Thanks and thanks for the update Steve. Good to hear about your choice and how that worked out for you.
Because the way it was presented to me in 2016 chose surgery when faced with a similar decision in 2016. Told that if surgery fails radiotherapy is there as a backup, but if ā¦ā¦thereās no backup. The op procedure has evolved since mine and last year my brother-in-law was back in action in much a shorter time than me. Presumably youāve been directed to https://www.pcf.org/ and other support groups.
Not an easy decision and good luck.
Paul
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Thanks for responding and providing another resource! Good to hear that things might have moved on/improved in that timeframe as well. At the moment the decision sways on a daily basis 
Hi sorry to hear of your trouble reading Prostate cancer. My prostate is awaiting Green laser surgery. I canāt have a prostate shave because itās to large. Its not cancer, so Iām very lucky. The average size is around 50m Mine is 155.and i think itās pressing on my bowels. But sooner the bloody thing is done the better. Take care pal John
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Hi John, certainly good news that yourās isnāt cancerous but that doesnāt sound like a bundle of fun either. The care & good luck.
Paul
Last week I saw a report on TV of a reduction technique that involves injecting particles into the prostate artery that effectively blocks the micro vessels. The net result is that the prostate shrinks. Iām not sure what criteria must be met for it to be used.
Iād think that a short day procedure would be much more cost effective than 2-3 days in a bed catheterised.
Phil
Just on the BPH treatment. If you can get to see Dr Tev Aho I can recommend him. He is the top man, probably in the world, on this.
He is not a cancer specialist though and would pass you on to one of his colleagues if cancer treatment options are needed.
Iām 62 and finished my 20 days of Prostate radiotherapy at Northampton General on February 9. I have been monitoring my PSA levels since I was 50 and it slowly crept up and in May last year jumped from 5 to 7.5 and my GP put me on the fast track route. Turned out the MRI identified a tumour, I had a biopsy and found I had Prostate cancer of T2a with a Gleason of 3+4. That was last July and I was given the two routes, however the Radiotherapy route was preferred as I have high blood pressure and type 2 Diabetes. But before that I had to have a hernia operation as they were getting very painful so after a bi-lateral inguinal hernia op which lasted 40 minutes, I got myself a bit fitter and went on to Hormones and then commenced the Radiotherapy in January.
I must say the whole process is very stressful, the worse part was telling my children and making sure my son starts to get checked when he is 40. From all of this I have learned that the cancer is a very personal thing, i.e. no one has exactly the same journey. I was lucky as mine was classed as intermediate and there is a good chance it can be got rid of or as my cancer nurse said that if they donāt get it all Iāll probably die with it and not from it.
My first follow up is on May 10 and weāll see what my PSA reading is. My advice, like others is do the research, listen to your body and do things that make you happy. Mine is listening to music so I got most of my kit serviced last October so that it would be in fine fettle to help me through the treatment. The after affects are not pleasant but in my case so far manageable, to be blunt, a sore bum and peeing every 45 minutes and the fatigue can be over whelming. So pace yourself whatever you do, plan ahead and talk to people.
Iām not sure what the future will bring but my bladder and bowl functions are pretty much normal as before the treatment.
I wish you well in your journey and if you ever want to chat just let me know.
Tim
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Hope all goes well .
I had my prostate removed over 4 years ago! I was just reporting a new treatment for BPH.
Iām sure other may be interested.
Thanks Phil
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Hi Tim, thanks for letting me know how thing progressed with you; it is useful to know where there are similarities - I too have a couple of inguinal hernias! I agree that the whole thing is something that is not always easy to adjust to and to deal with - the points you make in your second and third paragraphs are absolutely spot on. I use my grandmother when I get to points of doubt; she was an absolute rock, lived through the war, had her children moved to safety out of London, was then left by my grandfather, worked for Phillips and then phone company but loved betting on the horses, was heavily into shares, was an early adapter of new technology and had a wonderful resilience - even took herself by bus to hospital when she had a twisted gut - & I have the temerity to worry about my situation! She lived to be 100 & I would consider myself lucky and privileged to have the fortitude that she had.
