Iwantitnowpleas
Really Experienced
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2015
- Posts
- 265
1 in 10 of us will get it. Our PSA will be elevated and our Doctor will send us to a Urologist. Urologist do surgery so they will tell you that's the best treatment. They won't tell you about the impotence and the incontinence. How does wearing a diaper and seeing your junk become a paperweight sound. Not to mention the almost 30% chance of reoccurrence
So you tell your doctor that you don't want surgery and he sends you across the street for radiation. IMRT is what it's called. The problem with regular radiation is it the strongest where it entered the body. Therefore it kills everything it passes through before hitting the prostate. Doesn't sound that good to me. Also, once you have had regular radiation it makes surgery later very difficult and of course you can't have any more radiation so if the cancer comes back...
There is another option. It's called Proton therapy. Highly technical and advanced, they split the fucking atom snatch out the protons with magnets and beam them into the tumor. It seems that protons are "heavy" and they can very precisely shoot them into a tumor within a millimeter or so of where they need to be. They kill everything right where they are and not the surrounding important stuff. They use this for kids with brain tumors for instance. But no one tells you about this! . Oh and last study showed only 3% reoccurrence after 5 years which is also the highest "cure" rate.
There are only 26 or so of these Proton centers around the US and they are very expensive to build. Insurance companies don't want to pay because it's twice as much as conventional radiation. The good news for old guys...Medicare pays for it! The great news for Vietnam Vets...all prostate cancer is considered caused by agent orange and you guys will get it paid for 100%. Somehow through the VA, I'm not sure.
Now Proton therapy isn't for everyone, but the take home message is, get to a teaching center that offers all options like UF, or MDA. They will help you get just the right treatment for your specific case. A one pony town will tell you their option works fine, you don't need that overhyped expensive stuff Because they want your money!. Also insurance companies wil fight you tooth and nail but don't give up its your body not theirs.
How do I know about this? I've been in health care for years and I have watched these places and who they treated for over 10 years. Last year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was treated with Protons. I was able to sustain erections during the 6 weeks of treatments, and I didn't have any incontinence problems. I had no pain other than a slight burning during urination and a slower stream. I also was able do everything I normally did.
So you tell your doctor that you don't want surgery and he sends you across the street for radiation. IMRT is what it's called. The problem with regular radiation is it the strongest where it entered the body. Therefore it kills everything it passes through before hitting the prostate. Doesn't sound that good to me. Also, once you have had regular radiation it makes surgery later very difficult and of course you can't have any more radiation so if the cancer comes back...
There is another option. It's called Proton therapy. Highly technical and advanced, they split the fucking atom snatch out the protons with magnets and beam them into the tumor. It seems that protons are "heavy" and they can very precisely shoot them into a tumor within a millimeter or so of where they need to be. They kill everything right where they are and not the surrounding important stuff. They use this for kids with brain tumors for instance. But no one tells you about this! . Oh and last study showed only 3% reoccurrence after 5 years which is also the highest "cure" rate.
There are only 26 or so of these Proton centers around the US and they are very expensive to build. Insurance companies don't want to pay because it's twice as much as conventional radiation. The good news for old guys...Medicare pays for it! The great news for Vietnam Vets...all prostate cancer is considered caused by agent orange and you guys will get it paid for 100%. Somehow through the VA, I'm not sure.
Now Proton therapy isn't for everyone, but the take home message is, get to a teaching center that offers all options like UF, or MDA. They will help you get just the right treatment for your specific case. A one pony town will tell you their option works fine, you don't need that overhyped expensive stuff Because they want your money!. Also insurance companies wil fight you tooth and nail but don't give up its your body not theirs.
How do I know about this? I've been in health care for years and I have watched these places and who they treated for over 10 years. Last year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was treated with Protons. I was able to sustain erections during the 6 weeks of treatments, and I didn't have any incontinence problems. I had no pain other than a slight burning during urination and a slower stream. I also was able do everything I normally did.