Last year one the docs who helped me at the Cleveland Clinic left for the Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health. Rupesh Kotecha worked with Kevin Stephans on my SBRT. I'm not sure of the radiation...
An under-reported side effect of SBRT is greater putting accuracy. You may now have to change your screen name. Well done and best of luck....
Why ask to take pics? None of us would ever want to inadvertently run afoul of a facility's Privacy/HIPPA rules (especially in or near a treatment room) It does no one any harm to politely inquire if...
Just to share what was helpful for me; I took Aleve during my treatments to stay ahead of potential inflammation. Also, I took Flomax prophylactically and for a couple weeks thereafter. Ask the tech...
"The Realities of Prostate Cancer Recurrence". Short article reaffirming what has been discussed here before....
My Voice Recorder App on my phone has a "Bookmark" feature that lets you mark at time intervals for various topics being discussed at that time. During the debrief after the consult, I jot down those...
This has no doubt taken a large part of your focus for many months. Have solace knowing you did the best you can do and (try to) forget about PCa for awhile. Great job and congrats....
Congrats on a well thought out and an admirably executed treatment. Mr. Tarp hits the nail on the head, after the initial few weeks, things are just fine but a little different. The sensation when my...
Hi Mary, your post is timely for me and I can now sympathize. I had SBRT last April with a pre treatment psa of 8.32. In June it fell to 4.02 and then fell further to 2.65 in September. But today I...
Right, Tamulosen=Flomax. The catheter may have been for the urethrogram. During the 'simulation' process, they would have inserted a catheter to inject a die into the urethra (I remember they...
In my case, the "targets" were little stickys that were placed directly over very small permanent tattoos, so if the targets come off in the shower, no big deal. These helped with positioning on the...
dafight, I had SBRT via the Varian Edge at the Cleveland Clinic. For my particular treatment, they employed "simultaneous integrated boost" for a maximum dose of 45 Gy. The theory was to be able to...
Hi Notam. I researched and either spoke with or visited several places, but finally settled on SBRT at Cleveland Clinic. A shiny new facility with the Varian Edge machine, and only two hours from...
Intriguing question, and one I am wondering about. I'm 4 months out from SBRT and sense a waning in libido. I thought I might include T level at next blood draw, but so what if it's low? I too suffer...
https://prostatecancerinfolink.net/tips-tools/pick-radonc/ 9 tips for picking a RO...
Thanks to Allen and all the best to Perry....
Great work Chipmaker! This thread raises a couple questions. How does SBRT affect T level and libido? (Assuming no lupron) Should T level always be included in bloodwork f/u as normal course?...
Go to both places. Speak with both docs. Tour as much of the facilities as you are able. My guess is that your gut will let you know where you are most comfortable. Katz is legendary. Zelefsky or...
You're doing great. Two suggestions, for what it's worth: ask the doc for a Flomax script and have it on hand. If you don't need it, great, but if you find it difficult to pee one night during the...
http://www.flushingros.com/index.php 40-22 Main St Flushing, NY 11354...
Nicely done and congratulations. My hope is that you, me and many other men sing the praises of CC's SBRT protocol for PCa years from now....
I too am in the camp who believes HDR is superior to LDR. I was only sharing the thoughts of Jay Ciezki at CC who never met a pubic arch he couldn't work his low dose catheters around (his words, not...
I went to Martinez specifically because of his HDRBT prowess. I was ruled out during the volume study due to PAI. Apparently the rigidity of the HDR catheters is problematic to proper dose delivery....
Everyone pays $1,000 per month and gets to go to John T's grocery. The new rule however is that for every dollar not spent on groceries that month, $.50 stays in your pocket. Now everyone starts...
"Plan paid to Provider", Highmark BC/BS to Cleveland Clinic, all things related to SBRT, Q1 and Q2 of 2017, just under $140,000. On average, a 40% discount to the "Provider Charge"....
I'm sure that study was using treatment cost averages but, for some perspective: SBRT at Cleveland Clinic ,Therapeutic Radiology Svc = $19,625 was the provider charge, Highmark member rate was...
