Had a bit of a scare last month - PSA test score of 6.3, triggered the NHS into action. Did a second test yesterday and the result is already in - back down to 3 which is within the normal band for my age. Very relieved as I've just been diagnosed with aortic valve disease - didn't want to be fighting on two fronts just yet...... Better safe than sorry - get tested!
I was tested last Friday; PSA is 0.01 as it has been since the prostatectomy almost two years ago. So far so good but if the PSA goes up to 0.1 radiotherapy is the next treatment.
Great news. Here in sunny Gloucestershire their computer doesn’t appear to go down as far as two decimal points.
My PSA has halved in the past six months it’s now at 0.5. I’m on active monitoring Finasteride trial without any side effects. MRI early next year, fingers crossed.
Just bumping this as it's over six months since the last post. Hopefully people are taking the time (and sometimes insistence) to get checked, but if not...... Get checked!
Just a reminder, as my practice did not tell me anything , no exercise or pleasurable exercise for 3 days before the test as otherwise it cocks up the results.
You laugh but I'm supposed to have a blood test for cancer markers every 3 months. 7 months later I phoned them to ask why I hadn't had even the first one and the second is overdue. "The lady who books the blood tests is on long term sick". Right, so who's doing it in her absence? "Nobody". I've spoken to the off-sick person before when I needed a blood transfusion, she was annoyed "Now I'll have to do the paperwork hmmph". I've also got sharp pains from where the operation was. "We'll check when you have your planned MRI scan in November." I've asked to have my aftercare transferred to Liverpool, who were super efficient.
It’s not good in your situation, not good at all. Hopefully there is nothing sinister lurking for you. Fingers crossed mate. I laughed at mine because it was the casual way she said she’s gone on holiday! What can we do aside kick off at them.
They are just Marmitee. They work to rule and sod the patients. You might remember last year when I needed a blood transfusion and was met with "we don't have time to look at referrals from Southport, we have our own patients to look after." This is supposed to be one hospital on two sites, I WAS their patient, I'd been to Southport only because they have an A&E and Ormskirk don't. They then offered me a choice of next day or the day after and when I got there there were about 4-5 nurses chatting about their holidays and 2 patients sitting on drips for hours so not really needing much attention. Yeah, really busy! I CBA to make a big fuss, I'm orf to Liverpool where they are organised. On the marina the locals say "Don't go to Southport, they'll kill you, better off committing suicide and saving them and you the bother". Sad because apparently 20 years ago it was a fantastic hospital.
I thought I was past it, this is aftercare, it's not exactly onerous organising a blood test every few months, I could write a program to do that EASILY and I'm not even a programmer. Nobody is doing it because if they did "find time" it would look like they weren't already busy enough. It's a typical two entities merge situation that's supposed to save money by presumably laying off the doubles so they're more concerned with hanging onto their jobs than treatment. This is my guess anyway. From what I know of gov employment she's probably off on full pay with stress that wasn't even caused by her work.
Lost my may dad in 1988 ,,prostate cancer. I was 20 years old. It sucked. the man fought in World War II. In Europe. Sad thing to see his demise . Also lost my mom when I was 12from the cancer .. if you don’t mind me saying. For my 21st birthday, which was about two weeks after my father died. The only thing I got in the post was the bill for his burial. It kind of makes you live your life a bit more…
