I have my volume study today in prepration for seed implants and IMRT. Tupock, after reading your experience I was a little worried, but it was no big deal. Absolutely no pain and just mild uncomfortableness. Lasted about
15 min. Maybe the valium and vicodine played a part.
The good news is that the study came out very well. My prostate shrunk form 60cc to 34cc on 6 weeks of Casodex and proscar. They wanted to give me Lupron, but I convinced them to use only Casodex and proscar because the side affects are about 20% that of Lupron and as you can see the results are just as good if not better.
So if your doctor wants to give you Lupron to shrink your prostate insist on Casodex and proscar. The only affect I had were loss of libido. I can still get an errection, but have no desire to do so. some hot flashes, but very minor and very tolarable.
The next step is sending the volume study to Seattle where they will develop a radiation plan and order the seeds preconfigured.
I chose seeds and IMT as the radiaton dose is much higher than from either treatment alone and the risk of adverse side affects is much less.
My radiation doc wants me off Casodex, but I chose to keep taking it until 30 days after treatments because I want my prostate stabalized during treatment and the side affects aren't that bad. I should regain my libido within a month of stopping it. I'm hoping that it will aso kill any cells that may have escaped.
It's important that one take charge of his own treatment by doing through research, because doctors are usually set in their ways and you have to find doctors that respect your opinions and desires.
JohnT