Hi Walt, I originally wanted to do SBRT with Dr. King at UCLA, but when imaging showed probable ECE, he recommended HDR BT with Dr. Demanes along with IMRT. He said he could incorporate the lymph...
I would suggest getting a choline 11 pet scan if at all possible. It sounds like you have just a small spot that can be treated with SBRT. I know they do this at UCLA. LupronJim may be able to help...
Allen, I think if I were in your friend's shoes I would be doing the same. The question about checking for grade progression makes me wonder how that would be done... A blind biopsy at Kaiser or an...
You may want to watch Dr. Snuffy Myers latest online videos. He states that the term "hormone resistant" might be a misnomer and that the PCa cells just learn to get around the drugs, by 1. Creating...
Hi Allen, I probably had an MRI with the same machine back in October if it was the one at Kaiser Sunset. They concluded mine was contained as well with no evidence of ECE. 2 3T MP MRIs at UCLA (one...
Hi Max, I think you are doing all the right things. For me, the diagnosis by Dr. Bahn was the hinge pin for all of my decisions, even though I wanted to believe all those who dismissed it. Dr. Scholz...
Hi supermax, I was in a similar situation as you 8-12 months ago although my numbers were more advanced than yours. Dr. Bahn thought my cancer looked more aggressive and could have penetrated the...
Hi Chad, I had almost identical biopsy results as you and that was over a year ago. I am now on the tail end of my treatment after seeing some of the best prostate guys on the planet (IMHO). The most...
Loved Buckaroo Banzai and cilantro too! Sounds like a great trip!...
With all this high tech stuff you've got going on, Zytipron seems more Sci-Fi....
I vote for ZypronJim...
You need to find out if the PCa has penetrated the capsule through either a CDUS or 3T MRI with an endorectal coil. If it has, then you will likely have to undergo radiation and HT down the road. If...
I agree with Tall Allen. You are looking at RT and HT in any case which have their own side effects, but to add to that the chance of lifelong incontinence and ED with major surgery that has not been...
After 4 months of lupron, I think I have "settled in" to the hot flashes. I sometimes wake up soaking wet in the middle of the night and then go stand naked in front of the fan. Then I am freezing...
If that were me, I would take their advice and do AS as long as possible. Take the time to make all the necessary diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. You might want to look at Dr. Myers work with...
Exercise, exercise, exercise! That is the key. Work out with weights at least 3x per week to prevent bone and muscle mass loss. Park your car far away and walk. Use the stairs - take 2 at a time....
I have been on 1000mg Zytiga with 10mg Prednisone for 4 months. The side effects are similar to Casodex and quite minor compared to Lupron. On days I go to work, I really notice nothing, but...
Ronnie, Although some may disagree, with your numbers, I would look into substituting the surgery component of your treatment with HDR Brachytherapy. With the cancer already outside the prostate,...
You are lucky you found this forum as I was last year when i was first diagnosed. My numbers are very similar to yours and I posed a similar question as yours when I first joined the group and got...
I second the Ornish spectrum recommendation. I would also add the book, "Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers" by Ralph Blum and Dr. Mark Scholz. It was one of the first books I read after my Dx and...
I know of oncologists who have some of their patients, who have a hard time affording Zytiga, take a lower dose with food, I believe with a higher fat content and one that is consistent. The company...
Michael, You have definitely paid it forward to me, so thank you! Good luck with the future and may your T numbers return to where they were before and your PSA stay where it is now. We will still be...
Jack, Thank you for your reply! I am wondering if I will even need a cushion now... I will stock up on some frozen peas for the compress. How long after the procedure could you soak in a bath? Jack...
I will be having 2 sessions of HDR BT in a few weeks, each a week apart. I have heard from others that it is painful to sit for a while afterwards. I am a software engineer and sit at a desk for much...
To paraphrase my favorite oncologist, Dr. Mark Scholz... For many men with low risk prostate cancer, AS may offer the best treatment choice and the only one with no side effects... You may want to...
