erbob -New member.

Welcome Bob,

i don't know anybody in CO to help you out on that front, but can tell you my experience as a 70 year old with da Vinci surgery. Even though they told me my age might make my recovery longer and more problematic, I didn't find it that way at all. Incontinence and ED are the big side effects. I am now dry as a bone, but no progress on the ED front. The skill of the surgeon is very important. Make sure the urologist that you select has done the procedure at least 200 times.

Good luck to you!

Ricky

Welcome to HW, Bob. I'd venture someone here has some info about Denver surgical oncologists. In the meantime, there's lots of threads to read and catching up to do, if you're inclined...

Bob,
Thanks for the update.

The seeding route might just be the perfect ticket for you. We have several men here using that route, and they have done real well by it so far. They will be happy to give you advice on the before and after part.

From what they have reported, you shouldn't be having too much of the moaning and groaning part, not unless you like to do that for the sheer sport of it, lol.

Good luck, and please keep us informed. We will stand behind you and your choice, brother.

David in SC

Bob, Agree with John T above...with a couple of additional comments. My urgency and frequency (which I still have) is also accompanied by a burning sensation which has gotten somewhat better. You will also have some blood in the urine for the first week after the seeding and your scrotum with be black and blue for a while. I was also told to expect some low level, short term pain where the needles were inserted but I really did not experience that. As John pointed out, just be ready to make a lot of stops and to get up a lot at night for a couple of months. I would expect you to tolerate the procedure very well. Best wishes with your treatment. (I lived in Naperville in the 70's...mostly cornfields then!) Joe67 __________________ Age -67 PSA - 4.5 Biopsy   (9/4/09) - Positive in 5 of 8 cores. In those 5 cores, 5 of 11 samples were positive. Gleason 3+3=6. Stage – T1C   Ct and Bone scans negative   BT performed on 12/11/09. 84 seeds of Palladium 103. Surgery at 7:30 - Home at 12:30 same day with no catheter. Side effects as expected -  some burning, frequency, urgency. (Blood in urine stopped after 1 week).   Resumed daily   1 ½ mile walk after 3 days.   BT will be followed with 25 IGRT treatments beginning Feb 8.    ________ 

Dear Bob:

Agreeing with John and Joe, I also believe you should have no trouble traveling the next day.  I was very much back to normal by then.  As I just mentioned in another thread, I did not have much urgency but I did have mild frequency issues...so watch for those rest stops and McDonalds.  Also, stay away from caffeine, alchohol and spicy foods and that should alleviate both urgency and frenquency.

Re cyber knife...I looked into it a bit before selecting BT and did not find suitable long term data to make me comfortable.

You should do just fine and find the procedure to be a piece of cake. 

Tudpock

Many thanks for all the encouragement.  I feel better hearing the uplifting stuff.  My appointment for a consultation at the Chicago Prostate Center is set up for 8AM Monday the 15th.  Doc said that since my 2nd path report raised/rearranged the Gleason 3+4=7 to 4+3=7,  I may be thinking of some radiation in addition to the seeds.  Hey, whatever it takes to survive for another 8 or 10 years minimum.  My research has brought me to the web site of the Fermi National Accelerator Lab located at Batavia, IL.  This facility has one huge powerful NEUTRON administering machine that is used for cancer patients with various types including prostate C.  Might have to look into this option as it is reported to much more powerful and precisely accurate than the regular radiation machines located at hospitals.  If it's really that powerful, just have to be concerned that it doesn't do more damage than good.  Again, thanks for the kind words and I'll keep posting the latest activity as this thing rolls along.

Joe67, as info, we lived in Naperville from 1969 until 1995 when retired to So. Colorado.  Lived out on Hwy 59 between the Fox Valley Shopping Ctr. and the EW Tollway.  Where did you live at that time????? 

