Rog T's Cancer Blog - Radical Prostatectomy nine months on

Last week, I had my post op, nine month PSA test. In truth, I was slightly edgy. Every time I've felt like I'm winning, I've had a knock back, so I was not exactly serene. My previous two tests have indicated no cancer. I am not sure when, if ever, I can say I have been cured, but I'm guessing that nine months is too early. The good news is the level is undetectable. The news cannot be any better. 

The next step is to have a chat with my consultant. I would be surprised if he says anything other than "This is very good news". We will then discuss my continence, which is also pretty good. I've not really had any issues since the cathetar has been removed, except for when I've been silly with alcohol. Even that is improving. The only small issue is when I pee, if I forget to count to ten when I finish, sometimes a bit comes out when I tuck in. Then we'll discuss sexual function. That is slowly returning with the aid of Cialis. I had hoped it would be quicker, but we are getting there. 

I've had a couple of chats with mates who are around my age. I mentioned this and they told me that they needed  Cialis and they hadn't had a prostatecomy and reminded me I wasn't 18 anymore. I do get this, but as I was 100% functional until the op, I do feel I should be doing better, no matter how unrealistic this is. One thing I've found, which wasn't true before, is that if I drink any amount of alcohol, then the cialis doesn't work. A glass of wine or a pint is OK, but any more and forget it. 

And finally, there is the state of my mental health. I think it is fair to say that the operation had a huge effect on this. I would say I'm 85% back to where I was. If you'd asked me on Friday, I'd have said I'm 100% but the events at Hadley FC on Saturday shook me. Seeing a young man of 20, in his prime, keel over with a cardiac arrest really upset me. I can't say that I've 100% got my composure back. I've been feeling rather vulnerable. I suspect that before the op, I'd have not felt quite the same. I'd have been upset, but not feeling anxious and depressed about it three days later.

Recently, I've been on a real high. My band, The False Dots, have been on a bit of a roll. We did a wonderful gig on Friday night, but in truth, I've not felt like shouting about what a great band we are and doing the usual stuff I do.God willing, this malaise will pass and I'll my glass will appear more half full than half empty as I feel today. Having got some great news, I should be feeling ecstatic today, and reading on BBC News that Jack Marshall is doing well has certainly been good news, I am still feeling a bit anxious and lethargic. This is nothing major and having a bit of a cold doesn't help. I just don't feel that I bounce back as quickly from things since the op.

And as I move away (hopefully) from prostate cancer being an active medical issue for me, all I can really say is that I am extremely lucky. Heaven only knows where I'd be if I hadn't had a PSA screening in 2011. As a result of the HIFU treatment in 2016 and the RARP treatment last year, what could have been a really serious issue is under control. I was watching "The Piano" on Sunday with my wife and they featured someone who's brother, who I suspect was my age, had died of prostate cancer. I dodged that bullet, so I really have a lot to be thankful for. 

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About Rog T's cancer blog.

For those of you who are regular readers and have read the previous posts on Cancer, there's what this is all about. I write this blog because knowledge is power and if you know what you are dealing with, you have more weapons in the locker to fight it. It is a personal view, I'm not medically qualified. This is for the sole purpose of information for those who are interested.This is the latest installment in my occasional series about how I'm adjusting to living with a big C in my life. 

 For those of you who aren't, here's a quick summary. I'm 61 years old and in October 2011 I had a prostate biopsy following two "slightly high" PSA tests - 2.8 & 4.1. The biopsy took ten tissue samples and one of these showed a "low grade cancer" which gave me a 3+3 on the Gleason scale. I was put on a program of active monitoring. In early February, I got the results of the a PSA test - down to 3.5 and an MRI scan which found absolutely nothing, two more tests in 2012 were at 3.5 and 3.9, in 2013 my test was 4.0, Jan 2014 was 3.8, August 2014 was 4.0, February 2015 it was up to 5.5 and my latest in August 2015 was down again at 4.6. In October 2015 I had a transperinial Prostate biopsy, that revealed higher grade cancer and my Gleason score was raised to 3+4 (Small mass + more aggressive cancer). On 22nd Jan 2016 I had HIFU (Hi Intensity Focused Ultrasound) treatment at UCHL). 

My post procedure PSA in May was 4.0 which was down, followed by 3.7 in August, and 3.5 in October which means that the direction is positive . However in January the follow up MRI revealed "something unusual which requires investigation" After a follow up biopsy, it appeared this was nothing to worry about. My two most recent PSA tests were Ok (3.7 and 4.6) and an MRI scan in March was very positive. A PSA in October 2019 was 4.6, so stable and good news, the last in May 2020 was 5.45 a small rise, so worrying, however after a review against the most recent MRI, it was decided that this was fine. This was followed by two in February 2022 was 6.7 and October 2022 was 6.6 was stable. 

In March 2023 had an MRI scan that showed 'significant change'. This lead to a biopsy that indicated a tumour of 4mm that had a gleason score of 4+4. A PSA test in June saw a rise to 12. On 9th August 2023 I had a RARP radcical prostatectomy procedure that, God willing, has addressed it. 

Got the picture?

Here is a song I wrote to raise awareness amongst men of the need to get checked for Prostate Cancer