Got irritable bowel? As many as 40 percent of people who go to the doctor with gastrointestinal problems suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (alternating diarrhea and constipation); dyspepsia (uncomfortable fullness or pain in the upper abdomen, heartburn, or other digestive problems); or gastroparesis (the stomach muscles or the nerves that drive them stop working, and […]
It’s the dream for getting older: stay healthy, don’t get decrepit, keep all your marbles, and have a good life. The four horsemen of the anti-apocalypse. Nobody can guarantee this, and if anyone does, don’t trust that person any farther than you can chuck him or her! However: You can give it your best shot, […]
They lost each other, and found each other again. They’re in this for the long haul. No way is prostate cancer going to change that. One of the best things about writing for the Prostate Cancer Foundation is the opportunity to meet amazing, unforgettable people. There are two exceptional people in this story: one is […]
If you’re a young man diagnosed with prostate cancer, maybe your first thought is, “Am I going to die?” And then, “What’s the best way to treat this?” And then: “Will I ever get my life back?” And here’s the thing: By the time they get to that third question, a lot of men get […]
I would like to begin this story with two words for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the inept brain trust whose misguided advice in 2012 stopped millions of men from routine screening for prostate cancer. Coincidentally, there was an upswing in men – including guys in their 40s and 50s – who were […]
In 2013, Allan Odden was 70, newly retired from a career as a college professor, in good health, walking four miles a day, playing golf and bridge, and ready to enjoy many more years with his wife, Eleanor. When he went for his yearly physical, his doctor asked if he wanted a PSA test to […]
I’m in my seventies. My doctor said I don’t need any more PSA tests because I’m too old to worry about it. Is that right? It depends on you and your PSA history. There are some troubling statistics, which I will get to in a minute. But first the good news: If you are in […]