Prostate cancer ultimately led to my father's death but, to be fair, he refused surgery. I get my PSA checked annually along with the latex glove experience. Thanks for being so open about this part of your life.
What a harrowing story. So much respect and admiration for you to share this story. This is the voice I really needed to hear and I has been something I've been avoiding thinking about for a while. Really appreciate your candidness and forthcomingness, David. Thank you and wishing you all the health in the world. Best from Tokyo!
Cheers Brian! I'm not sure it was as bad as harrowing for me. You know, I kind of anticipated it coming down the tracks at some point, so I was psychologically ready for it (as much as one can be). I'll tell you one thing though - it's a great feeling to have faced it down and come out the other side, not as a victim, but as someone has seen the value of taking control of your health. Best of luck to you too Brian. Cheers for now, David
Thanks for uploading this David. After my prostatectomy 5 years ago at the age of 53 I’m just about to take my annual PSA test. I became evangelical about encouraging friends to get checked out. One chap in particular went and was diagnosed with cancer. He also had it removed and is doing well. Neither of us had any symptoms so we were very lucky. So chaps - get tested before it’s too late.
Thant's even younger than I was Scott. Well done for getting on top of it. I hope your recovery has been as good as mine, and stays that way. I'm advised it should do! And kudos to you for encouraging friends to get checked, and that obviously had a huge impact on one of them.
Greetings from Nashville, David! You are my top guy in the VC! Really you enjoy your videos. We are about the same age. I'm not retired yet. Still working. Am in outside sales so on the other side of the desk from procurement. And, like you, into music and the outdoors. More hiking than biking. Oh and, have two daughters as well! And, about 7 years had my prostate removed. Your story is very much like mine. My GP had been watching my PSA at my annual check ups and the day after one particular check up I got "the call", which sent me on my prostate journey of biopsies and everything that follows those and then a year of active watching and then the decision to have it removed. And now the annual PSA and fingers crossed for the call the next morning to hear those words "no detectable cancer". Thank you again for all your videos and particularly this PSA (public service announcement) about the PSA. All the best!
Excellent Scott. Thanks for getting in touch. So good that your experience to date is proving positive. Scary moments though, without a doubt. And the anxiety around repeat PSA tests do hang around for a while, and I can say my experience is that the anxiety all but disappears by the time you get to ten years. Good luck to you going forward. Like you suggest, staying active is not only beneficial in a general sense, it really helps in recovery from a serious illness. I try my best to eliminate complacency, and it's not always easy, but keeping moving is essential. You won't have picked it up but, for the last fifteen years before I retired, I used to train sales professionals on how to negotiate with procurement pros, balancing that with consulting in the procurement field. I loved working with sales guys and gals, as they typically had a more positive and optimistic outlook than their procurement counterparts! I did work with sales pros all over the place - USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, India, Malaysia, and all over Europe. What a blast! Those vinyl records I picked up on days off in these places have a special place in my collection!
Thanks David. Really important video - I had a HOLEP procedure last year following regular PSA tests and agree with all the advice you gave. Increasing awareness is vital.
Wow Jeff. That's the non-invasive treatment, isn't it? Hope all's gone well. Stay healthy, and yes, it feels positive to do my small bit for raising awareness. The more the better, I guess.
Hello David , thanks for posting this. Had radiotherapy over 20 sessions in autumn of 2021 when I was aged 60 and initially it was detected via a couple of PSA blood tests back in the latter part of 2020. Really enjoy your music posts so fair play for this one . Stay healthy and keep enjoying the music , it keeps us young at heart . 👍🏻
Thanks Patrick. Hope your recovery has been good. And good luck for the future. We need positivity as well as great music to keep us young and sprightly!
Thanks for sharing your story David. It’s so important because when you first hear those words “You’ve got cancer” you tend to feel pretty isolated among other things. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in2001. Turned out it was stage 4, so the choices I had were pretty limited. I went through all the feelings and emotions you went through. Obviously I’m still here thanks to luck, a great surgeon and tremendous support from my family and a few great friends. I’m very open to talking about it, and it certainly changed me as well. Stay well my friend. Glad you made the video.
Blimey Jack. It's bloody awful to learn that there's so much of this nasty stuff around, especially when you get to our ages. Sounds like you had your own frightening experience, but it's great to know you came through it and are still living the good life. Well done for that. I can imagine your treatment path and how difficult that probably was, but isn't it wonderful to still be around....and enjoying family, friends and our music. Catch up soon.
