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I have made a decision on my treatment plan.

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 1/26/2017 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all,

Well my wife and I went to see the RO and after weighing my treatment options including having the prostate removed I decided to go with just the radiation IMRT for 42 days is what he said. I have to go next week and have some type of markers inserted into my prostate and he said I would be fully awake for that?? Now that concerns me!!.. I hope someone out here has had this done and if so is it a painful procedure? sounds like it to me. I hope that after 42 days of IMRT this all works and its gone, at least that is my prayers. I didn't want to do the HT if I didn't need to because my job is very physical and I have no choice but to work while going through it. I'll keep you all posted and so many of you have already been a HUGE help with the information you've given me.

Thanks
Jay
Posted 1/26/2017 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
The markers weren't as painful as the biopsy and it's only three sticks. You can ask for some pain meds if you're concerned. I didn't need anything other than the courage to lie on the table.

You're milage may vary.

It's a good treatment plan and won't stop you from doing your job. Near the end of your treatment you might need a few days off.

Hang in there and keep us updated on your progress,
Andrew
Posted 1/26/2017 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
Was that Dritschilo you met with? Did you discuss brachytherapy boost along with the IMRT?

No, it isn't nearly as painful. The fiducials are only 3 or 4 injections - not like the 12 on a biopsy. You should discuss transperineal placement, which has a lower risk of infection.

/pcnrv.blogspot.com/2016/08/infection-from-fiducial-placement.html
Posted 1/26/2017 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
Best of luck in your journey, Jay! Best advice I can give you is to take one day at a time. Looking ahead constantly only causes a lot of stress (although there may be times that you will need to). For now, just remember, statistically, you have a great chance to be cured. Give it your best and never look back!
Posted 1/26/2017 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck with your treatment. My husband had IMRT and HRT and didn't miss a day of work. His job is pretty physical and he was tired, but made it. You'll do fine! Take everything one day at a time.
Posted 1/27/2017 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Jay, What do you do for a living? Just curious, I'm a sheep farmer, sheep shearer , so I too have a physical job..sometimes up to 12 hours of farmwork or up to 8 hours of sheep shearing, with 2 breaks of 30 minutes. Not quite the same as "working out" for 2 or 3 hours. Needless to say I will not opt for surgery..being really out for 6 weeks and mostly out for 6 months won't cut it. I hope your IMRT goes well. I've talked to the people at Roswell and am trying to decide between HDRBT and hypofractionated IMRT, which they are fairly new at..just the last couple of years. Anyway good luck they say once you decide what to do you are going to be much less stressed.
Posted 1/27/2017 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hey J-Dubs .....congrats on your final decision ....very fast ....I was the same way pretty much.........markers no biggie ...,but the perininal(sp.) entrance that TA was talking about would scare me ,,,,I`m a chicken ....the rest a cake walk ....in my honest opinion.....I didn`t experience any fatigue....just kept doing what I had to do each day and being a full time caregiver , it`s a lot ....plus boat building ....etc..etc...so ....go for it, and like all of us ....pray that it works !.....Good luck ~David
Posted 1/27/2017 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for the kind reply's and the knowledge and support each one of you has given me, It is truly appreciated. SHEEPGUY, you ask me what I do for a living I work in a train yard and everything I pick up is heavy and dirty or rusty lol.. Although working with sheep or farming is probably much harder to tell the truth.. Thanks again and I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks
Jay
Posted 1/27/2017 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
LOL...only to the extent that we have to deal with bodily waste and smelly stuff. Most of the stuff is not that heavy though...100 lbs of cast iron or steel is way heavier than 100 lbs. of feed or hay. smile
Posted 1/27/2017 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like not lifting more than 5 lbs. for 6-8 weeks wouldn't work that well...LOL
Posted 1/27/2017 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
Jay - I had fiducials (markers) implanted for my radiation treatment (trans-perineal, not trans-rectal), and I'm a worry-wort. My RO gave me some pain pills and a mild tranquilizer (Librium or Xanax, can't remember). They also used some topical lidocaine, both before the procedure and during it.

Truthfully, there was some pain. Not "pry me off the ceiling" pain, but "breathing through gritted teeth" pain. Sort of like getting stitches in a cut with no pain meds. That is the bad news. The good news is that the pain was gone virtually as soon as they finished the procedure. No after-effects except a bit of a "full" feeling in the perineum for a day or so. I was really worried about it, and it turned out to be almost a non-event.
Posted 1/27/2017 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
My 'markers' for RO were three tattooed black dots on my pelvic area.
Posted 1/27/2017 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
Paxton, Thanks for the info as mine will be (trans-perineal ) to. They said they were also injecting something at the same time that puts a little space between the prostate and the rectum, sorry I forgot the name he told me for that. He did say that I may feel some pressure for a day and then it should subside and be absorbed by my body in about 6 months. The 9 weeks of daily IMRT is going to be a long haul for me but as many have done before I will soldier on...

Jay
Posted 1/27/2017 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Jay,everyone has a different pain threshold.I wish I would of been put under. Very painful for me.And Im a Marine,lol.I was put under for my fusion guided biopsy and should of done the same for the markers.But like Paxton said when its over there is no pain.I was looking for your signature and was curious why you chose 40 some treatments,IMRT, over 5 treatments using Cyberknife SBRT .IMRT has a 11 yr.study and SBRT has a 9 yr. study.

Im glad to made your decision that is best for you..Good luck and keep us posted.SemperFi,John
Posted 1/27/2017 3:33 PM (GMT 0)

Jaydubs said...
Paxton, Thanks for the info as mine will be (trans-perineal ) to. They said they were also injecting something at the same time that puts a little space between the prostate and the rectum, sorry I forgot the name he told me for that. He did say that I may feel some pressure for a day and then it should subside and be absorbed by my body in about 6 months. The 9 weeks of daily IMRT is going to be a long haul for me but as many have done before I will soldier on...

Jay

That spacer sounds like the absorbable SpaceOAR hydrogel.

This thread may be interesting. It discusses the spacer, and while generally well-tolerated does question the usefulness or necessity of it.

This article is pretty favorable toward its use.

And another positive article.

I had similar radiation therapy without this spacer, and have had no rectal issues whatsoever. In the age of radiation therapy machines like the Varian Trilogy, with millimeter exposure accuracy, it's not clear how much advantage there may really be to using the spacer. I was pushing for it when I had my treatments, but in 2013 it was still only in trials.
Posted 1/27/2017 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Redwing57, Thank you that's exactly what it is SpaceOAR hydrogel. He said it would give an extra layer of protection so I didn't give him any push back against it. By looking at your data it looks like the IMRT worked for you and that gives me some real HOPE!!.. I see you went on the HT also and that was mentioned to me IF this doesn't work.. How did you feel on the HT? any real side effects or weight gain? I'm a big guy and weight gain is not in my best interest. Thanks again..

Jay
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