Skin Cancer

Pawwed Rig

Prostate Cancer October 2013
CHECK LIST: Ask yourself the following questions.
Do you sometimes pass urine when you don’t expect to?
Do you pass urine more than 3 times during the night?
Are you bursting to go and then find you barely produce a trickle?
Do you strain to pass urine, or does it take a long time to start?
When you pass urine are you always starting and stopping?
Do you have any discomfort such as pain or a burning sensation when you pass urine?
Does your bladder feel full after you’ve finished?
Is there any dribbling after you’ve stopped?
Have you ever seen blood in your urine?

If you have answered yes to any of the above questions your prostate may be playing you up.
It doesn’t mean that you have cancer, but you need to get the symptoms checked to determine whether they are due to an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.


We would appreciate if posters would give a bit of feedback if they think this is a good idea and something they would be interested in seeing in future by way of comment or thanks to the post. Cheers

Pawwed Rig

Depression has eight main symptoms. If you experience five or more of these symptoms, lasting for a period of two weeks or more, you should speak to a GP or mental health professional.
The symptoms of depression are:

• Feeling sad, anxious or bored
• Low energy, feeling tired or fatigued
• Under-sleeping or over-sleeping,waking frequently during the night
• Poor concentration, thinking slowed down
• Loss of interest in hobbies, family or social life
• Low self-esteem and feelings of guilt
• Aches and pains with no physical basis, e.g. chest, head or tummy pain associated with anxiety or stress
• Loss of interest in living, thinking about death, suicidal thoughts

source http://www.aware.ie/help/information/what-is-depression-2/

Sledge Hammer!

I have 3 or 4 of the 8 unfortunately.

I'm 33 & all my life I've been happy for long periods then very down for periods too. It used to start when I was quite young if a parent or family member left for a week or so. That's my first memory of feeling down. Now I know most kids feel sad if a parent leaves for a few days on end but in my case if an aunt or uncle visited for a week and then went home again I'd be down. I hated change, still do!

Then in my teens I'd only be down if a girl broke up with me etc but to be honest most of my teens were good until I reached 18. That's when I was drinking quite a bit at weekends. Our town was quiet so boredom would get the better of me.

Even though I was bored there I hadn't the confidence to leave it. All my life I've had zero confidence to do anything really. People that know me think I'm very confident & outgoing, but most of the time it's only a good act I put on. So when most of my school mates left my town at 18 to go to college I stayed back at home and worked in a job I didn't like, it too contributed to my severe depression for a good while, but I couldn't leave as I didn't have the confidence to do another job.

By the time I was 20 and 21 it was the worst for me. I was drinking to feel confident then the downers I'd get would last 5 days. I eventually lost my job, through no fault of my own, and I took to the bed for months... I was content doing nothing coz in my room I felt safe. I had no fears or worries in there...

Then things at home became tough due to me not working. My father wasn't happy at that and he was probably right but I literally would panic if I had to look for a job due to lack of confidence, minor social awkwardness etc..

It got so bad 1 day that I dragged myself to the shops , bought loads of different pills in separate shops and I had planned on taking them. I wrote a note saying how I felt etc and I was in bits.. I remember the day exactly. It was the summer time , the sun splitting the rocks and I was in bed with the curtains closed. Nobody knew there was anything wrong with me. My friends had no idea. My family were busy. Anytime I was in bed during the day I told them I was sick.

So I had the note written, pills in hand, I just wanted life to end, but I hadn't the guts to do it (thankfully)

For a year so or after I was in and out of depression, mood swings etc. I got a new job plumbing with a family member. I only took the job coz he was my uncle, i wasn't awkward around him. Things improved for a good while.

Then i decided to go to college. I studied business and Spanish, my confidence grew.. I met new people, it was great. The only times i got depressed in college was either if i had a severe hangover or if some girl finished with me. For some reason, a girl finishing with me always put me badly depressed for months, I've been like that all my life, maybe it's due to rejection or thinking im not good enough.

