First post ..in the weeds with this

Met with Radiologist Monday ...gave me high hopes of 1 shot of hormones...then 2-4 months later start 9 weeks of radiation 5 days a week and follow up with a few months of hormone therapy. Sounded good to me ...told me the side effects would be during the treatment ....more urination and soft stool , but all would subside or slowly get much better after the treatment was over . Using the newer IMRT ...with markers in the prostate to track the prostate closely each treatment. Back to Urologist tomorrow for probable discussion of removal.....Second opinion and views on the 1st of June with another well known local Doc. with DaVinci on his list of accomplishments. I`ve read a lot on this forum and another , so I realize the importance of a good doctor in any final decision. But , would like to hear from others about the radiation therapy like I`ve described and the aftereffects they have incountered....from what I`ve read so far , not at all like the Radiologist has told me .....pretty confused at this point like most in the beginning of this journey .....Thanks for reading ~ David , stuck in Fl.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but hope we can be of help. Yes, as JNF stated, let us know about your specific diagnosis and we can probably be more helpful. Look for the info that it's my signature below--that's what we're looking for.

Regarding radiation there are several types. Based on the nine week timeframe your radiation oncologist gave you, he's talking about IMRT. If you're doing your due diligence on this, you should also look at radiation treatments such as brachytherapy (both seeds and HDR) and SBRT. They offer the advantage of shorter treatment time with as good (or better) efficacy. And sounds like you're talking to a surgeon as well, so that will give you additional perspective.

Based on the RO mentioning a shot of hormones, I'm wondering if you are considered high risk as that's the more likely protocol with high-risk patients. FYI, it's actually a shot of a drug called Lupron (most typically) that temporarily wipes out your testosterone.

Good luck to you and let us know how we can help.

Drifter,
I just wanted to welcome you aboard Healing Well, glad you found us.

I am also from Florida, W Palm Beach area, but I chose surgery.

It would help to know your numbers, Ex. Gleason score, PSA, age, etc.
Look at our signatures at the bottom of our post. With that info, we can help you better.

You are not alone any more!

Bil from Florida

Fl Drifter, welcome. As others have said, please provide some details so we can help. See my or others' signatures to see the info that is helpful -- age, PSA at diagnosis, biopsy results, etc.

Drifter, welcome to our club that none of us wanted to join.

With your numbers, "cure" should be in your language. The 4+3 is a bit of a wild card, so the initial hormone shots followed by IMRT is pretty much standard for the more aggressive version you have.

Did you read the "sticky" post at the top for the newly diagnosed? It's recommended that you have your slides sent to Epstein at Johns Hopkins or Bostwick labs for the definitive reading. Especially with that 4+3, you really want to be sure you know what you're dealing with.

Drifter,

I had the IMRT and am happy with the decision, I no side effects from the radiation. I am still on the HT for one more shot in a couple of weeks. I had no bowel or urinary issues during or after the 40 treatment. PSA is undetectable due to HT. RO says less than a 5% chance of return. He even used the word "cured".

Good luck.

Carl

Pick up a copy of Dr. Pat Walsh's book "Surviving Prostate Cancer" and read it. It will give you a broad understanding of what you are dealing with and it explains all of your treatment options..

Got back from the urologist and he let me know my t2b was actually a t2c ...2 lobes ...I changed it in my signature...asked him what he would do ..and he said his family line doe not live that long and would probably have radiation ...in my case father dies at 96...mother 86....said He would say removal since my life expectancy is longer .....he recommended a urologist with 1000 or more robotics in Orlando Fl....a Dr. Patel. I have a call in to them for a possible appt. to talk .....also made another appt with Radiologist to discuss it further ....complications ,,,successes....etc. with others he has treated with similar #`s to mine. I have a wife with Lewy Body dementia ..8 yrs into it and I`m a total caregiver for her and this really throws another monkey wrench into it all....finding a place for her if I had the surgery ...the Urologist said I could`nt give her the total care she needs for 6 weeks if I go with removal ....this opens another huge scary door about finally having her placed in a facility for good ...which is just a matter of time at this point .... . Very confused as to what to do .....second opinion next week with new Urologist and repeat visit with Radiologist. life slappped....David

Ok, drifter, the decision is yours...and you have enough time to actually come to an informed decision. Talk to all the specialists that Tall Allen has suggested, and take time to understand the potential side effects of all the alternatives...then make a decision that YOU can live with.

I'm a surgery guy...and I couldn't be happier. I've had a great outcome, so don't listen to anyone who 'guarantees' that surgery has awful SE's, and radiation has 'none'. Both are stretches of reality.

Patel has a great reputation, and so do the others.

Don't forget to breathe. You'll get through it.

I don't see why longevity plays into this either. It's not like radiation kills the cancer cells for 20 years and then they spontaneously come back to life. The issues arise if surgery doesn't cut it all out or if radiation didn't get everything--to that end the cure rates are roughly the same for surgery and other types of radiation. And you have every reason to think the cure rate will be good for you. There are good reasons for picking surgery over radiation (and vice versa), but I don't see longevity being one of them.

I fully agree with Halbert's statement above: research and make a decision that YOU can live with. Good luck to you. Deciding on a treatment option is the hardest part of the journey!

If you decide on Dr. Patel, you will love him. He is very soft spoken, very confident and even though he has done over 8,000 surgeries, he treats you like he knows you.

He did my surgery almost 4 years ago and I am still undetectable.

Celebration Hospital is wonderful, more like a resort than a hospital.

Bill from Florida

David,
You certainly must be feeling life slapped right now, with taking care of your poor wife and then having to make a tough decision about your cancer and an even harder decision about whether or not you have to hand over the care of your DW to others.
I hope we can continue to support you on both fronts.
Keep you sights on the "cure" that is very achievable for you and don't forget to do stuff that makes you happy and helps you "forget" the life slapping you're having to take now. Hopefully things will begin to look up for you soon.
Making an informed decision about RALP vs RT will help get that weight off and leave you feeling less confused.
Do you have a close support system in FL of family and/or friends? In your posts you sound so alone and overwhelmed.
Wishing you the best David. We are here to lean on when you need some friends.
Beth n Gary

Hang in there