Read about the honest and emotional journey of a 59-year-old Montrealer who confronted and navigated the complexities and taboos of prostate-health issues.

Stage 1: Panic! The Bathroom Shuffle

For a time, my life revolved around rushing from one bathroom to another. At work, I would rotate between the different restrooms to avoid detection from colleagues. My weekend grocery shopping revolved around hardware stores—not for the tools, but because they had restrooms readily available. Hiking and other activities included mandatory pauses to “water the trees” (sorry for the visual). Driving anywhere required not only checking for traffic ahead of time but also for locating fast-food restaurants for pit stops every thirty minutes. Nights were not spent counting sheep but rather the number of times I barely made it to the bathroom. I was overcome by an overwhelming sense of shame and urgency. “This isn’t living.” “I am too young for this.” “Do I have prostate cancer? I couldn’t. I don’t even have a will yet.”

Stage 2: Help Me, Doc! A Diagnostic Crossroads

So, I did it: I made the appointment. The dreaded rubber-glove exam. The PSA test confirms it’s not prostate cancer. “But, doctor, I still have all these symptoms,” I told him. Unlike me, my doctor remained calm and said: “It’s probably just BPH. Take this written test (Prostate Score Index) and come back next month.” Easy for him to say, I thought…

Stage 3: A Mirage! My Information Odyssey

Parked in front of my computer, I did a deep dive on the meaning of all the acronyms that took over my life. But all this research still doesn’t cure my problem. In a big-box store, I found a product that promised to relieve BHP symptoms by taking a single pill every day.

Desperate for some relief, I tried it. I finally saw some improvements, however marginal. Looking at the written PSI test, my score went down from severe to borderline moderate-severe within a month. When I went back to my doctor, I was pleased to report this progress. This enabled me to avoid medication that warns of side effects that can be, let’s say, “harmful to a man’s ego” (if you catch my drift).

Stage 4: Relief Is Triumph

I know I am not alone. Other men my age tell me they, too, struggle with this, and out there, it’s every man for himself. In all the chatter, I heard a few guys say they tamed the beast with a natural product called Prostate Perform. Scepticism set in when I heard this, but really, what I did I have to lose? My pride was already shot. While it is a little expensive, I was also tired of my “restroom world tour” routine. So, I gave the product a try, and wouldn’t you know, my PSI score went down to mid-moderate within two weeks.

I now drive past my usual pit stops, for a change. I don’t have to do nature’s work when out hiking. I can mow the lawn without having to rush back inside three times. Sure, I still get up once a night, but that’s not nearly as often as before. And when I go to the hardware store on the weekends, it’s not to use the restrooms: It’s for the power tools. While I may not be a young buck anymore, I know I will be all right.