New Member

Welcome Idaho,

Seems like you have covered some ground already and glad to see you are responding well! Your insights will be most desired as some of us follow your trail.

Take care,
Jake

I am surprised you had a psa doubling time of 3 months 5/12 to 8/25 of 2009 and further surprised a at rise in Psa recently, so it is good you started on something like LHRH drug you are on now, ask your doc about doing ADT3 combo(zoladex, casodex, proscar/avodart) perhaps for ultimate hormone therapy slam, see what he says, then maybe compare same with another onco-doc especially a PCa oncologist. Once you are into this land of failed primary and secondary(salvage) treatments, you are litterally outside the expertise of the average uro-doc and probably in your best interests to consider seeing a PCa oncologist. (this is mentioned in Dr. Strum's book also...not just my stupid idea- LOL). You might do better with ADT3 as to hitting hard right now for longer term remission, the doubling time is something to try halt as well as possible. No nobody herein is total expert on this(me either), neither is your uro-doc, so understand where you are in this mix. Hopefully you are seeing an oncologist or maybe your rad-doc prescribed this?

There are alot of protocols on hormone and drug therapies, more than you likely know about, I could list 30+ therapy drugs that are possibly useful in controlling PCa, since your life is on the line (same with mine since diagnosis, high stats), probably worth your time to find out all you can on anything (unless one doesn't care that much) and uro-docs know little or nothing on these others...or do not bother with them(lawsuits, profits, risks...who knows). If you ever fail on the LHRH drugs, there are other 2nd line hormone therapy drugs to consider, found on www.prostate-help.org  and  www.hormonerefractorypca.org  and such, to read about.

My psa was similar to yours(46.6), only my overall stats were way-way worse than yours...been about 8 yrs. for me Dx-2002 (done ADT3 for 2 yrs., doing DES off/on almost ever since with better results and little to no side effects, little to no cost, too). I call this area of PCa 'Limbo-Land' as you don't know exactly how you are doing even if psa doesn't move much.

Idaho: Welcome, sence you have been lurking for a while, you know how the board works Zufus is a real example of why we are on here. His knowledge of advanced treatment is so much better than many of us. He gives us hope and other treatments to think about when needed. You have had a heck of a journey already. We are here to stand by you and walk with you in the PC trip.

Good luck with treatment and to hang with us. Keep us posted.

Cajun Jeff

Welcome Idaho and thanks for posting and sharing part of your journey. Hope that you post again and stay with us for awhile. Get a cup of coffee and pull up a seat my friend. You live in a great state as well.

Michael

Welcome to HW.

As you have probably read, we have guys in your position who have been successful for many years in combatting PC on regimens like yours.

Sometimes just having a place that we can vent a little is a help, as well as learn new ideas/developments about treating PC.

Stay with us. Hopefully you can be a help to others as well, by sharing your story here.

Best to you IDguy55 good to see you have one of the most informative books on PCa at your finger tips, if second edition I am on the inside cover the 3rd guy down from top of page, in the photos, from Michigan. This book helped me know more about choices and the seriousness of my own case. Monitor psa atleast every 3 months or more is my suggestion and doc is doing same already?(I would go monthly perhaps) I used to get psa tests at nearby walkin testing at Hospital here $15, anytime and anybody...mail results back to you. I was a hawk right after radiations and doing ADT3 (2002-2004) and caught the slight ever increasing rises while on ADT3, and switched drugs and got more control over psa, lowered, stabilized so well that I went off all drugs for about 2 yrs. (maybe that was a wrong risk going off for 2 yrs. and caught the psa increases starting again), resumed last Nov. 2008 and back in control, but watching it and also considering what I might do in future choices if and when it looks necessary.

Zufus, I am getting a PSA every 3 months. I do need to find a Med-Onc PC specialist as the Radiation-Oncologist I've been seeing might not be as up to speed on the "Hormone" therapys.

Purgatory, I've read your story and can't imagine what you've gone through. Just being "clogged" up twice, and needing a 2nd catheter just a year after surgery was bad enough for me. Hope your latest surgery works out for you.
Update, I just read your latest post, Sorry for the setback.

Dallan

IDGuy,

Welcome to the board!

I see you may need to find a Prostate Onco in Southern Idaho. I need to find one in Pittsburgh (all I get is "he is informed in many cancers.")...inotherwords bring on the Taxotere, baby!

Can anyone help both of us?