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zytiga and xofigo

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Posted 4/5/2017 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
I have a question.
My wife and I met today with my euro for the results of my psa test, it is 13. It had dropped 1 since my last test in January. I was on ztandi for a year and could not take the full dose of 4 pills so the doc agreed to let me go with 2. From Sept to January my psa had jumped from 7 to 14. So he got me on zytiga which I started last month. Today he is talking about having me take zytiga (I can handle the 4 pills with prednisone) and add xofigo in the near future. I will have another blood draw in six weeks for psa and injection of lupron. Iam thinking depending on my psa at that time he will want me to start getting injections of xofigo soon. Is anyone taking both of these ? Thanks in advance for thoughts from you very smart guys and I mean that.
Posted 4/6/2017 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Thomasjohn,
Your post deserves a bump up so the others can see and respond. I have no experience with Zytiga and Xofigo but there may be some on this board that have. I am currently on Zytiga and don't have any noticeable side effects other than fatigue and loss of body hair including my eyebrows and eyelashes. They are still there but noticeably thinner and shorter. Could be from the prior chemo treatment as I started Zytiga as soon as chemo failed.

I understand that Xofigo targets bone mets so you should get some relief there as well. Best wishes to you.
Posted 4/6/2017 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks 10!
Zytiga is a bunch better than the massive fatigue with xtandi for me. I got the impression my euo does not think the zytiga will work for long. Iam just not a infusion chemo guy. I hope your doing ok. Iam just pushing my rock down my road.
Posted 4/6/2017 1:01 PM (GMT 0)
As of today, I am doing well. While chemo is certainly no walk in the park, it is certainly doable. The side effects can be harsh and the chemo crash would take me down for about three days post infusion but I made it through. And when chemo failed, I was prescribed Zytiga which I began one week after my last infusion. Took about a month before my psa dropped, but it's been good ever since. Having a G9 cancer I know that this ride will end sometime so I do my best to live a positive life and am enjoying all the little things that it has to offer. Stay positive and eat healthy! Best to you and your wife.
Posted 4/6/2017 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
The benefits of adding Xofigo to Zytiga is currently studied in an ongoing phase III clinical trial.
/clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT02043678
Posted 4/6/2017 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
Gemlin,
Wow thank you! a bunch of reading for sure. Looking for the results. And Almost 10....I totally respect what you and everyone else on this site decides is best for themselves. I am glad you made it through the chemo. but when you said, "And when chemo failed" it is just not my cup of joe. I have a friend in south carolina has cancer they can not ID the host, who is in the hospital has a feeding tube, down to 120 pounds, been through a bunch of chemo and he is on morphine and still has a ton of pain. I cried last night with his wife Kim. Not sure why Iam sharing this but Iam, Cancer sucks.

Remaining positive is key for sure. Like Yogi Berra said, "Fighting cancer is 90% mental and the other half physical." He really said it about baseball I just changed it. But I believe you are a strong guy as many here are you too Gemlin. We are born fighters and will fight until we got nothin' left. Just finished my two mile walk on our country road. My hips hurt like heck as does my back, but gotta keep movin'. And yep eat as healthy as possible, organic coffee, stevia, almond milk. etc etc.
Posted 4/10/2017 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Thomasjohn,
From one patient at CTCA to another, Best wishes!
Sorry , I have no advice on Xofigo, no bane pain for me(blessed) My ONC prescribed Zytiga for me in Aug 2014 when I became castrate resistant with Lupron only. It has been a Godsend to me. My PSA is now undetectable for the past 29 months and counting. However with all the research studies coming out lately. I would appear I would have benefitted by having Doxetaxel first.

It appears you are opposed to any Chemo drug, I respect your feelings about that, I always wanted to avoid that due to the reputation and knowing others with other forms of cancer that were prescribed that. (But in effect everything we are taking is chemical in nature) I have no first hand knowledge so this advice is just my own feelings. Respect also to those that went through these infusions and were debilitated by them. From what I have heard from others though, this particular chemo drug is apparently not like the very strong chemo drugs of old, and apparently not as debilitating etc., My friend is on it , 6th sessions last week and is doing OK, going back to work each Monday after treatment on Friday.

We each should choose our own path, but for me , personally I am not "scared" about it anymore, as I once was. Just want to live longer, with a QOL that is not debilitating.
Take care my friend and hoping you get to that Calibration of Life event at CTCA, Zion the very near future.
Wings aka Dan in So Cali
Posted 4/10/2017 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
ThomasJohn,
I totally get how you feel about Chemo. There have been some lasting physical changes that I cannot seem to shake but my personal issues seem like nothing in comparison to your friend. Cancer does suck but for many of us it is something that we live with until we no longer can. You already know what's right for you and I applaud you for it. Take care.
Posted 4/10/2017 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Wings of eagles,
Gosh I love that handle. Thank you and Almost 10 and Gremlin for the replies. I dont fly to CTCA any more. Been there 8 times thats 8 flights there and 8 back home. My doc there Evan Pisick a real smarty from Boston and Mary his nurse was great. The whole experience was excellent. we stayed at guest quarter north. Last trip there was 11/2015. I was on disability social security and medicare April 2016 and I could not get any help with mine or wife's flights so I decided to stay home with my ero here in Raleigh. So your from Southern Cal flew to Chicago? Must be the medical insurance thing. Question just wondering where in southern Cal.? I lived in the valley for a few years (Northridge) then bought a few houses in Simi Valley. Loved it but traffic stunk. Thanks guys for all the thoughts.
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