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chemotherapy to begin

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User
Posted 27 Oct 2015 at 20:16
February 2013 Dad diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Implants, medication brought psa down. Started Enzalutamide but psa rising slowly. Now offered chemotherapy. Worried about prognosis and time left. Any help welcome
User
Posted 28 Oct 2015 at 06:54
I am sorry but I can't help on what extra time chemo will bring however I have advanced Pca and had chemo and RT in jan to May this year, the side effects were mere annoyances at worst but the result was that on a recent full body MRI there were " no visible signs of cancer". I know it is still there in my nodes and blood but treatment has to have given me extra time for minimal inconvenience.

We are all different I know and can't say if it was the chemo, RT or HT but hope that gives you some comfort In the worth of having chemo. I would certainly have again if my onco thought it may give me more time again.

I wish you and family some good times to come.

Kev

Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019

User
Posted 27 Oct 2015 at 23:49
Hi I haven't yet had the experience of chemo, but many here have and most tolerate it reasonably well and even feel better for much of the time. The horrible "how long" thoughts come to all of us in the metastatic camp, but honestly, there is no one answer. Look at Allahays, he's well into his second set of chemo and has done very well (at least the first time round, I won't pretend the second has been easy for him), but I do know several men who have gone through it twice and have enjoyed many happy days as a result. I think we all know that the disease will catch up one day, but all we can really do is hope that day is far off, no point in worrying your life away.

I hope you get some other replies, I'm not sure why this has been missed by the team!

Take care and enjoy every moment, long or short, it's what we do and it has worked for us so far,

Love Allisonxx

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User
Posted 27 Oct 2015 at 23:49
Hi I haven't yet had the experience of chemo, but many here have and most tolerate it reasonably well and even feel better for much of the time. The horrible "how long" thoughts come to all of us in the metastatic camp, but honestly, there is no one answer. Look at Allahays, he's well into his second set of chemo and has done very well (at least the first time round, I won't pretend the second has been easy for him), but I do know several men who have gone through it twice and have enjoyed many happy days as a result. I think we all know that the disease will catch up one day, but all we can really do is hope that day is far off, no point in worrying your life away.

I hope you get some other replies, I'm not sure why this has been missed by the team!

Take care and enjoy every moment, long or short, it's what we do and it has worked for us so far,

Love Allisonxx

User
Posted 28 Oct 2015 at 06:54
I am sorry but I can't help on what extra time chemo will bring however I have advanced Pca and had chemo and RT in jan to May this year, the side effects were mere annoyances at worst but the result was that on a recent full body MRI there were " no visible signs of cancer". I know it is still there in my nodes and blood but treatment has to have given me extra time for minimal inconvenience.

We are all different I know and can't say if it was the chemo, RT or HT but hope that gives you some comfort In the worth of having chemo. I would certainly have again if my onco thought it may give me more time again.

I wish you and family some good times to come.

Kev

Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019

User
Posted 31 Oct 2015 at 12:04
Thank you Allison and Kev. I know that no one can answer the 'how long 'question. It's just so hard. Seeing my Dad who was the strongest man looking tired and worried, lost thinking about the possibility of chemotherapy. It seems like the final chance for him. I've spent the week crying, dazed thinking about it. But I know that this is about him and I need to just be strong for him and my family.
User
Posted 31 Oct 2015 at 21:26
I know Minny, I spent the first few months mainly in secret tears, and still have my moments five years on. We have been super lucky, the highest Gleason score, mets in bone and lymph and yet, somehow, my miracle man hubby is ok. He is currently on an old form of HT (Stillbestrill) which has given us two years of a reasonable life and still we have all the new drugs and chemo left in the tool box. You just don't know how things will be, five years ago we were on our knees and yet, here we are. You simply have live your life, and hope for the best.

Hugs

Allison xxx

User
Posted 31 Jan 2016 at 07:38
Can't remember when I last posted but since then my Dad has rapidly declined. Loss of mobility over December, radiotherapy was given (5 doses) and was working well (was independently mobile last week ). He started to decline on Tuesday and was diagnosed with a cheat infection on Wednesday. By Thursday we had him rushed to hospital and was told sepsis and perforated bowel (which my have self healed ). He has improved greatly but yesterday were told that the perforation was and is unlikely to self repair. Dad will eventually succumb to the infection. Been told days, weeks months. Dad is in good spirits and wishes to continue treatment for as long as possible (IVAB). Doctors are pushing to stop treatment and send Dad to a hospice for end of life care. But as long as he wants treatment I'll make sure that he gets it. So he didn't get to have chemotherapy but maybe that is a good thing as he was so worried about it
User
Posted 31 Jan 2016 at 09:18

So sorry your dad is going through the mill minny.

Is he eating at all? I know they must be sorting fluids through the IV as well, but I just wondered whether he would be able to take in some live yoghurt.
The IVAB will be hard on an already stressed system. I had it for over a week many years ago and it played havoc with appetite etc.

I wish him (both of you) well and can only suggest that you treat each day as a new day and get as much out of it as your dad is capable of. The fact that he still wants to be treated is a positive isn't it.

Best Wishes
Sandra

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
 
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