Well, the feelings are mutual, we wish we had never met you either, if
you know what I mean...

But now as you are here, your are more than welcome.
We are all here for you, and YOU are here for US too!

Roger
age:47
Sweden
diagnosed PC  18 mars 3+3=6
will see an pc-specialist now on Monday.

best of future for you.

Peter,

Yah "Ditto" - wish I'd never met you!!! :-)  But, here we are ;-)
Sounds very similiar to my situation.  You're five years younger
and your PSA is lower (mine was 15.3 - though, like you, no one
told me not to ride my bike or make love and I went across the
street to the lab right after having a DRE).  Anyway...... like you,
I opted for an RLRP and had it two weeks ago.  So far continence
is great (knock on wood) with the catheter out a week after surgery.

A couple of "makeout" sessions with my lover convinced me that
given a little more time that those nerves will come around (no pun
intended.... well, maybe a little pun is intended :-) with a little coaxing.

I have to admit that the pain was, at times, a little more than
what I had been led to expect, "Well, it will feel like you've
just done way too many sit-ups."  Uh-huh... sure.... I've done
way too many sit-ups now and then and that didn't quite compare!
But, all in all, the pain levels haven't been bad and were fairly
well controlled in in the hospital and I could manage them fine
with a little oxycodone now and then at home.

You'll go to sleep and wakeup and be cancer free!  Count on
it!  My motto is, "Don't burn your bridges before you come to
them!"  We invest a lot of energy worrying about what could
happen while life passes us by.

So much for the words of wisdom.  They're worth what you're
paying for them.

If you've got questions or concerns this club has answers - and
if we don't have answers we'll make something up that sounds
really good!

Fred

Peter Headland,
Sorry for your misfortune.
My PCa stuff is:
age 50 PSA 4.5
Bx showed High Grade PIN
5 months later PSA 5.6
repeat Bx 1/12 cores <1mm gleason 3+3=6 stage T1c
RLRP 2-11-04 at age 50
Favorable path, 5 small foci of 3+3, organ contained
Post op PCAs  <0.1

I was able to go home 20 hours later, and back to work day 6. I never
leak, and I've gotten most of my erection back. Sex has never been
better. Life is good again.
Good luck.
Steve U

Welcome, Peter.  To a man (and woman) we wish you didn't meet the single
qualification for this club.

But, now that you're here, you are correct about your chances.  You have
great numbers.  If you're going to have prostate cancer, then you want the
low numbers.

Keep in touch.

Hi Peter,

Sorry we had to meet under these circumstances, but given your problem
you are lucky to have found this group. Collectively, there is a wealth
of knowledge here and a lot of good advice from some very savvy guys.

My advice is to take some time and do your homework. Then make your
decision and go for it.

I read several books (Dr. Patrick Walsh wrote a good one) and saw four
urologists during my research. I also spoke with many friends and
acquaintances who had PCa. My best source of information was from this
group. I began thinking I would have seed radiation therapy and then
switched to RLRP. In the end I actually had RRP on May 5th. My focus
was as much on choosig the best surgeon as it was on the procedure. My
decision process was too complex to detail here and as you may know, it
is different for each individual plus there is no right or wrong
answer.

Good luck on your journey down this path. Keep in mind that a good
result occurs in all but a few rare cases. The odds are that you will
do fine.

Pete

Welcome.  And take heart, you have done everthing right and you will
definitely escape your father's fate.

jimhoney
standard (ouch) RRP age 52, cured, no significant aftereffects

Hi Peter,
   You will do fine.  I was 49 when, DX'd  I am now 55.
Let me know your concerns.
John Loomis
Good for you finding the beast, and now ridding yourself of that.

Hi, Peter...
Sorry to welcome you to the club nobody wants to join.
Your numbers (if you *have* to have them) are good ones, though!
At your age.. with this early detection... you stand a very STRONG chance of
a complete cure!

I, too, chose LRP.... the robotic was too new at the time, but I have since
seen video footage of the robotic procedure... very impressive!

Do keep us posted!  I remember the day I found out.... 32 months ago.  It
was another Friday the 13th.  September, 2002.  I was numb.  I was 51... and
I just *knew* that it must be something else that was causing my PSA climb
to 8.1.  Well.... you can imagine the rest.

But... there IS life after PCa!  Hang in there!

MikeH

Pete,
I, too, welcome you to the "clubhouse".  It's (unfortunately) an exclucive
club, but one that offers a wealth of information as well as
experience.....as you have already discovered
Please, feel free to ask...comment....inform....bitch....even cry if it's
needed (we've all done it).
I had RLRP (successfully) on 3/26/04, and I can only hope your experience
will be as mine.
Should you have questions of the group or of me personally, please feel free
to ask.  We're here.

jh

In a perfect world I agree I wish I was not reading your post, and had
never met anyone on this mailing list, at least under these
circumstances, because many of the people on the mailing list sound
like fascinating people to sit down and have a beer with. But I knew a
long time ago before I was ever diagnosed that I was not living in a
perfect world as far as PSA is concerned, since like you my father died
of PCa and on top of it my younger brother was diagnosed when he was
40.

In that vein, this mailing list is a godsend.

You can read all the PCa books out there (Walsh is the gold standard)
and have as many detailed conversations with your Uro as possible, but
there is no substitute for what you get by the accumulated practical
counsel that you will get from here. Even if you don't post often, just
read the posts on a regular basis to supplement your reading, research
and   Uro visits. The people in this group are the most valuable
support that I was able to find in all the research...

As to your situation, my stats were very similar to yours:

Prostate Cancer Survivor (That is the Plan -:))
PSA 3.64 3/17/2004 @ 45
Biopsy 4/01/2004 G6 (3+3), T1c
RRP 7/15/2004
Post-op Pathology G6(3+3), T3cN0M0
%15 of Prostate involved
microscopic evidence of cancer cells in the Apical margin
3 month post surgery PSA .0

When I had the surgery things were really tough for a couple of
weeks, but gradually they started getting better, until at 6 weeks when
I would resume normal activities I really started feeling better about
life then I did before I was diagnosed. Continence returned about then
too.

Right now  I feel that this was a bump in the road so to speak. I have
ED issues (that are continuing to improve), which before the surgery,
was something that I had no idea how I could live w/o full function in
that area. But now, it really doesn't matter to me. I want it all back,
but it just doesn't seem to be an important part of what makes me happy
now....

Bottom line is it looks like you caught it early and the odds are very
much in your favor that this will be a hassle for awhile but you will
not suffer the same fate as your father

Hello, Peter--and sorry to meet you.  But, believe me, you are in great
company here.  I have gotten so much support and help here.

For what it's worth, in my opinion at your age you are going in the right
direction.  I myself have chosen Radiation Therapy--but I am 76 years old.
For really good long-tern results, with the odds all on your side, surgery
is the way to go.

And be optimistic--your numbers are all in your favour.

Good luck,

Stavros

Welcome Peter.  You'll be fine.  Try to think positive.  Your numbers are
good.  No reason to punish yourself with worry.  This is a great ng.  Plenty
of help to be found here.

Good luck to you.

Thank you.
David S.

Peter -

Unfortunatley, welcome.  FYI - I was 47 when I was diagnosed last March.  I
had RRP done at Memorial Sloane Kettering in NYC last June.  My numbers were
similar to yours, if not a bit worse.  I am doing fine, am continent and am
getting better in the erections area.  Lots of good people and info on this
board.  Best of luck to you.

Sandy K.