Shiny, I could be wrong, but my brachytherapist, who has done thousands of HDR procedures said he does prostates of all sizes. You may want to look into it as it is much less invasive than surgery....
I have noticed that wine doesn't taste as good as it used to and throws me for a bigger loop than before. I have also noticed that certain smells, like the smell of people's hair, are noticeable that...
Sorry, I updated my sig - forgot to add the day. Started Lupron on 2/4/2014 so 5 weeks tomorrow... will know my T levels soon. PSA only dropped .3 since on the Lupron from .9 to .6, hopefully more...
I have been on Lupron for 5 weeks now. No problem for the first 4. I've also noticed a big change (downward) in my energy levels... and the hot flashes have started. Most of them have been minor, but...
Yes, but if one can get an erection, one can still "perform", correct? And doesn't a mental desire to pleasure one's partner override any loss of libido? jack...
I was on Casodex + Finasteride for 5 months (9/13 - 1/14) while waiting to change insurance. During that time, I had no loss of libido or ability to have have an erection and reach orgasm. I added...
Tomorrow I will be adding Zytiga (with Prednisone) to my ADT2 (Lupron and Casodex) as a neo-adjuvant to HDR BT and IMRT radiation, as my oncologist believes in hitting the cancer with everything...
After reading many of the posts here on the SEs of HT and Lupron, I was not really expecting the headaches. After my first shot, I had a headache and felt like I had a mild case of flu. The flu...
Try going to the Johnson & Johnson website and searching for a ZytigaOne instant savings card. It brought my co-pay down to $10/month....
Ray -- Thanks for the tip on the J&J website! I was able to go there and get a ZytigaOne instant savings card which brought my co-pay down to $10/month, so I ordered it and should have it by the end...
Sam -- I don't believe Provenge has been approved for less advanced cases such as myself. I think there is a hope on the part of some oncologists that this will become state of the art treatment at...
My oncologist suggested adding Zytiga and Prednisone to my current hormone therapy of Lupron and Casodex. It is my understanding that Zytiga is used when the cancer becomes castrate resistant and...
ed -- I see your edited post now. My DRE was normal as well. Dr. Scholz is cool and I will probably go with his recommendation when the time comes. I do worry about long term side effects of the HT....
ed - ECE is "extra capsular extension", which means that the tumor has penetrated the capsule wall. It can still be considered localized if it has not metastasized. The ECE is the reason Scholz wants...
F8, Did Andy Grove have HDR BT or the LDR seeds? The article was a little confusing. I also see he had short term HT. Did you have any evidence of ECE? Jack...
The whole HT thing is very confusing to me. I feel Dr. Demanes thinks it is unnecessary but doesn't want to step on anybody's toes. My oncologist, Dr. Scholz, feels I should be on the heaviest HT for...
I have decided to undergo HDR Brachytherapy with Dr. Demanes at UCLA along with 25 sessions of IMRT with Dr. King at UCLA. Dr. Demanes gave me the option of having 3 fractions of 7.5 grays in one...
I am in basic agreement with dmlvt. You can limit your calories, but your body will slow down its metabolism to accommodate. I believe the main problem with the Standard American Diet (SAD) is the...
I know that Dr. Mark Scholtz prescribes the drug Femara (Letrazole) to both prevent as well as treat and, to a degree, reverse gynecomastia. One should notice results within 4 or 5 days of taking it....
Dr. Duke Bahn in Ventura, CA also does focal cryotherapy with great success with little to no SEs. It may be in your interest to have a consultation with him in any case if that is feasible. He is a...
After experiencing 2 months of complications from a standard "blind" biopsy, my advice would be to try, as an alternative, to get a Color Doppler Ultrasound (CDUS) and a targeted biopsy if possible....
I will be going on Sat/Sun and am looking forward to it!...
I will be going....
I am thinking of getting SBRT done at UCLA but would have to change insurance in November through my wife who works at UCLA. They are discontinuing Anthem Blue Cross and replacing it with a new UC...
Tall Allen, Why would there be a problem with insurance covering it? Did you have any issues getting yours covered at UCLA?...