Fantastic video David. You are great example of good decision-making around health decisions and a preventive approach. Very generous of you to share your story. I had a prostate biopsy about a year ago (negative for cancer fortunately) and also want to assure men these procedures are not as uncomfortable as we imagine.
Thanks so much for your comment. I'd mulled over the idea of making a video about this subject for ages, and I'm now glad I did. I suppose a personal story is potentially more useful than simply making a donation to a Prostate Cancer charity. I hope whatever it was that required you to have a biopsy was something that came and went. Good luck with your health going forward.
Great video David. I'm 60 and have prostate issues at the moment, I have an enlarged prostate, I have my PSA tested every 4 months and it's normal ATM. I'm taking meds to shrink it and hopefully, they will work, but if they don't the specialist has said that they will probably take it out, my dad had the same thing at my age. Fantastic of you to highlight this silent killer, because most men don't have it checked until it's too late.
An enlarged prostate is so common, isn't it? It's good that you're having your PSA tracked. It'll be a big decision to whip the prostate out, but I'm sure with comprehensive advice, you'll make the right decision. Taking charge of your own health - you can't beat it. Well done.
Congratulations on making the video and revealing your experience. The Vinyl community is full of men in the prime target area, so hopefully you will encourage them to be checked. Prostate surgery is not as invasive as it once was, now that Robotic surgery has increased. Again well done for making this video. Now back to the turntable please 😁
Music coming back soon Philip! Thanks for your comment, and you're right that the VC membership is just as you say - in the prime target area. All the best.
Congratulations to highlight this silent problem and share your experience. All men on my both side family died with prostate cancers ,some very old in the 70s with only hormonothérapy but others like my father and his father more younger because it was too late to treat when they discovered it. All depends on your generalist doctor who can inform and detect you ,what was not the case with my father . Not easy to have just a good doctor,mine was very good but go on retreat and no substitute . I'm 66 and one or two times a year I do PSA tests as he told me and everytime I'm very anxious because I think the surgery would be particulary paintful in this part of body as I saw for my father. Only one time 6 years ago I had an alert I was 350 PSA and my doctor successed to treat me without surgery and 6 month after my PSA became normal with the help of my past doctor. Thanks for this very instructive video and having sharing your experience .
Wow, you've been on your own tricky journey Gerard. Sounds like it has worked out well for you, especially as cancer has been in the family. Well done for getting ahead of the curve. Best wishes for the future, David
Great video and a very important one at that. My dad died of it so I was awhere of it big time. I had it checked out at 56 and and told I had it but it was very small so now I have it monitored every three months. However the important thing was it made my older brother get his Checked. So be proactive and get it checked and take control. Mentally I have parked this issue. Thanks David for this video tim x
Thank you Tim. It's so nice to hear of someone like you who is clear about what to do. Amazing that you have mentally parked it; I just wanted it dealt with and was so fearful of later becoming too weak to handle the surgery and the recovery. Best of luck to you.
@davidatkinson-lifematters4826 Thank you David for acknowledgement of my email its very much appreciated. I understand why you had the operation its turned out to be a good choice and i an pleased it was successful. I was advised that treatment can cause more problems so I took their advise for active surveillance. No doubt treatment will be required at some point but I have confidence in their expertise. I must admit the biopsy was an eye watering experience. However if women can go through child birth I can go through that.Still I focus on what's important my partner , family and friends also my passion for music especially vinyl. I always look forward to your videos david so rest assure you are reaching out and touching peoples lives . Keep up the good work tim 👏
Sir David. Great vid. I have not to date (age 74) had any prostate issues...but I beat a cancer prognosis 10 years ago now (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma ) and another heart speed bump with a need for 2 stents 3 years ago. I passed the link onto 2 friends who like you have been down the same route as you and the removal of your prostate. Your discussion of this is so beneficial for other requiring it or some form of treatment for prostate cancer (radiation etc.) or just stop them from delaying annual checkups. You may have just saved someone's life of even more than that. Well done!
