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How time flies - G9 update

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Posted 6/1/2020 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
First post in a little over 15 months.

Recap of treatment was Lupron starting in April 2018 (18 months). IMRT Aug/Sept 2018. LDR Brachy Oct 2018.

Completed 18 months of Lupron with last 6 month shot given on 4/23/2019.

PSA progression had been:

3/18 7.26 (DX)
6/18 1.73 (6 weeks ADT)
7/18 1.38
10/18 0.20 (after IMRT before brachy)
2/19 0.09
6/19 0.04
11/19 0.02 testosterone still at < 12 (0.12 ng/ml)

Which brings us to today's test result of PSA 0.05 with testosterone back to within normal range at 390 (3.90 ng/ml).

I think this is still a very good number given testosterone level. I will see my medical oncologist this Friday, and radiation oncologist in August.

Overall health has been great. No return to bedroom activity yet (no desire at all until the past month or so). Forty plus years of marriage being away from the game not of a large concern, though having done some personal testing in the last month I've gone from post vasectomy (20+ years ago) "shooting blanks" to "shooting nothing" (first time was "what?" and then the Google search).

Still require once a day FloMax -- was at twice a day until late last year. I tried going to every other day with the goal of stopping it entirely but determined better to be happy about no issues than trying to get totally off the medication.

Broke ground on a new house in Dec 2018 (grading) with construction completing end of Jan 2020. Between prepping a house we had been in for 30 years for sale, the selling, then moving to a 32' fifth wheel trailer for the final 5 months of the build (with all four 45 to 65 lb dogs), had both a bit of stress and a good life distraction from PCa.

While I wasn't posting, I would still come back to read and catch up with posts.

All and all, blessed. Hope your lives have been going well.
Posted 6/1/2020 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
CaDog,
Not sure what you mean by your T being in the "normal" range. Your's is actually quite low.

Things seem to be going well enough for you. Continued success ahead!
Posted 6/1/2020 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
PS, Maybe you meant 390 instead of 3.90. If that's the case, you are doing quite well.
Posted 6/1/2020 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it's 390 (the units I guess everyone else uses -- the lab results come back in ng/ml which is the 3.90 figure).

I edited the post to put ng/ml number in parenthesis.
Posted 6/1/2020 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
I learned something today - try to make sure you know what you're talking about. 🙂

That's a fantastic comeback for your T, and an even better hold-down of your PSA.

Outstanding outcome. Congratulations!
Posted 6/3/2020 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
Bumping this up. I'm surprised no other members have given congrats on a great outcome.
Posted 6/4/2020 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
Forum responses have been odd lately. I am impressed with your results so far and glad you are living a life outside of PCa. Yes, the 40+ years of marriage accounts for less sexual tension, is it that time again?
Posted 6/4/2020 6:51 AM (GMT 0)

Mumbo said...
Forum responses have been odd lately. I am impressed with your results so far and glad you are living a life outside of PCa. Yes, the 40+ years of marriage accounts for less sexual tension, is it that time again?


Thanks for the comment and question. I was wondering a bit about the quietness here compared to my time spent here posting and trying to decide which way to go treatment wise. For my journey, getting to a decision was more difficult than the actual treatment (except for that intrusive "study" for the LDR brachy).

Thinking more about it perhaps being time the last few weeks. I was a bit surprised T was back to within the normal range based on what I've read from other posts here. But, truthfully, until recently my attitude has been very ambivalent. Mentally, there's more interest lately, but there's still not a strong drive yet to see what happens. Of course the world seemingly coming apart lately hasn't helped.

Given the wake up to mortality that a G9 DX brings, a robust sex life wasn't high on the needs list these past two years.

As to the small bump, 0.02 to 0.05, 1% of me is a bit concerned. and 99% is pretty pleased given that figure with T at 390. I'll probably discuss whether to go to 3 month testing for a bit, or just stay at the 6 month schedule at my medical oncologist appointment in two days.
Posted 6/4/2020 11:13 AM (GMT 0)
CaDogs, I think you’ve got it right 99% happy with the PSA .should be 100% happy with the T of 390. So Congratulations.
For some perspective, I’m 1 year and 7 months past my last 3 months shot, so a year and 4 months past end of Lupron, and my T is at 258. I started low to begin with, at 322, though.

And I get what you are sayin about the bedroom activity. 43 years of marriage, and low T, aren’t a great combination to promote Tarzan the Apeman feeling,

Keep up the good work on the PSA
Posted 6/4/2020 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
CAdogs - Sorry, I meant the comment “is it that time again” relative to a long marriage and “Tarzan the Apeman” adventures. Seems I never heard that in the first 30+ years. You seem to be doing well so don’t sweat the minuscule PSA values until they become a habit, the 99% of you has the right idea.

The forum is different since COVID-19 started, not as many new inquiries and lot more discussion about other health issues and offbeat subjects. I prefer the prostate related issue discussions since the paper, news, TV, and radio cover all the other stuff ad nauseum.
Posted 6/4/2020 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
CAdogs, to move from 0.02 to 0.05 is still an extremely low reading with your prostate still present. Think that 99% feeling could be notched up a little. Let us know your decision on testing. Blessings.

Mumbo - Agree totally with your comment addressing the Forum post-19.

Just my uneducated opinion. V/R
Posted 6/10/2020 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
I met with my medical oncologist last four days ago and he indeed helped nudge up the 99% feeling to 99.x% (lol, still working on deciding what the x is).

In any event, he said I can stay at 6 month test interval or go back to 3, my choice. I decided given that this was my first rise, albeit it being as small as it was, I'd opt for 3 month tests to see what transpires for a bit.
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