HDR Brachy

super max said...

LupronJim said...
Hawaii-Guy and super max - My 5 SBRT fractions at UCLA start on Monday Oct 6 at 1:45 every other day and end on Wed Oct 15. I will also be at Scholz/Lam/Tuner offices in Marina delk Rey CA on Oct 6 and on Oct 20 for my Provenge Infusions.

If our session times overlap, would love to meet you in person.

Hi Jim,

I was hoping to meet you at PCRI but didn't happen. My appointment in MDR is Oct 22, close to yours but not close enough this time.

SuperMax, I have you surrounded.

My spouse Karen and I had a pleasant get together with Hawii Guy in LA yesterday. I can affirm that he looks great after his HDR.

I also have no side effects other than having to learnto do what I should have been doing anyway, taking my pills and supplements one at a time rather than a handful at a time to avoid upset stomach.

I had my second of 5 SBRT's yesterday with #3 on Monday. #4 on Friday and #5 on Monday Oct 20 same days as my Provenge Friday Oct 17 Lukapharesis and my Inusion Monday Oct 20.

Also attending Tall Allen's LA Support Group meeting after #3 on Monday Oct 13.

So I just miss you on Oct 22, having been there Monday Oct 20 and back on Thursday Oct 30, as I am back in LA on Oct 30-Nov 3 for my third Provenge Lukapharesis on Friday and infusion on Monday.

However this does allow me to get together with the Wampuscats Sunday night when they are in Marina Del Rey also at the Inn for a November 3 appt with Dr. Lam.

I hope to not have to back in LA until my SBRT follow up a few months later but will let you know if that changes.

LupronJim

Hawaii Guy-

Glad to hear your experience was a good one. Thanks for expanding on your decision making process, it is very helpful to me.

I had a long consult with Dr. Demanes earlier in the week and am very impressed. I've since sent the MRI images to UCLA for a second look to clarify whether mono & combo therapy is the right way to go. Unfortunately, I do not have the benefit of Prolaris results. If the recommendation is combo - he has connections in the Bay area which will work out fine.

If combo is required in my case, I still am considering SBRT - apparently results/SE's are similar but the duration of treatment is only 2 1/2 weeks start to finish vs. @six. I don't think there is much data for treating high risk cases though. Duration is a distant third to effectiveness/SE's, but still important.

And I still have to make sure that my insurance will cover most or all of the treatment.

Thanks again to all for helping. The info you have provided has been invaluable to me.

Walt

Post Edited (Walton) : 10/13/2014 12:32:55 AM (GMT-6)

Walt,

Good luck on your upcoming treatments, and please keep us posted on your progress.

Here are a few tips on what to bring with you when you show up for the HDR brachy implants:

Baggy pants - in the unlikely event of having to wear a catheter when discharged from the hospital, you don't want to try to fit the urine collection bag inside a tight pair of pants.

Warm socks - UCLA keeps their pre-op and recovery rooms very very cold, socks are the only clothing item of your own that you will be wearing, at least you can keep your feet warm. The hospital gown they provide is not warm at all. Along those lines, I learned to ask early and frequently for extra blankets to keep from shivering.

Wrist watch - Some of the areas you will be in do not have visible clocks on the wall. It was handy to be wearing a watch, so I could manage my pain med dosing. You will have a button you can push to deliver an IV pain med dose, but it won't deliver more frequently than every 6 minutes. I found that once every 30 to 45 minutes was good enough to keep comfortable. There were 2 exceptions: (1) They do a CT scan before each treatment to see if the implant tubes have shifted. If the tubes have moved, they then manually move them back, which did involve some pain. After the 1st experience, I learned to start hitting the med button every 6 minutes whenever they wheeled me into the CT scan area. (2) Same goes for implant removal at the end of the hospital stay, I started hitting the button every 6 minutes about 45 minutes before the implants were removed.

Reading material - It's a good idea to have something to occupy yourself while you are in between treatment sessions. They will store all of your clothes/belongings in a locker when you first check in, then after the implants are inserted, you can ask for your bag back, and it will stay on the shelf under your gurney for the rest of your stay. There is no cell phone or wi-fi service in the radiation department, but at night I did have cell phone service (and a TV) in my 6th floor room.