Get Your Prostate Checked! Mine Tried to Kill Me!

[Null N. Void]

I missed many of the matches in the Southeast that I normally go to last year.   That was because, as the shirt says, my Prostate tried to kill me.

 

I'm writing this to let men know that some of the care they may get is obsolete and, if possible, get to a hospital and doctors that are on top of all the latest medical treatments available.  

 

As most older guys know, you pee more frequently as you get older.   My doctor said it was Benign Prostate Enlargement.  He was wrong.  It was stage 4 prostate cancer.  

 

I monitor my blood pressure and in the winter it started to go up, then it skyrocketed and put me in the hospital with kidney failure.   The hospital was able to save my kidneys, but found my urine system was blocked and my PSA was 50 and climbing.  I had the pleasant experience of having a Foley Catheter for 3 months until surgery removed the blockage.

 

All the news through the spring was bad.  Biopsy, PSMA tests and CAT scans were all bad.  I was referred to the local hospital Cancer center by my Urologist.  They had all the brochures proclaiming how good they were at treating cancer.  That did not reflect reality.  I received a third rate doctor who prescribed a 30 year old medicine along with Hormone Deprivation Shots.   He said radiation was not an option.  I asked how long, and he said 2 years would be good.

 

I have Cowboy Friends who went through Prostate Cancer.  They all said you need a better Doctor and Hospital.   Duke and Dr. George came highly recommended and I was in to see him in less than 2 weeks after my wife called for an appointment.  I was too shook up to handle the phone.

 

Dr. George probably save my life.  He calmly talked about what I was going through and what he could do.  He put me on Nubeqa, which is the up to date medicine that shuts down the Prostate cancer cells. He modified my diet and got me started on weightlifting to preserve my bones which tend to weaken with Hormone therapy.  He also said if the Nubeqa knocks down the remote tumors, radiation could get the rest in my prostate.

 

In December, my PSA was non detectable, the remote tumors were inactive and there was some activity in my Prostate.  Dr.  George  referred me to Dr.  Koffer for radiation treatment which was successfully completed on March 6.  I am now in Remission.  I asked about what if it comes back.  They said there are two more radiation treatments they can use plus more pharmaceuticals coming on line.  Dr.  George says he sees 10 years.

 

I have so many people to thank that have helped me through, gave wonderful advice and helped me out at the shoots I was able to attend.  Most of all, Cindy, my wife, has been a minder and soulmate through this.  The prayers to the Guy upstairs helped also!

 

Don't believe the guidelines for Prostate Screening.   Get your Prostate checked.

 

I'm always here if you have questions.

 

Null N. Void

 

 

 

 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Congrats, me well I could care less sorry thats just my attitude on it spent 3 years watching wife fight and suffer 3mill in doctors bills , I decided if i get something well its  a wrap , My luck is I will exist another 30 years.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

AMEN and congratulations!

As a fellow survivor, let me add my 2 cents to reinforce your admonition to get your prostate checked annually!!

Annual physical September 2017, I was OK. The following August Dr J said OH-OH!

I was 75 and had no noticeable symptoms, but it was a fast growing one. MRIs etc.. showed it had not yet spread.

Estrogen hormone shots to slow the growth, (Sherron thought about getting me a training bra) followed by three weeks of beam radiation, then 60  "seed" implants, a catheter and a lot of Kegel exercises.

 

Take aways:

Always have digital exam included with your annual physical;

Spread the word to your family and friends (My 34 year old nephew and his Doctor thought he didn't need one yet. GUESS WHAT!?!? They had two kids and he opted for surgery.)

After effects are manageable with medication. (Flomax works)

The dinky little triangle in the oncology suite wasn't good enough for this cowboy.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

As we all get older the chance of getting prostate cancer increases. Men 70 or older account for 43% of all U.S. prostate cancer cases. I had the lets go often deal. Did the PSA test and I was at 8? lets watch it. Doc. did digital exam and he felt something. As the doc explained the digital exam only allows one side of the Prostate to be examined. PSA first and then Biopsies. Anyway I learned there are 5 types of cancer in prostates. Each one worse than the next. I had the 4th worst yay! Radiation every day for 9 weeks. They do it in small doses over longer time to reduce impact on your system. I was put on hormone therapy. Basically turning your man stuff off and making you a woman? Was supposed to do that for 2 years but. It has some weird side effects. Muscle atrophy. I could hardly walk after 15 months.stopped that. All clear now for 4 years PSA is .001. Prostate cancer is very curable  but, if not found and dealt with it can release cancer cells which your lymph nodes pick up. And then stuff gets real serious. Get a PSA test.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chantry]

This is certainly a serious subject and getting the medical tests we should get as we get older is important.

