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Posted 3/10/2023 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all,
I had HD radiation treatment for prostate cancer in Sept. 2021. Just two treatments. Everything has been good, my numbers went from 5.74 pre treatment down to a low (.35) on my most recent check. I had 4 of 12 cores positive, with a Gleason score of 3+4 =7. Intermediate risk. I am 62 years young. I was recently prescribed Lipitor for my poor cholesterol in this past December by my family doctor. Within a week or two I started having pain in my right side in my back. Deep inside - like organ pain. They tested my blood and one my liver enzymes was about double what it should have been (83) from a high side allowable of 45. So I went off the Lipitor and they retested me 2-3 weeks later. My one enzyme went down to 50 and the other was in range. My back pain has not gone away though and so my primary care doc has ordered an abdominal CT scan. I think he suspects the prostate cancer has spread to my liver or ?, which I am reading on-line is a real possibility. Just wanted to run this by some of you guys to see what your thoughts are. I need to calm my nerves right now a bit if nothing else. Thanks and any help would be appreciated.
Posted 3/10/2023 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
about a decade ago I had the increased liver enzymes while doing Lupron shot + daily Casodex (50 mg pills -- 1 per day). My MO, Dr. Lam, was pretty sure it was the Casodex (couldn't stop the 3-mos Lupron shot I had earlier) and would quckly recover. I stopped the pills and Dr. Lam was right. Soon after, I restarted the Casodex. Problem never reoccured.

Mel
Posted 3/10/2023 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Mel!
Not sure I followed all of that but I think I got it. I was only taking 10mg dose of Lipitor for about 1 1/2 months I would say. I still think this pain of from the Lipitor but just not sure since I have been off of it for 3 weeks and my numbers are I'll say normal again. I have read it can take some time if I had any liver inflammation for it to go away but my primary doctor thought any discomfort would be gone by now.
Posted 3/10/2023 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I do recall Dr. Lam saying liver tends to recover/heal quickly. (good blood supply)

Mel
Posted 3/10/2023 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
I am concerned for sure. CT Scan next week I guess will tell the tale. Thanks for your comments.
Posted 3/11/2023 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Statin drugs can cause an assortment of issues. 10mg is a low dose but if you don’t get along with it, the dosage probably does not matter.

Other causes are only limited by your imagination at this point. Hopefully your pain is not quite as bad as when it started and you can make it until next week’s appointment.

Post Edited (Mumbo) : 3/10/2023 4:53:07 PM (GMT-8)

Posted 3/11/2023 10:17 AM (GMT 0)
Not sure if this is relevant but I've never done well on statins.
My issue has been diffuse muscle pain.
I've been switched to other statins but always muscle pain.

Glen
Posted 3/11/2023 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys! It’s a relatively low level pain so I’m sure I’ll make it till next week. You’re right about the imagination though. It’s easy to think the worst. I’ve had testicular 20 years ago, then prostate recently so I should say I’ve been lucky at this point. Just hoping it doesn’t run out on me.
Posted 3/11/2023 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
M1, I dunno, with a recent PSA of .35, and that being your nadir, i kind of think it would be surprising if this was prostate cancer metastisis. Just to be clear, is it your Primary Care Physician, or your radiation oncologist, who suspects mets.
My experience has been that many Primary Care Physicians dont know much about PCa. Mine, who is really good at what he does and is also board certified cardiologist, thought my psa was fine after a slow rise from undetectable to .08, 2 years post prostatectomy.
Posted 3/11/2023 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
Yes - it is my primary care doctor, and I agree that he is not as knowledgeable on prostate cancer. It's unclear to me if it has spread to the liver or ?? if it would be normal for the PSA to rise with it, or if it is possible to spread w/o an accompanying rise in PSA. I really don't want to have any more CT scans if I can avoid it, as with prior testicular 20 years ago I accumulated at least 6- 7 over a 3-5 year surveillance protocal. I actually cancelled my CT appt and rebooked for a month later thinking OK lets give this some more time to see if it goes away.
Doc tells me the liver pain should have gone away by now. What is read on the internet is this can take awhile though, so I dont know. I ended up reschedulling it again for this week - just not wanting to wait I guess.
If I had a prostate doc that could tell me that it is highly unlikely for prostate cancer to spread w/o a rise in PSA I would forgo this CT scan for some time. It has not really subsided much though for 45 days now after stopping Lipitor, just a steady 5 level dull pain in the morning, but then mostly goes away during the day unless I do physical activity that maybe then causes a dull 3-4 level discomfort.
Posted 3/11/2023 4:39 PM (GMT 0)

M1redskin said...
just a steady 5 level dull pain in the morning, but then mostly goes away during the day unless I do physical activity that maybe then causes a dull 3-4 level discomfort.

This sounds to me moer like a muscular issue. If it was Mets it wouldn't subside during the day
Posted 3/11/2023 5:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys - that’s an important observation that the pain wouldn’t really subside if it was Mets. I think I’m going to set this back until after I speak with my cancer doctor. I just don’t want more CT scans if I can avoid it.
Posted 3/11/2023 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
Could even be kidney pain. Years ago I had a stone block my Left ureter. The kidney swelled and it was by far the worse pain I've ever had.
Once they put in a scope the urine exploded out and I understood why the urologist had on the facemask and rubber outerwear. Felt a little bad for him but felt great for me.
Took 6 stents until the stone plinked out.
Maybe a stone on left side?

Glen
Posted 3/11/2023 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
M1:
I just came back to this thread. I'm so sorry. Just ignore my posted reply here. You said Lipitor and I read Lupron. So, just chalk it off to HT Fog!
BTW, I do take 10 mg Lipitor per day. No noticeable SE


Mel
Posted 3/11/2023 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
Just want to say thanks again for all who responded. I also wonder about a kidney stone. I am not currently having any symptoms of that so not thinking this as a reason but we will see.
Posted 3/20/2023 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hello again,
Just wanted to follow up with mt CT scan results. There was nothing detected in any organ / abdomen / chest area other than it is noted that I have multiple bilateral parapelvic renal cysts. These cysts as I understand it are normal for many people and are left untreated unless they cause issues (like the dull pain that I am having) which are a result of them bursting or becoming too large. I am not sure what to think now.
As I mentioned, this started shortly after taking Lipitor in dec. 2022 and following blood work did show a rise (83) above an allowable high range of (45) on one of my liver enzymes. It has come down to 50 now. I am off that though now for 2+ months though and I still have this on-going low grade pain in my back behind the lower rib cage. (kidney area). I understand prostate cancer can show up anywhere and can even spread w/o a rise in PSA but it is uncommon for it to go the kidneys 1st and even less common to spread w/o a rise in PSA I think. My PSA was .35 recently. So we will see what the urologists and my family doctor says later this week. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again though for your support.

Mark
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