In the meantime, try not to get too far ahead of yourself. Information is trickling in, and it's never fast enough, but you've got to go through the process. This is a great place to learn what to expect.

A very wise friend once told me that, "Sorrow shared is halved, and Joy shared is doubled."

I will hope for the best possible outcome on your new journey, and do be well.

[erjlg3 in reply to DS_WAVL]

Like like like ☺

[DeanNelson]

DS_WAVL,

Thank you so much for the words of wisdom and hope....I will be here....forever...

[rust]

I understand your feelings but do try and make the best of it. As an old Army pilot once told me, prepare for the worst, hope for the best, pray and leave the rest up to God.

[DeanNelson in reply to rust]

Thank you!!! Sounds like a plan to me

[erjlg3 in reply to DeanNelson]

Have you gone to the doc yet Dean?

Jackie

[DeanNelson]

Just got back from my Bone scan Jackie....

IT NEGATIVE!!!!!!!

[erjlg3 in reply to DeanNelson]

Ahhhhh!!!!!That's awesome Dean!!!!! Keep us posted ☺

[adlerman]

"scared to death" is a normal reaction unless you had previous experience with prostate cancer. Some medical people are so immune to giving diagnoses they seem like empathy-free trump. I was informed by a Friday afternoon phone message from a VA Nurse that I received after the work day ended. Luckily I had a PC and that kept me busy all week-end researching prostate cancer which took away some of the fear. The nurse's message told me to call her to make an appointment for a bone scan- she didn't seem to know the Doctor had not informed me that the biopsy was positive. I knew the only reason I'd be getting a bone scan was if the biopsy was positive. Anyway that was 17 years ago and my PSA is still less than 0.07. Learn all you can about PC and don't rush into a decision. What worked for one person won't necessarily work for you so remember the wise words of Yogi Berra "it's not over until it's over". Best of Luck.

[adlerman in reply to adlerman]

I should have checked the date before posting on this- I saw an old post to you two months ago plus a post where you said the bone scan was negative- great news- sure your feeling much better than when you first posted- continued good news Dean.