 

Having said that, I am a bad person, this immediately reminded me of a scene from Cannonball Run:

 

 

[Gracos Kid]

I too am cancer free at the moment after having surgery five years ago.....and am blessed in that I have no incontinence issue since the day of the surgery.....

I agree that all older men should have frequent PSA checks......Mine jumped from one quarterly checkup to the next, so biopsy was performed, and cancer confirmed.....I chose the surgery to totally remove the cancer as it had not spread.....

[Trailrider #896]

So far, I do NOT have prostate cancer. I have read some doctors saying don't bother with a PSA check after a certain age. That even if you get it, something else will kill you first! BULLSPIT!  I get mine every year (one coming up in May), and have insisted that my urologist do a digital exam at least once a year, or if he sometimes insists,, every six months. Insist on a PSA whenever you have your other blood work done.

Prayers and best wishes for those who do have prostate cancer!

[El Sobrante Kid]

For those of you who have posted, besides Trailrider, did you have your PSA checked at least once a year? Thx

[Eyesa Horg]

58 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said:

So far, I do NOT have prostate cancer. I have read some doctors saying don't bother with a PSA check after a certain age. That even if you get it, something else will kill you first! BULLSPIT!  I get mine every year (one coming up in May), and have insisted that my urologist do a digital exam at least once a year, or if he sometimes insists,, every six months. Insist on a PSA whenever you have your other blood work done.

Prayers and best wishes for those who do have prostate cancer!

Yup, my PCP doesn't recommend the PSA as too many false positives. Since I went on Medicare 7 years ago I don't get the digital check either. It's a yearly physical now called a Wellness Exam and there's pretty much nothing physical about it. Will have to try asking for it next time.

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

I had an elevated blood test maybe 4 or 5 years ago. My regular doctor sent me to a urologist and they did the needle biopsy. He seemed happy to call me with the "all clear".

Recently my number was high again. 2 tests. Ist urologist retired. Took a while to get the referral to a new one. Finally have an appointment  Wenesday. I'll see how it goes.

[watab kid]

i hear what your saying , i was once in a screening trial at mayo - from about 2000 to 2010 but my situation did not develop as they hoped it would - so when the program ended so did my screening , ive not been tested since , 

my thoughts are that if i have occasion to get it done ill do it but at this point in life im not as worried about it as i was at 59  , im 76  ill not live forever and ive had a great life , if i go tomorrow im ok with what i left behind , if i live another 10 years ill have outlived the norm , 

as of today im doing fine , ive got a heart exam tomorrow that im not at all worried about , im well aware of my family history of cancer and heart issues , ive now outlived all of those that were killed by these issues - you cannot live life based on previous lives , 

 

im not discounting or trivializing what your saying here - we need to get screened and tested and all the testing is not waisted , but im saying at this point in life im not dwelling on any of this - my time will be my time , im OK with that , i know god has a plan , im OK With that , i also know he allowed me to live my plan [with a few bumps in the road when i got off track] which was a great life , im not complaining , 

 

 

[Texas Maverick]

I get an annual physical and have the PSA tested during the exam. It rose a little bit this past year but was still way below the concern level. However, my doctor wanted me to take more tests since my grandfather and father both had prostate cancer. So he ordered a biopsy and luckily all came out clear. So at 76 I am still on the clear side but will continue to get tested each year. I am not sure what this digital exam is. Never heard of it, but guess will ask the doctor at my next physical.

 

TM

Edited April 15 by Texas Maverick

[Sedalia Dave]

On 4/13/2026 at 3:37 PM, Eyesa Horg said:

Yup, my PCP doesn't recommend the PSA as too many false positives. Since I went on Medicare 7 years ago I don't get the digital check either. It's a yearly physical now called a Wellness Exam and there's pretty much nothing physical about it. Will have to try asking for it next time.

