Concept2 Forum

Background. I am 73 and developed a chronic headache in June 85 (age 38) - 24/7 similar to a mild hangover headache. Luckily I have been able to lead a full and happy life. Regular exercise proving to be a vital part to my well being. Married, raised two kids, started and grew a business, sold the business and retired year 2000 (age 53, younger than I would have liked and in part due to the headache monkey on my back). Please no sympathy as I consider myself lucky and enjoying a far better life than many but this background information is important - 2015 (age 68) I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer. My very first PSA blood test came back with a reading of 39. Considering the reading is usually on scale of 1 to 10 the medicos were understandably very interested and a radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate surgery) was proposed together with a simultaneous essential bi-lateral inguinal (groin) hernia using remote laparoscopy. It is worth my making a few observations here. In Australia nearly 80% of males have prostate cancer when they die a much smaller percentage die from it. If prostate cancer is detected early enough it is able to be managed. Diagnosis and treatment includes blood tests (PSA), biopsies, physical rectal examination, scans, surgery, radio and chemo. Within these forums are a few too many horror stories surrounding the PC topic. Please accept my opinion that procedures are being developed at a very rapid rate and it is likely that PC will cause an inconvenience more than anything else. I had surgery (6hours) at PM on a Tuesday and was scheduled to leave hospital on the following Sunday. My wife visited me on Thur following surgery and was allowed to take me home. I was in better shape than anyone expected. One of the side effects of prostate surgery is urinary incontinence, most often very temporary. In my case unfortunately at 8 weeks I remained 100% urinary incontinent in spite of the best efforts of an expert prostate physio. I now had two monkeys on my back and for the first time in my life I experienced deep depression - for anyone who has not experienced significant depression it is hard to imagine or me to describe. What has all this have to do with an indoor rower? Following surgery I was not allowed to exercise for 8 weeks (prostatectomy) and 12 weeks for the hernia. In my frame of mind and in sheer desparation I threw caution to the wind and recommenced exercise on my rower. My routine was 30 minutes each day starting very very gingerly (warning - if you follow in my footsteps get the best medical advice, exercise after surgery is fraught with danger when I say very very gingerly I mean pussy girly boy gentle!!!). Within 3 days of starting on the rower my incontinence had improved. On day 14 my incontinence had ended. I believe that the rowing exercise was a real life changer. If I am correct the gentle non dynamic movements improved my core enough to give me bladder control. My depression disappeared and my life returned to (my) normal, THANKS C2. Since the first blood test after surgery and each year subsequent my PSA reading has been 'not discernible'

Great inspirational post, thanks for sharing.

Welcome to the forum, now you can plan to up the rowing gradually.

Post again on progress over time

Phil

puffyp wrote: ↑

April 24th, 2020, 3:35 am

My depression disappeared and my life returned to (my) normal, THANKS C2. Since the first blood test after surgery and each year subsequent my PSA reading has been 'not discernible

I love stories with a happy ending!

Congratulations and keep up the work.

Great post and really happy for you that things have turned around

Thanks for sharing your story, we need to talk more and understand about PC.

At age 63 I have noticed changes in my urinary process that make me think of prostate. With the current state of affairs re Covid, my Doctor is only doing telephone consultations and his view over the phone seems to be that there's little that can be done about PC, if you've got it it's gonna get you were his words.

When this is over I'm going to insist on a PSA and diagnosis to determine if it's just a 'normal' age-related enlargement or PC.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

Graham, best to consult an urologist.....if that's your GP's opinion. Lots can be done.

Good post puffyp. Glad to hear that things seem to be well with you. I'll be watching this post with interest.

At 72 I'm having to get up every 2 hours in the night to pee a little. Luckily I can fall back asleep quickly. My prostate has been growing but so far my doctor isn't worried. My PSA, although still good, has risen from 0.6 twenty years ago to 1.37 and I don't like that trend. Since I intend to live to at least 100 so that I can challenge John Hodgson's records I want my prostate to behave.

Kafka wrote: ↑

April 25th, 2020, 5:37 am

Thanks for sharing your story, we need to talk more and understand about PC.

At age 63 I have noticed changes in my urinary process that make me think of prostate. With the current state of affairs re Covid, my Doctor is only doing telephone consultations and his view over the phone seems to be that there's little that can be done about PC, if you've got it it's gonna get you were his words.

When this is over I'm going to insist on a PSA and diagnosis to determine if it's just a 'normal' age-related enlargement or PC.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

Hello Kafka, I knew very little about PC until diagnosed, this was in spite of the fact my father had PC, required surgery on three occasions and ultimately ended up with a colostomy bag even so it was old age that took him out. There are widely differing opinions surrounding PC and PSA testing some countries discourage testing and others encourage it. My understanding - and please accept I am not an authority - is that an increasing PSA is a bad sign and a decreasing PSA is encouraging. As PC is usually relatively slow to develop annual readings are usual.

Your circumstances are typical and you should be concerned but not panic. My recommendation would be as follows and having regard to current isolation restrictions. Firstly contact your local pathologist and confirm that they are open for blood tests, second phone your GP and request a referral for a PSA blood test and thirdly get the blood test done and at the time request you receive a copy of the results (this option is available in Australia) and finally arrange a telephone appointment with your GP.

Your GP's comments that 'if you've got it it's gonna get you' seems very strange - I can only guess your GP meant 'if you have PC you there is nothing we can do to stop you getting PC' (??). Google the statistics for PC e.g. https://prostate-cancer.canceraustralia ... statistics
take in the statistics including the 95% survival rate. If you are really concerned about your Dr, simple get a second opinion and finally maintain ther rowing exercise as a robust body core will be a huge benefit in any case.

Thanks puffyp, I'll go and see the GP when he's open for consultations again and get some clarification, and get him to take a PSA blood test, whether he wants to or not
Meanwhile, as you say, crack on

" I did not stop exercise because I got old
I got old because I stopped exercising"

Not mine originally but I have lost the source, so I incorporated it