My Journey through HT and RT

User

Posted 12 Dec 2023 at 19:24

Great news, Decho.

Have a great Xmas and Hogmanay. May you continue to 'go down' in 2024.

Best wishes,

JedSee

User

Posted 12 Dec 2023 at 20:14

Brilliant news Derek. 👍

User

Posted 12 Dec 2023 at 22:25

Thanks for all your good wishes….I nearly wasn’t hear tonight to thank you though.

I went for my acupuncture session today, went into the waiting room and sat down on one of these wooden springy ikea chairs. As I sat down, the back of the chair flexed back and hit a glass cabinet which toppled a bit and Chinese ornaments inside it fell over. Unfortunately on top of it there was an artificial bonsai tree in a pot which toppled over, fell a couple of feet and landed on my head! I saw stars for a few seconds and now have a lump on the side of my head. Im just glad I was wearing my woolly hat as if not I would have been in A&E. Needless to say the bonsai tree(which was bloody heavy) has been repositioned and that dreadful chair binnned!

Acupuncture session was good though😊 and I suppose it was quite funny in a way🤣🤣🤣, the other guy in the waiting room hadn’t a clue what to do and just sat there listening to me f….ng and blinding!🤷🏼‍♂️

Next week I’m taking my crash helmet with me!

User

Posted 13 Dec 2023 at 07:57

That sounds like a dangerous place !
Have a good Xmas & new year - & the same to everyone who contributes to this valuable forum.
Bob - West Suffolk.

User

Posted 13 Dec 2023 at 08:14

Good PSA result. I usually recommend people take up motorcycling or skydiving as ways to avoid dieing of cancer, I shall add acupuncture to that list.

Dave

User

Posted 13 Dec 2023 at 08:54

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Morning Derek,

I think they call it a chain reaction.😁

I still cringe when I remember one.

25 years ago when I was courting my current wife, near the beginning of our romance. We were sharing a bath. Scented tealight candles around it masses of bubbles etc etc.I decided the scene was set for a romantic stand up cuddle. As I was getting to my feet I slipped on a bar of soap. Lost my balance. Grabbed hold of the shower curtain. Pulled it from its mountings. Fell out of the bath. Went head long into a mirrored bathroom cabinet. Smashed it and split open my head. I lay face down, sprawled across the floor with the shower curtain resting along the crack of my bum.

I am the Frank Spencer of karma Sutra.

User

Posted 13 Dec 2023 at 21:29

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Morning Derek,

I think they call it a chain reaction.😁

I still cringe when I remember one.

I am the Frank Spencer of karma Sutra.

Well, that brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Not tonight dear I’ve got a headache’🤣🤣🤣🤣

As I’ve said many times….on this journey you can either laugh or cry and laughing is better for your sanity!

User

Posted 04 Jan 2024 at 16:34

HT Jab number 7 today, 5 to go so I’m on the homeward stretch. It’s really good that the CNS gives you the injection as it’s good to have a chat with her, they like to do this in Fife to keep an eye on how their patients are doing. She said that getting down to 0.1 was an excellent result, but confirmed thT there was no < symbol in front of it…maybe next time🤞
She didn’t however hold out much hope for ending the HT early although she did say if the side effects were seriously affecting my QOL they might consider this….but it would have to be with the Oncos agreement. If I can get me knee ache under control it will be much easier to keep going and I’m pleased to say that using Voltarol twice daily on them has really helped. I’m going to try and get a prescription for this.

Off for 3 weeks tomorrow to Fuerteventura to escape the Scottish winter….swimming, walking and eBiking …and of course a little sitting in the sun(shade) and a few mojitos down by Corralejo Harbour….heaven😊

User

Posted 05 Jan 2024 at 11:27

Getting down to 0.1 is fantastic Decho. Enjoy Fuertaventura.

Ido4

User

Posted 05 Jan 2024 at 12:43

Decho

Great news. Fife to Fuerteventura!! Have a warm relaxing time. Do you find Voltarol better than Ibuleve?

Pratap

'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.' Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

User

Posted 05 Jan 2024 at 13:30

Thanks guys, Pratap, not sure TBH. I’ve been using Voltarol but my pharmacy wouldn’t prescribe it for me, but would prescribe Phorpain, which is 10% Ibuprofen. I’m going to try it and see if it works as well whilst I am away and if it doesn’t I will go back to the Diclofenac based Voltarol.

