Dennis
Stange and Linda live in New Mexico, USA. He was 48 when he was diagnosed on 30
March 2005. His initial PSA was 2.2 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 3+3=6 and he
was staged T2b. His choice of treatment was Surgery. Here is his story:
My PCa was discovered by digital exam at my annual check-up. No family history.
My doctor referred me to a urologist- the one he would choose if he had to go
through it- and when the biopsy came back positive for cancer, I was surprised.
I researched treatment options on the web and decided to have the surgery. When
I met with the doctor, that was what he recommended. I felt comfortable with him
right away, his name is Taylor Floyd and he's the best in the state of New Mexico.
My surgery is scheduled for next week- May 16.
I don't have any reservations
about the surgery. I'm not worried about incontinence, there are treatments for
it and I can deal with it. I'm not worried about impotence, either. I've enjoyed
sex with my wife, but if it ends now, I will be satisfied. I also know there are
treatments for this, too, and I would have no qualms about injecting myself.
I am looking forward to the surgery, and plan to have a good time at the
hospital.
My
surgery was on May 16, 2005. The doctor was able to spare both nerves and got
good connections to hook things back up. I was in the hospital for 2 days, and
got up to walk on the first night. The report came back from the pathologist while
I was still in the hospital that the tumor was organ-confined and there were negative
margins. Seminal vesicles and lymph nodes were clear.
I had a catheter
for 15 days. My energy levels were good after surgery and I was walking around
right away. In fact, I attended a two day conference for work one week after my
surgery. After the catheter came out, I leaked a little bit every day for about
a week and then sporadically for another two weeks. By three and a half weeks,
I was dry and stopped wearing pads. I have only had one or two minor incidents
since then.
I went back to work three weeks after the surgery, with no
problems being too tired. Six weeks after surgery I had my PSA tested. It came
back undectable, <0.1.
It is now 3 months since my surgery. I sometimes
get an urgent feeling to urinate, but this is usually because I've been drinking
too much caffeine. My wife and I just got back from a 7-day cruise in the Caribbean,
and I didn't have any problems on the trip, despite the lack of public restrooms
on some of the islands.
I got some samples from my doctor in July for
Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. When I tried them about two months post surgery, nothing
happened except I got a headache that lasted for 24 hours (the Cialis headache
lasted for 48 hours!)
I have a followup visit with my doctor in October,
and we will check out other options, ie, shots.
Overall, I am delighted
that all the cancer was removed and I only have to check my PSA annually. The
incontinence didn't last long. I've still got a while to regain sexual function
before I give up, so I'm not too anxious about it yet.
I
had my one year check-up on April 3, 2006 and my PSA level was still undetectable
(<0.1). I am still scheduled for annual check-ups for the next 10 years.
I
haven't had any problems with incontinence for the last nine months, so that is
good. I am still dealing with erectile dysfunction. With a lot of stimulation,
I can get a partial erection, I'd say about 60%. With Viagra, that increases to
about 85-90%. It's almost strong enough for penetration, but it doesn't quite
work. I tried the shots (Caverject) last Fall, but the first time I tried, I had
an erection for 4 hours- not pleasant. The next time I used much less (5 instead
of 15) and the erection lasted about an hour. However, both times my penis ached
badly the whole time, which kind of counteracts the whole pleasure thing. So I
have given up on the shots, since the pills are starting to work. I expect to
continue recovering function, as this can take up to 2 years and I am only 6 weeks
short of 1 year from my surgery.
I
do have some problems with the pills with regards to headaches. But I am going
to try taking Tylenol before the pill to see if that helps. Usually I take Tylenol/Sudafed
the next morning to counteract the stuffiness/headache effects. I also have some
pain with erection. It doesn't matter if it is from natural stimulation or from
pills, the erect penis is tender. If you squeeze it or bend it slightly, it hurts.
I'm also hoping this will go away with time.
But
the upshot is that I feel great and am doing very well with my recover. I never
worry about the cancer recurring. In fact, after I got the test results back,
I forgot to mention it to my wife till that evening. It just isn't on my mind
(or her's either.) So I'm looking forward to a long life.
I
had my 2-year check-up on April 9, 2007. My PSA is still undetectable. Yeah! Things
are looking good and I will continue on a yearly schedule for PSA readings for
another 8 years before my doctor declares me cured.
My
erectile dysfunction problems have mostly resolved. I can achieve adequate erection
without any drugs like Viagra. The only thing I take is L-arginine. This is an
amino acid that is the precursor for nitric oxide, which causes artery walls to
relax and increases blood flow to the penis. I take 1,000 mg every night before
bed, figuring it will help with nighttime erections. Once I started taking this,
my erections became much stronger and suitable for penetration. I don't know if
it was coincidental or not, but I'm not going to stop now. So I feel like my life
is back on track.
Dennis'
e-mail address is: bono9763@yahoo.com