Great to hear that things are returning to normal for you now - long may that continue to be the case.
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Hi bluejaysāI have had my prostate lasered twice for BPH. The first time, it grew back in five years! The second time, the doc said he had a bigger, badder laser, and that would not happen again. That was 2013, and he has been right so far. Regarding prostate size, both of my operations went into overtime, and the doc couldnāt talk about how big my prostate was without laughing.
The time you spend with a catheter will be miserable. Just deal with it, and drug yourself well on the day they take it outāthat hurts. After a few days, life gets better and you will marvel at how much bullshit you had been putting up with for years.
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Sorry to hear about this. I have a friend in Toronto who had to make a similar decision recently and has now seen the results. If you PM me, I will make the introduction.
-Phil
Hi @PaulM
Thank you for running an excellent thread on this most important menās topic. I think you have encouraged lots of members to share their personal experiences. A big thank you to everyone who contributed.
At the end of the day you need to weigh up what is important to you for your life going forward. A long life is probably important - I prioritised a cure over nerve sparing surgery. Secondly, I preferred not to have continence issues, but that can conflict with effective surgery. Thirdly I choose surgery over radiotherapy because of peace of mind (if it works you know quite quickly through PSA and pathology of the tissue removed) and because hormone therapy has lots of side effects such a weightgain (surgery does have fatal risks though). Fourthly, in many cases they can fix the man thing with Alprostadil if the pills donāt work.
Phil
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Thank Phil, I really appreciate all the comments, wishes and stories that all have shared: I would rather not have had to but it is reassuring that this forum is so supportive of posting such a topic! There have been a few health topics and it just fantastic the support that is given to those who need it. Prolonging the years I have is the priority and if surgery is the most effective route for this then so be it. At the moment I am researching the Cyberknife option that I have been given for radiotherapy; no hormone treatment and 5 sessions to blitz the whole prostate. Others have also provided some very useful sites that I have been following up. Thanks to all once again and to you for your great support.
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I didnāt realise you were being offered this. The Royal Marsden site has a testimonial from a person whose standard Radiotherapy failed after 5 years and has now had the Cyberknife. Several NHS centres offer it.
When I was weighing up options I decided that going private for treatment was a conflict of interest with my life at stake. The NHS tends to give impartial advice if the word private is not mentioned. It was difficult waiting 5 months though. I would go private for hip or knee replacement rather than wait at least a year with mobility and pain issues.
Phil
Thanks Phil, although I do currently have the private option, I believe that the Cyberknife at Mount Vernon is available to the NHS. I had read the Royal Marden testimonial (plus quite a few others from the web) which were quite positive and the procedure does have a few advantages in terms of lack of an invasive procedure, fewer sessions needed, possibly fewer side effects and a similar outcome apparently. It is the outcome that will guide my choice, whatever is the most effective. It does āfryā the prostate and I have been told that if surgery does become needed then it doesnāt make it impossible but just a lot more challenging.
My company provides private healthcare which is the reason for considering private, I am not sure whether it also determine the acceleration of appointments but it is the same treatment regardless of going private or using the NHS. I am due to retire which then means that the private option is no longer an option. Thanks for the view on the NHS advice, good to know.
I think it best to not mention the āprivateā word too soon. Everything you say suggests time is on your side for what normally is a slowly developing cancer.
There is absolutely no reason not to have another PSA test. In fact my studies suggested that the PSA doubling time is more meaningful than the absolute value in understanding the cancer. As I said before mine actually went down after three months of a more healthy lifestyle. It was also the drop in seminal fluid that made me have my delayed PSA test. So dry is the new norm after surgery, but everything else is much the same!
As you say the treatment is often the same, but Cyberknife is mostly available in London or Queen Elizabeth Birmingham at the moment.
I have no problem with private health care.
Phil
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