Types of Treatment

Hi again, it's a difficult time when you are spoilt for choice. I agonised for ages, along the lines of:

Wait and see.  but the chances were never going to improve, and it's not in my nature. Took 5 seconds to reject.

Surgery  Pain and incontinence are possible?  With all the surgeries I've had, it's taken years or months to recover. The chance of permanent incontinence is not an option in my world, so rejected.

Radiotherapy.  I chose this option because it doesn't have the risks above. I was led to believe that this was a one shot option, if it didn't work, then there's nothing more to be done. I kept second guessing myself and worrying if I'd made a mistake, so I rang and have a wonderful chat with the specialist nurse at the urology department. She patiently explained "OF course, there is something else we can do". What we can't do is give you another dose of radiotherapy, but we CAN control it with hormones, or if that doesn't work, we've got other drugs. This control could well be effective for many years. Plus whose to say if further surgery will be successful.

So choice made! I got on with it.

Some months of pills and injections were needed before radiotherapy started. Not particularly nice, with hot flushes, spells of fatigue, and putting on weight. There are things you can do to control this, but I think it's something to be aware of.

Then off for radiotherapy. 20 days, ie 4 weeks Mon to Friday. You soon get into the rythym of arriving at the appointed time with empty bowels and full (ish) bladder. For the first few days, I had a pessary to insert, but if I had my time again I'd just have a bowl of bran instead.

On the odd day about a week into the treatment, I had loose bowels, but the actual RT was  non event, just lie on the table for 5 minutes and let the pretty nurses fuss around you, the equipment whines for about a minute, then it's "see you tomorrow"

You meet the same gang of daft old men each time, waiting their turn, having a laugh and pulling each others legs.

After 20 weeks, you get to ring the bell , and everybody cheers and wishes you well.

The treatment ended 4 or 5 weeks ago, the hormone treatment still affects me slightly, but I feel more energetic every day. Within a few days, it felt like it never happened.

Recovery has been almost another non event, I get just a slight increase in urgency to go for a number one.

Whilst a decision is an entirely personal matter, I'm very happy with my choice, and I'll live with the consequences. The consultant looked at my scan with me and his last words were, " we expect to cure this one, we aren't trying to control it", which is encouraging.

I'll know if he's right in 6 months time, when we check my PSA.

There are no guarantees in life, but you are starting from a better position than I, you have every reason to be confident. I wish you luck!

Edited by member 03 May 2018 at 17:43  | Reason: Not specified

It's good to feel optimistic about treatment but not over confident. Unfortunately, in some cases it becomes apparent relatively soon after a radical treatment that a further intervention is required but this can also happen years afterwards which can be devastating, particularly when it looked like a man had done well. Many men have only one treatment, mostly one of the types of surgery or forms of radiation, perhaps combined with HT and this is all they ever need. It's a matter of luck really but chances of long term survival are clearly better if your cancer is found early, it is the type of PCa that responds well to treatment and this is well administered. Most people find that having made their treatment choice which can be daunting, much of the weight on their shoulders is removed. Then have radical treatment (if you don't want or are unsuitable for active surveillance) and be aware further treatment may be necessary at some point but not to the extent that worrying about it overmuch robs you of quality time.