Dealing with Anxiety &  

As a Christian with stage four metastatic disease. I have found that praying in the morning has been very helpful. I don’t necessarily pray for myself, but for others. If I have any anxiety at all, by the time that I’m through praying it’s gone. I also believe that exercise helps a great deal.

Actually starting treatment is a big relief. You get a feeling that you and your team are aggressively fighting the disease.

Thank you. My husband is having his biopsy on Thursday. We have been listening to your videos and are very grateful for your content.

I'll never forget the phone call on Jan 25, 2021, from my Urologist's office informing me I had cancer with a Gleason score of 10. I was in the middle of working out. I took the call, hung up, reflected upon it, started my music, and kept working out. Later, I told some friends, and one offered to call me to ensure I was okay. I reminded her that 5 years prior, I went through a highly contentious divorce that landed us in court. In the middle of all that, my last surviving parent passed away. I told my friend once you've stared into one hopeless, dark abyss, you've seen them all. Not to be flippant, surviving those turbulent times made aggressive cancer seem like a walk in the park.

I'm just starting down this path, recent blood test brought a psa level of 76.6, had MRI and bone scan, and been told just from the MRI results that cancer is present and has also spread into the pelvis, currently waiting for biopsy, and I'm climbing the walls trying to stay strong for family but it's hard

Excellent video, as always. There was no family history of PCa in my family, so when I was diagnosed in 2010 at the age of 52, I was dumbfounded and went into full panic mode. I was also completely ignorant about the disease, how it progresses, and the various treatment options. Initially, I put that panic to good use educating myself as quickly as I could. I bought the book, "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer," which was a great primer. I cherry-picked the chapters/sections that were applicable to me at that point in time. Having something to focus on helped bring the anxiety level down a notch or two. However, as I neared making a treatment decision (too quickly in retrospect), the anxiety level went through the roof again. Each PSA test after surgery brought another round of anxiety as I awaited the results. The further out from the surgery, the PSA tests became more a matter of routine with substantially less anxiety with each successive "undetectable" result. As I was closing in on the 5-year mark, my PSA became detectable again, and my anxiety went into orbit on the initial news. Each subsequent PSA test brought back more anxiety. Fast forward several years and my PSA finally hit the biochemical recurrence threshold of 0.20 ng/mL in July 2021 (doubling time had been measured in years). It kept climbing though, and we opted to do salvage radiation therapy (SRT) with concurrent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in advance of the SRT. Going for the Eligard injection (in my stomach) sent the anxiety level through the roof again. I guess it was the unknown that scared me. Now, almost 2 years after the SRT ended, it's clear that it failed, too, as my PSA is the highest it's been since initial diagnosis. At this point, I've come to terms with the fact that I will be dealing with PCa for the rest of my life, and my anxiety level is pretty low. One thing I do agree with is Alex's comment about not going through this alone. I was single at the time of diagnosis (still am), and I made it a point to tell my friends and coworkers not long after being diagnosed. Some people thought I was nuts, especially telling my coworkers, but many turned into an excellent support network for me. Some of those who I thought I could depend on ran away the fastest, and some who weren't much more than acquaintances were my greatest supporters. Doing so also connected me with other prostate cancer patients at work, and they shared their experiences which was incredibly helpful. The best way to lower anxiety is to educate yourself on what's ahead. Sometimes, that anxiety will be replaced with frustration, as you'll often come across conflicting guidance when it comes to treatment plans. You'll just have to have good conversations with your medical team to sort through it all, and then make the best decision possible with the information at hand at the time based on your own quality of life goals. Dansjourney dot com

Always great information. Alex you do such a great facilitator.

I was just diagnosed with prostate cancer and a Gleason score of 8. I'm very anxious about the side effects of either radiation or surgery. I didn't realize that I won't be able to produce the fluid used in seaman. I feel that the side effects will make me feel like an old man. I'm only 63 and it seems like I may have to wear diapers or be up every 2 hours during the night to go to the bathroom. I do have a therapist and psychiatrist. I hope to get support by talking to them. I will meet with the radiologist and surgeon next week to discuss the pros and cons of each type of treatment. I hope these meetings will help with my anxiety. This video was exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks!!

