# Poll: give up sex forever, or die **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2014, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388 "2014-06-09T06:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/61 "2014-06-13T04:45:04Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Um, wow. This is _exactly_ my experience. They did the 12 cores, 11 were fine, 1 was “can’t rule out carcinoma”. So I’m now in limbo. > > So: you were in my exact shoes at that point. What did you do, and how did you find out if you did or didn’t have prostate cancer? Sorry, thought I mentioned it already, but the needle didn’t find any cancer. (found a lot of pain, hahaha) Just a 59 YO with BPH and a damning family history in that regard. Nothing to do but “watchful waiting” ---
**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/62 "2014-06-13T05:00:30Z")
Meant to add, I sympathize with your condition, may not come across well with these typed characters. I’m older than you by 8 and PSA lower by 3 -odd. But I suppose we share the anguish and rage resulting from trying to cope with a situation we’re unable to exert control over. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/63 "2014-06-13T05:01:07Z")
> [@4d3fect](#): > > Sorry, thought I mentioned it already, but the needle didn’t find any cancer. (found a lot of pain, hahaha) Just a 59 YO with BPH and a damning family history in that regard. Nothing to do but “watchful waiting” Huh. My doctor corrected me when we discussed my biopsy non-result, that “watchful waiting” is when you have a positive cancer diagnosis and it’s not serious enough - yet - to warrant action. _Not_ an inconclusive biopsy and no diagnosis. If you don’t have a positive result of some sort, you can’t do “watchful waiting”. So you basically took no action at that point, and here you are? ETA: how much later? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/64 "2014-06-13T05:13:02Z")
> [@4d3fect](#): > > Meant to add, I sympathize with your condition, may not come across well with these typed characters. I’m older than you by 8 and PSA lower by 3 -odd. But I suppose we share the anguish and rage resulting from trying to cope with a situation we’re unable to exert control over. Thanks much for that. I know what stress we both face(d) is not special to whatever specific cancer scare we share(d), and I hope nobody viewing this thread thinks that. It’s frightening being half-diagnosed for a scary condition that may kill you worst case, and drastically alter your life best case, and prostate cancer is one in a long list of these. But the feeling of being in that position, whatever that cause, is a really difficult one. ---
**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/65 "2014-06-13T05:30:32Z")
Two years. annual check-up status at this point. He’d be happy to prescribe BPH maintenance drugs, but I’d have to have a sharp uptake in unpleasant symptoms to rationalize that kind of approach. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/66 "2014-10-02T05:28:01Z")
Update. Sorry if this is in the weeds medically, but I thought I’d follow up for the thread. 1. Blood work after 3 months was worse. My PSA is 11 vs PSA 8 three months previous. Which is very concerning. A PSA “velocity” (where the numbers steadily increase) can be indicative of aggressive cancer. A man my age should have a PSA of 2.5 or less. Mine changed by 3 total in 3 months, a _huge_ change. BUT: 1. My 2nd biopsy results were all clear. No cancer. Zip. Next steps: 2 months (!) of antibiotics to see if this is prostatitis of some sort. Followed by another PSA test in the 3rd month. I asked my doctor today, “what would convince you that I _don’t_ have cancer,” his answer was, “when your PSA stops changing.” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/67 "2014-10-02T07:13:14Z")
good to hear everythings fine. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388/68 "2014-10-02T07:35:10Z")
OP, I just want to let you know that you choice is NOT between death or no sex. There are tons of options for men who have erectile issues post surgery, if you even have to go that route. If Viagra doesn’t work, then there’s shots or pumps, as another poster said. There’s also multiple kinds of implants. If for some reason you can’t do that, there are other ways to be intimate, and even ways for you to orgasm without an erection. Take care of your health, but know that your intimate life is not over, if you’re willing to put some effort into it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-give-up-sex-forever-or-die/690388.md?page=3)