PSA rising 4 years 8 months after RP

Hi all.

I'm worried.

Paco continues to have diarrhea and mucus in motions, and even just mucus sometimes. He’s on a soft and astringent diet as the onco suggested yesterday, but apparently that's not enough. I wonder if Imodium or st like that could have helped? I don't know. We’ll just trust the doctor as we're supposed to.

This morning, before going for his 21th IMRT session -33 are scheduled -, we had consultation  again and the onco said Paco’d better stop radio for the rest of the week and have an endoscopy , a CT SCAN and blood work previous to taking RT back.

I'm concerned about any possible damage to his bowels, but what  I’m most worried about is the radio interruption.

Thoughts, comments? I’d be thankful to read your words.

Best to all,

Lola.

Ulsterman, thanks anyway for taking the time to drop me some lines.

Paco's now doing better with his diarrhea and  bowel irritation. Nevertheless he's having a colonoscopy tomorrow; if ok, as it supposedly  will be, he'll just the procedure.

I also hope you're coping with your "subtle" surgery issue and can soon recover for a proper and gratifying function.

Keep care,

Lola.

Thanks, Chris.

As you recommend he's been cautious in his frequent visits to the toilet during the two days previous to the colonoscopy this morning. Luckily, the outcome was ok: no mucosa irritation or any other damage to his bowels. Unless some new problem appears, cross fingers, he'll restart RT by next Monday. Shall he be given just the 13 sessions remaining to complete the scheduled treatment or, due to this interruption, any extra session will be added? No idea, we'll get to know next week.

Thanks for your response.

Enjoy the weekend,

Lola.

Chris, you mean they gave you the amount of sessions you had missed (2), but not any extra one in addition to those previously planned as a compensation in case malignant cells had "awaken" during "vacation days"?

I'm afraid I'm burnt out at this stage of the procedure. I live in a constant state of fear I must hide from him and cope with. I miss my home,  my routine, my privacy...Thankfully, hub is quite an emotionally stable guy.

Your support helps. Thanks, Chris xxx

Lola.

Hi there.

I'm worried about Paco's change in RT treatment.P

At 0.33 PSA, PSMA TAC showed two spots: in a seminal vesicle bed and in  one illiac lymph node. He was having radiaton to the SVB and to both sides of the pelvis, las a preventive measure for possible unseen micromets or malignant cells existing,  I assume?

The point is that yesterday, after his 21th session (33 were planned), he decided quitting the RT to whole pelvis as after a few days with diarrhea and bowel discomfort he was afraid it could become a chronical issue, although he had got so much relief at that point. Onco said "it's up to you". Honestly, I would have thanked some dialogue, but when I asked him about pros and cons,  how dangerous doing it that way could be, but his professional answer was "I do not have a crystal ball". Obviously, this attitude added confusion and annoyance to my concern. Kind of a cold-fish, isn't it? 

So, the plan now is, once the physicians and/or physicists rearrange the new target, to just radiating the SVB and the very lymph node itself.

I'm scared: how about the increased likelihood to have a new relapse somewhere else? Might the previous 21 sessions have worked to some extent, to my consolation?

I don't dare to ask you for any statement, you don't have to make it, but your thoughts and opinions are always helpful when I'm scared and confused.

Best,

Lola

Lola ,has he changed his diet and has that made the situation worse. On my weekends off I ate normally and that did create temporary bowel / motion problems. It did not take long before my bowels got better and five years on my bowels are better than before SRT.  My bladder is a different story and I will have a catheter for life, not great but, I cope quite well. I was told afterwards that 5 percent of SRT patients get severe bladder damage, you could ask what percentage get severe bowel problems. 

Thanks Chris 

I'm afraid i didn't get you right. The radio to the whole pelvic was cut at 21 session, but not the radio to the two hot spots. The treatment to the two spots was completed as planned. They continue to shoot at them alone.

That's correct, Francij, but I'd like to have more information about the benefit of extending the HT treatment further than 18 months. This subject had been brought here on some occasion. That's not only a matter of QoL but also of effectiveness.