The Start Of It All

It was three years ago today that my journey started.

Like many others, I suspect, it all came from a casual discussion with my GP. I had been taking tablets for high blood pressure for just over a year and this was the first annual review of my medication. I asked my GP if wanting to pee frequently at night was a possible side effect of the tablets. At the time, and even before the appointment, I wasn’t overly concerned about this although on reflection I guess it must have been important enough for me to ask him.

I can’t remember when I first became aware of the need to get up in the night, and I have thought about it many times since, but it must have become more noticeable sometime during 2016. I was also going fairly often in the mornings but I put this down to the number of hot drinks I have before lunch. I don’t recall that the urge to go had ever been a problem when away from home.

My doctor explained that the tablets wouldn’t be the cause but that it could instead be an indicator of a problem with my prostate. This was the first time I had even thought of that connection but it is of course the “ground zero” of my journey

The doctor carried out a rectal examination – the first of many I had with various consultants it would turn out – but could find no evidence of swelling. Like all good doctors he tried to reassure me that cancer was unlikely but recommended I take a blood test to measure something called the PSA Level.

That was Friday 2 September and I had the blood test on the Monday after the weekend.