ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area OT: Men's Health

It is with great disdain and sadness that I write this thread topic.

Reason I bring this up, is because my own father-in-law has the early stages of prostate cancer, but it is late enough that he missed the boat.

Why is that us men must wait until the pain, is too unbearable, NOT to see a doctor?

I don't wan't comments about Medicare and things like that.
At the end of the day, it comes down to the patient, wanting to be treated.

Sure,
You might have a doctor place his/her gloved finger in your rectum, what is so hard about that, if it could save your life.

To find out too late, is the ultimate sin here.

Get with it guys, what have you got if you haven't got your health?

Nothing, in my opinion.

trumpy, Gotta agree with you there. A prostate exam is a necessary evil. More important now that I'm 50. My second one, the Dr. asked if I minded if an intern came in to observe. Ummm, sure I guess... Turns out it was four or five (I didn't look up to count). Like they say it's only a bad exam if the Dr. has both hands on your shoulders....

Mike:

That's the kind of advice that could possibly save your life.

I go every 3 months (need bloodwork for heart issue) and get a 'mini-physical' that includes a prostate check.

Also, prostate condition can be monitored thru blood tests. (PSA, I think)

BTW, Petey...some sense of humor!

I had the digital examination at my Well Men's clinic a few years back at age 65, embarrassing with a young lady doctor but not painful at all. Put this into perspective chaps and imagine you are the doctor having to do it!! This summer I got a suspected kidney stone and had a full body MR scan. I already passed the stone, but the consultant pointed out that my prostate had enlarged; the good news was my hip joints are superb! Tell you what, being passed half naked on a carriage through a giant metal donut, with someone yelling at you through a loudspeaker, in French, Don't breathe! Don't move! Don't look at the laser! was worse than the finger procedure! Enlargement is normal as you age and gives the symptom of more frequent [and often unnecessary] visits to the bathroom as the gland presses on your bladder. As long as the prostate remains smooth there is no problem. If it goes out of shape, knobbly, a cancerous growth may have started. That's what the doc feels for. If caught early, an operation will give a 100% cure. Left to its own devices, it will eventually grow to make surgery and a cure impossible, so regular checks are vital. I'm taking Tamsulosine capsules which have practically cured the 'desperate for a khazi' syndrome. Mind you, in a country where taking a pipi anywhere you like is considered normal, it's not such a problem as in Blighty, where you'd get arrested for exposing yourself!