College ended, i had to enter the big bad world again.. That scared me to death. Here i was again years later back in the same place with no job. The recession was in full swing so regretfully I used that as an excuse..

I want to work, i really do, but the fear of doing an interview, of being the new guy is too much. I panic & worry a lot. I get stressed so easily and that's not good because in 2009 I found out I had an adrenal illness. It's incredible rare. It means my body cannot fight stress, illness etc on its own. I'm convinced I got this illness due to all my worrying and stressing but doctors told me there is no proof out there why the illness exists.

I've only worked bits and pieces plumbing during the recession because i never had the confidence to apply for any jobs in my related degree..

However, I've recently left my home town to move in with my girlfriend because she is a nurse and has a steady job so i made the sacrifice of moving, but now I'm stressed big time coz i need to get a proper job this time round but the old confidence issue is raising its ugly head again..

Currently I'm unemployed. Dread meeting people coz for some reason us Irish love to ask straight away "where are you working these days" so I'm mortified to say I'm not working.

I'm lying in bed which I hate doing but I've no energy or motivation to get up because I'm living in a new village where I know nobody and i dont like it here. I'm here 1 week now....

Most people if they knew would say Cop On, Man Up etc but I can't seem to do that even though I want to.

I just hope I don't end up like i was all them years ago.

Sorry for the long post, this is the 1st time I've ever written it. I've never told anyone..

billy2012

Sorry for your troubles.

Try and focus on the positive - You have a degree, you can do pluming, you have a girlfriend and a roof over your head!!

Do you exercise on a regular basis? If not you should, it's great for the mind and body!!

Maybe you could try and sign up to a few clubs or something in your new location -great way to meet a few new friends and contacts and help you get out of the house.

Have you ever visited a psychotherapist? Talking about your problems is key.
Have you ever been on any medication to help?

Set small goals for yourself and stick to them - your confidence will grow.

Keep your head up.

Pawwed Rig

Thank you for the post Sledge Hammer and for opening up.

As you are in a new town could you goto a GP who can refer you to a specialist? Or if you're not happy going to a local doctor travel up to Dublin or another city and see a GP there. It sounds like you could do with some help or at least a bit of advice from a non judgemental professional. It cannot do you any harm to get some advice.
As your girlfriend is involved in medicine she will be able to point you in the right direction.
Depression is an illness, it is not a mood. It does not get better unless it is treated. There may be good days but it is always there.

Sledge Hammer!

billy2012 wrote: »

Sorry for your troubles.

Try and focus on the positive - You have a degree, you can do pluming, you have a girlfriend and a roof over your head!!

Do you exercise on a regular basis? If not you should, it's great for the mind and body!!

Maybe you could try and sign up to a few clubs or something in your new location -great way to meet a few new friends and contacts and help you get out of the house.

Have you ever visited a psychotherapist? Talking about your problems is key.
Have you ever been on any medication to help?

Set small goals for yourself and stick to them - your confidence will grow.

Keep your head up.

Thanks for the reply.. I know, I'm lucky to have a degree, girlfriend, roof over my head etc and I'm grateful for that, but I just feel helpless at the moment.. It's mainly boredom, confidence issues, anxiety. Don't want to leave the new house in case I bump into new neighbours and we get chatting. It's so embarrassing saying I'm not working. Everyone nowadays is expected to work!!

No, I don't exercise. I used to but I stopped coz if I ever went out for a walk in the day I would occasionally bump into people I knew, so to stop all the "questions" I just stopped walking. Luckily I don't have weight issues.

Haven't been to any professional ever. I don't think I'd be comfortable talking to anyone about it. Nor have I been on medication ever..

Lots of the time I'm fine, it's only certain things that put me on a downer. Mainly having to get a job is the big problem. And now that I've moved it's gotten worse coz I'm expected by people now (girlfriends family) to be working and when they see that I'm not they'll ask questions..