Thanks Pat. If even one person takes something from the video and goes to get checked, that would be enough for me. The idea of men hanging back, and just hoping for the best, saddens me. Thanks for sharing the video too. All the best, David
The moment at 4:17 was celebratory news. So happy for that David! The psychological scars sound painful, but your recovery is so positive. You break down your experience so well. Thankful for you my friend! ✌️
Thank you Mike. I'll tell you something. The psychological impact of taking control of the choice of surgeon and the process is immense. I hear (and saw with my uncle) so many men afraid to confront their potential health worries until it's too late. I managed to go through the whole experience without a single regret. I couldn't ask for more, and I'm better for the experience in so many ways.
Brilliant vid Dave ❤ amazing to hear of your journey and awesome to hear that you beat this terrible illness Dave and understand your concerns about if it’s really gone for good it would play on my mind to.. Pete 💪👍🚴🏻
Cheers Pete. Yes, it's a fantastic feeling to know that ten years have gone by without that nasty stuff coming back. Unfortunately, it's one of the hazards in the territory that is 'getting older'! See you down the road....when this weather picks-up!
Excellent David, well said and well done. some great points including the benefits of keeping fit in case you do have health issues. but I do think you might have credited me as the body double for the uphill cycling scenes...
Thanks for sharing your prostate experiences David. I’ve been enjoying your channel for a few months now and found this latest one particularly insightful as I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. I am 61 years old with a Gleeson 6 level and will be on ‘active surveillance’ going forward. So good news as it has been diagnosed early. I am particularly interested in your choice to have surgery. Were you a higher Gleeson score? I have been told most men die with prostate cancer rather than from it! Anyway it has encouraged me to take early retirement and will finish end of Dec. Looking forward to a long and healthy future.
Hi Paul, I'm glad to see you're taking control of what's happening to you (including getting on with retirement). Regarding your questions, I think my Gleason was 7 (3+4 or 4+3, I can't recall, other than to say it was the most favourable combination of those numbers). I was diagnosed four months before I had surgery, having been assured that the advance of the illness would be slow enough for the delay not to matter. I put it off as I had work commitments overseas that I wanted to honour. I felt surgery was the better option for me, because I like to have as much control over difficult situations as I can; I like to be decisive and couldn't imagine living contentedly for an extended period with a gloomy diagnosis hanging over me. Like I mentioned in the video, I felt I'd be stronger physically if I took to the surgery head-on, and psychologically too. I think this worked well for me. Not without it's worries and difficulties, but and 8 out of 10 result. Good luck with your health going forward, and don't hesitate to drop me an email if you'd like us to share more. Thanks, David
Cheers Gary. I don't quite know whether it's indeed happening more often, but I know it's frightening for many men (and their partners), and the more we share stories and raise awareness, the more men will check themselves and we can hope catch any of the nasty stuff earlier than they otherwise would.
Hi David really liked your video couple of points I would like to raise we all how difficulty it is to get a doctor’s appointment in the first place. Never mind about seeing your urologist you talked about picking your surgeons et cetera. Did you pay privately for your treatment? Because I don’t think many people on the NHS have that luxury of choosing their surgeon, just some points I would like to point out and if you could expand on in your next video that would be great, thanks
That's a good question Karl. At the time, I did have private insurance (a policy carried-on from my employer), so I could be more assertive in requesting a second opinion. But I also met with a surgeon in the NHS, after being referred by my excellent GP. I suppose I learned that being armed with good questions helped establish adult-to-adult conversations with surgeons who were interested in explaining their methods. Very often the fear of the patient makes for superficial discussions and all the decisions being taken by the surgeon. Regardless of public versus private provision, I would still recommend people do as much research as possible, and ask for second opinions, despite recognising that accessing medical care is not easy these days.
You don't need to see the doctor initially. Just phone or go online to book a PSA blood test. Then after results are known your doctor will arrange an appointment if needed This is what happened with me anyway. Had to have a biopsy but things ok at the moment
Thank you for sharing. A great example of how we, as men, should be better about sharing health information and our journeys.
Prostate cancer ultimately led to my father's death but, to be fair, he refused surgery. I get my PSA checked annually along with the latex glove experience. Thanks for being so open about this part of your life.
Cheers Brian. It's good to know you're on the case. Good luck!
What a harrowing story. So much respect and admiration for you to share this story. This is the voice I really needed to hear and I has been something I've been avoiding thinking about for a while. Really appreciate your candidness and forthcomingness, David. Thank you and wishing you all the health in the world. Best from Tokyo!
