Comforting place to be...thank you!

kayak girl
kayak girl Member Posts: 2
in Prostate Cancer #1
My husband and I are nine year survivors of prostate cancer. I wouldn't even begin to pretend that I know how he feels, but I do know how I feel and how afraid I am of losing him. At age 49 he had a three year increase in PSA, from 2.34 to 3.56 to 4.71, then biopsies were taken and revealed a Gleason score of 4 + 3=7, margins and lymph nodes were clean, but seminal vesicles were invaded. PSA has dropped to less than 0.01ng/ml for two years, then started rising, at 1.0 ng/ he started taking Casodex. Stayed on Casodex for 6 years and PSA stayed below 1.0ng, did some bouncing, but stayed low. At 7.5 years out, physician suggested he go off the Casodex and did for one year, had IMRT to prostate bed, continued to stay off Casodex. At 8.5 years out, PSA went to 8.1, went back on the 50mg of Casodex and PSA dropped to 3.4, while on Casodex, mono-therapy, PSA jumped from 7. 81 to 26.1 in three weeks. Decision to go back on Lupron/Casodex 150mg and Finesteride is here.

All of the information many of you have shared on diet was reassuring, he too eats very healthy, runs 2-3 miles each day and drinks an ounce of Pomegranate juice every morning. He also takes Tumeric.

My question to any of you that feel comfortable joining my post is this, we have been told that had this been a very aggressive cancer he wouldn't still be alive, we were told he has the slow growing and with the triple-androgen blockade therapy he could live to be an old man. One thing I have learned about this journey we are on together is this, no two pca dx seem to be the same, nor are the treatments.
CT with and w/o contrast have revealed nothing, the Bone scan two years ago was negative, the new one they could not pull up because of computer issues, we are waiting for the results.

This morning over coffee I encouraged him to join all of you because though I can't meet you face to face, I can tell by the passion you have for learning and sharing that this is a place he needs to be. He is a very talented Pharmacist with a successful 35 year career he is proud of. I believe he could receive so much as well as give of himself to this cause. God bless each of you and thank you for being here.

Kayak Girl

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,701 Member
    #2
    You soon will see again “remission”
    Kayak
    I appreciate your post and wish you a welcome to our” boat”. Your knowledge in the PCa surely is of help to the many of us fighting the disease. I hope your husband will join this forum too.

    You do not mention but I think that your husband first attempt to cure was surgery for the negative at “lymph nodes”. Two years later he started HT with Casodex 50mg and 1.5 years ago he had IMRT. This time his protocol is ADT3 with a rise in Casodex dosage (50 to 150mg). I believe that you soon will see again “remission”.
    Could you tell us about any symptom your husband has confronted along his 9 years of survival.

    Thanks for sharing your story.
    I hope the best to your husband in his new treatment.

    Vgama
  • ob66
    ob66 Member Posts: 227 Member
    #3
    Kayak Girl
    Your husband is so lucky to have a support person like you. I enjoy the same. When PCa hits a family, the whole family has "it". I certainly hope he joins the forum as well. The sharing that goes on here will eventually encompass almost every/any situation that one goes through. It is so helpful in choices. I think his profession as a Pharmacist has a lot to offer to all of us here, as well as he will gain such information for his personal use.

    I had a question about your discussion of his "Casodex" therapy. I had Casodex for a couple of weeks before my first lupron injection. My understanding is that the Casodex contains or minimizes flairs that one gets from the initial lupron injection---flairs being a severe increase in testosterone, before the decrease. So when you say "stayed on Casodex for six years", I do not understand. What I understand is that you stay on lupron (or a like drug) for the HT.

    Great to hear from you, and best of luck getting him aboard. I personally practiced dentistry for 32 years, and find this forum unbelievably helpful. Cheers.
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    #4
    Welcome to our online
    Welcome to our online family. You are correct that this is a great place. It has provided me so much support during my journey with prostate cancer. I just passed 20 months post surgery with a Gleason 7 and my dad is a 14 year survivor! He was treated by Proton at Loma Linda with a Gleason 6.

    Each persons journey with this cancer is so unique but it sounds to me like your husband is definetly a fighter. The Gleason 7 as you most likely know are typically labelled as borderline aggresive. Wishing you and your husband the best as he continues this journey.

    Lewvino

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