It's almost Movember!

[Guest]

My supervisor from my first job was diagnosed with prostate cancer @ 60 yrs old (about 5 yrs ago). He had the surgery and has been doing well ever since - he even showed up to my wedding shower to wish me well on marriage #2! I have known a number of people where it didn't work out as well. Early detection + diagnosis goes a long way towards offering you more options and oppotunities.

FWIW - I get 'the check' annually as part of a comprehensive examination since cancer runs in my family, though I started getting that exam as part of my OSHA Medical Monitoring Exam which promised to be a THOROUGH examination.

I think men in general are more uncomfortable talking about health problems, especially when it involves sensitive issues. But, I think it's better than it used to be. Too many easy ways to take care of yourself to let some disease take you out.

I am pretty open about discussing many things; however, I generally don't discuss men's health issues like this since I am not personally/directly affected. It makes it a bit more difficult to talk about without that basis, at least for me. Perhaps it shouldn't be that way but that's where having an awareness month really delivers since it does get people talking about it.

JR

 

[csb]

Heart disease kills way more women than breast cancer, but it's more fun to talk about ****s and wear pink.

Same for men, but you guys don't seem to really have another risk factor overshadowing that.

 

[Dleg]

I had my first "digital rectal exam" this year. Funny, up until the last minute, I did not fully comprehend what they meant by "digital", and I still don't believe it was just one finger doing all of that....

Excruciating, to say the least. But better than the alternative.

 

[maryannette]

Heart disease kills way more women than breast cancer, ...

My aunt died of breast cancer about 40 years ago. Breast cancer does not kill many now because of awareness and routine exams and testing. Hopefully, one day we will have more early tests and better treatments and no one will need to die of cancer. Same goes for heart disease - many women AND men could be more proactive about heart disease. There are great medicines now, so even if you have risk factors, you can live without fear of heart attack or stroke. The key is to be PROACTIVE!!!

 

[TouchDown]

I had my first "digital rectal exam" this year. Funny, up until the last minute, I did not fully comprehend what they meant by "digital", and I still don't believe it was just one finger doing all of that....
Excruciating, to say the least. But better than the alternative.

Stop clinching, just accept it and back into it a little, say, "ohhh yeah". I find that makes it much more relaxing.

 

[EM_PS]

^ Lol! then do a little chinese finger trap action making the doc really have to yank to get his finger back -

our move necessitated a new family doc, of which she is actually rather attractive (wife really wanted a woman doctor). . . i hope i don't clench up out of nervousness. . .or worse :blush:

it'll be a wash on the size of the fingers though, unfortunately she's got man-hands

 

[Dleg]

^Or worse???? I can only imagine - the "stimulation" part of it makes you feel like you're going to let loose in every possible way, if you know what I mean.

 

[EM_PS]

Heh. I remember reading a letter to the Playboy advisor (way back) where a guy wrote in saying how he had sprung a raging hard-on during a physical he had performed by a female doctor. I don't really remember the quest he had or the response, just thought how hilarious that would be were it to happen in real life. clinical settings don't really scream 'turn-on' for the vast majority.

 

[cement]

ok, show of hands, who has had a colonoscopy?

you think a finger is bad, try a movie camera and a reel of cable!

 

[wilheldp_PE]

ok, show of hands, who has had a colonoscopy?
you think a finger is bad, try a movie camera and a reel of cable!

My buddy had one last year at age 28. He was having some bleeding problems (we'll leave it at that), so his GP recommended he have a colonoscopy. The proctologist didn't find anything in the scopy, and told my buddy "Don't come back for another 20 years."

 

[csb]

ok, show of hands, who has had a colonoscopy?
you think a finger is bad, try a movie camera and a reel of cable!

I thought the bad part of that is the cleanse the night before?

 

[maryannette]

ok, show of hands, who has had a colonoscopy?

I have. I'm 51. I think my doctor was shocked when I didn't object to scheduling the procedure. The prep the night before WAS the worst part.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

My Dad has had radioactive contrast agent tracer shakes before CT scans. Apparently its hell on the lower GI tract, and there's no warning of an impending barium bowel blowout. Lost a good pair of pants that way one time.

 

[maryannette]

eeeewwwwwwwwwwww!

 

[roadwreck]

ok, show of hands, who has had a colonoscopy?
you think a finger is bad, try a movie camera and a reel of cable!

I've had one, it's really not bad at all. The prep is the worst part and even that isn't that bad.

 

[PE-ness]

^***.

(not that there's anything wrong with that)

 

[cement]

My buddy had one last year at age 28. He was having some bleeding problems (we'll leave it at that), so his GP recommended he have a colonoscopy. The proctologist didn't find anything in the scopy, and told my buddy "Don't come back for another 20 years."

that was just about exactly my experience

 

[roadwreck]

^***.

Dick

 

[Dleg]

LOL!

 

[maryannette]

MO!