My thought was that by introducing healthy bacteria we could inhibit or eliminate the bad microorganisms which could cause problems. My question is will healthy bacteria flora survive or make it all...
I agree with Gear. One of my nurses suggested probiotics to get 'good' microorganisms as far downstream in the gut as possible during and after SBRT. I was taking a prescription brand of probiotic...
No side effects...no need for Flomax?...what a show-off! Seriously though, congrats and great job....
My RO made mention of a study whereby Viagra was effective at keeping things 'workable' during the treatment phase of SBRT. Cialis, on the other hand, did not prove effective. This seemed counter...
19, I know it's easy for those of us who have been through it to say, it will be over before you know it...but it is true nonetheless. If you indeed get the balloon, know that the inconvenience and...
Your most recent blog also mentions "simultaneous integrated boosts" and I will be happy to give updates as to its effectiveness and SEs. The following was my recent SBRT at Cleveland Clinic with Dr....
Taking the time to travel and discuss your case with several doctors not only provides the education but the ultimate 'peace of mind' you'll enjoy when you finally make this very personal treatment...
I think the slip they give you at the desk on treatment day gets you free parking in the garage(s). As long as you're on time, I'm sure the staff won't care and you get extra steps :) ....
FWIW, Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Eric Klein, Chief of Urology, installs the markers transrecal. They give you 750 mg tablet of LevoFLoxacin and an injection to the butt of 40 ml of gentamicin. The worst...
No, let's be clear. Doctor Martinez (a guy who knows a bit about our conditions) specifically prescribed a Decipher test with the intention of 1) should we administer hormone therapy in advance of RT...
"There are no data to suggest that a Decipher score is a useful decision tool for radiation dosing..." I wonder why Detroit and Cleveland have profoundly different views? Anyway, I write the Decipher...
Allen, I have yet to see the final plan for my SBRT. The simulation was done eight days ago. As the docs were giving me the pre sim basics, they mentioned 50 Gy dose escalation to visible diseased...
19tarpon47, do me a favor and tell Dr. Freeman that steveinErie says hello. Tell her also that if not for her, our forum would have one less topic to discuss. During my tour of doctors offering...
OK fellas, let us remember that the thread was for the benefit of 19tarpon47, and to him I apologize. Mr. TallAllen, let us start a new thread if you'd like... I said "easy" because it seems you took...
Easy big guy...you didn't accuse anybody of anything. You recommended Freeman to me months ago! I was just assuaging any doubts for Mr. Tarp because of language. I didn't need an mpMRI but I got one....
Hey, I'm just sharing the thought process of the doctor for the benefit of the OP. But "bogus" is a bit harsh, and particularly shouldn't be ascribed to Dr. Freeman. She couldn't be more gracious and...
I remember during a phone consultation she explained that a bone scan, even for low or intermediate guys, was useful insurance just in case you needed it for comparison purposes down the line....
Hello Terry. Just this past Monday, Cleveland Clinic opened their new Taussig Cancer Center (400,000 sq ft., $300MM). I know from experience that UPMC and CC don't like each other in terms of...
Hello Mac, I was curious as to how you were doing post SBRT/Katz?...
If the Decipher suggests genetic inclination (let's say >0.62), Martinez wants HT, and depending on the implied inclination, how long of a course. Debra Freeman suggested the bones scan (w/out any...
Despite two institutions assuring me to ignore the 'perineural invasion' comment on my biopsy, I took the advice of yet a third doctor and had an multiparametric MRI. Unfortunately, we find...
Thanks Chipmaker. Please keep us posted and I wish you all the best! Schoolpsych: Kevin Stephans is incredibly bright. Wait until you hear all about 'idealized dose distributions and theoretical...
Chip, if I may, who did your SBRT and how are you doing? Hoping all is well!...
Martinez recommends against HDRBT due to PAI, wide gland and a posteriorly running urethra. Embarrassingly, I did not make it all the way through the volume study (the javelin wasn't meant to land...