Cheers Brian! I'm not sure it was as bad as harrowing for me. You know, I kind of anticipated it coming down the tracks at some point, so I was psychologically ready for it (as much as one can be). I'll tell you one thing though - it's a great feeling to have faced it down and come out the other side, not as a victim, but as someone has seen the value of taking control of your health. Best of luck to you too Brian. Cheers for now, David
Thanks for uploading this David. After my prostatectomy 5 years ago at the age of 53 I’m just about to take my annual PSA test. I became evangelical about encouraging friends to get checked out. One chap in particular went and was diagnosed with cancer. He also had it removed and is doing well. Neither of us had any symptoms so we were very lucky. So chaps - get tested before it’s too late.
Thant's even younger than I was Scott. Well done for getting on top of it. I hope your recovery has been as good as mine, and stays that way. I'm advised it should do! And kudos to you for encouraging friends to get checked, and that obviously had a huge impact on one of them.
Greetings from Nashville, David! You are my top guy in the VC! Really you enjoy your videos. We are about the same age. I'm not retired yet. Still working. Am in outside sales so on the other side of the desk from procurement. And, like you, into music and the outdoors. More hiking than biking. Oh and, have two daughters as well! And, about 7 years had my prostate removed. Your story is very much like mine. My GP had been watching my PSA at my annual check ups and the day after one particular check up I got "the call", which sent me on my prostate journey of biopsies and everything that follows those and then a year of active watching and then the decision to have it removed. And now the annual PSA and fingers crossed for the call the next morning to hear those words "no detectable cancer". Thank you again for all your videos and particularly this PSA (public service announcement) about the PSA. All the best!
Excellent Scott. Thanks for getting in touch. So good that your experience to date is proving positive. Scary moments though, without a doubt. And the anxiety around repeat PSA tests do hang around for a while, and I can say my experience is that the anxiety all but disappears by the time you get to ten years. Good luck to you going forward.
Like you suggest, staying active is not only beneficial in a general sense, it really helps in recovery from a serious illness. I try my best to eliminate complacency, and it's not always easy, but keeping moving is essential.
You won't have picked it up but, for the last fifteen years before I retired, I used to train sales professionals on how to negotiate with procurement pros, balancing that with consulting in the procurement field. I loved working with sales guys and gals, as they typically had a more positive and optimistic outlook than their procurement counterparts! I did work with sales pros all over the place - USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, India, Malaysia, and all over Europe. What a blast! Those vinyl records I picked up on days off in these places have a special place in my collection!
Thanks David. Really important video - I had a HOLEP procedure last year following regular PSA tests and agree with all the advice you gave. Increasing awareness is vital.
Wow Jeff. That's the non-invasive treatment, isn't it? Hope all's gone well. Stay healthy, and yes, it feels positive to do my small bit for raising awareness. The more the better, I guess.
Hello David , thanks for posting this. Had radiotherapy over 20 sessions in autumn of 2021 when I was aged 60 and initially it was detected via a couple of PSA blood tests back in the latter part of 2020. Really enjoy your music posts so fair play for this one . Stay healthy and keep enjoying the music , it keeps us young at heart . 👍🏻
Thanks Patrick. Hope your recovery has been good. And good luck for the future. We need positivity as well as great music to keep us young and sprightly!
Thanks for sharing your story David. It’s so important because when you first hear those words “You’ve got cancer” you tend to feel pretty isolated among other things. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer in2001. Turned out it was stage 4, so the choices I had were pretty limited. I went through all the feelings and emotions you went through. Obviously I’m still here thanks to luck, a great surgeon and tremendous support from my family and a few great friends. I’m very open to talking about it, and it certainly changed me as well. Stay well my friend. Glad you made the video.
Blimey Jack. It's bloody awful to learn that there's so much of this nasty stuff around, especially when you get to our ages. Sounds like you had your own frightening experience, but it's great to know you came through it and are still living the good life. Well done for that. I can imagine your treatment path and how difficult that probably was, but isn't it wonderful to still be around....and enjoying family, friends and our music. Catch up soon.
David. Fantastic video. Thanks for doing it. Such an important subject and as men we need to be talking more about our health to one another.
Thanks Jonathan.
Fantastic video David. You are great example of good decision-making around health decisions and a preventive approach. Very generous of you to share your story. I had a prostate biopsy about a year ago (negative for cancer fortunately) and also want to assure men these procedures are not as uncomfortable as we imagine.
