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Salvage RT starts here

User
Posted 03 Jul 2024 at 15:33
DAY 29

I almost felt like walking the hospital grounds touting for business as as soon as I arrived, 15 minutes early, they sent me straight in for treatment - looked like they had been twiddling their thumbs for a while (was that solitaire I saw on the RT computer screen?? - maybe not LOL)

So the procedure was over in a jiffy and I made my way home - it was a long day however as I was at 7am to have my 2nd hormone therapy injection and my blood test.

Well, 10 minutes ago I received the blood test results and I am OVER THE MOON!

The PSA which had risen to 0.22 at the start of RT is now down to 0.03 - I didn't think it would be affected that quickly but there you go!

Also, after 3 months of HT, my testosterone level is down to 0.5 (the recommended level in PCa patients) is <0.7 so that was brilliant news too.

So as you can tell, today was a HAPPY DAY after all the crap that has gone on for the last couple of years.

User
Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 08:58
Great news Steve and good to see you’re nearing the end of RT😊
User
Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 09:05
Yep, 3 more days to go. I read my original prescription again yesterday and they were meant to do the full bloods (and PSA) before I had my first RT session and the follow up was ONLY for testosterone to show how I was reacting to HT. Anyway it looks like the nurse or the lab misread it and repeated the full blood test and PSA.

During the last consult I was told that I wouldn't have another PSA test for 1 month as 'it takes time for the RT to impact the cancer cells' so I was overjoyed to see that it had already dropped to 0.03 - fingers crossed it carries on that way :)

User
Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 15:37
DAY 30

Only 2 more to go.

Nothing to report apart from an overfull bladder, a little leak into my Tena when on the machine and yesterdays HT injection has brought the hot flushes back again - but nothing a fan or two can't handle. I have to say that I am quite grateful that we haven't had the heat like we did last year. 21C today but this day last year was near 30C. I am sure it would have made them a bit tougher to handle.

Did I mention ONLY 2 MORE TO GO!!!

:)

User
Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 15:45

Steve , I will be interested to see how you feel mentally in the days following completion of the SRT treatment. Do you have a bell to ring ? Hope the SRT is 100 percent successful.

Thanks Chris 

 

User
Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 16:14

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Steve , I will be interested to see how you feel mentally in the days following completion of the SRT treatment. Do you have a bell to ring ? Hope the SRT is 100 percent successful.

No bell I'm afraid, in fact compared to some of the fanfares I have seen in the UK (maybe they were childrens wards) there is nothing here. You come and go and that's it - no chocolates from thankful clients.

However, I'm celebrating internally as that PSA of 0.03 was way better than I expected especially as the consultant has said that there would be not much to see for a month after RT ended.

So will have to see but I think I'm in a really good place at the moment, but then again I have always been a glass half full kind of guy.

Edited by member 04 Jul 2024 at 16:15  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 04 Jul 2024 at 17:57

If it’s any consolation Steve, up here in Scotland we are too mean to have a bell to ring…in Lothian’s anyway.
I found it quite emotional on my last day, I took everyone in my team a bottle of bubbly and chock to thank them…but I didn’t realise just HOW many there were🤣🤣🤣
I don’t mind though as they were all wonderful and the image of the nurse standing there with the with the bottle for me to pee into when I caught short during one session will remain with me forever. I didn’t wet the floor though😊