As for goals, I find it incredible hard to motivate myself... Maybe I'll fix my old motorbike up, it can be a project

Sledge Hammer!

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Thank you for the post Sledge Hammer and for opening up.

As you are in a new town could you goto a GP who can refer you to a specialist? Or if you're not happy going to a local doctor travel up to Dublin or another city and see a GP there. It sounds like you could do with some help or at least a bit of advice from a non judgemental professional. It cannot do you any harm to get some advice.
As your girlfriend is involved in medicine she will be able to point you in the right direction.
Depression is an illness, it is not a mood. It does not get better unless it is treated. There may be good days but it is always there.

Thanks for the reply..

I'm not a fan of getting help from GP and then going down the route of medication, however, the advice you suggested I will seek..

It'll have to be professional though, I don't like burdening family or friends with my problems, they wouldn't understand.. They all work. They wouldn't understand why someone would be afraid to get a new job!

My girlfriend knows my fears but I've never fully opened up to her..

mfceiling

There's no stigma attached to anything tbh.

You're not working now - no biggie - you'll have plenty of time to work in the future.

Don't be hard on yourself. Have the mantra that you are in control of the depression and that you are in charge.

Don't be afraid to talk to people. If they ask you what you do - "i'm a plumber, i can give you my number if you need anything doing".

Get plenty of exercise - any time i have troubles on my mind or worries about anything, it is amazing what a 30 -40 minute brisk walk can do.

Chin up sledgehammer!!

country_king

hit me like an express train when I was twenty one , id just returned from down under but had a horrendous workplace experience over there which involved viscous bullying at the hands of a female manager , the bullying was sectarian in nature , I chose to hang around and dig my heels in at that place of business which was the worst thing I could have done , I had what pyschologists call a " delayed reaction " in that the depression didn't hit me until a month after I had said ( goodbye ) to this charming person
was never the same since , depression leaves a permanent tattoo on your soul , even your doing well , you feel guilty about having been so weak that you succumbed and no amount of positive attitudes to the illness helps

Pawwed Rig

Sledge Hammer! wrote: »

I'm not a fan of getting help from GP and then going down the route of medication, however, the advice you suggested I will seek.

How many more years of your life are you going to allow this to destroy? You need to reach out to someone.

You may be correct that family cannot help as people generally don't understand the illness. You may receive support at first but depression does not go away and wears down the goodwill of those around you.

Is your girlfriend happy for the current situation to continue indefinitely? Will she support you financially?

You need to take control of your life and do something positive. An easy first step is seeing a GP. It can be a difficuly conversation but you will be out fairly quickly and never have to see the person again if you don't want to.

Not meaning to be harsh here but you will be amazed how quickly your 20's disappear and then your 30's but nothing will change for the better for you without some action.

C14N

I realise OP is a few months old, but just wondering, how old would you generally have to be to start wanting to get checked for prostate cancer? And is it a form that's relatively easy to recover from if caught early?

Morf

C14N wrote: »

I realise OP is a few months old, but just wondering, how old would you generally have to be to start wanting to get checked for prostate cancer? And is it a form that's relatively easy to recover from if caught early?

A GP once seemed to suggest that 30ish was when they'd include it in general check-ups.

Pawwed Rig

I'm well past 30 and a GP never mentioned it to me. I think it is something you would need to ask for as nothing seems to be offered by our health system

More info http://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information/prostate-cancer/about

If you have the symtoms listed below or are worried about it then ask your GP for a PSA test

Morf

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I'm well past 30 and a GP never mentioned it to me. I think it is something you would need to ask for as nothing seems to be offered by our health system

More info http://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information/prostate-cancer/about

If you have the symtoms listed below or are worried about it then ask your GP for a PSA test

This may just be the habit this certain GP had. I couldn't in the slightest suggest it was policy or anything.

