ADT and SRT Journey Part 4

Saipan Paradise said...
Ken, I'm super proud of you.

I was a basket case, too, the night before my first Eligard shot. Some of it's the fear of the injection -- I remember posting to ask how bad I should expect it to hurt -- but mainly it's submitting oneself voluntarily to castration, even if only chemical. It just don't sit right.

On the T levels: I think it's a guy thing to want Wilt Chamberlain-level normal T. When mine was tested, I was mildly disappointed it was "only" 431. And when Gary posted that his was 660, I wanted to throttle him. Boys will be boys.

Thanks Rich. Is what it is, I guess we all just constantly adjust to an ever changing new normal.

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I am not a doctor, just another guy without a prostate
Dx Age 64 Nov 2014, PSA 4.3
BX 3 of 12 cores positive original pathology G6
RALP with Dr Ash Tewari Jan 6, 2015
Post surgical pathology G7 (3+4), - ECE, - Margins, -LN, -SV (+ frozen section apex converted to negative)
PSA @ 6 weeks 2/15, .<02, remained <0.02 until January 2017, .02, repeat Feb 2017, still .02. May 2017-.033, August 2017- .033 November .046, March 2018 .060. June 2018 .068, July 2018 - .082, August 2018, .078, August 2018 - .08
Decipher test, low risk, .37 score
My story.... tinyurl.com/qgyu3xq
My PSA History - /drive.google.com/file/d/1ltbG8x-iyH3k9pEltudhXt9u1krRwJSH/view?usp=sharing

Might be wrong, it feels like a shot in the arm or butt would hurt for a few days a whole lot less than 2 shots in the stomach. I feel like I got hit by an 18 wheeler. If it’s worse tomorrow I’ll be paralyzed. And I’ve got a colonoscopy on Monday🙄.

Question...I didn’t get too much into the weeds with the RO re prep. Does everyone get markers put up their but before SRT post RALP? Or just tattooed dots?

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I am not a doctor, just another guy without a prostate
Dx Age 64 Nov 2014, PSA 4.3
BX 3 of 12 cores positive original pathology G6
RALP with Dr Ash Tewari Jan 6, 2015
Post surgical pathology G7 (3+4), - ECE, - Margins, -LN, -SV (+ frozen section apex converted to negative)
PSA @ 6 weeks 2/15, .<02, remained <0.02 until January 2017, .02, repeat Feb 2017, still .02. May 2017-.033, August 2017- .033 November .046, March 2018 .060. June 2018 .068, July 2018 - .082, August 2018, .078, August 2018 - .08
Decipher test, low risk, .37 score
My story.... tinyurl.com/qgyu3xq
My PSA History - /drive.google.com/file/d/1ltbG8x-iyH3k9pEltudhXt9u1krRwJSH/view?usp=sharing

Tats for me. Got them twice. First ones faded.

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DX @ Age 64 4-17; Fusion biopsy G 7 Bone and CAT Neg
1999 PSA 3.0 chronic prostatitus
PSA 4-15 7.7
PSA 11-15 8.9
Biopsy 12-15 Neg
1-17 13.7
2-2017 14.7
RALP 6-14-2017 G 9 4+5; pT3a;pNO; + b neck
PSA 7-7-2017 .11
PSA 8-10-2017 .1
PSA 9-20-2017 .11
PSA 10-31-2017 <.01
HT Casodex 11-27-17 end 5-28-17; Lupron 12-7-17 1 six month; RT 12-4-2017, 39 treatments
PSA <.01 3-18: PSA <.01 7-18

No thanks, I’ll pass if I have the choice 😎

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I am not a doctor, just another guy without a prostate
Dx Age 64 Nov 2014, PSA 4.3
BX 3 of 12 cores positive original pathology G6
RALP with Dr Ash Tewari Jan 6, 2015
Post surgical pathology G7 (3+4), - ECE, - Margins, -LN, -SV (+ frozen section apex converted to negative)
PSA @ 6 weeks 2/15, .<02, remained <0.02 until January 2017, .02, repeat Feb 2017, still .02. May 2017-.033, August 2017- .033 November .046, March 2018 .060. June 2018 .068, July 2018 - .082, August 2018, .078, August 2018 - .08
Decipher test, low risk, .37 score
My story.... tinyurl.com/qgyu3xq
My PSA History - /drive.google.com/file/d/1ltbG8x-iyH3k9pEltudhXt9u1krRwJSH/view?usp=sharing

Thanks, sounds like no markers for me. One of our fellow members told me that her husband had the markers Placed before SRT started, in fact it was done the same day as his first Firmagon shot

As for today, I feel like I got hit by a bus. Stomach is super sore from the injections. Feel like I slept 3 hours even though I slept 8. No real appetite. Going to push myself to walk today, maybe lift some light weights.
Colonoscopy Monday, hope I’m in better shape for that.
One day at a time right now

