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Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

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#12,201
BadExample said:
Thanks bro. GP! I am blessed with a great physician who started testing my PSA levels years before the usual 50 YO mark. So he had a bass-line going back several years. Saw a sharp increase, although well under the cutoff, he saw that increase as a dire indication. About 6 months later a robot was yanking out some of my happy parts. Thanks to the best urologist in the area, I have no side effects and don't miss that old prostate gland one bit.
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I've getting checked for quite awhile, same urologist. He noticed a spike in my PSA and did a biopsy("you'll feel a little pinch".:eek: Yeah, right! That's why they have you face the wall). Everything fine. Next PSA , good numbers . A year or so later, another spike, another biopsy. Again, AOK. Coupla low numbers then another spike. He asked some questions, I answered. Turns out someone shouldn't have assumed that I knew to refrain from 'activity' for 36 hours +/- before the blood draw:banghead:. It would've been a useful bit of information to have. Numbers have all been good since then.:thumbsup:
 
#12,202
GonePlaid said:
I've getting checked for quite awhile, same urologist. He noticed a spike in my PSA and did a biopsy("you'll feel a little pinch".:eek: Yeah, right! That's why they have you face the wall). Everything fine. Next PSA , good numbers . A year or so later, another spike, another biopsy. Again, AOK. Coupla low numbers then another spike. He asked some questions, I answered. Turns out someone shouldn't have assumed that I knew to refrain from 'activity' for 36 hours +/- before the blood draw:banghead:. It would've been a useful bit of information to have. Numbers have all been good since then.:thumbsup:
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It's tough for a young handsome bassist like yourself to learn to say "No." :D
 
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#12,203
Both my sons are 40-ish, and they've told their PCPs about their close family history and they get the PSA annually. But I had no such history, AFAIK. History should not be required for such an essential test!!!

I understand that the surgery is less traumatic these days than 25 years ago. But I'm still glad I had it then, instead of this age! I read that because some younger men had the obvious complications from the old style surgery that the recommended age was raised. But the newer (arthroscopic?) techniques reduce the chance of those complications. So, why doesn't that cancel out and let younger men get the test without history? Inconceivable!
 
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#12,204
I had robotic surgery. Doctor had three large 3D displays and operated using a joy stick. The chances of the horrific side effects are down to a few % with this procedure. $100 test. Anyone requesting it should get it regardless of family history. I agree and it's sickening. A young fella doesn't have a chance once there are symptoms. This is healthcare rationing at it's finest.

We had a 90+ year old employee at work who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his 60's or 70's. They gave him radiation "seeds" that were bleeding edge medicine at the time. Cancer came back and he spent the last ten years of his life in horrific pain as they did chemo, tried this and that, blablabla. Work was his life, so he kept on working almost to the bitter end. Finally retired and passed on that year. Sad story, but imagine going through that in your 20's or 30's because someone found a way to trim $100 off your lab tests. That sir, is criminal negligence.
 
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#12,205
I too had a diligent urologist who had been keeping an eye on my PSA and when things started changing, he did several biopsies over a year period until they found definitive signs of cancer at age 49. I was offered various radiation treatments as being "less invasive", but when I found out that they all caused so much scaring that it made any kind of follow-up surgery impossible if the cancer came back, I opted for a radical prostatectomy.

G-Dog said:
I read that because some younger men had the obvious complications from the old style surgery
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Unfortunately, I can verify that as being true. I went to one of the best surgeons at University of Michigan, but still wound up with permanent ED. They started the robotic surgery about 6 months after I had the conventional one. I tried some of the ED "treatments" they offered me, but they all had bad enough side effects that sex was about the last thing I wanted. They ran the gamut from the little blue pills that gave me raging 3 day migraines, to the self administered injections where you never want to be poked with a needle. When they told me that they could implant a tiny manual pump in my scrotum that could be pressed repeatedly to pump it up, I said no thanks and left it at that. Yeah, I could just picture it. "Not yet honey, I'm still trying to pump it up!"

G-Dog said:
So, why doesn't that cancel out and let younger men get the test without history? Inconceivable!
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Probably because the insurance companies have some actuarial tables that tell them that it works out to be cheaper for them to pay for treating the cases of cancer that do occur, than it would be to pay for all that additional testing. Yeah, I'm cynical. Lack of sex can do that to you. :banghead: :rage: :poop:
 
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#12,206
It's been my observation over the years that insurance companies have become better at advertising their friendliness and offering faster and easier ways for you to pay your premium than actually doing anything with your best interests at heart. I find it odd that doctors work under rules that prevent them from refilling prescriptions you've been on for years without periodically seeing you, but an insurance company without even talking to you or your doctor can direct "the right drug or procedure you need" - often communicated by someone with no medical training. I'll skip the proof points, but have plenty of my own to offer.
 
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#12,209
alaskaleftybass said:
I think Michael Moore did a documentary on the insurance companies a while back.
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IMHO banks and insurance companies are the two biggest rackets out there. (next to politics, of course) They try to take as much of your money as they can and give you back as close to nothing as possibles.
 
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#12,210
alaskaleftybass said:
I think Michael Moore did a documentary on the insurance companies a while back. Not a very nice business at times.
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I saw that and the one he did on education Will. It was embarrassing to see where we stacked up against other countries around the world. By the way, speaking of health care, I hope Carey is continuing to do well in her recovery and that you both have a great Thanksgiving!
 
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#12,211
Al Kraft said:
I saw that and the one he did on education Will. It was embarrassing to see where we stacked up against other countries around the world. By the way, speaking of health care, I hope Carey is continuing to do well in her recovery and that you both have a great Thanksgiving!
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Thank you @Al Kraft and back at you! Carey is getting better and she says thank you and hopes you have a great Thanksgiving!
 
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#12,218
BadExample said:
Back atcha bro. low! Replacing kitchen windows today. Up to me mums tomorrow to eat the big bird...
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Yea, I just got off work and I have to go home and play mechanic. Oil Change, Lube, check the air in my tires, change my antifreeze.

Got a long drive down to the sticks in Central Kentucky for turkey dinner tomorrow.

I hate working on cars but at least it's not freezing out today.

Off to get greasy......
 
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