Thanks so much for your comment. I'd mulled over the idea of making a video about this subject for ages, and I'm now glad I did. I suppose a personal story is potentially more useful than simply making a donation to a Prostate Cancer charity. I hope whatever it was that required you to have a biopsy was something that came and went. Good luck with your health going forward.
Great video David. I'm 60 and have prostate issues at the moment, I have an enlarged prostate, I have my PSA tested every 4 months and it's normal ATM. I'm taking meds to shrink it and hopefully, they will work, but if they don't the specialist has said that they will probably take it out, my dad had the same thing at my age. Fantastic of you to highlight this silent killer, because most men don't have it checked until it's too late.
An enlarged prostate is so common, isn't it? It's good that you're having your PSA tracked. It'll be a big decision to whip the prostate out, but I'm sure with comprehensive advice, you'll make the right decision. Taking charge of your own health - you can't beat it. Well done.
Congratulations on making the video and revealing your experience. The Vinyl community is full of men in the prime target area, so hopefully you will encourage them to be checked. Prostate surgery is not as invasive as it once was, now that Robotic surgery has increased. Again well done for making this video. Now back to the turntable please 😁
Music coming back soon Philip! Thanks for your comment, and you're right that the VC membership is just as you say - in the prime target area. All the best.
Congratulations to highlight this silent problem and share your experience.
All men on my both side family died with prostate cancers ,some very old in the 70s with only hormonothérapy but others like my father and his father more younger because it was too late to treat when they discovered it.
All depends on your generalist doctor who can inform and detect you ,what was not the case with my father .
Not easy to have just a good doctor,mine was very good but go on retreat and no substitute .
I'm 66 and one or two times a year
I do PSA tests as he told me and everytime I'm very anxious because
I think the surgery would be particulary paintful in this part of body as I saw for my father.
Only one time 6 years ago I had an alert I was 350 PSA and my doctor successed to treat me without surgery and 6 month after my PSA became normal with the help of my past doctor.
Thanks for this very instructive video and having sharing your experience .
Wow, you've been on your own tricky journey Gerard. Sounds like it has worked out well for you, especially as cancer has been in the family. Well done for getting ahead of the curve. Best wishes for the future, David
Excellent video Dave and most informative- and more importantly a good outcome for yourself. Scary stuff that us fellows are good at avoiding!
Damn right Gav, us men often avoid such tricky subjects. Hopefully, after this video, a few less will do so.
Hey David. Good on ya for sharing your personal journey with this. Cheers
Thanks Bobby. It felt like the right time.
Great video and a very important one at that. My dad died of it so I was awhere of it big time. I had it checked out at 56 and and told I had it but it was very small so now I have it monitored every three months. However the important thing was it made my older brother get his Checked. So be proactive and get it checked and take control. Mentally I have parked this issue. Thanks David for this video tim x
Thank you Tim. It's so nice to hear of someone like you who is clear about what to do. Amazing that you have mentally parked it; I just wanted it dealt with and was so fearful of later becoming too weak to handle the surgery and the recovery. Best of luck to you.
@davidatkinson-lifematters4826
Thank you David for acknowledgement of my email its very much appreciated. I understand why you had the operation its turned out to be a good choice and i an pleased it was successful. I was advised that treatment can cause more problems so I took their advise for active surveillance. No doubt treatment will be required at some point but I have confidence in their expertise. I must admit the biopsy was an eye watering experience. However if women can go through child birth I can go through that.Still I focus on what's important my partner , family and friends also my passion for music especially vinyl. I always look forward to your videos david so rest assure you are reaching out and touching peoples lives . Keep up the good work tim 👏
Tim, Your reply got lost in the ether. Yep, the biopsy is some experience. Ouch. Hope things continue well. Cheers, and Merry Christmas.
Sir David. Great vid. I have not to date (age 74) had any prostate issues...but I beat a cancer prognosis 10 years ago now (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma ) and another heart speed bump with a need for 2 stents 3 years ago. I passed the link onto 2 friends who like you have been down the same route as you and the removal of your prostate. Your discussion of this is so beneficial for other requiring it or some form of treatment for prostate cancer (radiation etc.) or just stop them from delaying annual checkups. You may have just saved someone's life of even more than that. Well done!
