Fw: Re: Post RP - PSA Rising

[Guest guest]

One of the major problems with statistical analysis of a doctors work is that it's all

self-reported. In other words, it is what he says it is and you have to take his word for it. You have the right to your medical records, as does each and every one of his patients have the right to theirs. The problem for your own statistical purposes and analysis, however is that you and all of those patients only have the right to your own personal medical records and not the results of anyone elses. Your doctor of course has access to the medical records of all of his patients so what it comes down to is that you either believe what he tells you , or you don't. You have no means of checking and he has no obligation to make anyone elses records available to you. In fact, by law he would be prosecuted if he did tell you anything about any of his patients. So for the patient, it's pretty much a limited and closed system. The only way around this that I know of would be for you to post an advert on the internet or somewhere

that his other patients would likely see it and request that you form your own support group. That way you would find out pretty quickly. But, I think that your doctor would object and might even look to legal means to prevent you from doing such.

On the issue of depression , I have gotten some feedback from some men on SAM-E, an over the counter supplement that has been used for liver support. They told me that it helped them with their depression. I used it myself for about 2 years and it helped me. I do not know if there are any studies out there with regards to men with PCa. All I can say is that SAM-E is actually produced within your own body and the amount declines with age and it's been studied for about 50 years. I do not think that the same can be said for Pharma antidepressant drugs. Just the same, it's worth some research on the internet.

BOB

Subject: Re: Post RP - PSA RisingTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 12:06 PM

Thanks, guys, for all the support and suggestions:1) I have already placed a call to my Uro (his nurse, actually, I never get to talk to him other than at an appointment) to hook me up with an Onc. Do I trust him(?) He's the one that said "looks like we got it" with some mumbling about "what" he checked to give me that report. (I WILL ask that nurse to give me that information about what he actually checked - visually and actual testing.) I'll give them a few more days to get back to me, then I will call the OSU Cancer Center (which is right down the street from me here in Columbus) that was recommended on that .gov list Alan mentioned. I, too, have a natural sense that "it's there" - and, it's time to tb w/ an Onc VERY experienced in PC re-occurrence.(You know - it's now when I, again, wonder just how many of the 200+ RPs and now robotic Ps per year my Uro has done before and since me that have had re-occurrence???? I doubt if my

docs office would give me that info - but, if there is a bunch of them (as I strongly suspect there are) they would be a valuable resource to check with. Are there any publicly available reports on that type of data???)2) I will ask my internist if he would recommend me taking an antibiotic between now and my next blood test. At which time I'll ask them to include that PAP test, too.3) Depression! Was there ever - boy, was it tough. However, Alan, I spent 2 years after my RP going through this same "take charge of your medical situation" bs with my debilitating lower back pain. Took me a year of "doctor manipulation", but I convinced them (though many testing procedures) that a simple laminectomy on L1.2.3 would work - WHICH IT DID! That allowed me to get outta that damned easy chair and back into life. I've been on a tennis court or golf course (walk 18) at least once to three times a week every since. I travel - I got divorced from a

witch - I found a wonderful galfreind (which gave me a reason to "step up" to "needles" (ouch!) who loves to travel with me (and, doesn't mind that I won't chase her balls for her, er play tennis with her (lol).... I'm heavily involved with music and volunteering. However, I'll admit from time to time it seems like it wouldn't take much to put me right back in that damned chair - if I let it. I WON'T. Thanks, again, for being here guys,