Xofigo

It has been a few months since I posted but Iam guessing you could say things are declining.
My PSA was 7 in September 2016, 14 in January, 21 in May and in June 23.6
My CT last week is clear which is great, must be all the nutritional stuff Iam drinking. But the cancer is wide spread into my bones causing pain especially in pelvis and ribs and skull its in occipital bone.
Wife and I decided after talking with RO last monday to start xofigo. Had blood draw this pat monday and start the infusion on the 15th. once a month for six months.
Does anyone have experience with xofigo?
Thanks and everyone feel good today, ok?

Thanks for the information Charles. I saw the risk there but 2% with major issues is not to bad. Start my first infusion on the 15th. Each month for total of six. The RO said it might help or do nothing for me. only the pain relief will tell.
I will post for anyone how things go.
Thank again
Tom

TA.... I have since I joined this site appreciated a bunch of information that you and others have shared with member that are fighting this terrible situation. I have as Iam sure many others have had friends and family members that have been take by cancer. The ones I knew have all taken some form of chemo that did not help and it took away their "quality of life" My quality of life for the past four years has been pretty good and people still ask "You dont have cancer do you, you look so good."
You have suggested docetaxel to me a few months ago and I appreciate your advice, but no thank you sir.
And I had to look up the meaning of comorbidity referring to additional disorders possibility behavior or mental, REALLY? Right your not a doctor you do often give wonderful advise but please dont refer to comorbidity to me. We all choose the way we deal with this our own way. IF you did not mean or imply I had a mental disorder then please choose your $50 words with more care knowing they might have more than one meaning. I hesitated to post this reply but comorbidity just got to me. Maybe Iam a little sensitive since I just had my first xofigo infusion today.

Thomasjohn-

As rf said, "comorbidity" just means any chronic disease other than prostate cancer that you have at the same time. It does not refer to mental disease in this case. I can't even imagine a mental disease that might preclude docetaxel or why you would think that is what I meant. So, for example, chronic liver disease or AIDS might make someone a bad candidate for docetaxel.

You wrote, "The ones I knew have all taken some form of chemo that did not help and it took away their "quality of life" My quality of life for the past four years has been pretty good and people still ask "You dont have cancer do you, you look so good."

My mother would be in that category of people I know intimately who did poorly with chemo, so I do understand your fear. We all carry a lot of baggage based on what we think we know from other experiences. Try to remember that all chemos are not alike. Also, docetaxel, when used earlier while one is healthier, has a much better side effect profile than when it is used towards the end. Patients who take it report better quality of life than those who don't. Also, it is more effective when used earlier. Feeling good right now is not a good way to evaluate which medicines to take for any cancer. Prostate cancer is asymptomatic in early stages - we always feel good.

Forgive me if I don't remember if I've said all this to you before. I post on here a lot, and don't always remember previous conversations.

Thomasjohn, as you have probably learned chemotherapy has changed markedly in the last 20 years.

In 1996 my wife had it for breast cancer using a three drug cocktail that just about did her in. It took a couple of years to fully recover. All the negatives we have associated with chemo were thrust upon her and made for a very bad time in her life.

In 2010 she had another bout of breast cancer that again needed chemotherapy and she was dead-set against it based on her prior experience. Finally she relented to using it. This time it was two drugs which included Taxotere. It went with hardly a problem. The Neulasta kept her white blood count healthy, the anti nausea medicine worked wonderfully and it was like she had mild flu for a few days. She had the infusions on a Friday and returned to work the following Monday feeling pretty good, if a bit tired. Yes, she lost her hair again, but unlike mine, it did grow back beautifully.

The best part is that each time the chemotherapy contributed to a cure. She became cancer free each time and continues to be so. Would she have without the chemo? Probably not....as each time there was strong indication the cancer could be systemic and surgery and radiation alone would not have been enough. Thankfully the treatments have worked and her long life has been much more enjoybale than the short period of bad side effects. were not.

We all wish you the best with your treatment choices and support your decisions. As a big family we also want contribute positively with our own information and experiences to assist you in those choices. When I see treatments that have proven to be effective I want to help in any way I can to encourage people to use all the tools available. Of course, it is your situation and you make the decisions. That is the way it should be.