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Chemo and work

User
Posted 23 Aug 2022 at 22:15

Hi 

I hope you are all ok. 

Since my RP Last July my PSA has started up again as per my last post. 

It is now 0.4. No treatment yet but have had all scans.  Nothing found in the Prostate bed,  so it's somewhere else,  there is an abnormality on my left ribs which could be it!!

My consultant Urologist has met with the Oncologist in July and the plan is another blood test late September and he said chemo in October is probable. I asked about radiation therapy and if there is a possibility of focal beam therapy... I think that's if nothing has changed. I had to ask about possibility of radiation therapy it was not raised as an option by the consultant! 

My PSA has been rising slowly but steadily so I am thinking chemotherapy is the most probable treatment. I will not know until early October. 

Any advice about chemo would be very welcome and how much it might affect my ability to continue working. My job is not particularly physical but can be active and stressful. 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

MikeG 

 

 

User
Posted 24 Aug 2022 at 19:14

Hi properjob, I'm posting to bump your post and hope 'she who knows all' will spot it. 

All I know is that posts here suggest the chemo used for prostate cancer is not too bad. But most people with PCa are retired and not trying to hold down a day job, so whether it is tame enough that you can work I do not know.

Edited by member 24 Aug 2022 at 21:25  | Reason: Not specified

Dave

User
Posted 24 Aug 2022 at 21:21

Many thanks Dave. 

Yes indeed... She does know her stuff!!

I'm fishing really and hoping of course, as you say the majority of men with this are retired. I'm not,  I will receive 20 years teaching pension in about 6 months but not sufficient for us to live on,  I will drop a days work but the way finances are going with inflation and fuel costs things look a bit grim when I think of trying to take things a bit easier!!

Life is never simple,  best keep positive. 

Best regards. 

 

 

User
Posted 24 Aug 2022 at 22:43
First, if you are still in a permanent teaching role, don't reduce to 4 days without getting financial advice (through your union if you are an NEU / ASCL / NAHT member) - if you struggle to work during the chemo, your full sick pay at 5 days is more valuable than your sick pay at 4 days. Also, if the oncologist determines that you have advanced prostate cancer (which seems to be where you are heading if they decide RT / focal therapy is not worthwhile), you may be eligible for health related early retirement, the enhancement on which may be 3 or 4 years' service. Another thing to take into account ( again, a financial adviser or actuary is needed) is whether you should take the pension or maximise the lump sum since you are less likely to need a pension for 30 years - our financial adviser worked out that if John took the bigger lump sum now, he could live for 17 years (until he was 76) before he started to make a loss. Since he is less likely to live to be a really old man, it was worth the risk for us.

That is all about future options though. In terms of the chemo, we do have members who have worked full time throughout their chemo - Leila's husband, I think, among others. Although it does seem to be one of the more manageable chemos, you don't know until you start how much it will affect you. My worry for you would be being around kids with all their bugs & germs - it is essential to avoid exposing yourself to injections as much as you can, particularly on days 5 - 8. Since docetaxel is usually a 3 week cycle, that might mean being off work one week in every three for a term?

If / when you get to the stage of talking about chemo, you could ask about having apalutimide or enzalutimide instead. These would be less likely to impede you from working although you would still need to be vigilant about any signs of infection / high temperature.

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

User
Posted 25 Aug 2022 at 02:37

Thank you Lynn 

Very detailed advice. I stopped teaching nearly 15 years ago when we moved from London to South Wales. 

For the last several years I  have worked as a manager for a homeless charity my teaching pension and lump sum is payable from my 60th birthday in January 2023.

My present job involves working both in the office and on outreach. Both pay and the pension are significantly less. And with increasing inflation and fuel costs my pension will be less able to help meet living costs and holidays. 

Working 4 days and perhaps paying for a cleaner were practical ideas to enable me to keep working and reduce some of the routine chores. 

Hope you are well. 

Regards 

Mike 

 

 

 

 

User
Posted 25 Aug 2022 at 08:25
Ah - sorry Mike. So will you carry on with maybe a couple of days a week at the charity to supplement the pension?

Paying for a cleaner is always worth serious consideration.... there are so many better ways to spend your time!

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

User
Posted 25 Aug 2022 at 22:13

Yes Lyn, that's the idea.

But with the economy going as it is it will probably be 4 days work a week!! At least to start. 

It may be that I can work from home for one week in three to avoid infections if chemo is the treatment. Its a reasonable working adaption that I think the charity I work for would consider. 

Thank you Lyn, that's something to think about. 

Take care 

Mike 

 

 

 
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