Survived A Heart Attack..Now Prostate Cancer

[Bolt-O]

Oh, how time flies. I forgot to update my midyear talk with my urologist, the PSA retest came back at 4.16, which was good to to him to continue Active Surveillance. Just had the PSA tested for my scheduled followup next week , 4 this time. What I think that means nothing changes. My guess though is that at least an MRI will be needed, which is fine, but annoying as hell. I want to talk to him about genetic testing as well, to see if the very small cancer is likely to spread.

PSA is more of like a 'check engine' light to me, an MRI can find obvious tumors, but my previous MRIs showed only suspicious areas. There is something the radiologist will estimate for visible masses, called a PIRADs score, but they didn't assign one for the last two. If I get an MRI this time it will be at a UCSD Health facility vs. the VAMC, but we'll see.... probably no difference as the VA has a 3T MRI.

[Boltjolt]

Oh, how time flies. I forgot to update my midyear talk with my urologist, the PSA retest came back at 4.16, which was good to to him to continue Active Surveillance. Just had the PSA tested for my scheduled followup next week , 4 this time. What I think that means nothing changes. My guess though is that at least an MRI will be needed, which is fine, but annoying as hell. I want to talk to him about genetic testing as well, to see if the very small cancer is likely to spread.

PSA is more of like a 'check engine' light to me, an MRI can find obvious tumors, but my previous MRIs showed only suspicious areas. There is something the radiologist will estimate for visible masses, called a PIRADs score, but they didn't assign one for the last two. If I get an MRI this time it will be at a UCSD Health facility vs. the VAMC, but we'll see.... probably no difference as the VA has a 3T MRI.

Take Zinc if you dont already. Been taking it for years and my last PSA was very low.

[Bolt-O]

Not so sure about zinc. I took it for about 6 months, then the PSA popped to 8, which I had to retest to get back to 4.16 It might have been the particular lab, or some other factor. I'm also on Finasteride, which reduces the prostate size, which is supposed to lower the PSA number What is more important is the if the number is ramping higher, and so far its been flat to slightly higher for the last year. I think I would have asked for a retest if the number actually fell a lot. I'll ask the doctor about zinc though. I heard aspirin may also help as it reduces inflammation but I'm already on it.

[Boltjolt]

Not so sure about zinc. I took it for about 6 months, then the PSA popped to 8, which I had to retest to get back to 4.16 It might have been the particular lab, or some other factor. I'm also on Finasteride, which reduces the prostate size, which is supposed to lower the PSA number What is more important is the if the number is ramping higher, and so far its been flat to slightly higher for the last year. I think I would have asked for a retest if the number actually fell a lot. I'll ask the doctor about zinc though. I heard aspirin may also help as it reduces inflammation but I'm already on it.

Well, I'm no Dr but I somehow got an inflamed prostate when I was 15 which was I bit of a shock to the Dr.

I knew nothing about it or what it even was, I just knew I felt like I had to pee all the time. Long story short, I was given zinc for it, don't recall if I took anything else but It went back to normal.

Started taking it again in my twenties just because I was told to take it for that and it was good for other things and been taking one every morning since then.

To renew an insurance policy a few years ago I had blood work and on the results it tested for many things and saw my PSA was pretty low to the range it gave.

[Bolt-O]

Just a short update on my Prostate Cancer Active Surveillance. In December, I had a PSA that was not much different than the previous one done, but with that one done, my urologist changed his recommendation to treatment, pending results from a MRI and a PSA retest in February. This time, I did the MRI at UCSD at the Komen Family Outpatient Pavillion. The machine there appeared to be newer than the one at the VA, so I thought it might be able to locate any problem areas better. However the results were pretty much negative for visible tumors (if one was found, it would have gotten a grade (PI-RADS) from 1 to 5, the worst would have been a 5. Based on that and the PSA, the urologist said it probably was safe to watch a little longer, but he will get my last biopsy graded with a decipher test, which will help determine if it's still safe to not treat as the cancer is still only inside the prostate capsule, and not metastatic. Probably will update this in June.

