YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

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Bill Herrin and CyndeeLive in Texas USA. He was 52 when he was diagnosed on October 12 2006. His initial PSA was 4.3 ng/ml and his Gleason Score was 3 + 3=6. He was staged T1c and he has not yet decided on his treatment. Here is his story:

Hello, I am a 52 year old man, a sympatic, I went in for annual physical due to wife complaining. I received a phone call stating I needed to see a urologist. My DRE was negative but I was told I needed to do a biopsy. I was on my way to Europe with wife for 25 year anniversary. I told doctor I would think about it and call him when I got back. I wish I had never made the call.

I had the biopsy, but the doctor's office forgot to give me antibiotic, so I got very sick... 1 out of 12 needles came back positive, less than .5 cm in that one core.

I am stuck on high center, still weighing all options. I am not going to rush into any treatment. Will have another PSA test in 4 months. See how that one turns out and go from there. Started new diet, taking selenium, Vitamin E and multi-vitamin.

UPDATED

June 2007

 

I have been on a very interesting journey.

At my wife's insistance I agreed to go to a doctor who had an outstanding reputation of performing color doppler ultra sound sonograms. She wanted to reassure herself and probably me that there wasn't more cancer that the biopsy had missed. My wife and I flew out to California to have the biopsy.

It was really quite interesting to see my prostate on the colored screen, its size and any abnormalicies (on intial look there was a lot of red on the screen, none where the small cancer was suppose to be.) When the doctor saw the red (cancer needs blood to grow and multiply) which is really energy from blood flow, he encouraged me to have a biopsy that day in his clinic, which I did. The pathology results came back negative.

I am now sure glad I did not go into surgery immediately. We are still on a wait and see schedule. I shouldn't say just wait, I am getting healthier daily by exercising, watching what I eat, going to a homepathic doctor, and praying a lot more. I am going to have a PSA test every 4 months, just had the first one and it had lowered slightly. I might add, I have a large prostate which might account for my slightly elevated PSA.

That's where I am for now.

 

UPDATED

August 2008

 

I am having my PSA taken every 4 months. I am more interested in the velocity of my PSA. From my research, I am convinced that is what is going to tell me if the cancer is active or advancing. Still trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle with emphasis on herbal sulpplements and diet.

 

UPDATED

December 2009

 

 

During my first year of Active Surveillance I was very diligent about diet, exercise, and supplements. My PSA stayed 4.2, 4.3, 4.0. Don't forget my prostate is 72 cc so an elevated PSA is expected.

As the next two years have passed by I have been very lax in doing what I need to do. It will be 3 years in January since my last biopsy and my wife is gently nudging me to have another biopsy.

Last week my PSA reading was 4.6. No real cause for alarm but it has made my a little nervous.[Bil should not be nervous - PSA readings are only accurate to within about 80%, so all his readings are in the same range - see PSA 101]. I will probably go back to Dr. Bahn for Transrectal Ultrasound with Color Doppler test. I have read many articles that say many institutes are now using an endorectal MRI to assist in diagnosis.

I am going to have another PSA reading in 8 weeks to see where it is going.

Bil's e-mail address is: CYN289@aol.com