off subject - our health

Dying is a part of life that just happens to be the final part. When it my time, bye!

@imnumnutz. Well, f**k, now I feel obligated to throw in my version of "men's health" Only a few of my closest friends know that back in early March I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I had been doing blood work twice a year to keep tabs on cholesterol, and noticed PSA had jumped to 4.9 back in November. Biopsy revealed Stage 1 with 3 - 4 Gleason. I considered the options and elected to go for removal.

So one week ago today (Thursday), I got it pulled out. Initial pathology looks good - it probably hasn't spread. We'll keep an eye on PSA for...ever, and expect it to remain around zero.

I'll be peeing in a bag until Monday when they pull the catheter out, then I can wear a diaper for a while...hopefully just a day or so. Hopefully the highly recommended surgeon was able to protect some of the nerves so that ED medicine can help me if I return to clubbing.

I have 5 friends who have had the same procedure and they are alive and cancer-free 3 to 5 years post. Sadly, one friend didn't catch it before it spread. We buried him the week after I found out about my situation.

I caught it early primarily because I was doing some easy and cheap preventative stuff. At age 60, make every effort to do as imnumnutz suggests with the colonscopy, and get the blood work (PSA) done annually, too.

If all goes well, I guess I can tell the BBBJ queen, "don't worry baby, you won't taste a thing."

20 min procedure during which you'll be sedated and a camera will be *shoved up your ass and* used to detect any abnormalities in yr colon.

I fixed your post for you. They suck but they're worth it.

----------

And yeah, go get a physical. I skipped mine for 2 years. I went last Jan, detected some a problem, saw a specialist in Feb, had a procedure in Mar, and am doing amazingly better today.

Don't they have a camera in pill form to do the same thing now...And I seem to remember a commercial about non-invasive scanning or something like that. I'll opt for those before I have a colonoscopy. It's not the camera that bothers me...I don't think I could fast for 24hrs without killing somebody!

Prim0, yes there are non invasive alternatives, BUT those only involve detecting polyps. If they are found, you will have to have a colonoscopy to remove them. There are also varying opinions as to how accurate the findings provided by the alternatives really are. Certainly, though, the noninvasive screening is much better than no test at all.

I'm in my mid 50s and had my first colonoscopy this month after procrastinating for several years. Its not terribly uncomfortable and being sedated and resting the rest of the day was almost pleasant. Results were good = peace of mind. so, Get 'R Done!

Just make sure you follow the guidlines prior to the procedure. I wasn't totally cleaned out and had to have two enemmas at the hospital before they could do it.

I have had these colonoscopies since I was about 40 and I don't really get sedated. My doc gives me some Valium just to relax the sphincter muscles. I don't mind the fasting but I HATE giving myself enemas. Last few times I have done it outside, sprayed myself down with the hose, then inside for a shower. Helps to live on a farm - can always use some manure!

My doc lets me see the screen displaying my colon. It is very interesting to see what things look like in your bowels. Don't be wusses. Get this done. Colon cancer caught early is very treatable.

If we women can get our boobs smashed in a vise for breast cancer screenings, you guys should be able to put up with a little butt poking, right? After all, you're all manly men, right. lol