Looks like I'll be joining a few of you guys on Ht.

Looks like I'll be joining a few of you guys on HT.
I don't have details yet but had a very frank conversation with my Uro today. My Psa increased from less than 0.04 in May to .2. Next step RadOnc to get his opinion. I guess the two of them talked this morning and agreed that HT of some sort first is the way to go. (and I regrettably agree) and then SRT to follow.
Before the call this morning I was wondering how to push for joint HT and SRT to stack the odds. Well seems we are all on the same page there.
On a positive note, the incontinence is 99.9% (can't do too many full squats) and the Ed had been progressing quite nicely (although not like it use to be, can get the job done without meds)... so how do I keep from too much regression in both areas? or is this a "see what the radiation and HT does" and move on?
We also discussed some clinical trials but I don't have details. My Uro's thought is not to venture too far off the beaten path until the numbers settle. We are all still hoping for a cure.
Knowing that I thrive on details (and hope), he said if I see anything while researching to let him know and he will get the data on it, and explain it to me.
So overall, I'm a little worried, but darn glad I'm getting some sort of plan in place.
It still amazes me that I am where I am and to this day nothing to quantify it with... like a symptom.
I guess I should track down my old family doc that ticked off the psa block on some standard blood work and thank him.
I'm sure I'll have lots of questions about side effects but for now any advice is welcome.

BTW no pity allowed in this thread. I'm trying to stay upbeat about my future.

Post Edited (tooyoung4this) : 9/11/2012 1:38:43 PM (GMT-6)

tooyoung -- you're doing the right thing and i applaud you!.  hit it hard now and get rid of the beast.  i took celexa to combat hot flashes but the SSRI also helped me with the depression brought on by lupron and the situation in general.  good luck to you !

ed

 

Hi tooyoung4this, Your post thread “subject” is troubling.   There has been lots of dialogue in the PC-world, especially this year, about how doctors are under-communicating to patients about what hormone therapy really is . Apparently, in one aspect of the under-communication, many patients don’t understand that a more complete name for men with prostate cancer is hormone (androgen) deprivation therapy.   Part of the confusion may be due to the commonality of the term “hormone therapy” as a treatment for menopausal women, which is really a hormone replacement therapy.   I’ve seen one poster here at HW who thought that by receiving hormone therapy he would be receiving injections of “female hormones” (his words, not mine).   While a synthetic estrogen (DES) was one of the early treatments for PC, it has since been essentially eliminated from modern practice because of the serious cardiovascular side effects.   Nonetheless, the name “hormone therapy” for PC patients may be an enduring euphemistic simplification which misleads patients about the reality of this treatment.   Androgen deprivation is tantamount to chemical castration.   HERE is a link to an excellent discussion about the term "hormone therapy" on the well-informed site The “New” Prostate Cancer Infolink, which is a must-read site with information for men with PC. A PC Infolink posting yesterday ( HERE ) discussed efforts to improve the quality of the guidance and communication between physician and PC patient, especially with regard to the opportunity to better communicate about the realities of both radiation and androgen deprivation therapy treatments. Last month, the PC Infolink also had a posting ( -possible-side-effects/" rel=nofollow target=_blank> HERE ) about a study examining how poorly informed patients and their partners were about androgen deprivation therapy.   That posting included this troubling passage: It would be nice to think (hope?) that every doctor giving a prescript ion to every man who needed ADT could spend 15 minutes making sure that that patient and his spouse/partner really understood the side effects associated with such therapy and what could be done to prevent them. In today’s high pressure medical care system, that’s just not going to happen, however. Even if it did, a significant percentage of the patients would still either not hear or not be willing and able to process the information being provided.   tooyoung4this, maybe you already know all of this...this posting may not be helpful to you, but perhaps it will be to others in the future.   But hopefully your doctor also discussed in detail that for those undergoing androgen deprivation therapy, both cardiovascular exercise and weight-bearing exercise are of paramount importance to protect the heart & blood vessels, fight fatigue prevent bone & lean tissue loss and help prevent weight gain…all of which are common but managable adverse side effects.   The reality has been exposed that these issues tend to be under-communicated by physicians in general.

too-

We have very similar params and surgeries within a week.

I beat you to the second party and am doing well. Hired a personal trainer when I started the ADT and workout 6 days a week, 3 with trainer. Have lost about 12 lbs without real attempt to diet. Currently doing the 100 pushup and 8 pullup program I found on web with good improvement over past month. Fifty pushups and 2 chins.

I actually find not having the urge to have sex less stressful than having the desire and not being able. Clears my mind back to the time I was 10 years old with my ball glove on my bike handlebar, if that makes sense.

Good luck to you .

Jim

Thanks all for the feed back.
F8... Celexal (and ssri generally) now on my research list.
And Jim, I think I get it. Wouldn't it be nice to be 10 again! Your biggest worry is to wonder if that cute girl in school knows your name. Lol.

Casey59, I agree, there is always benefit from discussion.

I have to say, I think I have a fairly open Dr. I don't know of many Dr's that will give you there personal email and phone number. My conversation today was based more on my plan than anything. My intent with this thread was to come up with things I'll now discuss... So your post is greatly appreciated.