Re: hormone/external radiation treatment

[Guest guest]

> If there is anyone who is having orhad this treatment I would appreciate

> you contacting me. I was diagnosed in Dec...and due to some heart

> issues...they cannot take me off the plavix to do any procedure that

> could cause bleeding. SOOo...this is the method they came up with . I

> got the homone shot on March 24th..and will get FITTED for the

> radiationn devise this coming Wednesday.

> Getting the HOT FLASHES that they said would come..and notice the

> TESTOSTERONE must be decreasing as there is VERY little activity down

> there! Just wondering what to expect with the

> radciation...as I've heard urinary problems..bowel problems..and always

> tired..!!!

> Would enjoy hearing from those who have actually had the procedure..and

> are now cancer free. THANK YOU !

Very few PCa patients, unless treated very early on, can expect

to be " cancer-free. "

As a matter of fact, one must have regular testing, usually PSA,

for the rest of one's life. It's the prudent thing to do.

So far as the side effects of " hormone " treatment, better called

androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), men can experience some,

none, or all of the possible effects. And, unknown to all too

many medics, there is much that can be done about it. See these

articles on the site of the encyclopedic Prostate Cancer Research

Institute:

http://www.prostate-cancer.org/education/andind/Guess_TestosteroneSideEffects.ht\

ml

or

http://tinyurl.com/2ymb8f

http://www.prostate-cancer.org/education/sidefx/Strum_ADS.html

or

http://tinyurl.com/g6fzp

It would have been consistent with recommendations by PCa experts

such as Strum, Lam, Scholz and others to have a baseline test of

total testosterone _before_ beginning ADT; then another test at

abut the six-month point.

So far as SEs of RT are concerned, it's the same story, some have

none, others the full monte, still others nothing. Deal with

whatever comes, as the price may well be worth the result.

I most strongly recommend this excellent book: _A Primer on

Prostate Cancer_ 2nd ed., subtitled " The Empowered Patient's

Guide " by medical oncologist and PCa specialist B. Strum,

MD and PCa warrior Donna Pogliano. It is available from the PCRI

website and the like, as well as Amazon (30+ five-star reviews),

& Noble, and bookstores. A lifesaver, as I very well know.

It can be helpful to exchange views in person with fellow

patients at meetings of a chapter of the PCa support and

education group, Us Too International. See their website for

links to local chapters: http://www.ustoo.com/

Lastly, what are the numbers, Gleason & PSA especially?

Regards,

Steve J

" Empowerment: taking responsibility for and authority over one's own

outcomes based on education and knowledge of the consequences and

contingencies involved in one's own decisions. This focus

provides the

uplifting energy that can sustain in the face of crisis. "

--Donna Pogliano, co-author of _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_,

subtitled

" The Empowered Patient's Guide. "

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU for the prompt reply. That is exactly what I wass looking for...as far as information during and after. As I start on Wed...i'll let you kniow. That hormone shot..has now taken the interest away for sex...but glad you mentioned to TRY ANYWAY! I did TAKE OF MYSELF two days ago..with some help from viagra...and did feel good. SOO..as my wife and I don't anymore..due to hysterectomy and not wanting to about 10 yeears ago...I do treat myself on occasion.! SOMETHING IS BETER than nothing! LOL And I'm going to take your advice..and glad to hear you still CAN!

I'll be in touch...after the procedures starts taking it;s full control!

Jim..Waukesha Wisconsin

To: ProstateCancerSupport Sent: Sun, April 25, 2010 5:52:09 PMSubject: Re: hormone/external radiation treatment

Jim Hoppe <jimmydaduck@ att.net> wrote:...> Would enjoy hearing from those who have actually had the> procedure..and are now cancer free. THANK YOU !Jim,There are a large number of personal stories from men who havehad a combination of ADT and radiation at:http://www.yananow. net/Experiences. html#ebrtYou may have to search for "RADIATION - EBRT" to get to the spotwhere most of them are listed.I had both ADT and EBRT plus HDR brachytherapy. It seems to haveworked for me in that the treatment was six years ago and mycurrent PSA is very low.I did have side effects, both at the time and later. The longerterm effects include a reduction in my potency and somePeyronie's

disease (bending of the penis when it is erect.) Butthe key thing for me, control of the cancer, seemed to haveworked well.With a Gleason 7 cancer and a rapidly rising PSA, I think you andyour doctors did the right thing to treat it aggressively withboth ADT and radiation. I also had Gleason 7 (4+3) though my PSAwas not as high as yours.I recommend that you exercise, watch your diet, and get plenty ofsleep in order to deal with the ADT and later radiation. I alsorecommend that you try to have sex. You won't want to. You'llhave no interest in it. But if you try you may surprise yourselfand discover that your interest revives and you can still do it.Best of luck with your treatment.Alan

[Guest guest]

Jim Hoppe wrote:

> ...

>I'll be in touch...after the procedures starts taking it;s full control!

We'll be glad to hear from you.

Remember to hold perfectly still on the table. Don't move a single

millimeter once they line you up. You want every one of those

photons to hit the exact spot they're aiming at.

