What to Do When You’re Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer
Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is something that millions of men dread and fear. You should know that being diagnosed with prostate cancer isn’t a death sentence. When you have prostate cancer there are certain actions that you should take. Here’s an insightful guide to help put you move forward after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Don’t Let it Get to You
The thing you need to focus on after a prostate cancer diagnosis is on staying calm. Don’t start watching your life flash before your eyes and rapidly descending into despair. Just being diagnosed with prostate cancer doesn’t mean that you are going to die.
As long as you have a talented doctor and a positive mindset, your chances of beating the disease will be better than most. As you will discover later on, finding the right doctor to manage your prostate cancer and administer treatment is key to defeating the disease.
Ven if your prostate has to be removed surgically, it’s important to remember that there will still be plenty of things to enjoy in life. Having your prostate removed isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of a new life that’s cancer-free.
Update Your Will
While it’s important not to panic, you should at least make an update to your will. Don’t get morbid and start picking out funeral options, just make sure that your will is updated.
Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s always a good idea to keep your will updated because anything can happen. When you update your will, don’t just jot something down on a piece of paper, make an appointment with an attorney and have one drawn up officially.
Seek Out a Second Opinion From a Qualified Urologist
As soon as you’re diagnosed with prostate cancer, you should seek a second opinion from a qualified urologist. Although you should take your initial diagnosis seriously, it doesn’t hurt to get checked out at a different facility to make sure it’s accurate.
It’s worth noting that it’s not always wise to undergo aggressive forms of treatment right away. If you have low-risk prostate cancer, it can be disadvantageous to treat it aggressively. So why isn’t it a good idea to dive straight into aggressive treatment options like radiation or surgery?
It’s important to hold off on such options because you can spare yourself from unnecessary radiation. As long as you monitor the progression of your prostate cancer carefully, you can potentially save yourself the trouble of going under the knife and subjecting yourself to an invasive surgery as well.
Keep in mind, surgery is sometimes necessary, although not always. The key is to monitor your prostate cancer continuously and take a cautious approach. In other words, just because you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer doesn’t mean that you have to go in gun blazing as it were and have the whole thing surgically removed right away.
Remember, surgical removal of the prostate can affect sexual functionality. If a doctor tells you that you have prostate cancer and asks you to schedule surgery right away, you should take a step back and get a second opinion from an experienced urologist.
Here at Z Urology, our team can help you determine what treatment option is best for you. We can also help you decide whether it would be best to simply stick to a regiment of active surveillance before committing to more aggressive treatment options.
Work Out a treatment Plan with Your Urologist
When active surveillance is no longer a viable option and you have to choose between radiation and surgery, it’s important to work out a strategic treatment plan with a urologist.
It’s worth noting that your age plays a key role in determining which treatment option can deliver the best result. For example, older patients tend to get better results from radiotherapy as opposed to surgery. There are several reasons for this.
First of all, the older you are, the riskier surgical removal of the prostate becomes. Another reason why radiotherapy is preferable to elderly men is the fact that surgery is more likely to induce impotence, incontinence, or both in older patients.
Conversely, younger patients tend to benefit more from surgical treatment options. That’s because younger people are more likely to survive a surgical procedure. They are also less likely to suffer from side effects like impotence or incontinence upon having their prostate surgically removed.
The key to choosing the best treatment option starts with choosing the best doctor to manage your prostate cancer which brings us to our next discussion.
Make Sure You’re Working with the Right Doctor for the Job
When it comes to prostate cancer, it pays to have a talented doctor. Remember, not all doctors are equal in terms of skill, knowledge, and experience. If you choose to pursue treatment for prostate cancer under the care of an inexperienced physician, you would be doing yourself a disservice.
Think of it this way, the more skill and experience your doctor has, the more favorable your outcome will be. This doesn’t just mean that having a competent doctor can help improve your chances of survival, it also increases your chances of avoiding undesirable side effects like impotence as a result of botched treatment.
Partner Up with a Winning Team by Making an Appointment with Z Urology
If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer or you believe that you may have prostate cancer, you’re advised to call the team at Z Urology right away. Z Urology has one of the best and most talented urology teams in South Florida. We cover a lot of ground and we have a wealth of experience.
We can beat this, but we have to beat it together which is why you need to call and make an appointment as soon as possible. Remember, when it comes to something as serious as prostate cancer, every second counts.
You can visit our website directly and schedule an appointment at your convenience or call us at 954-714-8200!
We can’t wait to hear from you!
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