What to do about an elderly man with dementia and PC

September 1, 2008

Dear Folks,

I joined this group a few days ago. I watched my father die of prostate cancer in 1992, had my first

biopsy in 1999, second in 2003, followed by a laproscopic radical prostatectomy (da Vinci-at least with

a robot, I know) in 2003. The pathology reports indicated that the cancer had been contained

within the prostate capsule, and subsequent PSA tests have revealed no detectable PSA. I just had

another one, so, as always, I'm a little nervous until the results get back.

I'm a member of the gay prostate cancer support group, but joined this one last week, as it's larger,

and my elderly uncle has a tough problem.

My uncle was diagnosed with prostate cancer at around age 75 or so. He decided to do nothing

about it, told his children nothing about it, but had to have heart surgery not too much longer after

that. When he awoke from the anesthesia, he didn't recognize his adult children-and to my

knowledge had shown no signs of dementia or or Alzheimers or anything similar prior to that. For

about 5 years now, my cousin has been taking care of his affairs, while he has gone downhill.

He can no longer speak, his brain function seems to decrease at a slow but constant pace.

At first his conditions was thought to be Alzheimers, but the treatment didn't work, and my

cousin got him in a wonderful sounding family-type house for people affected by dementia

and unable to care for themselves in Michigan. (They lived in Indiana before.)

My cousin called last week, having known that I had a radical prostatectomy, and

she's basically discovered that his prostate has enlarged so much that he's not able to urinate

very well at all. He had a lot of bowel trouble, and they thought the "grunting and groaning"

they heard going on was just from his trying to have a bowel movement.

However, they discovered it was from his trying to urinate, and treating him, in any case, is getting

completely difficult, needless to say. His GP has put him on a regimen of antibiotic on Thusday of

last week and then started using Uroxitrol and Advodart the next day(if I have the names of the drugs

correct). They are beginning to have a good effect, so my cousin reports

Procedures are very difficult for my uncle, even a catheter, as he would not understand it and

would pull it out. It's difficult to find a doctor willing to treat him.

At the moment, I'm preparing for a rather massive back surgery, and can't stay in front of the computer

typing too long. I had to stop taking anti-inflammatories prior to surgery, and it's become very painful..

If anyone has any suggestions or experience in this area, I'd be more than grateful to send them

on to my cousin. She has had a difficult life trying to care for him the last years, and the poor man

has little enjoyment of life left.

Very gratefully,

Steve in FL

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