It's baaacccckkkk. (PSA rising)

Thanks Raddad and Tony!

Again, thanks everyone.  This thread led to some very interesting posts.  Following your advice and the counsel of my implant uro, who has become a great friend, I have asked my uro for a recommendation to a radiation oncologist.  Hope to hear back from him soon.

Gene

 

Gene:

After failed surgery, failed RT, before beginning HT we had three consecutive PSA tests over three months.  That  approack indicated a quick doubling time. Ask your radiation oncologist about combined treatment of HT and RT. Good luck to you and keep us posted.

Jack

"I have never understood the complacent attitude about having a G6.  It is still cancer and unpredictable."

Of course all cancer is unpredictable.  It's the totally organ confined with no pattern 4 G6 that have the supposed very low risk of relapse.

And even on this site I have found in the last 3 years out of about 15+ people I know of only 1 that had recurrence.

Gene:

I hear you and I have been there and may be again in my future. You can e-mail me if you like.  My address is posted in my profile.

Jack (Skate)

Gene:  I'm just coming off of 24 months of HT and I guess you can say that I am one of the lucky ones when it comes SE's.  The first 18 months were a breeze for me, the worst thing that happened were a few hot flashes but the last 6 were a little different, I gained about 8 lbs in that period of time and had a few joint issues.  I believe HT should be mandatory if you are high risk.  The namograms bear this out, I had a 32% chance of a cure with just SRT but if you added in HT it jumped to 60%.  There are some new studies out showing HT with RT is far more effective but HT with SRT studies are in process right now.  I believe most people using common sense are going to come to the conclusion that HT combined with SRT is more effective than SRT alone.  Once again the namograms bear this out.

While I was "using" I found it extremely important to stay active, working out, bicycling, jogging all of that good stuff but most important I believe is attitude, if you go into it thinking its going to be a bear then it will probably be so.  No one wants to have to do HT but a positive attitude about the benefits make it much more palatable than otherwise.

Good luck

David

 

My experience has been similar to dkolb. I think I have significantly lessened the side effects by being more active and eliminating caffine from my diet. I will get my third six-month Eligard shot next week and will be on HT for a total of two to three years. My larger concern is about bone density loss as I progress. Thus I exercise, importantly using strength training, and watch my diet to promote bone strength and health.

It also helps to be around menopausal women. For if you gripe about hot flashes, they are quick to show you the door. Things could be worse, so I don't complain.