The climate over here is just as crazy as in the UK but in a nice way. It’s still very warm and no wind, which is unusual for January. It’s 3 Kings Celebration over here so the place is buzzing!😊

Derek

User

Posted 14 Jan 2024 at 08:30

Hello Decho

Happy New Year. Do you mind me asking: how low is your PSA now?

Thanks

Rory

User

Posted 14 Jan 2024 at 08:35

Hi Rory,

Not at all, 0.1, 6 months after RT finished, down from 0.3, 3 months after RT. So still going down, I’m just hoping for that magical < symbol next time🤞 Quite happy though and CNS said it was a’fabulous’ result at my last injection a week past Thursday.

How are you doing?

Derek

User

Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 18:00

Well today was blood test day to check if I have polymyalgia Rheumatica. Obviously my GP had decided that I needed a full MOT so testing liver, kidney, glucose levels and more. Also got my shingles vaccine, apparently I get priority🤷🏼‍♂️

After 3 weeks away in Fuerteventura, doing 10-15k steps every day, as well as swimming and cycling, my knees are slightly stronger and can just about get me up of a chair. However my hips, knees and now ankles ache, especially after exercise..they feel like I’ve run a marathon(not that I’ve ever done that🤣🤣🤣) or I’ve been on a 50mile hike. My knees feel inflamed permanently …I’ve been taken ibuprofen 400mg 3 times a day as advised by my GP but TBH they don’t really help.

If my blood tests come back ok, I’m going to try Devils Claw as that seems to have helped some people on here.

I would love to find out if there’s any sort of correlation between those that get joint ache and those that don’t. It’s by far the worst side effect for me but I will keep trying to find something🤞

Going to Maggies this week for some support….it really DOES help.

User

Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 19:24

Glad you are doing ok decho sounds like a nice holiday hopefully your blood tests come back ok I agree it's strange some suffer more than others on hormone therapy I hardly noticed any difference from normal whilst my mate has had like you every side effect going not sure why either 🤔

User

Posted 30 Jan 2024 at 14:57

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Thanks Gaz,
I envy you and I’m glad you are doing so well…there must be some reason, maybe I’ll do a bit of Googling to see if there’s any research been done on it. Diet? Testosterone Levels before treatment? Weight? Build? Or just (bad) luck?

It’s strange though, just back from a 30 mile ebike ride and I was going at some pace and my legs felt so strong….like a teenager!😊 However I stopped at Costa for a coffee(well you have to, don’t you😉) and I was like a 90 year old getting up from the chair.😟

Ive put on about 6kg since finishing RT(6 bags of sugar😱) so I’m determined to lose some of it over the next 6 weeks….that can’t be helping!

Derek

User

Posted 30 Jan 2024 at 15:40

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

I was going at some pace and my legs felt so strong….like a teenager!😊

I remember when my legs, including the middle one were like that, and I could go at a teenager's pace. 🙂

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

However I stopped at Costa for a coffee(well you have to, don’t you😉) and I was like a 90 year old getting up from the chair.😟

I'm not on HT and I'm like that. When we go on a long walk or I'm playing footy with my grandson, I daren't stop because I struggle to get started again.

User

Posted 30 Jan 2024 at 15:46

Love it Adrian, my middle stump is certainly not what it use to be either!🤣🤣

User

Posted 30 Jan 2024 at 15:59

Keep up the cycling decho it must help I carried on working although offered a good package to retire so gets lots off exercise didn't change my diet at all before or after treatment and plodding on as normal really hoping the psa stay's the same you will have to use the drive through at Costa save you getting off the bike 🤣🤣🤣just a thought all the best gaz 👍

User

Posted 05 Feb 2024 at 15:15

Oh, well blood tests have all come back as normal, don’t know whether I’m pleased or disappointed….but at least that’s something else I don’t have to put on my travel insurance!
I don’t have Polymyalgia Rheumatica so where do I go from here with my joint issues? I think a call to my CNS to check whether it’s ok for me to take Devils Claw. Some people have said it has helped with joint pain so might be worth a try. If that fails I’m just going to have to live with it and hope I don’t end up in a wheel chair😟

Unless of course anyone else has got any great ideas?😊

Derek

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