Gleason 10 - Psa results and further treatments

Hi all

I had my third PSA since surgery and results from this one means that further treatment will be started this week i.e adt/ht. and then in 3 months time radiation.

Psa history-
RALP nov-16
Dec16 psa <.008
Feb 17 psa .01
Mar17 psa .100
Gleason 10 with +margin and +LN

Ive lost around 5kg since surgery my deis been imoacted and I feel depressed. Been to physactrist for depression feeling better now.

My oncologists threshold was .05 now its .1 in 6 weeks he is planning adt asap and radiation in around aug-17.

Cheers

Hello Jack ....sorry to hear this news .....try and stay positive ....live everyday to the fullest ...exercise....love.... that`s all I have ..........good luck on your continued journey.....David

Sorry to hear about this development. How frustrating.

There are many therapies still available, and you may have a very good response. It sounds like you're not wasting any time, and are moving along to the next steps.

All the best to you as work through this.

Jack,

I've been where you are now and I clearly remember that it sucked big time.

There are two pieces of good news. 1) RT isn't particularly horrible. 2) HT, while distinctly horrible, doesn't last forever.

A few bits of random advice:

The more you exercise during HT and RT the better you will feel. Both treatments tend to make one fatigued and unenergetic. It may seem counterintuitive but the harder you work your body the less fatigued you will feel.

If you are struggling with continence issues after your RP you should work your kegels between now and the radiation. Radiation tends to interfere with the process of getting dry.

If you watch whodunits on television it's best to have a viewing buddy during, and for a while after, your radiation. While I was doing my radiation I would reliably fall asleep during detective-style shows and my wife would wake me up during the end credits to tell me who the bad guy was, how he committed his crime, and the nature of the fatal mistake that led to his/her capture.

Hormone therapy used to improve the effectiveness of radiation has two good aspects. The first is that it generally does improve the outcomes for treating recurrent prostate cancer with radiation. The second good aspect is rather like banging your head against a tree -- it feels so good when you stop. It helps to remember that one's mojo is hibernating, not dead, and it will probably wake up after that last HT shot wears off.

Don't lose the number for your shrink. Antidepressants sometimes seem to help with the cognitive/mood side effects of hormone therapy.

Good luck.

I am a post-radiotherapy Gleason 9 with the tumor having broken out of the prostate gland. "Treatment" now is just monitoring PSA which remains at 0.01. Thank you to all the correspondents here for their positive comments which have helped me gain a healthier attitude towards my long-term prognosis. Michael (UK).

Jack, not much to add, just want to say good luck with your treatment. There is so much tht can be done, so many available treatments, and it sounds like you are right in top of it.

Re depression, totally understandable. I was depressed for months after surgery and my pathology was good. I think it's natural, and over time, you will get accustomed to the new normal, your mind will reset, and you'll feel better about things.

You will be in my thoughts as you go through the treatments

A fwiw....

Same as Pratoman here. I've been pretty depressed since my dx. but....esp. since my tx.


But the days.....not unlike the physical side of things.....have gotten better. Not in a straight line.

Hang in there, Jack. There are others in the same boat with you.

Luckily, there are many options available to manage this nuisance.

I'm managing recurrence, also. But, I feel I'm more likely to be run over by a texting motorist while cycling than from this disease.

Wishing you the best!

Tony