Will HBO do the trick?

VascodaGama
VascodaGama CSN Member Posts: 3,739 Member
in Prostate Cancer #1

Hi to all,

I have received a message from Hunter inquiring how I am doing. And, yes I am in default with a late update from my last entry in this forum.

Well, everything seems to be under control.

Since my last post (below) in this forum that I had a series of "encounters" with health issues, particularly due to bladder's "functioning ".

The problem turned out to be related to the SRT I did in 2006. I was diagnosed with radiation cititis that lead to incontinence and to a TURBT. Fortunately, the results were negative to bladder cancer.

I am now involved in a Hyperbaric treatment (HBO) of 20 sessions (one month) expected to end by August 25th. I will then report on my experience.

The bandit is still "sleeping " at a PSA <0.01 ng/ml, as I am still under the influence of ADT (eligard 6-month shot).

Best wishes to all in this forum.

VG

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/327457/a-newer-phase-in-my-systemic-treatment-now-with-metastasis-in-bone

Comments

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy CSN Member Posts: 1,347 Member
    #2

    Hi,

    Glad to hear you are still alive and kicking it in Portugal. Sounds like your mental and physical outlooks on life have served you well with your constant battle with the bandit. Keep on keeping on……

    Dave 3+4

  • Josephg
    Josephg CSN Member Posts: 528 Member
    edited August 6 #3
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/329588/will-hbo-do-the-trick

    Vasco,

    Great to hear from you, my Friend.

    I'm very interested in your upcoming HBO treatments. As I have stated before, your PCa journey and mine have had many intersection points over the years. I've had yet another bout of hematuria, and I had a CT scan and a cystoscopy within the last month, to see what is going on in my bladder. Like yourself, I have radiation cystitis at the bottom of my bladder from my 35 IMRT sessions (68 grays) 13 years ago. (There is much truth in the statement that side effects from radiation appear several years after the actual radiation treatments.)

    My Urology Surgeon has strongly recommended HBO, as it has greatly helped other of his patients with this issue. I am seriously considering this treatment series, and there is an HBO center not far from where I live.

    I'm looking forward to reading about your HBO experience.

    I continue to wish you the best of outcomes on your PCa journey.

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt CSN Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #4

    Always good to hear from an old warrior!

    I do hope the extra oxygen will make your life substantially better.

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama CSN Member Posts: 3,739 Member
    #5

    Hi 👋

    I have finished today the 20th session of the hyperbaric treatment at the military hospital. It has been a month of "20 meters deep divings" to breathe pure oxygen. The daily sessions were of two hours, easy to do but boring. We were 10 patients in the capsule wearing masks so we couldn't speak to each other. Mobile phones or books were also prohibit to take in so, for entertainment, we watched movies they played on monitors set in the walls above our heads.

    I belive that the treatment did me good. The blood in urine is gone and it has eliminated the pain in my joints. My arms skin seams also rejuvenated.

    The military doctor discharged me and said to meet him in one month with urine analysis, to "conclude" the treatment.

    Together with me there were guys of different ages with various issues. Apart from radiation cystitis, there were people with radiation protitis, fistulas and open wounds (diabetes, etc) but I was surprised in seeing a guy doing HBO for optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve) and another with lupus myelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord). A 13 years old girl was there treating an inflammation of the knee (osteomyelitis).

    Some of the patients had over 60 ++ sessions meaning that "too much" of the "stuff" is not bad.

    Wouldn't that be good if HBO could also nock down the bandit?

    I will tell more about what I may experience, as things move forward.

    Best wishes to all.

    VG

  • Josephg
    Josephg CSN Member Posts: 528 Member
    #6
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1724248#Comment_1724248

    Great to read about your HBO experience, Vasco. I've been waiting for your assessment.

    I will now contact the hyperbaric facility in my area regarding treatment for me.

  • swl1956
    swl1956 CSN Member Posts: 267 Member
    #7

    Glad to hear it's working for you Vasco! That must be one big chamber with 10 patients all at once? Is it big enough to walk in upright? Remembering from my scuba diving days, treatments for decompression sickness hyperbaric chambers were only big enough for one person. I get claustrophobic just thinking about that. Did anyone in your group have any issues during the treatment?

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