C14N

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I'm well past 30 and a GP never mentioned it to me. I think it is something you would need to ask for as nothing seems to be offered by our health system

More info http://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information/prostate-cancer/about

If you have the symtoms listed below or are worried about it then ask your GP for a PSA test

Oh no, I've got none of the symptoms or anything, I reckon I'm still too young to be seriously at risk. I'm just planning on living long enough to have to worry about my prostate.

bnt

I wouldn't be in such a rush to get a PSA test: it has a false positive rate for cancer of about 75% (source):

Most men with an elevated PSA level turn out not to have prostate cancer; only about 25 percent of men who have a prostate biopsy due to an elevated PSA level actually have prostate cancer.

Pawwed Rig

bnt wrote: »

I wouldn't be in such a rush to get a PSA test: it has a false positive rate for cancer of about 75% (source):

Not strictly true. It is more correct to say a swollen prostate is an indication of a possibility of cancer rather than a diagnosis. A PSA is a good first step if you are worried. Further tests can be carried out depending on the results.

C14N

bnt wrote: »

I wouldn't be in such a rush to get a PSA test: it has a false positive rate for cancer of about 75% (source):

I'd be more worried if they were telling people they were fine when they actually did have cancer. Is that an issue too by any chance?

Pawwed Rig

Apologies, I have neglected this thread recently.

April 2014

source http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/men1839/P...loss-tips.aspx

Many doctors now believe that when it comes to your health, your waist measurement is important.


While knowing your body mass index (BMI) is a good way to decide if you're overweight, it doesn't tell the whole story.
BMI is a measure of how healthy your weight is for your height. You can work out what your BMI is by using our BMI healthy weight calculator.
If you have a high BMI, you're likely to be carrying extra fat. But your health could be at greater risk depending on where you store that fat.
Having a large amount of tummy fat (compared to fat around your bottom or thighs) makes you more likely to develop diabetes and heart problems.
A healthy waist circumference for men is less than 94cm (37 inches), and for women it’s less than 80cm (32 inches).
Losing weight and keeping it off isn’t easy, but it has many benefits. You may only need to make small changes to your lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight.



Why lose weight?
Obesity causes 9,000 premature deaths in England every year and reduces life expectancy by an average of nine years.
It's also linked to serious health problems and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancers of the breast, colon and prostate.
Most people who are overweight can blame their excess weight on eating more calories than they burn.
That means there are two main options if you want to lose weight: eat less or do more physical activity. The best way to lose weight is a combination of the two.


Weight loss tips


You can reduce your risk of obesity-related health problems by losing weight through eating more healthily and doing more physical activity.

It’s not just small changes to your eating habits that can make a big difference. Getting more physical activity also helps you shed the pounds.

Two-thirds of dieters regain all the weight they've lost within four years.

Morf

The Irish nutrition & dietetics institute gives some good tips on eating to lose weight and for active lifestyles/recovery etc..

Link here

Pawwed Rig

We have had a very hot summer and as we are pasty freckled Irish folk our skin may not be upto the task of protecting us from harmful UV. There are 2 types of skin cancers, melanoma and non melanoma skin cancers. Contrary to popular opinion melanoma is actually fairly rare in comparison to non melanoma.

More women get skin cancer in Ireland than men but more men die from it.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-skin/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cancer-of-the-skin/Pages/Introduction.aspx

The main symptom of non-melanoma skin cancer is the appearance of a lump or discoloured patch on the skin that doesn't heal.

If you develop a lump, lesion or skin discolouration that hasn't healed after four weeks, see your GP. While it is unlikely to be cancer, it is best to be sure.

It usually is not a mole.


We here at TGC are conscious that part of our remit is to promote men's health. We are therefore hoping to put together a short bulletin (like the above) to highlight a particular issue on a regular basis. Comment is allowed but as usual as per boards policy medical advice should not be sought or given and should be discussed with a medical professional. If there is anything you would like to see here please pm one of the mods.