THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2015 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.

In August 2008 I went for my annual PSA check and the result was 4.1 My GP said there was a slight increase in the size of the prostate but I should check again in one year as it was not serious. In October 2009 I went to a new GP who gave me a rectum examination plus PSA test, the result was a rise in PSA to 4.78 and he referred me to a Urologist who I saw 2 weeks later. He gave me a rectum test and also a sonar and picked up a cyst on a kidney plus an enlarged prostate. He advised me to go for an Ultrasound at the local hospital which I did the next day ( private health care in South Africa is extremely efficient). Straight after the Ultrasound I went back to the Urologist who booked me in for a biopsy 2 days later at the Private hospital. I was booked in at 7.00am and finally had the biopsy at about 13.00hrs. I was released from hospital at about 17.00hrs the same day. On 27 October 2009 I went back to the Urologist and he gave me the results.

He told me I had cancer, but was in the very early stages and was highly curable. He did a 18 core prostate biopsy and found cancer in 3 only. I was at stage T1 but my prostate was 70 gms which was quite large. He went through the options available to me and gave me literature on all and scheduled an appointment to see me one week later.

After reading the literature and also researching on various websites including I contacted a business colleague who had prostate cancer a few years ago and had radical treatment. He put me on to this website where I did a lot of reading. I also contacted a friend who had Brachytherapy 2 years ago and it was after a discussion with him that I decided on this method.

On 4 November 2009 I went back to the Urologist and with his advice confirmed Brachytherapy. He advised me that the size of my prostate would have to be reduced to about 50-60gms before the operation could be carried out and that I would need to have hormone treatment to reduce the size of the prostate over a 3 month period. He sent me to an Oncologist on 17 November 2009 who explained the procedure of the hormone treatment and the seed implant. The next day I went to the Urologist who injected me with the hormone implant and I carried on life normally, not experiencing any changes in my body , no hot flushes, no mood swings (although my wife said I was more grumpy!). I regularly exercised on my bicycle and was eating healthily and enjoying life.

Then all of a sudden came the 18th December 2009. I had noticed for a couple of days that my urine flow was reducing and I was going to the loo more often. I phoned the Urologist on 17 December and he said I should drink frequently and take citrus soda. On Friday 18 December I went with my wife for a couple of drinks to a Christmas function and the had dinner at the local Yacht club. I got home at about 22.00hrs and passed urine and went to bed. At about 01.00 hrs I got up to go to the loo but was unable to pass urine. I went back to bed and tried to sleep but had to keep getting up to go to the loo. Each time I went I was unable to pass urine so I was getting quite worried. At about 03.00 hrs I asked my wife to phone the local Private hospital casualty to make sure their was a nurse or doctor on duty who could help me. They said there was so my wife took me in complete agony to the hospital and on the way every bump in the road made the pain worse. I arrived about ten minutes later in the casualty, ran in, the nurse had been primed and was ready for me and I had a catheter inserted through the penis into my bladder. On litre of urine was released and then I was examined by the Casualty doctor who checked that the catheter was correctly inserted and the nurse strapped on a permanent bag to my leg and I was sent home. The Doctor said she would phone my Urologist at 08.00hrs to inform him of the incident.

I went home and was in a lot of discomfort and was filling up the bag regularly. At 09.00hrs my Urologist phoned me and asked me to come to his rooms at 10.00hrs (on a Saturday) which I did and he checked the catheter, checked the bladder and told me that the hormone treatment had now kicked in and the prostate had enlarged and had blocked the exit to the bladder.

He said I would need the catheter in for five days, gave me antibiotics and Flomax and also another drug, Lenditro to ease the pain. For 4 days I was in agony with the catheter and the need to pass urine which I obviously could not do. On the Monday the Urologist phoned to see how I was I told him of the pain which he said was unavoidable. He told me to stop taking the Lenditro tablets that night and arranged to see me in his rooms on 23 December to remove the catheter. I saw him this morning and he removed the catheter successfully, stated that my bladder was empty so in about four hours I should be able to pass urine naturally. He told me to drink water and contact him after five hours if I had not been successful. I went home and after two hours the greatest feeling: I actually wet my pants and was so happy. I have passed urine naturally now a few times with a little discomfort but a lot of relief.

I am due to have another appointment with the Urologist on 11 January 2010 to ensure that my prostate gland has been reduced in size and that the Seeds can be ordered for me to have the operation on 1 March 2010.

I will update my story next Month, the treatment I have received from the Urologist, Dr Grant Trollip, the Casualty nurse and the Casualty Doctor at Knysna Hospital has been first class. I am grateful to them all.

I went in to hospital on 2 March 2010 to have the Brachytherapy and the Urologist and Oncologist carried out a 90 minute procedure to insert 80 seeds at 07.30hrs. I stayed in the hospital overnight and was released with an antibiotic, pain killer and Flomax at 9.00hrs the next day.

I recovered very well and went back to the office the next day. I had a consultation with the Urologist on 16 March he did no tests but arranged for me to have a CT Scan on 13 April. For me, life carries on as normal I have no side effects except for very minor hot flushes as a result of the hormone treatment I had a few months ago.

I will give a further update after the scan.

On 2 September 2010 I went for a blood test to check PSA and Testosterone; I have today received the results and I am making exceptionally good progress. My PSA level is down to 0.32 and my Testosterone has risen to 5.91.

I will have a further blood test in 3 months when I will also visit the urologist to check the size of the prostate.

Went for my annual check up today, great news the PSA is down to 0.11 from 0.19 ; the Testosterone level however has not improved and is still at 9.1 (ideally should be about 9.9). Due for the next check up in one year.

My annual checkup was in May 2013 and I again saw a good improvement in my PSA which is now only 0.07. My Urologist is very happy with my state of health. My only problem is the low T- Testosterone which is 9.33. My next checkup will be next year.

I had my annual blood tests and check up with my Urologist last month and myPSA has reduced to 0.06 which is excellent. Only problem is that my testosterone reading is quite low. Urologist says it is not safe to increase it by medication until my PSA is negligible. So unfortunately my erections are not great but I continue using Viagra, Cialis etc and can only hope. My wife is very understanding and we are both very happy that the PSA is well under control.

Alan's e-mail address is: alanevans AT mweb.co.za (replace "AT" with "@")

NOTE: Alan has not updated his story for more than 15 months, so you may not receive any response from him.