http://www.youtube.com/wa...AiQLlgEr2o

http://www.youtube.com/wa...Lc_LOIEi0U

http://www.youtube.com/wa...WokQ3311k8

This is very funny but on a serious subject!

[Edited 6/4/07 3:44am]
[Edited 6/4/07 3:46am]

Classic - men can't even make others aware of their health needs by making their own damn thread about it. Takes a woman to do it for them. Thanks, Rhonda! I'll give this a look. I made a commitment earlier this year to monitor my health better; I finally went for a doctor's checkup after too many year (I won't say how many). I see my allergist and dentist regularly, now I've got to commit to the rest.

I walk 9 miles a day with 33 Ibs on my back. Will that help?
[Edited 6/4/07 15:49pm]

Scooter said:

Are you a mailman??

i'm a man and my health is suffering this week.

Stax said:

If the physician has a finger in the anal cavity, with the turn and cough, it's a prostate exam.

http://www.webmd.com/pros...ectal-exam
Any health questions at all, go to "webmd"..... this site has medical info that physicians refer to, for data.
[Edited 6/4/07 19:39pm]

Milty said:

Line up boys...

CynthiasSocks said:

CynthiasSocks said:

U would LOVE my doctor!

and that that pic is an OSHA image!!!

Rhonda has me by the balls, and damnit, I like it.

madartista said:

Oh really!? I have a hot latino doctor. He's not gay, but real cool with our people. He knows all about Drew and I, what he's been through and what it's done to me. Everyone that goes to him (I work in a pharmacy down from his business, they send many Rxs to us) loves him, haven't heard one bad thing about him. He takes good care of me... and pretty much gives me what I ask for!

Time to take your temperature boys! ...rectally!

Mach said:

dentist also!

CynthiasSocks said:

GOOD !

Mach said:

nope. i'll go in September, as per usual.

madartista said:

GOOD !!

Rhondab said:

YOU JUST WANT A REASON TO PUT YOUR FINGER IN MY ASS DON'TCHA!!!???

WHAP!!!

DexMSR said:

do I need a reason?

Rhondab said:

No....just a "Goal"....or how do they say it....a "Happy Ending"!!!

DexMSR said:

make you pack ya bags for the last and final time....believe that...

Rhondab said:

He he he he he he.....

Marry Me!

DexMSR said:

Set a date...

Rhondab said:

U think we could invite the Org?

I had my yearly full physical last April....everything except the finger in the ass. I've got to go back this month and have my cholesterol re-checked and I know it's not going to be good.

DexMSR said:

a "celebration" invasion

The Prostate and Prostate Cancer
What is the prostate?
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that only men have. It is part of the reproductive system that makes the fluid that carries sperm. As you can see in the picture below, the prostate is located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder. The urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) runs through the center of the prostate. As men age, the prostate tends to increase in size. This can cause the urethra to narrow and decrease urine flow.


What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is made up of cells that do not grow normally. The cells divide and create new cells that the body does not need, forming a mass of tissue called a tumor. These abnormal cells sometimes spread to other parts of the body, multiply, and cause death.

What causes prostate cancer?
As with many types of cancers, medical experts do not know what causes prostate cancer. They are studying several possible causes.

Can prostate cancer be prevented?
Medical experts do not know how to prevent prostate cancer, but they are studying many factors. They do know that not smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, staying physically active, and seeing your doctor regularly contribute to overall good health.

How common is prostate cancer?
For the general population, a man in his lifetime has about a

16 percent chance (1 in 6) of being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
3 percent chance (1 in 33) of dying from prostate cancer.
The older you are, the greater the risk for getting prostate cancer. See the chart below.


Who is at increased risk for prostate cancer?
While all men are at risk for prostate cancer, some factors increase risk:

Family history. Men with a father or brother who has had prostate cancer are at greater risk for developing it themselves.


Race. Prostate cancer is more common in some racial and ethnic groups than in others, but medical experts do not know why. Prostate cancer is more common in African-American men than in white men. It is less common in Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American men than in white men.
Is prostate cancer serious?
Some prostate cancers become a serious threat to health by growing quickly, spreading beyond the prostate gland to other parts of the body, and causing death. Yet other prostate cancers grow slowly and never become a serious threat to health or affect how long a man lives. Doctors can't always be sure what type of cancer is present in your particular case.

Among the leading causes of cancer death in men, prostate cancer is second, behind lung cancer. When compared with all causes of death in men over age 45, prostate cancer ranks fifth.


What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Many men with prostate cancer often have no symptoms. If symptoms appear, they can include

Blood in the urine
The need to urinate frequently, especially at night
Weak or interrupted urine flow
Pain or burning feeling while urinating
The inability to urinate
Constant pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. Keep in mind that these symptoms are also caused by other prostate problems that are not cancer, such as an infection or an enlarged prostate.