 

Get a new doctor ASAP. 10 false positives are better than not getting diagnosed.  Friend was diagnosed with slightly elevated PSA and told not to worry. He sought out a second opinion and after 4 months of waiting finally got to see a specialist. That's when they discovered that he had one of the more aggressive variants. His due diligence saved his life. and he is now cancer free.

 

As we were about the same age I inquired about my last PSA test results only to discover that my now former Dr was not doing them as part of my annual physical. I have a new PCP and now get one every year.

[Eyesa Horg]

I've been working on getting a new PCP for over a year. My insurance only covers ones thru Dartmouth Health and so far there hasn't been an opening any closer than an hour and half from me. My current one, whom has a good reputation is only 20min. I'll just have to more insistent next visit. Will also be discussing with my Oncologist. Thanks for the push!

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

To quote Paul Harvey, "I am listening with both eyes!"

[watab kid]

On 4/14/2026 at 3:15 PM, Texas Maverick said:

I get an annual physical and have the PSA tested during the exam. It rose a little bit this past year but was still way below the concern level. However, my doctor wanted me to take more tests since my grandfather and father both had prostate cancer. So he ordered a biopsy and luckily all came out clear. So at 76 I am still on the clear side but will continue to get tested each year. I am not sure what this digital exam is. Never heard of it, but guess will ask the doctor at my next physical.

 

TM

im with you 76 and still clear but also have a lot of family history , im certain one day ill get a diagnosis that wont be welcomed but till  then im just living life as its getting dealt out right now , so far so good , 

my wife has her list and thats the biggest irritation these days , but im dealing with that as i go - today we took a tree down that was a problem , i will work the next five days at the gunclub so i can ignore the list at least hat long , im getting too old for this but its what i married so ill not complain - ill just modify and refuse when needed 

 

last week my electric pannel started failing - 20 years ago i would have replaced it - i hired it out , all is good , todays tree was fairly small and i had what i needed to keep it off the garage , it went fairly well but my back says i way overdid it - didnt fall off the ladder so i guess we will call it a success 

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

Saw my new urologist yesterday.  She really wants to fully evaluate this. Bloodwork, MRI, ultrasound, physically get up in there and look inside my bladder. Also instead of needle biopsy they do a urine dna test that identifies what type of cancer (if there is any). The elevated number can be related to cancer or other issues that are benign. When your urinary tract is constricted the bladder has to push harder. Over time this causes problems.

[watab kid]

On 4/13/2026 at 3:12 PM, El Sobrante Kid said:

For those of you who have posted, besides Trailrider, did you have your PSA checked at least once a year? Thx

nope - i need to do that i think , not since i was in that test program , that started as 4 times a year dropped to 3 then 2 r=then 1 then they cancelled it , 

[Null N. Void]

19 hours ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

Saw my new urologist yesterday.  She really wants to fully evaluate this. Bloodwork, MRI, ultrasound, physically get up in there and look inside my bladder. Also instead of needle biopsy they do a urine dna test that identifies what type of cancer (if there is any). The elevated number can be related to cancer or other issues that are benign. When your urinary tract is constricted the bladder has to push harder. Over time this causes problems.

 

I have permanent bladder damage because of the blockage.

[El Sobrante Kid]

It's hard to believe in this day and age that men don't/won't get an annual PSA test. It's not perfect, but it is simple and one of the best ways to keep track of your prostate. Much better than the poop-in-a-box method. Some/most of us go in for an annual physical (in Medicare it's a Wellness Visit), and there are usually several blood tests done as a part of that. Get your doctor to request that a PSA test is done then, you are already there, they have your blood, so why not. Even if insurance or medicare won't cover it for some reason, pay for the test yourself, it should be under $100.

 

If you never go to a doctor, well... that's a life choice and you better be mentally prepared for if/when you are wrong and your health goes down the tubes.

[Eyesa Horg]

Unless you have to use Dartmouth Health! Then it's a crap shoot either way. Both Ellie and I came pretty close to meeting our maker dealing with them. Ellie within days! And I lost most use of my right shoulder after the cancer debacle due to infection after the operating table broke with me on it! Remember the student at the bottom of the class is still called Doctor!

I was stage 4 before anyone listened and they had to remove 4 pints of puss out of Ellie and then R&R her intestines to save her. 4 months of eating rice was NOT the answer to her pain and curled up in a ball. So for us, it's pretty hard to trust them!