Let's face it, a lot of men are stupid and put off going to the doctor.

 

My wife's uncle didn't go to a doctor for maybe 40 years and earlier this year they found a grapefruit sized mass in his rectum. He ignored all the signs until he was basically forced to see someone. Four months ago he was 130 lbs and I would have given him about a 0% chance of surviving. He gave up, mentally and physically. I don't blame him as he was going through hell and back. Fast forward to the present, he is going to always have a little cancer in him but he will probably die from something else. Maybe lung cancer since he still smokes and even did throughout chemo. LOL (smh)

 

Moral of the story, his doctor said the mass was probably growing for 20 years.

 

I don't care how embarrassing or whatever it is, GO TO THE DOCTOR.

 

I've always said, if insurance covers it, I'm going to have every single test there is as soon as I can.

 

I'm almost 49, I did the "poop in the bucket" a few years ago, got my PSA checked a month ago, and I'm doing the full blown colonoscopy next month.

 

Life is too short/precious to not get checked out.

@HawkeyeSmallie, I go to the doctor, they recommend the tests. Then high dollar insurance policy denies them 

PSA every year, and got a colonoscopy at 45, which is the recommended age now and covered by most insurances. Had a buddy whose was found during an optional aspect of a work physical. He opted in to the digital examination after telling his doc about some symptoms he’d been having. 100% saved his life but just barely. It’s very treatable if caught early!

 

PS - Colonoscopy prep is no joke but the actual procedure is nothing. Doc said I had a remarkably clean healthy colon. I attribute that to regular doses of Taco Bell to flush the the system!

I'm going to have to burn that colonoscopy bridge in a few years.  A necessary evil in the walk of life.

About 20 years ago, I went in for a required FAA biannual flight physical.  The doctor I usually used was famous for doing the paperwork correctly and not doing a thorough exam.  He was of course very popular because a pilot new they were going to pass the physical, and the paperwork would be done correctly.  Failing a physical, or one mistake on paperwork can be a nightmare.  I wasn't able to see the my normal doctor that day, and was forced to look in the phone book for another doctor that could do the physical.

 

This doctor was extremely thorough.  He listened to my heart detected a  murmur, and recommended i see a cardiologist.  Of course I didn't go see the cardiologist, and only after the FAA rejected my physical and sent me a not in the male that my flying privileges were revoked did I even consider going to the heart doctor.  The FAA required me to pass a treadmill test as well as many other more complicated heart tests.

 

I was furious at the physician.  I called him up and cussed him out.  I had just gotten back from guiding a backpack bear hunt on kodiak Island, was in excellent shape and never felt better.  All of my friends called me an idiot for getting a physical from someone I didn't know.  I told the doctor to make an appointment for the stress test, and I would run the bearings off of the treadmill.  When the cardiologist listened to my heart, he refused to let me get on the treadmill.  He immediately did the other tests, and called a heart surgeon. Two days later I was having open heart surgery on a defective heart valve.  My cardiologist told me I would have been dead in a few months if I hadn't had the surgery.  It turns out I owed that doctor an apology and my life.

 

I eventually recovered from the surgery and was allowed to fly as a private pilot.  The Coast Guard also gave me the ok to renew my captain's license so I was able to go to work after only a few months.

 

I feel so ashamed that I actually thought the doctors were trying to ruin my life, when in reality all they wanted to do was save it.  I may get a second opinion, but I will never again discount a physicians advice.  I take all recommended tests, and medicine as prescribed.  I should have been smart enough at the time to know doctors only want to help their patients.  

3 hours ago, gim said:

I'm going to have to burn that colonoscopy bridge in a few years.  A necessary evil in the walk of life.

They are a breeze. That’s one thing insurance companies will approve for me since my brother had colon cancer 

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

They are a breeze. That’s one thing insurance companies will approve for me since my brother had colon cancer 

My Grandfather died from colon cancer. I get mine every 3 years.

They’ll give me one every two years, hopefully forever 

After considering advice from your doctor or after doing your own research,  have any of you decided not to get PSA tests?  

5 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

After considering advice from your doctor or after doing your own research,  have any of you decided not to get PSA tests?  