I have found that knowledge about prostate cancer from reliable sources like PCRI who do not have a financial interest in pushing one treatment or the other is very comforting. When I was first diagnosed, the fear of the unknown was my greatest cause of anxiety. After viewing your materials, I am better able to put prostate cancer in the proper framework.

Alex and her advise have given me the greatest relief from my anxiety Thank You

Very timely subject as today I am having my PSA blood draw - 6 months since last. I find my meditation helps me to cope and calm my nervous energy and negative thinking. I honestly think that there is no "magic" formula to completely eliminate our "jitters" and we just have to cope and accept the reality of tests.After all, the point of the tests are to be proactive in treatment if there is a reoccurrence.

Dr Scholz Is spot on again. I've been on ADT for 1 yr now and I can relate to the dreaded getting My PSA checked every 6 months , the anxiety really raises it's ugly head at that time for me. My next check is in a few weeks so I try to get my mind on something else. I'm one of those people who has very little support but lucky enough to have that one friend who relates with me. Now that I have learned through this adventure and got my PSA down to .02 this makes the PSA check very noteworthy for me and almost can not even compare it to where I was 1 yr ago , so thanks for getting all this out there for the whole spectrum of patients dealing with all this.

Thank you. As always excellent advice. At 64 I’ve always considered my self pretty level headed. Always have been able to handle stress and even tragedy with a pretty even keel. Had my first ever panic attack just as my biopsy was being completed. Thankfully my urologist recognized what was happening and was extremely compassionate throughout. The anxiety associated with this process has been by far, the worst part of it both for myself and my wife.

When i first found out i have it i was more worried about telling my wife as her brother had died of PC a few years earlier at age 65. It hadnt hit me yet. It has been mentally challenging going through this. Been doing the gym for 20 years and exercise for me has been a good way to deal with stress. Just finishing sbrt this week.

I had some anxiety only on ADT , exercise helps alot but watching PCRI videos is the best tool to learn, Thank you Alex ,Dr. Scholz, 4+3 teal , 6 mos. shot Elligard, 5.2 psa , 28 ebrt treatments, two months out of treatment.

I have been on 22.5 lupron depo and casodex for over 2 years. I am definitely way more emotional than I ever was. My doctor's have given me a Holliday from treatments for now. My PSA was over 200 when treatments started it has just dropped to .99 on last test. I was just tired of the side effects of the treatments. So they are hoping my quality of life improves. I am at stage 4 now.

After the initial shock of my diagnosis (stage 4) 12 months ago (which was a bombshell) I have managed my anxiety using a few techniques. Keeping working on my mornings- this has been great for taking my mind off negative thoughts and the camaraderie of my friends at work has been great) . The second is using exercise - I have learned to love my bike rides into work every day- they help with the fatigue from the meds and I also feel that I am doing something positive to fight this. Keep the videos coming-they’re great

Thankyou folks. All a big rush with the NHS, think I’m on their ‘upstart’ list as I’m not in a rush! Declining the nuclear bone scan has led me to being offered PSMA PET scan which I had a couple weeks ago.

Most anxiety was from waiting for biopsy (6 weeks) and doing appointments to select a radiation oncologist. The latter was at times overwhelming.

I’m stage 4 having successful treatment. This podcast is very helpful.

I waited 5 months for a Biopsy, the lack of Doctors is a big issue.

Had surgery coming up on three years ago. Immediately after surgery found I have metastatic prostate cancer. PSA has gone from 12 before surgery (Gleason score 3+4 7) to recently accelerated 29. Had Pet scan and bone and CT scans last year and am scheduled for PSMA Pet scan, bone scan and CT scan with contrast next week. Haven’t started hormone therapy yet, but oncologist is recommending starting in a clinical trial using ADT and a new drug. Anxiety has been with me in various intensity since diagnosis. My doctor recommended medical cannabis last year. It has been very successful in helping sleep at night and in taking the edge off of panic attacks. Pretty low dose, so I don’t actually feel “high” but the edge is loosening from the anxiety and depression. Not looking forward to the side effects of hormone therapy.

