Re: PSA is down

[Guest guest]

Foghornleghorn wrote:

> My PSA was 1,815.35 in May, put on Lupron (3 month shot) &

> daily Casodex late May, PSA is now 13.4---Lupron & Casodex are

> doing the job so far....I hope for a long time.

> Disclosure--Stage 4 Prostate Cancer, Cancer has metastasized to

> my bones. Age 54--Prostate removed 12/10/2004--Radiation

> (Tomothearapy) Fall of 2005

> Ralph-

I'm glad to hear that the Lupron is working for you. I'm also

curious to know why you waited so long to start taking it. Was

that on the advice of a doctor? Had you not been monitoring it

from 2005 to 2010?

At this stage, it might be a good idea to start investigating

clinical trials of new drugs. You probably won't qualify for any

of them unless and until your ADT fails, however, if you've done

some research before then you might be ready when you need to be.

Please keep monitoring the PSA so you'll know as soon as it

starts climbing.

Best of luck.

Alan

[Guest guest]

I had been monitoring my PSA in the past more closely but waited 8 months before the 1,815 results. The test reults 8 months prior were 67.00 & I knew the time was coming to go back on hormones, I've experienced bad reactions to the side effects & was reluctant to get PSA tested---but I never thought I would see 1,800+.....thought it would be more like 200+> My PSA was 1,815.35 in May, put on Lupron (3 month shot) & > daily Casodex late May, PSA is now 13.4---Lupron & Casodex are> doing the job so far....I hope for a long time.> Disclosure--Stage 4 Prostate Cancer, Cancer has metastasized to> my bones. Age 54--Prostate removed 12/10/2004--Radiation> (Tomothearapy) Fall of 2005> Ralph-I'm glad to hear that the Lupron is working for you. I'm alsocurious to know why you waited so long to start taking it. Wasthat on the advice of a doctor? Had you not been monitoring itfrom 2005 to 2010?At this stage, it might be a good idea to start investigatingclinical trials of new drugs. You probably won't

qualify for anyof them unless and until your ADT fails, however, if you've donesome research before then you might be ready when you need to be.Please keep monitoring the PSA so you'll know as soon as itstarts climbing.Best of luck.Alan

[Guest guest]

Ralph Van Riper wrote:

> I had been monitoring my PSA in the past more closely but

> waited 8 months before the 1,815 results. The test reults 8

> months prior were 67.00 & I knew the time was coming to go back

> on hormones, I've experienced bad reactions to the side effects

> & was reluctant to get PSA tested---but I never thought I would

> see 1,800+.....thought it would be more like 200+

This disease is damned unpredictable.

There are ways to mitigate the side effects of ADT. If you're

being treated by a urologist, it's time to find a medical

oncologist with experience in prostate cancer, if you can. I

know, for example, that there are medications to overcome hot

flushes and exercise and diet can often control the lack of

energy and weight gain that many men experience.

Steve Jordan has done a lot of reading about these issues. Here

are some links that he has posted in the past:

On finding a specialist:

http://www.prostate-cancer.org/resource/find-a-physician.html

Treating ADT side effects:

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

ml

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

Best of luck.

Alan

[Guest guest]

On 8/6/10, Ralph Van Riper replied to Alan Meyer:

> I had been monitoring my PSA in the past more closely but waited

> 8 months before the 1,815 results. The test reults 8 months prior

> were 67.00 & I knew the time was coming to go back on hormones,

> I've experienced bad reactions to the side effects & was reluctant

> to get PSA tested---but I never thought I would see

> 1,800+.....thought it would be more like 200+

(1) There is no need to suffer the SEs of ADT (aka " hormones " ).

Two excellent articles on coping are:

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

All too many medics either do not know or do not care about side

effects of treatment.

(2) Is your medic a urologist? A uro is a surgeon and only a surgeon.

I suggest that consultation with a real cancer specialist, a

medical oncologist, is overdue.

[Guest guest]

Steve,Sorry I have to contradict you here when you say ..> (1) There is no need to suffer the SEs of ADT (aka "hormones").The fact is that as long as you are on ADT / "hormones" / "TIP" as the links put it (I call it "castration therapy") you are going to experience "SEs of ADT" as you put it. [ i.e. side effects of androgen deprivation therapy -- Sorry for all the acronyms to anyone here for the first time.] Anyhow, to continue .. This is what I read several times on the PCRI site where your links point:-"Unfortunately there is no way to prevent or treat this problem. [ i.e. "SEs of ADT"] However,

once testosterone deprivation therapy is completed and testosterone levels return to normal .. "So, when I see in the thread below a problem with side effects from treatment, I don't think it is right to say it is "no problem". It is a BIG problem as long as you are taking the Zoladex / Lupron, and one that will always be with many men as long as this damned castration therapy is the mainstream medical treatment of choice. I have great sympathy for the guy in the thread (Ralph I think) who let his PSA go up to 1800+ because he just hated being on castration therapy. I know has said he does not suffer from "SEs of ADT", but how many men are like him ? How about a "hands up" ? I am not for sure. "SEs of ADT" have always been an issue for me, and indeed have driven me to seek alternative ways of managing my PC. I too have allowed my PSA to go higher than maybe it should have in the past. There are other guys who do testosterone with more success - but anyhow, I am still around after 15 years. The pity is not many men give testosterone a try, and not many of those who do, effectively communicate what they are doing.Sam. >> On 8/6/10, Ralph Van Riper replied to Alan Meyer:> > > I had been monitoring my PSA in the past more closely but waited> > 8 months before the 1,815 results. The test reults 8 months prior> > were 67.00 & I knew the time was coming to go back on hormones,> > I've experienced bad reactions to the side effects & was reluctant> > to get PSA tested---but I never thought I would see> > 1,800+.....thought it would be more like 200+> > (1) There is no need to suffer the SEs of ADT (aka "hormones").> > Two excellent articles on coping are:> > http://www.prostate-cancer.org/education/andind/Guess_TestosteroneSideEffects.html> or> http://tinyurl.com/2ymb8f> > http://www.prostate-cancer.org/education/sidefx/Strum_ADS.html> or> http://tinyurl.com/g6fzp> > All too many medics either do not know or do not care about side > effects of treatment.> > (2) Is your medic a urologist? A uro is a surgeon and only a surgeon.> > I suggest that consultation with a real cancer specialist, a > medical oncologist, is overdue.>