Prostate Cancer Screening
What does “screening” mean?
Screening means looking for signs of disease in people who have no symptoms. So screening for prostate cancer is looking for early-stage disease when treatment may be more effective. The main screening tools for prostate cancer are the digital rectal examination (DRE) and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The DRE and PSA test cannot tell if you have cancer; they can only suggest the need for further tests.

What is the DRE?
The DRE or digital (finger) rectal examination is a quick exam for checking the health of the prostate. For this test, the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum. This allows the doctor to feel the back portion of the prostate for size and any irregular or abnormally firm areas.

What is the PSA test?
PSA stands for "prostate-specific antigen." PSA is a substance produced by cells from the prostate gland and released into the blood. The PSA test measures the PSA level in the blood. A small amount of blood is drawn from the arm. The doctor checks the blood to see if the PSA level is normal. The doctor may also use this test to check for any increase in your PSA level compared to your last PSA test.


As a rule, the higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present. But many factors, such as age and race, can affect PSA levels. Some prostate glands produce more PSA than others. PSA levels can also be affected by

Certain medical procedures
An enlarged prostate
A prostate infection
Because many factors can affect PSA levels, your doctor is the best person to interpret your PSA test results.

How accurate are the screening tests?
No test is right all the time, and that is true of the PSA test and DRE. The PSA test is better at suggesting that small cancers are present, especially those toward the front or sides of the prostate gland, or deep within it. But the DRE can sometimes help suggest cancers in men with normal PSA levels. That is why both the PSA test and the DRE are usually performed.

If 100 men over age 50 take the PSA test,

85 will have a normal PSA (though a small number of these men will have a cancer that was missed by the PSA test).
15 will have a higher than normal PSA and require further tests.
After further testing, results will show

12 do not have prostate cancer.
3 have prostate cancer.
What do medical experts say about screening?
Medical experts agree that every man needs balanced information on the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening to help him make an informed decision. Balanced information is important because medical experts disagree about whether men should be screened regularly for prostate cancer.

Medical experts who encourage regular screening believe current scientific evidence shows that finding and treating prostate cancer early, when treatment might be more effective, may save lives. They recommend that all men who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years should be offered the PSA test and DRE annually beginning at age 50. They also recommend offering screening tests earlier to African-American men, and men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer.

Medical experts who do not recommend regular screening want convincing evidence that finding early-stage prostate cancer, and treating it, saves lives. They believe some of these cancers may never affect a man's health, and treating them could cause temporary or long-lasting side effects like impotence (inability to keep an erection) and incontinence (inability to control the urine flow, resulting in leakage or dribbling). Because they believe it is unclear if the potential benefits of screening outweigh the known side effects of treatment, they recommend that all men be given information on the pros and cons of screening before making their own screening decision.

When will medical experts know more?
Medical experts are working together on major research studies to get answers. These studies are called clinical trials. They will help determine whether a man who gets screened regularly is less likely to die of prostate cancer than a man who does not get screened. Clinical trials involve thousands of male volunteers and take a long time. Results are expected in five to 10 years. They should help experts know if screening for prostate cancer saves lives.

Should I be screened for prostate cancer?
The decision is up to you and your doctor. Know your risk factors for prostate cancer and the pros and cons of screening.

Pros: "I will take the screening tests because they will give me peace of mind. It could mean finding a problem, taking further tests, and treating a potentially serious prostate cancer. And because there's no way to tell if the prostate cancer will cause problems in the future, I want it found early when treatments might be more effective."

Cons: "I will not take the screening tests until medical experts agree that finding and treating prostate cancer in its early stages reduce the chance of dying from it. Screening tests could lead to further tests and treatment of a prostate cancer that may never cause problems. And treatment can have serious side effects."

Follow-Up Testing
What if the results of your screening tests indicate that you might need further testing?
Do not panic. Most men who go for further testing do not have cancer. If your PSA test or DRE suggests a problem, your doctor most likely will refer you to a urologist (a doctor who has special training in prostate-related problems). Additional testing is necessary to determine if the problem is cancer or something else.

The urologist may perform a transrectal ultrasound—a small probe inserted into the rectum that bounces sound waves off the prostate, producing a video image. Transrectal ultrasound does not provide enough specific information to make it a good screening tool by itself, but some doctors find it useful as a follow up to a suspicious DRE or PSA test.

If the urologist suspects cancer, tiny samples of the prostate may be removed with a needle. This is called a biopsy. A biopsy is usually performed in the urologist's office. The samples are examined under a microscope to determine if cancer cells are present.

Thank you for this Rhonda. I have sent an e-mail to my husband. He's one of those brothas that won't go to the doctor unless I beg (cue the James Brown music):



PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!

In 3 days TR and I will celebrate the 1 yr anniversary of his successful prostate cancer surgery



what a yr