[Bolt-O]

Just saw that President Joe ***** was diagnosed with metastatic Prostate Cancer, Gleason 9, which is not good. All I will is that its surprising news, with how slowly prostate cancer progresses. Wishing him the best in his treatment, as I do for anyone with this diagnosis. 21 years ago, my dad was fighting metastatic PCa that also was in his bones, but lost the battle. Apparently the former president's cancer is hormone sensitive, and will have a better chance than my dad with ad*****s in treatment.

[Bolt-O]

Short update, PSA in early June was 3.14, which is again not much different than previous, so my Urologist doesn't believe that the prostate cancer is not aggressive, but still has to be watched, and another test in 3 months, or September. Other than the decipher test, which could help predict if what ever cancer is there would be a problem, there isn't much to do. As far as other issues, my primary care docs suggested adding Jardiance, due to an appearance of proteins in my urine, indicating possible kidney problems, and Zetia, to drop my LDL cholesterol below 50. I'm pretty fortunate to have pretty good care as a military retiree.

[Bolt-O]

Celebrating my 6th anniversary of surviving the "Widow-maker" heart attack (100% occlusion of the Proximal Left Descending Anterior Coronary Artery resulting in a STEMI) . So very fortunate that I got to the ER on time, and avoided substantial heart damage. I'm still on meds to help prevent a recurrence, keeping my BP lower, LDL cholesterol below 50, and diabetes meds to keep with insulin resistance.

[YAC]

Just want to rally alongside and say: hope all stays well with you Bolt-O, and others on the forum. I respect and appreciate all you mean to this forum as Admin.

Some (most?) of us on this forum seem to be in their "second half" of life. And health concerns can start to dominate.

In the past year alone: three of my (older) siblings have needed unexpected heart surgery. All after having no heart issues before. My favorite cousin, in his early 60's, didn't drink or smoke and was in superior health, contracts cancer and is dead in just a few months. Odd, huh? And now one of my older sisters who survived the heart scare has stage four cancer that again makes little sense: it's lung cancer and she also never smoked or drank...nor is that old. And that demon cancer is running like a sprinter through her system. I console (distract?) my sorrows lately by posting a lot here. Me? A number of odd emerging concerns lately, including bizarre vertigo and balance issues.

I think it's denial to say something's not gone wrong in our world, where we are seeing such an onslaught of unlikely tragedy. But JMO.

Nothing for me personally compares at this time to your heart attack or cancer, Bolt-O. You've battled. I'm just a baby when it comes to suffering anything. I wish you all the best.

[Bolt-O]

YAC thanks for the nice words. Right now, my heart issue and PCa are kind of chronic issues, they just have to be watched carefully. At a certain point in life, things do catch up with you, whether they are by personal choices or heredity, and you notice things with friends and relatives and their issues, but that's what happens as we age. A lot of health issues are our choices, but we do have somewhat bad influences in our enviornment and heredity. You can't predict that rare case like Velo where his friend gets lung cancer and didn't smoke, or your family's battles. Ultimately just have to do the best you can with your and your family's health, and see your doctor.

[ChargingBolts]

Prayers to you and your family and also to Charlie Kirks family

[Bolt-O]

I got the results from the Decipher Genomic test on my initial prostate biopsy, and it was good news. The test came back at Low Risk for metastisis, so for now, I can continue with Active Surveillance, which is PSA tests every 3 months. I didn't get the test done initially as the VA only offers the test to a few patients, probably due to the cost, but the doctors are pretty quick on the trigger to offer treatment. By no means is this cancer is cured, but as long as its in the prostate only, its ok.

One new issue... I've been noticing some numbness on my right leg and arm, more annoying than painful, so after x-rays and MRIs on my neck and lumbar area, it shows narrowing in the openings where nerves leave the spine. After I got the MRI done, I had a neck nerve pinch which hurt like hell, but now is just an ache. Waiting to see a neurologist, hopefully no surgery needed.