Thanks Pat. If even one person takes something from the video and goes to get checked, that would be enough for me. The idea of men hanging back, and just hoping for the best, saddens me. Thanks for sharing the video too. All the best, David
The moment at 4:17 was celebratory news. So happy for that David! The psychological scars sound painful, but your recovery is so positive. You break down your experience so well. Thankful for you my friend! ✌️
Thank you Mike. I'll tell you something. The psychological impact of taking control of the choice of surgeon and the process is immense. I hear (and saw with my uncle) so many men afraid to confront their potential health worries until it's too late. I managed to go through the whole experience without a single regret. I couldn't ask for more, and I'm better for the experience in so many ways.
Thank you and good luck had PSA test on Thursday
Good luck Stuart.
Brilliant vid Dave ❤ amazing to hear of your journey and awesome to hear that you beat this terrible illness Dave and understand your concerns about if it’s really gone for good it would play on my mind to.. Pete 💪👍🚴🏻
Cheers Pete. Yes, it's a fantastic feeling to know that ten years have gone by without that nasty stuff coming back. Unfortunately, it's one of the hazards in the territory that is 'getting older'! See you down the road....when this weather picks-up!
Thanks David. I had my PSA checked last week. Its a bit high but below the level for referral to a urologist.
Keep an eye on it Paul. Best wishes, David
Excellent David, well said and well done. some great points including the benefits of keeping fit in case you do have health issues. but I do think you might have credited me as the body double for the uphill cycling scenes...
Listen mate, I think you can climb better than me these days!!
Thanks for sharing your prostate experiences David. I’ve been enjoying your channel for a few months now and found this latest one particularly insightful as I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. I am 61 years old with a Gleeson 6 level and will be on ‘active surveillance’ going forward. So good news as it has been diagnosed early. I am particularly interested in your choice to have surgery. Were you a higher Gleeson score? I have been told most men die with prostate cancer rather than from it! Anyway it has encouraged me to take early retirement and will finish end of Dec. Looking forward to a long and healthy future.
The very best of luck to you on your retirement.
Thanks!
Hi Paul,
I'm glad to see you're taking control of what's happening to you (including getting on with retirement). Regarding your questions, I think my Gleason was 7 (3+4 or 4+3, I can't recall, other than to say it was the most favourable combination of those numbers). I was diagnosed four months before I had surgery, having been assured that the advance of the illness would be slow enough for the delay not to matter. I put it off as I had work commitments overseas that I wanted to honour. I felt surgery was the better option for me, because I like to have as much control over difficult situations as I can; I like to be decisive and couldn't imagine living contentedly for an extended period with a gloomy diagnosis hanging over me. Like I mentioned in the video, I felt I'd be stronger physically if I took to the surgery head-on, and psychologically too. I think this worked well for me. Not without it's worries and difficulties, but and 8 out of 10 result.
Good luck with your health going forward, and don't hesitate to drop me an email if you'd like us to share more. Thanks, David
So relevant nowadays David. It seems to be occurring more often. Well done on great video.
Cheers Gary. I don't quite know whether it's indeed happening more often, but I know it's frightening for many men (and their partners), and the more we share stories and raise awareness, the more men will check themselves and we can hope catch any of the nasty stuff earlier than they otherwise would.
Hi David really liked your video couple of points I would like to raise we all how difficulty it is to get a doctor’s appointment in the first place. Never mind about seeing your urologist you talked about picking your surgeons et cetera. Did you pay privately for your treatment?
Because I don’t think many people on the NHS have that luxury of choosing their surgeon, just some points I would like to point out and if you could expand on in your next video that would be great, thanks
That's a good question Karl. At the time, I did have private insurance (a policy carried-on from my employer), so I could be more assertive in requesting a second opinion. But I also met with a surgeon in the NHS, after being referred by my excellent GP. I suppose I learned that being armed with good questions helped establish adult-to-adult conversations with surgeons who were interested in explaining their methods. Very often the fear of the patient makes for superficial discussions and all the decisions being taken by the surgeon. Regardless of public versus private provision, I would still recommend people do as much research as possible, and ask for second opinions, despite recognising that accessing medical care is not easy these days.
You don't need to see the doctor initially. Just phone or go online to book a PSA blood test. Then after results are known your doctor will arrange an appointment if needed This is what happened with me anyway. Had to have a biopsy but things ok at the moment
safe and effective