connie -- i should have been more clear. and i apologize for how i came off but i'm dealing with a lot of stress that culminated in me getting very ill today -- i believe i've caught a very nasty flu that i could feel coming on for several days.
i came to this board for support because i have decided to get treated, and today it looks like treatment could happen sooner than i thought.
the doctor laid out four scenarios but i heard two of them: either ignore the disease or treat it ASAP. the other options had to do with monitoring the disease, something he would do but feels is a set-up for false confidence. he said when i walked out of his office that day the best choice was "we have to think about it". he said to come back in four months.
well my 6-month PSA was slightly up today which may or may not mean anything. it is .3, up from .2, which is down from .3 and before it was .2. so it's been up and down for a year but does not in anyway indicate BCR. but who knows how long that will last?
today i also found out that my 2009 (when i was diagnosed with hep C and cancer) liver enzymes (ALT and AST) were smack in the middle of the normal normal. last month both numbers were "mildly elevated". the AST had in fact doubled. so maybe this is significant? what we think is we had better act now on the liver while the PSA sorts itself out.
anyhow i called my hepatologist today and made an appointment for the 12th of this month. i had planned to get treated in july after vacation but i think the vacation will have to wait. everything will be on table when i talk to him. protease inhibitors, biopsy, depression and sleep medication. and then we'll make a decision. my doctor does very few biopsies anymore and he goes by feel. he said unless you are skinny as a rail he refers to a doctor that uses xray.
also, my doctor has never used the third drug so his information comes from his colleagues.
so i'll let you know more when it happens 
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Peace
ed