Haq

Age at interview: 73

Age at diagnosis: 67

Brief Outline:

Following his father's death from prostate cancer in 2000 Haq had a series of PSA tests followed by a biopsy confirming prostate cancer. He had a prostatectomy in 2005, radiotherapy in 2006 and hormone therapy in 2009. He is currently taking Bicalutamide (tablet), also known as Casodex.

Background:

Haq is a retired manufacturing business owner who is married with three adult children. Ethnic background is Bangladeshi.

More about me...

Haq’s father died from prostate cancer in May 2000 in Bangladesh after being diagnosed late. This alerted Haq to the possibility that he also may be at risk from prostate cancer so on his return to England he spoke to his GP who referred him to hospital where a PSA test was done. He took part in a research project which involved measuring his PSA and digital rectal examinations every few weeks for six months. When his PSA rose to 7.5 he was sent for a biopsy which indicated he had early stage prostate cancer. The consultant explained the two treatment options of surgery or radiotherapy. Haq chose surgery as it was explained to him that if he had surgery and it was unsuccessful then he could still have radiotherapy but if he chose radiotherapy first and it was unsuccessful then he could not have surgery.

Haq had his prostate removed in May 2005 but six months later his PSA was beginning to rise again and in 2006 he had 30 radiotherapy sessions. While he had little incontinence after his surgery he had difficulty in controlling his ‘waterworks’ after the radiotherapy and while this eased at times he was always conscious of it. He continued having regular PSA checks and his PSA level began to rise again and after bone and bladder scans he was told he still had prostate cancer. In November 2009 he began three-monthly injections of Zoladex hormone treatment. He has had continuing problems with urinating and was prescribed a self-catheter which he still uses once a week. In October 2010 he had another biopsy and was told that he still has prostate cancer and the only option for him was Cryotherapy. He is not keen on Cryotherapy because of the low success rate and the side effects. He is also unhappy with the Zoladex as he experiences hot flushes and other side effects. He feels that he is one of the unlucky ones in his experience of prostate cancer and is uncertain how to proceed with treatment. He now copes with the incontinency and takes it for granted that it is something he will have to continue to cope with. At the back of his mind he knows that he is living with cancer and it worries him that it might someday spread.

Interview conducted in 2011 by Anne Montgomery.

Haq had symptoms for about six months. Passing urine was difficult and painful.

And did you have any symptoms at all yourself?

 

Yes I had the symptoms, I had difficulty passing water like whenever I, an urge and if I don’t go straight away, I hold it for a while then I couldn’t start.

 

I had to so painful start and then, this is something I was I actually experienced.

 

And how long had you had that symptom for?

 

Oh about six months.

Haq explains why surgeons found it impossible to remove all of his prostate.

But only thing I wish, I think, okay it’s too late now, I had the perineal prostatectomy, which they call it, from the back like you know, should I have had it from the front? Probably it would have been a bit different, but I decided to go from the back like you know, which was a keyhole sort of thing, and the surgeon who did the operation, suggested that, “Okay you’ll be alright it’s no different from the open surgery from the front”, but unfortunately when they opened me up and they found difficulty, it was not so easy, and for some reason or other my prostate gland was stuck just under the bladder, so they couldn’t remove it completely, that was it, so now I am, what I’m thinking probably it would have been better if I had have gone the other way like you know, maybe, or not, this had to happen like you know (brief laugh).