infection after biopsy

Thanks. The wait is hard. All of this was found all through a routine blood test, so having no symptoms before to now having them isn't helping. The longer the wait the more my husband is considering just leaving it and taking his chances, as we have a young family (our youngest son is 5) I would rather he have whatever is suggested!

Dear Mrs Alfred5

There is so much to sympathize with.  The waiting is indeed horrible - so hard to bear. Once one can do something it feels a lot easier. My wife has chosen to change my diet to Vegan with no dairy or eggs. She is eating the same as she gives me and not liking it. For my part I eat it with gratitude. She knows I don't like it much more than she does but giving me the most suitable diet to make me as fighting fit (as far as PC is concerned) as she can is helping her and me to feel we are not just flotsam on the tide of medical activity.

How awful too to have this disease so young. Alfred has potentially so much more of life before him that determination and wisdom can gain benefits that I cannot hope for at my age. I feel for you both very much and hope that after the chosen treatment Alfred will be fully restored to you and have the joy of seeing his family grow up and leave the nest to establish their own families. And such hopes  are by no means fanciful. Chances  - no. Much, much more, wisdom and courage to choose the informed best choice and see it through to a successful conclusion. Please do not let the pain of anxiety swamp your wisdom. 

I wish you both a successful outcome to your treatment and a fulfilled family life into a long PC free future.

George

Thanks for that, he isn't that young (mid fifties) more a case of me being younger than him. Intersesting about the diet, we farm beef cattle (also have chickens) so I know he would never consider a vegan lifestyle, I would if it were me! Thanks again.

Oh dear! well perhaps I haven't put my foot in it. If not for himself, then for you and the children he might eat a gladiator's diet until the battle is won. As I understand it, cancer cells need testosterone to grow and protein to live. Co-operating with the medical efforts seems a good idea. So a PC Gladiator starves out his PC foe while the medics give the PC a deadly hammering.

Then he can get back to proper food such as he grows on your farm.

George

PS from where I stand, Alfred is young.

and I should have add - healthy cells do just fine.

George

Yes, whether it is a myth or not I have read bald, hairy men make lots of testosterone, whether or not that is true? He is bald and hairy, so I should think he is full of it. But I guess there is not a lot we can do about that. Diet may help perhaps but I think only hormones would truly work. He has been suggested Brachy Therapy. (without hormones) Though he is so worried about the side effects he is considering just leaving it. They originally suggested watching it, but the last psa had jumped up (having said that they did do the psa test 4 weeks after biopsy, which I read shouldn't be done so soon after) it still isn't very high now at 4.7 from 3.2 two months before. I am sure the jump is due to biopsy, we will find out when we see the Brachy man later in the year.

Baldness runs in my family. I started to loose my hair at 14. Father was and my brother and two of my three sons are bald. I am the only one in my family that I know has had prostate cancer. In the past it seems it was not as readily diagnosed and not talked about anyway.

I notice that you wonder if the biopsy caused a temporary blip in Alfred's PSA. Has Alfred thought of asking the GP for an intermediate PSA test? If the GP is unwilling it could be done privately. That might allay fears or stiffen resolve. In either case, doing something for oneself can ease the pain of waiting.

George 

Next psa test due mid October, before seeeing the brachy specialist. He is happy to wait as this time of year he works dawn to dusk. He has done plenty of complaining at previous appointments taking up too many working hours, as it is an hour drive to our local hospital and 2 hours to Addenbrooke's where he will have brachy. At least it keeps him busy.

Father in law also had prostate canncer, not sure of how it was diagnosed as he didn't have a biopsy, he was told in his mid 70's that he had a slow growing form. He never had any treatment and died at 93! (from pneumonia, not from cancer) 

Also I signed in on this forum, I didn't even notice the user name box, it seems to have given us the name Alfred no idea where that came from?! Funny, my youngest son is Alfie but not my husband!

Annonimity is thus ensured so we can be frank. Well, I think of you as Mrs Alfred5, a fellow sufferer as is my wife.