Time
of Posting: Nov 28, 2002
The
Agostini live in the USA. J was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February 2002.
He was then 43 years old with a PSA of 4.7 and a Gleason Grade of 3+3. He elected
to have a radical prostatectomy. Here is his story:
I started getting check-up for Prostate Cancer back in 1995, when my father discovered
he had Prostate Cancer. At that time my PSA was averaging about 1.8. I did not
worry about it because at that time everything I read was a PSA of 4 to 9 was
something you might want to investigate. Finally in 2000, my PSA was averaging
3.0, and I started getting seriously worried about the readings. The doctors I
visited would tell me "It's an infection of the prostate.", and would
prescribe antibiotics.
I
was happy about the news and would take the antibiotics. Two years of taking antibiotics
on and off and my PSA was still climbing. In 2002 it reached 4.7. I found another
doctor and he agreed with my concerns and did a biopsy. On Feb 2002, my doctor
telephoned me and informed me that I have Prostate Cancer, Gleason score of 3+3,
slow growing. At age 43, this was one of the worse days in my life.
Updated February, 2002:
I
visited my doctor and basically told him that I wanted surgery, I wanted my Prostate
out because it failed me once, it will fail me again. Besides, I wanted to go
for the gold standard "surgery". He made me wait 60-days before the
operation because he wanted to make sure that I would not change my mind, as it
was a slow growing cancer. My Urologist, who is also board certified, wanted me
to go somewhere else for the surgery, but I told him no, I wanted him to perform
it because I was comfortable with him; the fact that he is board certified, performed
numerous operations daily, took his time, and listened to my concerns, and of
course, he was the one that took the extra step to find the cancer, make me feel
very comfortable. (But you should never go by this, you should always find the
very best surgeon that performs this operation thousands of time per year.)
Updated June, 2002:
I had my prostate removed woke up and two catheters were inserted in my body.
The first catheter was inserted in my penis, and it was a large diameter catheter,
the second was in my stomach to remove fluids, and I had a pair of knee high socks
on both legs that compress my legs every 30-seconds. After about 5-days I when
home with only the Catheter still hooked to my penis. The socks and the stomach
catheter were gone. My biggest problems was going to the bathroom, I used to cry
because when I had to take a shit, I was in pain and would leak urine out of the
catheter. But then I got smart, plan the time you want to go to the bathroom,
eat light, take the stool softener, and take some laxative eight hours before
you expect to use the bathroom, this made everything easier. Three weeks later
my Catheter came off, I was one happy person.
Updated July, 2002:
Six weeks after surgery and one week after my catheter was removed; I decided
to return to work. I had my diapers ready and I was ready to give it a go. My
first day driving to work was a learning experience, and I learned the following:
First, I could not drink anything within 30-minutes of my departure, second, I
could not drive more then 30-minutes without needing a bathroom, and third, I
was terrified of traffic jams. All this because my body was not healed yet, sometimes
on my way to work, I would have to get off the highway and find me a place in
the woods to urinate (like a dog).
Updated September, 2002:
I visited my doctor and complained that I was urinating 5-times a night 100cc,
and that my urine flow has been cut by 60-percent. After an examination he discovered
that I had a bladder neck Stricture. So I returned to the hospital for minor surgery,
and I was back on another catheter, this catheter was smaller size and a joy to
wear in comparison with the first. I worn the Catheter for three weeks, and I
was urinating fine again. I went back for my first PSA since the operation.
I
was nervous, but not scared. I was hoping for less then .1, and my reading was
.2, and I was so disappointed. But then I changed my diet, and continued on with
life pondering what next.
Updated October, 2002:
I
asked for another PSA test (30-days after the first) and it was 0.1, this made
me very happy because it is going down. These days I drink a lot of tomato juice,
Grapefruit ruby red juice, run or walk about 2-miles, three times a week, 20 push-up
and 20 sits-ups, and I call it a day, and take a men's multivitamin.
But
I'm not a health freak. I just change my way of living by about 30 to 40 percent.
My goal is to squeeze out another 50-years of life, but I'll be happy with 20
to 30 years, this would put me at about 63 to 73 (just enough to collect my government
social security checks, I would not want to leave earth thinking someone in America
is enjoying my social security benefit check).
