Thanks, TA, that's what I figured from recent postings on HW. I'm inclined to put off HT until absolutely necessary, but will be taking the TOAD study into account in making my decisions. The...
Surgery in 2011, SRT in 2015, PSA up to 1.4 but stable for the last 9 months. My oncologist says I'm no longer curable and might as well wait until PSA gets to 10 or 20 to start HT. Last week he told...
Sorry to hear the latest hit of bad news, David. Why would anyone wonder why you're depressed, with what you've had to deal with? But you're also clearly a fighter, and it's encouraging to the rest...
Allen, What's considered early HT, and what's the advantage? I thought the idea at one time was to delay HT to push out the time of castrate resistance? Thanks, Henry...
I had salvage radiation covered completely by Kaiser, it was routine when my PSA went up after surgery....
Good to hear from you, David, even if the news isn't. I wonder about you when it's been awhile. I'm still hoping for some good news one of these days. Hang in there. Henry...
What a tough slog, your bravery has been proven over and over, I just wish it would get rewarded once in a while. Who knows if there's any rhyme or reason to what we go through, but it will be over...
Good luck, Allen, you deserve a break. You're a real treasure to this forum....
Happy Anniversary, David, if that makes any sense. Better than the alternative, anyway. Just curious, what's the status of your PC battle? Do you get PSAs or scans? I think the last I heard your PSA...
Good luck, David, this sounds very promising and worth going through. I'm hoping to hear that it has done wonders for your QOL. Henry...
Thanks for the report, David, even if the news is not great. You're right, SRT is not without risk and no one should take it lightly, but I do think they are better at it now. I went through 33 SRT...
I completed 33 SRT sessions with the Calypso markers several months ago, and had no side effects that I was aware of. I think it's pretty much state of the art now....
I don't know you, but I liked your posts, if "like" is the right word for such a harrowing experience. I wish you the best, and hope you get some good news one of these days. And please keep posting,...
I finished my SRT several months ago, have decided not to get a PSA for awhile. So far I'm doing fine with that decision. I'm wondering why 4.0 is a trigger for you for further action, and what would...
As always, wishing for a good outcome. Hope this knocks this one out. Henry...
That's tough, David. There's only one Mom. Mine is 92 and frail, and I see her every day and treasure each one. I know what's coming, but that won't make it any easier. Henry...
As always, wishing you the best and inspired by your strength. I hope this turns out to be nothing. Henry...
Thanks, Carlos, and please keep posting on this important topic, one I'm following closely. Henry...
Just be sure to have a good read on what the benefits are, and whether the premiums will be worth it. My mother, like many of her generation, paid for it for years, and is just now, at 92, starting...
Thanks, guys, much appreciated. To explain the real point behind the question, I am so enjoying NOT knowing one way or the other. Since I do have a fair chance of being cured, so far, two months...
That's my takeaway from posts in another current thread. I've just finished SRT and would love to forgo a followup PSA, just assume I've been cured, go on with my life, and then fight aggressively if...
Thanks for the post, David, it's always good to hear from you even when the news isn't great. Keep kickin'!...
Five days seems short to me, but apparently a lot of the guys have been OK with that. Mine came out after seven days and everything seemed fine but then after 10 days I was back in the hospital for...
Wishing you all the best....
It seems that the brachy guys have a compelling argument with comparable cure rates, fewer SEs, and a quick outpatient procedure compared to major surgery and a hospital stay. (I was in four days,...
I'm only one example, but I just completed 33 SRT treatments two weeks ago, and as far as I could tell, had ZERO side effects then and now. I had the Calypso implants, which seemed like a great idea,...
Being a low-intermediate risk 3+4, as are you, both my uro and RO recommended against HT in conjunction with my SRT, which I was thrilled to hear, of course. And the RO on the day of my last...
Yes, you did, my bad. Seems a lot of us skipped that....
In that case, he should have framed it as "in your decision on which treatment to have?" I didn't read "primary treatment decision" as taking the question of cancer control off the table....
Several comments: 1) You can certainly wait out another PSA or two or three before you have to make a decision about SRT. As I understand it, .2 is regarded as the "line in the sand." 2) I just...
Sex is just one of many great pleasures in life, including orgasms, which are still there even with total ED. I don't get those who equate QOL with the ability to have an erection. Seems like a...
I don't understand this. What would they be waiting for to initiate treatment? PSA over 20? That seems awfully high to wait for. I had six of 12 cores + with good %s of cancer. Would that be enough?...
All the best, Sonny, keep us posted. Henry...
Thanks, Allen, much appreciated!...
Great news, Keep it going!...
I would say that you need at least several more PSAs showing a steady rise to even begin to think about salvage treatment. You're at such a low level and have gone so long, I would be looking for...
I would think you'd move on to the uro from here. What's left for the RO to do? It will either have worked or not, and if not, the uro will advise on the next step. But I'm only in the middle of my...
Thanks, Allen, so far so good on SEs. I think I have a little more gas than before, but that's it. I stay in good shape and work out regularly, and haven't noticed any decrease in energy or increased...
Thanks, Allen. That make me curious about where I would stand with the Briganti study. As you can see from my signature, I was up to .19 three years after surgery. And I am halfway through SRT of 33...
Ravine, Since we're in a very similar place in our numbers and apparent BCR, I will take a shot at your first question. As a radiation oncologist, with nothing to gain as he was strictly a consult...
Question for Tall Allen. It looks to me that they treat positive margins as a risk factor for BCR following SRT. I thought it was the opposite, that positive margins were a good thing with a post-RP...
Congratulations, Bill, I hope it stays that way!...
I believe that Melatonin, an OTC sleep aid, has worked well for me. I take a 5 mg pill an hour before bed. I also use nasal strips, which help me breathe better and lessen the effects of my sleep...
I'm two weeks into SRT, and naturally find this discussion of great interest. I'm in the camp of those who had every reason to believe surgery would take care of my PC, and the pathology report...
Sounds like a good plan. Best of luck with everything, Sonny! Henry...
At 65, only because of Medicare. The Kaiser plan required an initial physical, which included a PSA test. To this day, I wonder how early I would have been diagnosed if I'd been getting regular...
I love this news, as I am headed in SRT next month. Very encouraging, thanks for the report and continued success!...
Thanks for the report, I love to see SRT working as I'm about to do it....
Congrats, and thanks for the report. Most encouraging for those of us headed down that road....
I for one feel better knowing that Tall and his knowledge are there if needed. Thanks, Allen, and Happy Holidays to you and yours!...