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Starting Provenge also

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 12/15/2013 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
I start my Provenge journey Monday 12/16. I am a little concerned about the leukapheresis as needles are not my friend. My last PSA was a 12.4 but I have been off of Zytiga for three months.
Posted 12/15/2013 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck with the treatment and I hope very much that it is successful for you.
Posted 12/16/2013 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
Hope it does the job. Wishing you all the best.
Posted 12/16/2013 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
keep us updated on your progress. We hear good things about Provenge.

Andrew
Posted 12/16/2013 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
Best wishes kwidd. I hope it arrrests the cancer and helps the next treatment to be more effective.

Jack
Posted 12/16/2013 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
Please keep us posted. You guys are leading a new way for treating this beast.

Best wishes.
Posted 12/16/2013 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
I would assume that a vein check was done to see if you needed a port? I'm sure that the treatment will go smoothly. It's having to lay in that chair for 3 hours that sucks. Good luck.
Posted 12/16/2013 9:18 AM (GMT 0)
Im a pro at these, had three treatments before surgery and one post surgery. The medical folks will take great care of you, asking you what movie you would like to watch, they will even itch a nose for you since you can't move for about three hours. Do look at the needles, and once the needles are in, don't move your arms, if you do will you will huge bruises.

It will go well and then a few days latter you will have the infusion with the Porvenge product and rev up your immune system and let it go find and destroy any PCa cells they can find.

I never had a problem and suspect you will not as well.

Good luck.
Posted 12/16/2013 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
Best wishes. I have always disliked needles since they bent one trying to give me a rabies shot in the back when I was a kid.

Sam
Posted 12/17/2013 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
I made it through the blood draw. It took about three hours. Not the most pleasant but I've had worse. Now just waiting for this thur. to get the provenve in.
Posted 12/17/2013 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the update. I'm just one day behind you.

Sam
Posted 12/17/2013 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Thursday will be a piece of cake compared to the Leukapheresis. One thing I learned is that they will have to give you benadril thirty minutes before they start infusing the product. After my visit infusion, I learned I could speed up the process by insisting on them giving me the Benadryl right as I walked in.

They will start an IV and when I did it they started another IV in my other hand in case I had any negative reaction they could give me whatever potion that have for that. I never had a reaction. By the time you take the Benadryl, get the IV's in you will be almost ready for the Provenge product.

I always took my laptop so I could watch a movie while it took place. Seems like to me it only took about 90 minutes but they made me stay for another hour just to observe me.

Best wishes and I hope it works as it is suppose to. My life is betting on it working as well.
Posted 12/17/2013 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
I had a reaction on my first infusion in which I took benedryl in pill form. My second and third they gave it to me through the IV and I breezed through. Hope you have a good experience.
Posted 12/17/2013 5:27 AM (GMT 0)
The infusion is a cake walk you will do fine. I am excited for you. Provenge is the real deal. It gave me 14 side effect free progression free months. I am now on Zytiga and it is working well. Last psa was 0.47. Regards, Todd
Posted 12/20/2013 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
I got my dose of Provenge today. I was supposed to be at the doctors office at 9:30 for blood work and a visit before my infusion. The weather was not very cooperative. We had a combo of ice and snow. It normally takes about 40 min. to make the drive but not this morning. It took us over two hrs. On the way to the hospital they said on the news that Salt Lake int. was shut down because of the ice. My Provenge was due in at 11:30 but it was stuck in Boise Id. We were not sure if it would make it to Salt Lake City before it went bad. We were blessed that the airport opened up so that I was able to get my treatment. All went good no side effects that I have noticed. I have my next draw on the 30th. I hope the weather is better then.
Posted 12/20/2013 4:19 AM (GMT 0)
kwidd,

Congrats on your first product infusion. You are getting it at exactly the location I received it four years ago. They are true pros at HCI. Hopefully you won't experience any side effects. I got the chills two days after the infusion which they said was very unusual.

Two more Leukapherasis and infusions and then your immune system with the Provenge will go to work. It takes about six months for the full benefit to work on your body.
Posted 1/3/2014 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
I had my second infusion today. Everything went good till I got to the end. The chills were not to bad but it took a while to warm up. It's good to be down to one more to go.
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