Interview 08
More about me...
Speaks positively about his experiences with TURP.
Speaks positively about his experiences with TURP.
Well they arranged the appointment pretty quickly because it was a private medical health so it was all done in a few weeks. Then I went into the hospital and it was a fairly straight forward operation, no complications, a bit messy because you've got these tubes, it's an irrigation system of water flowing round you and they keep that going until it takes on a special colour you know a very light red colour and then they disconnect it and you heal up.
So that's what they call a Trans Urethral Resection is it, they just take a little bit of prostate away to make it easier for you to pass urine?
Well chip away, they do it, they do it sort of, it's keyhole surgery. And I, it took me quite a few months to recover full health actually, I was a bit feeble you know. When I came out of hospital after about 10 days.
Explains that impotence has not altered the relationship with his wife.
Explains that impotence has not altered the relationship with his wife.
Do you mind me asking do the hormones affect sort of sex drive at all?
Well I don't have any [laughs].
Was it the same before and after or different?
After the operation of course, no you don't lose your sexual instincts then, but since I've been taking, having this implant he did say to me 'You'll become impotent, impotent I should say,' and low and behold I have. But at 70 I'm not that worried, it hasn't altered any relationship between myself and my wife. I mean by the time we were reaching 70 it wasn't exactly the end of the world and it's just something, it just doesn't happen any more that's all. I mean you don't think about it, I mean I'm, I think our relationship is fine, we're just as affectionate as we always were but no there isn't any sexual activity.
Describes the problems with hot flushes after hormone treatment.
Describes the problems with hot flushes after hormone treatment.
And you say you get these hot sweats during the day or at night?
Oh they're a real pain the hot sweats, I think I probably aggravate them because I do like hot tea, I like hot drinks and usually they come on soon after I've had a hot drink. But the annoying part is when they come on during the night because whereas I would normally have slept, I'm a great sleeper, I sleep very well, always have, obviously they wake you up and if they wake you up you go into the bathroom, but they are sticky and clammy and they last for about 5 minutes. Now a friend of mine who also has had this treatment he has been taking something called Red Berries which is a sort of herbal treatment and he says it certainly reduces, cancels out these hot flushes. I mentioned it to the specialist and he said well he couldn't see any reason I shouldn't take them if I wanted to. His view was he could give me tablets to reduce the hot flushes but they might have side-effects of upsetting the tummy so I rejected those. But the Red Berries may work but as my blood count has gone up this last year I thought well I'm not going to interfere with anything, I'll just leave it as it is. But no the hot flushes, I suppose I might get half a dozen during the day and a couple at night. Not, they're not serious they're just rather uncomfortable that's all. So they make you very, very wet and sticky for about 5 minutes and then they go off and no problem.
Comments how the catheter was removed before leaving hospital.
Comments how the catheter was removed before leaving hospital.
Did you come out of hospital with the catheter?
No, no, no that was all taken away, like all these things if you don't know you're pretty alarmed and when they said they were going to take it out I thought my God this is going to hurt [laughs] but it didn't because it's a deflatable thing and it goes in and comes out, no problem, but you know there's the apprehension of not knowing what's happening. But the operation was very simple I think.
Considers that people do not treat him differently after his openness about the cancer.
Considers that people do not treat him differently after his openness about the cancer.
Explains how he tries to enjoy life as much as possible.
Explains how he tries to enjoy life as much as possible.
Comments how the catheter was removed before leaving hospital.
Comments how the catheter was removed before leaving hospital.
No, no, no that was all taken away, like all these things if you don't know you're pretty alarmed and when they said they were going to take it out I thought my God this is going to hurt [laughs] but it didn't because it's a deflatable thing and it goes in and comes out, no problem, but you know there's the apprehension of not knowing what's happening. But the operation was very simple I think.
Describes the problems with hot flushes after hormone treatment.
Describes the problems with hot flushes after hormone treatment.
Oh they're a real pain the hot sweats, I think I probably aggravate them because I do like hot tea, I like hot drinks and usually they come on soon after I've had a hot drink. But the annoying part is when they come on during the night because whereas I would normally have slept, I'm a great sleeper, I sleep very well, always have, obviously they wake you up and if they wake you up you go into the bathroom, but they are sticky and clammy and they last for about 5 minutes. Now a friend of mine who also has had this treatment he has been taking something called Red Berries which is a sort of herbal treatment and he says it certainly reduces, cancels out these hot flushes. I mentioned it to the specialist and he said well he couldn't see any reason I shouldn't take them if I wanted to. His view was he could give me tablets to reduce the hot flushes but they might have side-effects of upsetting the tummy so I rejected those. But the Red Berries may work but as my blood count has gone up this last year I thought well I'm not going to interfere with anything, I'll just leave it as it is. But no the hot flushes, I suppose I might get half a dozen during the day and a couple at night. Not, they're not serious they're just rather uncomfortable that's all. So they make you very, very wet and sticky for about 5 minutes and then they go off and no problem.
Explains that impotence has not altered the relationship with his wife.
Explains that impotence has not altered the relationship with his wife.
Well I don't have any [laughs].
Was it the same before and after or different?
After the operation of course, no you don't lose your sexual instincts then, but since I've been taking, having this implant he did say to me 'You'll become impotent, impotent I should say,' and low and behold I have. But at 70 I'm not that worried, it hasn't altered any relationship between myself and my wife. I mean by the time we were reaching 70 it wasn't exactly the end of the world and it's just something, it just doesn't happen any more that's all. I mean you don't think about it, I mean I'm, I think our relationship is fine, we're just as affectionate as we always were but no there isn't any sexual activity.
Speaks positively about his experiences with TURP.
Speaks positively about his experiences with TURP.
So that's what they call a Trans Urethral Resection is it, they just take a little bit of prostate away to make it easier for you to pass urine?
Well chip away, they do it, they do it sort of, it's keyhole surgery. And I, it took me quite a few months to recover full health actually, I was a bit feeble you know. When I came out of hospital after about 10 days.