User
Posted 05 Jul 2024 at 15:21

DAY 31
Woohoo - the penultimate treatment is over - one more to go on Monday!
Arrived today with my bladder feeling as if it was getting there and as I sat down, the person ahead of me got called through. Now that is typically meaning that 8 minutes later I would be called (yes, I have been timing it lol) and so as I wasn't quite ready bladder-wise I grabbed a quick cup of water from the machine and sat down.
Well 8 minutes passed and no-one appeared and 5 minutes later the nurse who had called the previous guy through came out with her handbag and headed off, presumably for lunch.
By this time I was seriously regretting that last cup of water!!
It was another 10 minutes before I was collected - apparently the guy before me had had some sort of 'episode' - no other details given, hence the delay.
Well I adjusted my Tena in my underpants and lay down on the machine, only for the nurse to come and pull them down further - this was going to be tough not to embarress myself with a large puddle at the end of the treatment.
So when the machine is running, I normally close my eyes and think of what I am doing later - maybe gardening etc. Well this weekend I have to do some work on the car - but unfortunately it involves draining fluids and that's all I could think about - what's the matter with me!!
I was so glad when it was over and must have made a strange sight running back to the changing room in my underwear.
But it's over now and I just have to look forward to the LAST ONE on Monday

Edited by member 05 Jul 2024 at 15:22  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 05 Jul 2024 at 21:01

Steve86,

You're doing great.  What a guy!

Best wishes,

JedSee.

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 06:28

Good luck with your final zapping session Steve…I’m sure you’ll have a blast🤣🤣🤣

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 10:41

Hope your final session goes as well as the others Steve!

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 14:48

DAY 32 - THE FINAL DAY!!!!!
Well that's it - 32 days of getting zapped and the hardest part was the 45 minute drive there and back for a total of 2,450 kms :)
Seriously it hasn't been hard at all with very minor side effects.
Today of course needed to have some drama and it did as I was called in to see the big cheese Oncologist BEFORE the session and all he really wanted to do was give me an appointment for the end of August to discuss everything - but that 10 minutes was bladder critical and unfortunately I half filled my Tena during the RT :(
Actually, I could feel it leaking during the session and there isn't much you can do apart from try and tense the muscles without moving. Anyway, when it was over I was happy to see no wet patches on the machine or on my underpants - the Tena pad (#1) weighed about half a kilo but it had retained everything and that's the first time I have ever put it to the test like that. So they are worth the 40c each :)
So as far as RT is concerned, it's all over. I have just had my second 3 month HT injection and they will decide in August whether I should continue for the full year - based on my current PSA of 0.03 compared to 0.22 when I started, I'm hoping that they say that the 6 months is enough.
I know it's not a 100% guarantee of a cure and there may be reoccurrence at some point in the future, but we will deal with that if it ever happens - for now I am one happy bunny!!!

Edited by member 08 Jul 2024 at 14:50  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 16:21

Steve,

So pleased for you and its been great reading your posts everyday.

All the very best to you.

Vern.

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 17:46

Great news Steve, I hope you’re having a wee celebration tonight🍾🍾

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 18:20

Steve, well done, fingers crossed it has done the job.

Thanks Chris 

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 20:09

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Great news Steve, I hope you’re having a wee celebration tonight🍾🍾

Oh yes, a flaming hot curry and a bowl of pure fibre in the morning :) :)

User
Posted 08 Jul 2024 at 20:54

Congratulations, Steve86!  You've done it!

It's been great to read your daily reports of your progress with RT.  You seem very stoical, with a positive mental attitude, which probably helps you to cope with difficulties.    

I hope the treatment will be completely successful and you won't have to have any further treatments of any kind.

Best wishes,

JedSee.

User
Posted 23 Aug 2024 at 12:06
Just got the latest blood test results and received the magic "<" in the PSA results (undetectable). So happy that we have finally got to this after all the treatments. I know that there is a chance for reoccurrence at some point in the future but for now I am on cloud 9+ 

It's been a journey ever since my first PSA test back in 2019 and the scans, biopsy and then surgery in 2022, the concern as the PSA gradually rose again and the 32 daily trips for salvage radiotherapy and hormone injections, but today is a day to celebrate and to thank all the consultants, nurses and technicians who have got me to where I am today.

User
Posted 23 Aug 2024 at 12:21

Steve, great news .

Thanks Chris 

User
Posted 23 Aug 2024 at 12:53

Great news Steve!

 
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