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I am not a doctor, just another guy without a prostate
Dx Age 64 Nov 2014, PSA 4.3
BX 3 of 12 cores positive original pathology G6
RALP with Dr Ash Tewari Jan 6, 2015
Post surgical pathology G7 (3+4), - ECE, - Margins, -LN, -SV (+ frozen section apex converted to negative)
PSA @ 6 weeks 2/15, .<02, remained <0.02 until January 2017, .02, repeat Feb 2017, still .02. May 2017-.033, August 2017- .033 November .046, March 2018 .060. June 2018 .068, July 2018 - .082, August 2018, .078, August 2018 - .08
Decipher test, low risk, .37 score
My story.... tinyurl.com/qgyu3xq
My PSA History - /drive.google.com/file/d/1ltbG8x-iyH3k9pEltudhXt9u1krRwJSH/view?usp=sharing

Tattoos for me, then lasers on the RT machine line everything up. The mold done at the simulation affixes to the table with four clips, keeping you immobile during the zapping. On Monday, after the room is quiet fo the weekend, the mold is cold — techs told me one guy freaked out when they strapped him in one Monday.

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Age 76, Dx at 75
Psa 7/13=8 with BPH, 9/17=20.44
7/20/17, Biopsy, 5/12 cores PCa all right side, Gleason 4+3
Laparoscopic surgery MSKCC 10/31/17, left nerves spared, pathology T3aN0, G4+3, focal EPE, negative margins,
Continent but ED
12/14/17-psa 0.10; 1/25/18-0.11, 3/5/18 - 0.12, 3/30/18 - .12, 4/30/18 - .14, bone scan and MRI negative
6 months Lupron 4/30, SRT 7/2-8/28 (40 treatments)

For your short course you probably do not need to be concerned. It may cause you to become osteopenic if you are not already, but the long term complications of using Prolia or bisphosphonates just isn't worth it in the short term. Fosamax is alendronic acid which I believe is a bisphosphonate. My oral surgeon told me that he will not work on anyone who has EVER had bisphosphonates. Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a major side effect.

I requested that my RO order a DEXA scan when he started me on Lupron. The was because I had already been osteopenic for over a decade, from around the time of my leg injury. So naturally I was concerned about more bone loss. Turns out the Lupron didn't make very much of a difference. I was low before and I'm still low now.

I think the guys on lifetime HT probably have more reason to be concerned, so don't worry about it.

But it is disturbing that doctors don't think to even mention these kind of things to their patients.

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2014-15: PSA's 9, 12, 20, 25, Neg DRE's, false neg TRUS biopsy
6/16: MRI Fusion biopsy, 6+ Right Base, 2x40%, 2x100% G8(4+4)
8/16: DaVinci RP, 3 foci EPE, PNI, 11 LN-, 53g gland 25% Gr4, BL SVI, pT3b
1/17: started 18 months Lupron, PSA's ~.03
5/17: AMS800 AUS implanted, revised 6/17
8/17-10/17: RapidArc IMRT 39 tx (70 Gy), 4/18 Dx Radiation Colitis
1/18, 4/18, 7/18: PSA's 0.0, T=9

Hey guys the joint pain for me has been the worst SE's lately

Larry

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Male 62 DX @ 60
Dad had PC
2002. Psa. .08 Enlarged Prostrate
2014. Psa. 3.8
2016. Psa. 19
3-08-17 RP Mayo, Mn
Gleason 9, pt3b, SV + 1 nerve, N-Margins 35 LN removed clear
Prostrate 45 grams
4-20-17 Incarcerated Umbilical Hernia
6-13-17 psa 0.13
7-19-17 psa 0.12 3TMRI with coil - clear
10-11-17 psa 0.16
10-12-17 Lupron
12-13-17 psa <0.10
12-18-17 SRT
2-7-18 SRT done 72gy
4-25-18 psa <0.10

What's your hurry?

Ken--
Which hand did you use?
Seriously, low T won't necessarily prevent you from getting an erection, but over time you're likely to lose interest in sex (loss of libido). I've had sex a couple of times in recent weeks but it took a lot of coaxing.

Finished SRT yesterday. Lupron depot will last two more months. RO said T might not recover for a year, and he hopes psa will stay undetectable but if it doesn’t we’ll deal. He also said to exercise as much as possible to push through fatigue or laziness.
Rang the bell quietly out of respect for those in the waiting areas who have longer to go and brought cookies to thank the techs.

Post Edited (Progressing) : 8/29/2018 7:00:45 AM (GMT-6)

Congratulations Progressing, on a job well done.

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I am not a doctor, just another guy without a prostate
Dx Age 64 Nov 2014, PSA 4.3
BX 3 of 12 cores positive original pathology G6
RALP with Dr Ash Tewari Jan 6, 2015
Post surgical pathology G7 (3+4), - ECE, - Margins, -LN, -SV (+ frozen section apex converted to negative)
PSA @ 6 weeks 2/15, .<02, remained <0.02 until January 2017, .02, repeat Feb 2017, still .02. May 2017-.033, August 2017- .033 November .046, March 2018 .060. June 2018 .068, July 2018 - .082, August 2018, .078, August 2018 - .08
Decipher test, low risk, .37 score
My story.... tinyurl.com/qgyu3xq
My PSA History - /drive.google.com/file/d/1ltbG8x-iyH3k9pEltudhXt9u1krRwJSH/view?usp=sharing