Best of luck.

Alan

[Guest guest]

I get FITTED ON WED...so thanks for the reminder....and I don't want it to HIT THE WRONG places down there! lol I forgot..how old are you if you don't mind my asking..! I'm almost 73..but active. Work part time..play tennis..etc..! So hopefully this is the LEAST PROBLEMS with the treatment..that I had no choice but to select! Thanks again for any advice you can or have given.

To: ProstateCancerSupport Sent: Mon, April 26, 2010 9:03:30 AMSubject: Re: hormone/external radiation treatment

Jim Hoppe <jimmydaduck@ att.net> wrote:> ...>I'll be in touch...after the procedures starts taking it;s full control!We'll be glad to hear from you.Remember to hold perfectly still on the table. Don't move a singlemillimeter once they line you up. You want every one of thosephotons to hit the exact spot they're aiming at.Best of luck.Alan

[Guest guest]

Jim Hoppe wrote:

> I get FITTED ON WED...so thanks for the reminder....and I don't

> want it to HIT THE WRONG places down there! lol I

> forgot..how old are you if you don't mind my asking..! I'm

> almost 73..but active. Work part time..play tennis..etc..!

> So hopefully this is the LEAST PROBLEMS with the

> treatment..that I had no choice but to select! Thanks again

> for any advice you can or have given.

I'm 63, about to turn 64. I was diagnosed in 2003 at age 57 and

treated over the winter of 2003-4.

I think it's great that your still working and playing tennis.

You'll find that the combination of ADT and radiation will make

you more tired than you were. However, if you keep up your

exercise and get an extra hour of sleep each night, you may be

able to keep up your schedule. Once the radiation is over and

the ADT stops, you'll be able to build back.

Alan

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU...that is encourging...so we'll just GET IT OVER WITH and deal with it. BEATS the alternative...and as my daughter says..IT COULD BE WORSE..you could be wearing a BAG!

So I'll not complain..and again..I thank you for the info. Don't want to get too personal..but do you still have any sexual activity?? ALONE or with someone??? The horrmone shot is doing its job

here. but at 73...not a high priority! My wife and I don't any more..but I do a SOLO on occasion..with the help of the little blue guys!

To: ProstateCancerSupport Sent: Tue, April 27, 2010 6:51:09 AMSubject: Re: hormone/external radiation treatment

Jim Hoppe <jimmydaduck@ att.net> wrote:> I get FITTED ON WED...so thanks for the reminder.... and I don't> want it to HIT THE WRONG places down there! lol I> forgot..how old are you if you don't mind my asking..! I'm> almost 73..but active. Work part time..play tennis..etc. .!> So hopefully this is the LEAST PROBLEMS with the> treatment..that I had no choice but to select! Thanks again> for any advice you can or have given.I'm 63, about to turn 64. I was diagnosed in 2003 at age 57 andtreated over the winter of 2003-4.I think it's great that your still working and playing tennis.You'll find that the combination of ADT and radiation will makeyou more tired than you were. However, if you keep up yourexercise and get an extra hour of sleep each night,

you may beable to keep up your schedule. Once the radiation is over andthe ADT stops, you'll be able to build back.Alan

[Guest guest]

Jim Hoppe wrote:

> Don't want to get too personal..but do you still have any

> sexual activity?? ALONE or with someone???

Just between you, me, and a few million of our Internet friends,

the answer is yes. I am married (for 41 years) to a lovely woman

and we still have a very active and satisfying sex life. However

my potency is much reduced. I can occasionally still make it

work the old fashioned way, especially with the help of Viagra,

but more often we have to be more creative in getting things to

happen.

I have come to the conclusion that potency, while essential if

you want to have a child, is purely optional when it comes to

satisfying sex, for either partner.

Alan

[Guest guest]

THANK you for sharing. My wife and I will be married 49 yrs in August...and due to bp meds...heart issues etc...we basically are done with that..but have some GREAT MEMORIES! lol AND FOUR kids to show for the REALLY GOOD TIMES! lol Seems that MOST in therir 70-s...are able to deal with LESS or NONE..even with viagra..etc. There are other methods availab le..but

not much interest in trying them..especially that shot method. I'll LET OTHERS DO THAT...and thansk again for sharing..really apreciate it...

To: ProstateCancerSupport Sent: Tue, April 27, 2010 2:20:15 PMSubject: Re: hormone/external radiation treatment

Jim Hoppe <jimmydaduck@ att.net> wrote:> Don't want to get too personal..but do you still have any> sexual activity?? ALONE or with someone???Just between you, me, and a few million of our Internet friends,the answer is yes. I am married (for 41 years) to a lovely womanand we still have a very active and satisfying sex life. Howevermy potency is much reduced. I can occasionally still make itwork the old fashioned way, especially with the help of Viagra,but more often we have to be more creative in getting things tohappen.I have come to the conclusion that potency, while essential ifyou want to have a child, is purely optional when it comes tosatisfying sex, for either partner.Alan