I found that most anxiety came from the unknown as usual. It kind of forces you to take things a day at a time. I would literally get up and say to myself, ok what do I have today. The organization I chose had a nurse advocate that I could call anytime with questions or concerns. That really helped a lot. After 4 consults. I ultimately chose radiation without hormone therapy. I had 3 cores positive. 1 Gleason 7 with just 10 percent of that being the 4. Had 45 treeatments of radiation with minimal side effects. I am very grateful. If anyone would like to reach out to me for questions, please feel free. Bill

Thanks for your comments..very informative

DHT has a calming effect on the male brain. Removal of DHT results in anxiety and severe panic attacks. My DHT was reduced by about 70% when I was on Propecia years ago. I suffered from horrible panic attacks. I can't imagine how bad it would be with Hormone Deprivation Therapy where the DHT levels are brought down to 0%. :(

Your page sure calmed me down a lot!!!!

Great video. Thank you!

Haven't had a full diagnosis yet, and yes, the anxiety is tremendous.

Thanks!

Thank you Dr Scholz and Alex ... Healthy as an Ox all my life, so I feel lucky to have found you when I got diagnosed .. your videos helped me choose from the various options ... I went through this alone, Including a HoLep procedure while taking care of an aging/declining disable vet brother ... in the middle of my 8 weeks of treatment (ADT/EBRT) I had to put him in a nursing home ... I finished my treatment 2 days before Christmas with a sigh of relief, but exhausted to my core ... sadly, my brother passed away in his sleep the next day ... rough year ... but just had my 4 month check up and PSA is undetectable, as well as my yearly wellness, great blood work, etc ... every one of your videos I watched educated me and reduced my anxiety .... steep learning curve for sure ... ironically, I began to tell friends and even strangers of my diagnosis and discovered many, including friends had also gone thru the same as I, it's more common than we think ... it's just not a topic most men speak of in polite society ... I'm about as optimistic as one can be at this stage knowing I done about all I can do at this stage (69 yrs old) ... and believe ones attitude also plays a big part in overall health ... and I'm hopeful that when the ADT wears off to return to more normal living ... I even got a little fly fishing in this spring, something I hadn't done in 10 years .... even got the senior discount on my fishing license .... lol ... I love Dr Scholz's calm, concise nature

My anxiety is high… HDR two weeks ago this Thursday simulation… For 5 days of SBRT treatment… I have to stop second-guessing myself…

The video discusses the psychological impact of prostate cancer treatment on patients, particularly focusing on the anxiety and distress caused by erectile dysfunction (ED) and other side effects. It emphasizes the importance of addressing the mental health aspects of prostate cancer treatment to help patients maintain a positive outlook and improve their overall quality of life. "As we navigate the challenges of prostate cancer treatment, it's essential to remember that our mental well-being plays a significant role in our overall health. Anxiety and stress related to erectile dysfunction and other side effects can be overwhelming, but by acknowledging these feelings and seeking support, we can empower ourselves to overcome these obstacles. Let's continue to have open conversations about the emotional aspects of prostate cancer treatment, and together, we can create a more compassionate and understanding community."

What bothers me is that even if the treatments are successful, I will end up a shell of the person that I am now. I know what it looks like to die from prostate cancer and it is not nice. I know that there will come a time when I will need to end my life to keep cancer from determining the same. I don't know how much time I have before I have to make that decision or how it will happen. The only time I am at rest now is when I am asleep.

anexiety gives me anxiety

As a facilitator (Alex)

I feel lost hopeless and empty because i really have no one to talk too about my stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. Doctors are sub standard where i am at . Please help

I watched my wife die of cancer now I have cancer anxiety is putting it mildly

Please remember some prostate cancers are aggressive and spread and grow quickly.

Please change the spelling of “anxiety” in the title of this video. 😉

Multi billion dollar business industry . More cancer patients = more profits $$$.