If you can't ask it here...?
I am 54, and yesterday had a routine physical exam. I had proctocolectomy/JPouch surgery 2.5 yrs ago. Part of my physical was prostate cancer check - that is, digital rectal exam. But both the doctor and I got pretty squeamish about halfway thru, and we mutually called it off. I guess neither of us is confident we understand what is "down there" -- is the JPouch sm...all? Is the surgical attachment to the anus fragile? How far is it safe to penetrate? We agreed to just start with the PSA blood test -- and only if that indicated any concern would we refer the further examination either to my GI doctor or perhaps to a urologist.
Were we being prudent, or way too tentative?? I know most doctors are not directly familiar/experienced with JPouches. Since I got involved with all this medical stuff in the past four years I have become much more open, accepting etc - but yesterday, at that part of my exam - well let's just say I did NOT feel so open. I apologize for the nature of this question, but like I began: If you can't ask about this here, where else could we learn about other people's experience with this? Thanks, all.
~~ Frank ~~

I had a J-pouch for years and found general practioners unwilling to stick their thumb in my but. So, I did the blood test and everytime I had a pouchoscopy, I had the gastro do it.
Dave

Hi Frank. The only person who can really answer that is your own surgeon, so if he's still around I'd say it's worth checking your concerns with her/him.

Equally, though, I'm very surprised that another medical professional was squeamish about it. A simple check like the finger test for prostate, if done properly, should still be perfectly possible. Your prostate is still (obviously!) in the same place. As long as he is gentle (and he should be anyway), it should be completely fine. Some medics seem a little paranoid about us pouchers for some reason, but we have fingers and cameras up there all the time. Also, as a gay guy, I've had plenty up there ;-) (with the approval of my suregon) so a little finger isn't going to do any harm.

I am not sure what a finger test accomplishes or proves. At your age you should be having Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests. My 64 year old uncle just had his cancerous prostate removed yesterday. He had been having blood tests done every 6 months due to creeping PSA totals the past 2 years. There was a big jump on the last test in December, they biopsied the prostate and it found cancer. Apparently the cancer was in an area of the prostate where there was no lump, which had been felt on manual examination.

The prostate was removed laporoscopically but I was advised he was in a lot of pain postsurgically, and hooked up to a morphine drip/pump.

I should note that the efficacy of the PSA test is the subject of some controversy but it is FDA approved. I have also read that one should refrain from ejaculating semen for 24 hours prior to any PSA test.

That happened to me too. It was causing too much pain, so my gp asked me to have my surgeon do it.