Gripe of the day - What is yours?

[Sir Trev]

True. I keep mentioning to my old uni mates that they should all now be getting prostate checks and regular PSA blood tests but they think I'm nuts, even though I remind them my dad has prostate cancer and it's more common than many chaps realise. Dad's was not spotted that early but radiotherapy and the drugs are keeping it at bay for now. If he'd been more proactive instead of putting off asking the quack about his symptoms he would not have been through quite so much over the last five years. At least he's so far avoided chaemo, thankfully, as I remember mum-in-law going through hell with it in her battle against cancer. Truly horrid thing to get!

[Craig380]

Any male over 50 should insist on a PSA test from their GP, to spot any early signs of prostate cancer.

At 54 I had zero symptoms apart from getting up occasionally in the night to p1ss. Not uncommon for a 50-something, I'm sure you'd agree. Anyway, as I hadn't had a cholesterol test for over 4 years, I thought I'd get a 'health MOT' check-up at my GP surgery. Because my dad passed in 2015 with prostate cancer at age 82, I asked if they would test my PSA level too.

I got a call the next day from the surgery asking me to make an urgent appointment to see the GP. "That's not for a high cholesterol level," I thought.

After scans and biopsies (which ****ing hurt, let me tell you), turned out I have an inoperable prostate tumour which had already spread to the bowel, pelvis, spine and ribs. Chemo- and radiotherapy combined with ongoing hormone therapy have halted its progress for now. I'm now nearly 3 years after the initial diagnosis.

So don't be fobbed off by GPs (or anyone) telling you that "Oh, you don't need to worry until you're 55 / 60 / 65," insist on a test. I had zero symptoms, and it was only as an afterthought that I asked for a PSA test - I'm f*cking lucky that I did.

[Luckypants]

What is a PSA test?

[garynortheast]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

What is a PSA test?

Here we go Mike.


https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prosta...r/psa-testing/

[Craig380]

Simple blood test which assesses the level of Prostate-specific Antigen, which is a protein only made in the prostate.

Low PSA levels (i.e. under 3ish) = happy prostate
Higher PSA levels (over 5) = prostate is probably fighting an invader

It's a fairly crude test - a bit like a low-fuel warning light is crude compared to a fuel gauge - but reliable.

[Luckypants]

Thanks Gary. I recently had a (thorough!) prostate exam and blood tests for a problem I have, so I'm good on that score I think. I'll talk to my consultant about it though.

[embee]

Originally Posted by embee

....Once in power they take measures to control state media (e.g. BBC), and then take measures to restrict or neuter the state justice system, at least the bits they don't like which are usually the parts which can hold the government to account. .....

Be careful, we get what we deserve.

Oh gosh, look what they've just done now. Re-write the rules for a standards committee so that one of their MPs who has been found to have committed egregious transgressions of paid lobbying is not suspended.

https://www.reuters.com/article/brit...-idUSS8N2B502B

Well who would have imagined it?

[Seeker]

I am sick and tired of this government tearing up the rules that don't suit them. Owen Paterson MP was found guilty by the independent watchdog, "egregious" was the word they used, when he used his position to benefit two companies for whom he was acting as a lobbyist (and getting paid £100k/yr by them).
By existing rules he should have been suspended but that didn't suit this government so they put Paterson's punishment on hold and will investigate changing the rules.

These people set the rules that we have to live by but blatantly ignore their own rules when they so choose. The standards watchdog called for standards to be toughened up on MPs conduct. Bozo rejected that 2 days ago. Of course he did, "Unethical" is his middle name.
These people are sleazy and they disgust me.
(rant over).

[garynortheast]

Rant away Seeker, I'm in total agreement. They are a bunch of corrupt, unethical slimeballs and sleazebags. They wouldn't know what decent honourable behaviour was if it came and slapped them round the back of their collectively immoral heads.

For example, have a read about this blubbery nonce.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...ff-rob-roberts

[Craig380]

Nye Bevan was right.