ADT and SRT Journey Part 3

Larry, I’ve always had such a bottomless appetite, I’d only notice if I lost it. And I haven’t. Same appetite, no change in cravings, either.

garyi said...

Skypilot56 said...
I actually got fatigue the worst after treatment ended.

I hope that's the exception, not the rule... Is it still bad?

Gary, for me it lasted about a month. The residual fatigue was another factor in my "tight schedule" spreadsheet (everything last year revolved around getting ART done).

All year we had planned to spend November in Orlando with family. My radiation ended October 9th, so that left three weeks to get over the fatigue. Unfortunately I was on some heavy meds for Nov and Dec from another cancer scare, slept a lot, but still managed to spend three days at Universal Studios with the grandchildren the week after Thanksgiving.

I do remember the weeks in October as I was wrapping up RT and three weeks after I was napping a lot, probably a couple hours every afternoon. Also that was right in the middle of my Lupron sentence. Now I've become accustomed to the "Lupron Lifestyle" and wondering what life will be like without it... sometime next year!

Hey Felas

I'm with you guys on the Fatigue.

Anyone ever noticed that this horrible word begins with the word 'Fat'?

Well, I'm continuing to put on weight... could it be the lupron's direct effect, or the fatigue that has me not working out as much? .. or both? .. I dunno.

Anyways, I just got back my latest uPSA ... and I'm at <0.006 .. woot ...

My excitement is somewhat diminished because my Testosterone level is basically still 0 ... so ...

I pose a question to you guys... my friends... my fellow prostate warriors....

How good is a <0.006 PSA when you're still in the clutches of hormone therapy, vs. lets say 6 months from now when the Lupron has hopefully worn off??

Zzarth

Happy for your result, zzarth.
I asked the radiation oncology nurse the same question when she said they would check psa three months after radiation and one month after the 6-month Lupron finished. She did not give me a clear answer but said they would check again 6 months later.
Maybe the HW members who know more than I can respond.

RobLee said...
.....The big question for me is will emotional stability ever return and will I be able to eventually go off the venlafaxine. ...

I started getting back to normal about three months after my six month Lupron injection (nine months after the injection) because my T was recovering fairly quickly. As I recall it took another year before I felt more or less completely back to 'normal' (whatever that is .) I think the residual effects of Lupron hang around for a very long time (which my RO disagreed with by the way.)

I was on venlafaxine for maybe six weeks and had no issues with tapering the dosage down to zero but maybe the longer you are taking the drug is a different scenario.

Zzarth, Great news on your latest psa!!!!!! In my understanding talking to my PA this time after my latest psa he said that remaining undetectable means that there is no new cancer spreading and that the lupron is holding what there was in check hopefully the cancer was all in the pelvic area and we wiped it out with radiation and he said also when the cancer cells are being stopped by Lupron sometimes they just die out that was the reason they want me to go for two yrs. Man you got the part about the fat right!

Larry

Not for me, guys. My one and ONLY Lupron shot was in January. That’s it for me. My pathology is a little better than either of you, so hopefully that helps.

I think the only MO’s and RO’s allowed to prescribe ADT, should be one’s who have previously taken it themselves.

My last fraction is in 18 hours, and I'm feeling oddly melancholy. Something like Stockholm syndrome, perhaps. Back to the drudgery of "normal" life in Saipan, without my Guam hosts constantly fawning on me and telling me how "brave" I am, how strong I look, for enduring "cancer treatment," as if someone were waterboarding me every morning. First thing on my plate at home tomorrow afternoon after the dogs are done greeting me? Fix a broken water pump. Can't wait.

Congrats SP...but the techs will probably be happy you’re done. No more opportunities to urinate on a $50,000 table.

Mama and the dogs will be happy to have you home!

Congrats SP, and I do understand the Stockholm syndrome-like feeling. For me the conclusion of RT was somewhat anti-climactic. Mine did not involve distant travel and there was no bell to ring. Suddenly I found myself with no upcoming treatments, (well, not for a while anyway)... almost like "nothing to do". After having spent the past year and a half striving to reach that goal, I suddenly had this feeling like "what? no more treatments? whatever will I do with myself!"

For me the conclusion to RT was very emotional. Be it the ADT or just the grind,(probably both) when my RO came around the corner I just gave her a giant hug and had a very hard time holding back the tears.
I fully understand the feelings of it being over. The mix of emotion is really hard for me to describe but I'll try....Joy that it was over, sad that I wouldn't be seeing the techs that had become a everyday part of probably the toughest thing I had gone through up to that point, fear that maybe that wasn't enough, relief that I never had to keep my bladder that full for what seemed like that long. hope that things will be getting better..... Oh and I received 2 fractions on the last day, one in the AM, one in the PM, then went straight from the cancer center to the car to travel to Seattle to have a tumor removed from my small intestine the next day. (Whew .... I did that?)
about wondering when things are going to get better......I don't have any real expectations that my life both mentally and physically will ever be the same. At this point I'm seriously thinking about retirement. My plan was to wait until I was 65 and then work just part time for as long as I was able......but.....not sure I will be able to do that. Not unless things get dramatically better. I had my last 4 month Aug 2017 and I'm not feeling it yet. Of course I had the chemo on top of everything else. Not sure which treatment has taken the most from me but I know all together they have taken a lot. I definitely know I will never be the same had I not had cancer and the treatment to try and cure it. I'm just not the same man, never will be.

This thread has helped me tremendously. I'm glad that it is a continuing thread. I will be getting my next PSA test first of next week. Will be very interested of course in seeing were my T level is. Seems like it must be raising because my beard is growing again (at least I have to shave twice a month now) and hair is apearing elsewhere. Uh....and my moobs are very tender.

So we shall see.

Hoping a good report will help cheer me up.


Battle On Brothers!


The Artistic One - Mark

Mark, you’re my rock! Keep on truckin’, brother.
Rob, I’ll race you to the clinic! Will buy you a virtual beer tonight.