No I get them twice a year, 

 

Getting PSA tests is what saved my life, and that of millions of others.  So yes, I'd do it all over again!  I wouldn't hesitate at all.

 

It's important to understand that a PSA test does NOT test for cancer.  In essence, it checks for symptoms the COULD indicate cancer, but there could be many other causes for an elevated PSA result.

 

If you do get elevated results, further testing is required to determine the cause.  A 4K test, MRI, and then possibly a biopsy are needed before a diagnosis can be determined (I did all three).  Once diagnosed, I had several CT scans plus a PET scan to thoroughly understand the situation and determine next steps.

 

So, a PSA is a basic test, a "check engine" light, if you will, that simply tells you whether further testing is needed.  You should never seek any kind of treatment solely based off a PSA test.

5 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

After considering advice from your doctor or after doing your own research,  have any of you decided not to get PSA tests?  

I was having symptoms and the doctor did the exam and it was extremely painful so she ran a PSA then. 

On 9/27/2025 at 9:05 AM, Tennessee Boy said:

After considering advice from your doctor or after doing your own research,  have any of you decided not to get PSA tests?  

Dr. said due to my age I will die of old age before prostate cancer would kill me;  no more PSA tests are necessary.

With me it's the lung cancer that'll beat the prostate...

That was a rough year, indeed. We went through the

losses of both Mom and Dad and the estate stuff. I am

the youngest of 5, so wasn't so involved in it, but I saw

the stress it caused for two of my sibs.

 

As for your struggles, very glad to hear it is cured and 

you are back in the saddle.

 

I'll echo the visit to the doctor at least yearly for the 

physical/bloodwork testing. After my Mom died, Dad

went to the doc and was basically ushered into the 

OR for a quadruple bypass. He joined the zipper chest 

club. His advice to me: he wished he listened to his Dr

years earlier when he was urged to go on a statin.

 

I had been resisting that, too, but the next Dr. visit I

told him the story and that I would take them on his

recommendation. Ounce of prevention. Now if I could 

ever get in @A-Jay level shape.... 😐

Faith and the mustache will get you through.  The prayer list is never too full to add another name.

 

On 9/27/2025 at 12:02 PM, Glenn said:

Getting PSA tests is what saved my life, and that of millions of others.

 

I grew up near a shipyard (think WWII) and an Edison power plant (coal powered until the mid '70s) and as a result the cancer rate here is very high.  I was also a career Firefighter, which raises my risk significantly.  I get my PSA tested annually, with full body scans every other year.  

 

 

Doc wants u to take a statin, do so. 10 plus yrs. for me with good results.

Good Health 

On 9/28/2025 at 12:38 PM, MN Fisher said:

With me it's the lung cancer that'll beat the prostate...

 

Sorry to hear that.

 

Were you a smoker? Or worked in conditions that caused it?

 

Down here, radon is very common. I'm a large advocate for getting your house checked. A $15 test kit from Amazon is all that is needed. I've talked a lot of my clients into testing their house and many have elevated levels. Very common here in Iowa, and our cancer rates are near the top in the US.

^ 55 year smoker

So I saw an oncologist Monday and he said my PSA test was all normal……. Only problem is I never knew they did a PSA test 😂 

 

But that’s good news, I think it was over a year ago and I had absolutely no clue 

Did my first colonoscopy a few weeks ago or so.

 

You have to drink a bunch of stuff but that's the worst part.

 

The rest is a breeze.

 

I had two polyps but they came back fine.

 

Get your butts checked out fellas. 

Get an endoscopy at the same time.  You already have an empty stomach and you're there, so....

 

I know too many people that had no idea they had throat cancer until they had symptoms. By then, the treatments involve surgery.  My brother-in-law passed last year due to complications from throat surgery after being diagnosed with throat cancer.

 

A few years ago, I had an endoscopy and was diagnosed with pre-cancerous (Barrett's syndrome).  It was cured after getting on a prescription for acid reflux plus a slight diet modification.  Far better than surgery!

 

Now I always do both "scopes" at the same time.

They also told me adding the endoscopy only takes and extra half hour or less