Updated November, 2002:
Waiting
for my next PSA test, and continuing on this health kick. My goal is to try and
prevent my PSA from going up by taking care of myself and hopefully avoiding radiation
and other treatments until one of those magic bullets become available.
Updated December, 2002:
Went for my 6-months PSA test Dec 2002. When I got my results back, I sat for
about 20-minutes wondering if I should open the envelope and read the results.
Happy to say, I open the envelope, and saw .1 In short, PSA continue to drop.
Updated January, 2004
18
months after surgery my PSA is .2 My PSA varies somewhat between .2 and <.1 since
the surgery so I'm always concerned about the reading. I'm doing this update in
Kuwait, away from my lovely home in Tampa Florida, part of the war on Terrorists.
SO you see, life does not stop.
I
want to thank this site. Because the people who post provide excellent information,
most sites provide very little information and a lot of horror stories and the
same old 200,00 men get Prostate cancer per year.... When I get depressed, I always
return and read your site.
18-months after surgery, my erections have come back but not like before (before,
just standing next to a beautiful women was enough for an erection, today it takes
hugs and kisses; something is better then nothing). I can control my urine, but
when I'm tired, and bend down to squat, I lose control, but for the most part,
I have it under control.
What
I have learned during this 18-months: There is a lot of info, some misleading,
and some good. Do not be afraid of knowledge because knowledge gives you choices.
Doctors are like automobile mechanics, some are good and some are bad. You better
know what is wrong with you before he tries to do an engine overhaul. Make sure
the trainee isn't doing the engine overhaul.
And
finally, the treatments help you extend your life but if you do not stop smoking,
drinking, and eating those ribs, you're asking for trouble. Many of the horror
stories I read are of people that had heart attacks or other illness that was
too much for the body to handle ( WHAT THE PROSTATE CELLS WERE WAITING FOR). In
short, take care of your body.
Updated January, 2005
My
last PSA was done 28 Dec 2004 and it is at 0.2. It has been about 2-years and
6 months since my RP, and I continue to check my PSA about every 4 to 5 months,
and my PSA is holding steady at 0.2
I
think it might be lower then that because this is the same reading I got 90-days
after the RP. I think the reason for such a number is based upon the test instrument
being used to measure my PSA does not read below 0.2 and I also want to use the
same lab.
I
have not change my diet too much, I have cut down on meat by 25 percent, I have
added alittle more salad to my diet, and I exercise. I have some leakage only
when I jog or run, and no leakage when I walk, sit or lay down. I'm not taking
any medication nor treatment. I have full erections, it takes a little longer
to take them but they are erections, and I use no Viagra. Keep up the excellent
work YANA.
Updated April, 2006
I'm
doing fine. Last Feb 2005 I thought my PSA was going up because it never went
to zero after my RP in June 2002 and it averages 0.20 ng/ml and in Feb 2005 it
hit 0.30 ng/ml for the first time. I made appointments with my doctors, and got
a referral to Moffitt Cancer center in Florida (I only live 5-miles from it).
Without
medications, etc…. and after three blood tests within 40-days, my PSA on all three
fell to 0.10 ng/ml or less. After six months it was steady at less then 0.10 ng/ml
, and one year after my 0.30 ng/ml PSA reading it reads less then 0.10 ng/ml I
think that 0.30 ng/ml was a lab error, and now I think I’m getting better PSA
reading then before (closer to zero).
If
I was not careful, I would have been radiated by one of those doctors, and who
knows where my health would be today.
Updated June 2007
I
just hit my 5-year mark and my PSA is 0.1 and holding. I'm one happy man. After
my RP in June 2002, my PSA never dropped to zero, it would bounce from 0.1 to
0.2, and about two years ago it hit 0.3 for the first time, but dropped 30-days
later to 0.1, and has held ever since. I have sought no other treatment, except
for exercise three times a week.
I
had my RP in a military hospital, and in five years I must have taken 20 PSA test.
I believe I'm cured and the readings might be some Prostate tissue left behind
from the surgery.
Jose's
email address: joseagostini@hotmail.com
