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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jul 31, 2010 - 11:36am PT
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The major advantage of the PSA testing is it is "non-invasive" and is usually accompanied by the classic "finger-up-the-bum" exam when the physician reviews the results with you. It's also a pretty inexpensive (as medical testing goes) procedure.
The mammogram is of more questionable utility, and depends on the trained eye of the radiologist.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Jul 31, 2010 - 01:06pm PT
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it was embare ass ing seeing one of my butt plugs show up on the video monitor,
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jstan
climber
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Jul 31, 2010 - 01:52pm PT
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"the utility of PSA testing is very much debatable and a reflection of the fact that the vast majority of prostate cancers are very slowly growing and unlikely to cause death. "
The debate over the statistics has been going on for some time and the major players in that debate all have vested interests. I have not seen the problem as viewed by the afflicted as widely published. Friends and relatives of mine have died of this and it is not a pleasant way to go.
1. The PSA is a simple blood test costing very little. I think urologists believe the test's precision is better than it really is but if you see consistent increases in the data the next step is indicated.
2. A biopsy is an office procedure. If successful a Gleason score can be determined. At that point the decision is in the hands of the person most directly affected.
A good place to start once you have a Gleason score:
http://www.phoenix5.org/articles/Fortune96Grove.html
Many major advances have been made since Andy's article in 1996. The Johns Hopkins procedure avoiding nerve loss during surgery is now generally available. The majority of the people I know have been electing radiation treatment.
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Gene
Social climber
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If my polyp biopsy results come back clean, I'll feel I have dodged a bullet that I caused by waiting so long to get the colonoscopy done.
Just got the call. Biopsy was clean. Yaahoo!
Now go out and get it done my friends.
g
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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I had one done last year. As my girlfriend has always suspected, the pictures prove I'm the perfect as#@&%e.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 17, 2012 - 10:47am PT
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Just had a checkup (my third colonoscopy) four years after my surgery. In the three years since my last one, I had grown more pre-cancerous polyps. However, they were found and removed early enough so that they should have zero impact on my health going forward. Will be doing this routine every three years from now on.
This underscores the importance of early detection. Had I waited another few years before getting the first colonoscopy it could have been dire, indeed.
So this is a gentle, but urgent, reminder to my friends "d'un certain age" still putting it off.
Just get it done; it might be one of the best things you ever do for yourself and your family.
Rick
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Mar 17, 2012 - 11:00am PT
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Good to hear that news, Rick.
I'm getting my second one sometime this year. It's not the
procedure that's bad, it's the prep. Ugh!
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Mar 17, 2012 - 11:17am PT
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edit-
Glad to hear everything is going well for you Rick A.
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Ian Gill
Big Wall climber
Redding, CA
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Mar 17, 2012 - 12:40pm PT
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Glad to hear you're doing well Rick.
Your message is SO important! I had my colonoscopy when I was 47, due to a steadily increasing amount of blood emanating from my southern region (as polite a way as I can put it)
Yeah - a tumor the size of a golf ball. Nothing will stop you dead in your tracks like a cell phone call at work from your doctor saying "Yes, you have cancer, and it appears to be somewhat advanced".
Turned out it had spread to some lymph nodes as well. 2 major abdominal surgeries later and long story short - I just passed my 5 year remission mark 3 months ago - I'm lucky to be here and it has changed my perspective on life (I've lost 3 other immediate family members to cancer in the last 6 years).
A colonoscopy is no big deal, folks - you don't even feel it. So my older brother (it's just him and me left) went and got his done, and sure enough, had a few pre-cancerous polyps removed. His health insurance was not affected though.
Godspeed to ya, Rick, you're gonna be alright! Attitude is everything!
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Mar 17, 2012 - 01:19pm PT
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Bump for a vital message...
and best wishes to all of you who got scary news, but got it early.
One of my best friends kept putting his "after 50" colonoscopy off, and ignored symptoms until it was impossible to do so, and got the diagnosis of metastatic stage 4. He was dead within the year. We still miss him.
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zip
Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
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Mar 17, 2012 - 01:58pm PT
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have mine this thursday
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cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
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I turned 55 in October and still had not had a colonoscopy, no insurance. I took a three month job with the school district here on the Kenai Peninsula and I had insurance with the job. Getting a colonoscopy was at the top of my list of things to do. It was scheduled for the 19th of June, my insurance was to end on the 30th. The exam got rescheduled to the 26th. As soon as I was able to understand what was happening in the recovery room my doctor told me I had a 12 centimeter mass in the lower colon and I would need a bowel resection to remove it. This was on a Tuesday, the surgery was scheduled for Friday. In between I had a CT scan and chest x-ray and a barrage of blood work completed. The CT scan did not show anything outside of the colon so I had a good attitude going into the surgery. The bowel resection went well, I had an epidural which stayed in place for three days. No pain at all. I was up and walking and feeling good in the hospital. I left the hospital on Tuesday, July 3rd to come home. The doctor said he had never sent anyone home with this surgery so early. I am feeling so good that I have to remind myself not to do everything that I would be doing regularly. Today I got the pathology report and it was a supersize polyp, no invasion of the colon wall, clean margins. I will not need any chemo or radiation. I just have to heal and have another colonoscopy in a year.
If I hadn't had the colonoscopy the doctor said I would have eventually had a bowel obstruction. I dodged a bullet this time.
Get your colonoscopy, it could save your life.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 6, 2012 - 04:11pm PT
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Yikes Cyndie!
So glad you're going to be ok.
Rick
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cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
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Bumping for the reminder to make your appointment for your colonoscopy.
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cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:26pm PT
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Anyone out there who is uncertain about having a colonoscopy read my story above and then make the appointment.
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:32pm PT
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cyndiebransford
Your post was very comforting to my wife's 85 year old mom. Her doctor ordered up a c-scope (very rare for someone that age) and some small cancer was detected. She just came out of surgery a couple hours ago with the cancer removed and no evidence of spread (ovaries, liver, ...)
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Guck
Trad climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:36pm PT
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Rick,
The good side of your experience is that from now on you will be on cancer watch. That probably means an annual PET scan, which will be an insurance that if the cancer were to return, it will be caught right away before it can spread. I go through that ritual every year (in 2 weeks) with a bit of anxiety, but it if worth it. Get well!! Cordialy,
Phillip.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Jul 11, 2012 - 11:50pm PT
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Rick can I get a reach around with that colonoscopy? I've hit that age and am awaiting the doctors recommendations for such an adventure. Glad your's ended so well.I'm afraid of heavy alcohol abuse and a history of colon cancer in my family ,I might be in for a sobering treat.
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