Greetings all, first post I've made anywhere about this 😎
After having several friends badger everyone they know over 50 to get a check, at 58 I visited the GP in March for DRE with blood test to follow a couple of weeks later (to allow prostate to settle).
GP rang me to say PSA was 55 and he had referred me to the Urology department. Invited by post several days later to attend for a biopsy in 10 days time. That certainly smarted and I suspect the fingermarks are still plain to see on the radiator next to the examination bench!
Results showed Gleason 3+4 and I was started straight away on a course of Bicalutamide tablets with an injection of Decapeptyl to follow every 3 months. Bone scan showed clusters on rib cage and spine so was referred to Oncology for further treatment. CT and Chest film show no other spread so far. Fast forward a week and a bit and the consultant told me he would hit me with Chemo straight off.
Started a course of Docetaxel, 6 infusions at 3 weekly intervals. Side effects were more irritating than debilitating to be honest, though they did somewhat wreak havoc with my summer passion of waterskiing and wakeboarding 😎 😎
Am currently seeing the Oncology team for a blood test every 6 weeks for now (only 1 so far after finishing Chemo) and my first post Chemo PSA was down to 2.6. Was kind of hoping it would be a bit lower but we play the hand we're dealt I guess.
Am currently in a holding pattern till the next blood test in a few weeks, so may be back to ask for suggestions on preferred treatment and side effects should it start to rise.
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C
Steve
Edited by member 30 Jun 2021 at 15:37
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Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Hi Steve
Just wanted to say hi and welcome to the forum no one really wants to join.
My husband was diagnosed a bit later than you in July this year and is having upfront chemo same as you. His fifth one was yesterday and his PSA has come right down.
There is a wealth of advice on this forum which I am sure you will soon find out. I am so glad I found it.
Best wishes
Mrs MAS
Edited by member 13 Nov 2019 at 07:13
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User
Hi Steve, your friends did a good thing badgering you. It sounds like you are coping well with treatment so far. Your positive attitude will help too.
Best wishes,
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User
Great attitude Steve, welcome to the forum.
Next treatment is likely to be radiotherapy on the prostate which will reduce your PSA even more.
I had RT 7 months after diagnosis and it was a breeze compared to the Chemo.
Good luck.
User
Hi Jasper, I get the feeling the Onc folks are in the "stable door" camp once it has escaped 😕
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
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Back for a routine check with consultant on Wednesday 18 Dec.
PSA dropped a little further down to 2.03, testosterone at 0.41 so the Docetaxyl early course and Decapeptyl jabs seems to be holding things quiet.
Wants me back in Feb for a repeat of the initial scans to see how well it's gone. He seems reasonably optimistic so keeping my fingers crossed and not letting it loom over me like a black cloud 🙂🙃🙂
Edited by member 19 Dec 2019 at 10:35
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Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Hey
Your diagnoses seems similar to my dads. Diagnosed in jan 19 , g7 with metatastic spread to bone. No other solid organ involved. Started chemo 6 rounds completed , he is now in the middle of 20 session of radiotherapy due to finish on 3rd jan .
I am not sure where about you are being treated And you are correct there was a school of thought around radiotherapy after the cancer has metastasised out with the prostate. On saying that one arm of the stampede trail found that treating prostate cancer which had limited spread with early chemo and radiotherapy can be beneficial in some cases.
Dad was offered radiotherapy after chemo as although he has bone mets they are 6 singular mets.
Amy
User
Hi Amy, that sounds like the Atlanta trial? I think the doc probably wants to see whats going on with the scans before considering further options. He seemed happy with the latest test results though...
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
I suppose I should change the title as it's now the following year 🙃🙃
Had 3 monthly consult over the phone today, PSA dropped a bit more down to 1.89 and Testosterone still <0.5. He reviewed the "12 months on" scans (Bone and CT) and seems happy with the shrinkage on the bone mets (seems like I have 6 in total 😕😕). No signs of mets in lymph nodes or organs. Still a 3 monthly PSA and Testosterone test with results from GP surgery, but 6 months for consult with him unless something raises it's ugly head before then. On the plus side, he says the met on T vertebrae shouldn't cause any risk if I start water skiing again this summer (bloody virus risk not withstanding) 🤠🤠
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Sounds like things are holding or shrinking including PSA. Hope you get some water skiing in the next while.
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User
3 monthly blood test this week. PSA still moving downward to 1.49 this test. Testosterone still holding well below the 0.7 mark at 0.28. Hope the wetsuit hasn't shrunk again during the winter 😎😎
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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User
Telephone consult today. Not so positive as previously, as PSA test shows increase from 1.49 to 1.74. Consultant doesn't seem too concerned and is going to wait for next 3 monthly test to see if it was just a hiccup with the test result. If another rise occurs, will then consider the options 😐
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Hi Steve hopefully its just a blip. Has your T score changed from your June test?
User
Hi Jasper, not that I'm aware of, unless you mean testosterone as opposed to staging? That went up from 0.25 to nigh on 0.4 so possibly a slight misfire on the June jab though still below the magic 0.7 number
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
3 monthly telephone consult today, PSA up slightly from 1.74 to 1.75. Consultant still seems happy that it's nothing to worry about, so looks like the beast is still sleeping (to borrow an expression from someone else!).
Next test in 3 months.
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Hi Steve, that’s pretty stable, good result.
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User
Fast forward (or so it seems, where do the days go!) and it's that time again.
It's now just on 2 years since initial PSA test highlighted a likely problem and started the ongoing saga.
Had been a little concerned before this test as it seems like I have had a lot more aches and pains this winter than previously, and the thought is always at the back of the mind that the beast is stirring.
Happy to report that PSA had gone down slightly to 1.59, Phew!
Roll on the improving weather 😎😎
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
That’s good news Steve. It is normal to think that the beast might be stirring before a test result comes in, certainly happens with me.
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User
Yeah Ido, always try and put it out of my mind, but it's only human nature to think about it the couple of weeks before a test 😔
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Good news on the results. Like you I was feeling a few aches and you naturally think "is it the beat..." but the chances are it is just the body doing wastes its always done...... you are just more aware.
I hear the good weather is coming...... soon...... honest.
User
Latest blood test 22 Jun - PSA down slightly at 1.53, Testosterone at 0.35 so a result there. Having had some heavy duty aches after my last Decapeptyl jab. Lyn said to make sure the Onco team knew about it. The phone line wasn't the best in the world, but it seems I will now be having a scan in the next few weeks just to check everything's still ok. Thanks Lyn, you're an angel 😎
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Gosh, been a while since I posted on this thread. Now up to 4 1/2 years since diagnosis and still hanging on in there. PSA started to creep up last year so consultant added Bical to the mix in Sep 2022. It's done the trick for now and gradually reduced to 0.95, lowest ever reading.
Also have a new consultant now, she ordered a set of scans this year (CT and Bone) to check for any sign of progression and is happy with the results, nothing new and existing mets still shrinking, she's happy with my bloods but also ordered a bone density scan which shows the being on the borderline for Osteoarthritis from the hormone therapy. Wants to start me on Alendronic acid so I guess that's something else to think about 🤔
Good luck to everyone coping with the insidious big C |
User
Great to see your PSA is at its lowest level Steve. Sorry to see your bone density is borderline but hopefully the alendronic acid will help. Best wishes.
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