You are correct, Ken.  Of the 800+ people I've seen come (and some go), only
two have undergone HIFU:  HIFU Mike and oseivers.

That's our advice to all new members of the club.  Research, research,
research and then make a decision.

Good luck, Ken.  Please let us know how it goes.

Get yourself comfy and go here...

http://tinyurl.com/56664d

(sorted for relevance but check headings and dates)

...plenty of detail, good read.

(Mike, let me know if you need an agent - 15% + camel hair coat and
cigars)

Hope your hifu goes well!

Well it's now  been almost 2 weeks since my HIFU treatment.

I was under a spinal and general anaesthetic so I don't remember
anything after sitting on the operating table (Well actualy I do
remember a very pretty nurse - but that's another story). T he
procedure started at 10:00 AM and at 4:00 PM I walked out of the
clinic and back to my hotel (less my prostate) (2 hours for the
procedure followed by a few hours to sleep off the anaesthetic).

That evening my wife and I met up with my neice and we enjoyed a pint
at a local Irish pub along with dinner.  The next day we toured a
local museum (Royal Ontario Museum) and then flew back home.

I'm on a catheter for 2 weeks - Which will be over in another 2 days.
It's been a bit of a nuisance for sure and I can't wait to be rid of
it.  A few things to make it easier:

Don't  use surgical tape on your legs to hold the cathetert in place -
ripping the hair out of your leg is painful.  Instead cut off the
elastic top of surgical stockings and use it instead - no leg hair
grabbing pains!

Use an ointment like polysporin on the penis end and the first inch of
the catheter.  If any blood comes out around the catheter this keeps
it from hardening and poking the end of your penis. (In HIFU some
blood is expected to emerge around the catheter as a small amount of
the dead prostate tissue comes out this way)

Other than that, the procedure has been pretty much a non event. I've
been back at work since the procedure (took an extra 2 days off after
the procedure as I was a bit tired after the stress of the previous
few months).  The catheter comes out Monday morning but I think I'll
work form home the rest of Monday - just in case there are any
unexpected muscle control side effects!  I do get to keep both
sphincter muscles - but they've been wrapped around the catheter for a
while and  I'm told it can take up to 3 months to regain full control
(most get it back sooner).  I'm told to watchout  for a lack of
control or not voiding properly (small stream).  About 12% don't void
properly and (I think ) about 5% get a new catheter for another 7
days.  I'll use flomax for 30 days after the catheter comes out (start
2 days before it is removed).

As for nerve sparing - the Dr was originally not optimistic as the
cancer was in both sides of the prostate.  However, after the
procedure he thinks things could be OK as the nerves appeared to be
almost an inch away from the prostate so heat splatter effects should
be minimal (we'll see!)

So far my impressions of HIFU are that it is a great procedure.
Minimal downtime, and (so far) limited side effects.  So far it gets
my recommendation (along with Dr Orovan who did the procedure).

For anyone in this group interesting in geocaching (a gps treasure
hunting game), I left a travel bug in a geocache in Toronto called
"Prosty the PSA man"  Geocachers who find it (a model prostate made of
wood and a short rubber hose) get a message on the geocaching website
reminding them to get their PSA checked - my small contribution to the
public education effort!

Ken