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Dramatic drop in PSA

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User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 14:43

Just got my first PSA result after diagnosis and 3 months hormone therapy. Down from 20 to normal 0.9 👍.

Such an unexpected result I am tempted to go for watching.

Anyone else had similar results?

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 15:13

Les,

It's not unexpected, but such a high drop is a good predictor of radiotherapy outcomes, if that's the treatment you will be having. If you get the option to push it below 0.1 before starting radiotherapy, I would go for it. (I did that by pushing out my radiotherapy out by about 6 weeks.) Discuss with your oncologist.

No, it doesn't mean you're a candidate for Active Surveillance!

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 15:24

That dramatic drop is to be expected.

I went from about 25 to 0.8 in three months and then down to 0.1 three months later.

BTW to call 0.9 "Normal" is not helpful, once you are on HT nothing is "normal" 

I don't know the rest of your diagnosis and what treatment was proposed, but I would be very reluctant to change your plans and switch to Watchful Waiting/Active Surveillance. HT will cease to be effective after somewhere between about one and five years. It would then be unlikely you could be cured.   

Dave

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 16:55

I doubt there is any effective medication for hot flushes, if there were then women going through "the change" would be prescribed it. Hot flushes do seem to be worse in hot weather, so it can be a bit confusing as to why you are suddenly sweating like a pig. 

People have suggested Evening Primrose Oil or Sage tablets. Available from health stores. I have tried EP Oil, and I know there is another member who's father is currently trying it. I can't really say whether it works one way or the other. If either of these worked for certain, I think they would be sold at pharmacies rather than health food shops.

 

Dave

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User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 15:13

Les,

It's not unexpected, but such a high drop is a good predictor of radiotherapy outcomes, if that's the treatment you will be having. If you get the option to push it below 0.1 before starting radiotherapy, I would go for it. (I did that by pushing out my radiotherapy out by about 6 weeks.) Discuss with your oncologist.

No, it doesn't mean you're a candidate for Active Surveillance!

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 15:24

That dramatic drop is to be expected.

I went from about 25 to 0.8 in three months and then down to 0.1 three months later.

BTW to call 0.9 "Normal" is not helpful, once you are on HT nothing is "normal" 

I don't know the rest of your diagnosis and what treatment was proposed, but I would be very reluctant to change your plans and switch to Watchful Waiting/Active Surveillance. HT will cease to be effective after somewhere between about one and five years. It would then be unlikely you could be cured.   

Dave

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 15:49
I can confirm large reduction in my case too but agree, don't let this change your treatment plan
Barry
User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 16:11

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
I can confirm large reduction in my case too but agree, don't let this change your treatment plan

Mine went from 27 to 0.06 on HT, but you will still need the RT to "Cure" you.

HT is not much fun, I'm in the withdrawal stage - the last of the HT was in me until June this year. I'm told the effects are still there a year later.

Don't like this hot weather, though.......

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 16:43

Phew you’re right about the heat and night sweats. I’ve reached the point where I don’t know it’s the weather or me. My GP tells me there’s no medication available to reduce this side effect but I read somewhere there is ?

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 16:55

I doubt there is any effective medication for hot flushes, if there were then women going through "the change" would be prescribed it. Hot flushes do seem to be worse in hot weather, so it can be a bit confusing as to why you are suddenly sweating like a pig. 

People have suggested Evening Primrose Oil or Sage tablets. Available from health stores. I have tried EP Oil, and I know there is another member who's father is currently trying it. I can't really say whether it works one way or the other. If either of these worked for certain, I think they would be sold at pharmacies rather than health food shops.

 

Dave

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 18:29
Our oncologist suggested sage tablets; I can't say for sure whether they worked or John just didnt have really bad flushes.

As well as EP oil and sage tablets, you could try acupuncture. Until recently, this was available on the NHS for men on HT at the urology department of our hospital. Funding was withdrawn last year, though :-(

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 19:33
I would agree with acupuncture for hot flushes, worked pretty well for me and I was fortunate to get treatment via a holistic care charity set up being referred there by GP after requesting it. I still got hot flushes and it didn't sort them permanently but well worth it. It was 1st time I had had acupuncture it really impressed me. I finished 3yrs of HT 2 yrs ago still have a few hot flushes and "sensitive" nipples now and then and too tired and too weighty but slowly getting there.

Peter

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 19:39
And - as with others my psa went down to u detectable I think before radiotherapy due probably to RT taking place 12 months after HT started because of TURP procedure and marriage! Didn't give watching a thought tho I wouldn't have had a choice I must admit as slight spread to seminal vesicles but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gone for watching anyway.

Peter

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 20:48

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
I doubt there is any effective medication for hot flushes

You need to come on my Surviving Hormone Therapy training session or presentation.

There are several coping strategies, which work well enough for many people.

There are complimentary therapies (some mentioned above), sage tablets, or evening primrose oil, or a specific NADA acupuncture protocol which many hospital cancer centres can provide (but not during COVID), usually for free for a couple of times. These usually lessen the effect, rather than eliminate it.

There are also some prescription drugs, medroxyprogesterone, cyproterone, and megestrol. They need careful monitoring by your GP, because they can all be liver toxic. Also, these drugs seem to take it in turn to go unavailable, so you may need to keep switching, which is annoying when you find something that works. Generally, because of potentially serious side effects, you should try the other remidies before trying these drugs, and only use the drugs if the hot flushes are a really serious quality of life issue for you.

User
Posted 12 Aug 2020 at 20:52

Going by the posts it seems fairly common for a rapid fall - in my own case it dropped from 78 to 0.3 

 
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