Bob

Had my initial consultation with Dr. Brian Moran this morning at the Chicago Prostate Cancer Center, Westmont, IL. He explained the seed planting procedure and gave me a DRE and said felt nothing really unusual other than size which was normal for me, a 73 year old chap. Also had a volume study made along with catherization of the old pee wee which did burn just a little bit but no big deal at all. After checking the volume results, decided that he'd like to get the prostate reduced in size a bit prior to planting the seeds, so wrote a prescription for some fancy, tiny but EXPENSIVE pills to do a reduction on the gland.
Dang pills were $114.35 for just 30 pills and that was just the co-payment. Asked the Pharmacy guy what other than generic pills would cost and was told over $500 for a 30 day supply. Now I'll be taking one pill per day for the next 3 1/2 months when I am scheduled to return to Illinois from Colorado for the actual seed implanting. At least the drive back to Illinois this coming May should not expose us to the winter/slick roads for our 1,000+ mile drive like we just experienced this past weekend.
After leaving his facility and driving back to my daughters place (Naperville, IL) I had an extremely strong urge to take a big ole leak. Stopped at a Wendys for a quick burger for lunch and I bellied up the the urinal only to find that I had put my shorts on backwards after the volume study. Ouch, but made some quick shorts adjustment then was able to relieve myself and just pass a small amount of blood which I was told would happen. In a couple weeks, I'll have my local (Trinidad, CO) Urologist administer the hormone shot and then just be patient for the time to pass to head back to Illinois. I found the Chicago Prostate Cancer facility to be extremely clean, very efficient and truly friendly folks to deal with. Just my opinion of course.

Hey Bob I'm in the Denver area if you need to know about any doctors or clinics just ask. I began with the The Urology Center of Colorado by Invesco Field, but wound up doing my treatment at the Anshutz Cancer Pavilion at the University of Colorado Medical Center's Urologic Oncology staff. Although being you're in Trinidad, Denver isn't much closer than Albuquerque or Santa Fe, NM for that matter.

I don't understand why you're going all the way to Illinois but it's up to you.

realziggy said...
Hey Bob I'm in the Denver area if you need to know about any doctors or clinics just ask. I began with the The Urology Center of Colorado by Invesco Field, but wound up doing my treatment at the Anshutz Cancer Pavilion at the University of Colorado Medical Center's Urologic Oncology staff. Although being you're in Trinidad, Denver isn't much closer than Albuquerque or Santa Fe, NM for that matter.

I don't understand why you're going all the way to Illinois but it's up to you.

realziggy,

The reason for going up to Illinois for treatment is because I have a daughter with family living about a half hour from the Chicago Prostate Cancer Center, Westmont, IL. I figured that since I may be here for some external radiation, it's be much handier to be up here rather than make a six hour round trip DAILYto Springs or Denver for those treatments. Starting to appear now that I may not be needing that additional radiation but time will tell. We had made the initial consultation with a Dr. Montoya at the TUCC in Denver and were very impressed but decided that I did not want surgery.
Had checked on the Albuquerque facility and they were pretty well filled up for a while. So, Illinois is the place I'll be getting serviced at. Thanks

erbob said...
"What pills are you taking to shrink the prostate? I'll assume it's avodart. You can take the generic form of proscar which is Finasteride much cheaper and it's near identical both will shrink the prostate. Ask your doctor about them" asked by realziggy.

The pills prescribed are Bicalutamide, 50mg.
Here's hoping they work as implied.
erbob

I didn't recognize that drug but found out it's the generic form of Casodex. I'm surprised he's prescribed that alone for on a google they state that's taken more in hope of slowing the cancer and in many cases it's used with Finasteride which does more to shrink the gland. But I'm not going to second guess your doctor. I'm sure the upgrade from 3+4=7 to 4+3=7 has much to do with it. In your situation I think I too would have chose seeding. By the way are you a golfer? I ask because I've been wanting to play Cougar Canyon GC down there in Trinidad and wonder if it's as nice as advertised. I heard it's one of the better newer courses in the state. But then again it's barely in the state and a good drive from here.

If you ever need any recommendations up here just ask, Good luck Bob.

Rick


Rick