Good News Keeps Coming

Will Doran
Will Doran Member Posts: 207 Member
edited May 2016 in Prostate Cancer #1

Hi All,

This past week has been the best week I've had in 2 1/2 years.  I have been, in addition to fighting Prostate Cancer, been dealing with a reoccurence of Melanoma.  After 11 years, during all my Prostate Cancer Treatments, my Melanoma came back full blast.  I've had 11 surgerise in the last two years.  The reoccurence is something that happens, according to my Skin Oncologist in Hershey, PA, USA, during treatments and having prostate cancer.  Dr. Anderson is doing extensive research on the link between the two cancers.  My dermotologist sent me to Dr. Anderson.  Dr. Ferguson ( my dermotologist---a former student of mine) sees me every three months to watch and remove anything that is of concern.  She then has another surgeon from Hershey, who comes in from Hershey,  do follow up surgeries if needed.  All 11 small surgeries that Dr. Ferguson did needed follow up wide excisions with incisions up to 2 - 3  inches in length.  So, on Tuesday of this week (5/ 3/16), for the first time in 2 years, I had NO SUSPICIOUS SPOTS, that needed surgery.  Dr. Anderson said that when this started to occur, we might be seeing that my Prostate Cancer is in Remission.  So, when I got home from Dermotology, I checked my Health Portal from Mount Nittany Medical, to see if the results from my Blood Work, that was done on Monday (5/2/16), were back from the lab.  I have been off Lupron for 4 months at this point.  I started with a PSA of 69, 2 1/2+ year ago.  Robotic Assisted Surgery , Dec 2013, Follow up Radiation for 8 weeks and two years of Lupron.  As off this week, all my blood work came back clean.  All tests were in the middle of all acceptable ranges.  Plus, my PSA remains at <0.010, where it has been for over two years now. 

So, to all here, THERE IS HOPE. 

I know there is still this beast hanging over my head.  But this has been a real bright spot for me over the last two years.  I have my check up with my Urologist/Surgeon on this coming Monday (5/9/16). He told me as long as my PSA stayed at "0" he didn't care what my Testosterone levels were.  My Testosterone test isn't back from the lab as of yet. I'll get that number on Monday, I'm sure.  In the past that test has come back late.  So, since my PSA is still at "0", Dr. Miller will, I hope, say we have no need for any further ADT (be it Meds or Orchectomy) at this time.  I'm very anxious to see Dr. Miller on Monday and get his reaction.  This might call for a "Big Bro Hug". If not from me (oh yes I will hug him), I'm sure he will get a big hug from my wife. Needless to say, Mar 3 has been the best day of my recent life.  I even broke out the gin and made myself a Martini which the first in two years. 

Enjoy the simple things in life.

Peace and God Bless to all

Love,

Will

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,701 Member
    #2
    Good news indeed

    A big Hug from me too.

    I like to read good news in particular about the Zeros. Best wishes for continued remission.
    Congratulations.

    VG

  • bob33462
    bob33462 Member Posts: 76
    edited May 2016 #3
    Great News

    Will -

    Keep it coming!!

    Bob

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #4
    .

    Good news indeed............. I'm very glad to read of your remission.

  • Josephg
    Josephg Member Posts: 455 Member
    #5
    Great News, Indeed!!

    Excellent news, Will.

    That should be one of your best days in recent memory.

    I will toast to your good news with a glass or two of red wine.

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,505 Member
    #6
    Time for some celebration!

    That martini must have tasted good!

     

  • Will Doran
    Will Doran Member Posts: 207 Member
    #7
    Even More Good News.

    Hi All,

    My Testosterone test results showed up in my test results yesterday (5/8).  When last tested (May 2015), while still on Lupron, they had my Total Testosterone Level knocked down to 17.  Normal is to be 250 - 1,100.  As of last week, my Total Testosterone Level has come up to 134.0, which is still very low.  However it is an improvment .  This is since I've been of the Lupron for 4 months.  The most encouraging part of this is that my PSA has remained at <0.010 even with my testosterone coming up some.  I am getting ready to go to my 3 month check up right now.  I will see my Urologist/Surgeon at 10AM today.  I will be axnoius to get his reaction.  Hoping for the best.  And yes, he will get a big "BRO HUG". 

    Thanks for all your wishes.  And, yes, Old Salt that Martini tasted great.  So did the Kentucky Bourbon (actually recomended by my urologist) I had over this past weekend.  I have 1 drink per week.  Dr. Miller said that is fine and actually side I should,  just to "Clean things out", as he's laughing and my wife is cringing. 

    Peace and God Bless to all

    Will

  • rooster02
    rooster02 Member Posts: 12
    edited May 2016 #8
    Good News - Keep It Going

    Will:

    Your path has been a winding and twisting journey with ups and downs in evey aspect. It's great to get some positive input concerning your battle, even better as it seems it could turn into a string of good points. Wishing you the best information and visit with your surgeon.

    Keep Healing!

  • Will Doran
    Will Doran Member Posts: 207 Member
    #9
    Doctor is Pleased

    Rooster,

    Thank you.  My Urologist/Surgeon was very pleased with my test results, when I saw him on Monday (5/9/16).  He has changed my appointmewnts from every 3 months to every 4 months at this point.  We will do PSA & Testosterone tests each time.  No need for any other tests at this time. He is especially pleased that my PSA remians at "0" even though my Testosterone is now above what is considered "Castrate Level".  He is hopeful that we will continue with tests like this.  However, he  is keeping the situation real and made sure and reminded me and my wife that my cancer had been very aggresive.  He treated me as though I was an advanced Stage 4.  I was a pT3b N1. The treatments were nasty at times, with many up and down days, however We made it through all of that.   We had been ready and I had aggreed to have a Orchectomy if needed.  However now, with the results He says we need no further ADT, unless the PSA comes up at a fast rate.  He told me that it will porbably come up a some point and start rising at a very slow rate.  But as the increase rate might speed up, then we will look at further ADT.  He mentioned a different medical treatment (drug) that he says they are having very good results with.  I didn't write the name down, so I'm not sure what it is.  He says the side effects are much less that with the Lupron or Eligard.    Dr. Miller is now starting to look at my "Quality of Life".  When I first got on this site, 1 year post surgery, I was reminded to look at "Quality of Life", by several people on this site. I wish I had found this  site much sooner than I did, it would have helped me to cope better with my situation. Because of being on Lupron and now the Prolia (for bone density), I have been making more and more frequent trips to the BR.  At night I will be up every hour until about 2AM.  So, he gave me a months supply of a prescription (free) to try for a month to see if we could get that slowed down a bit.  He put my on 25mg of Myrbetriq once a day.  I've been on it for two days and he said to give it a week and we'd see how that worked.  So, far the urgency has gotten much less, and the feeling of leaking has started to subside. And there has been no leaks or moisture in my pad.   I was still up every hour last night but only until mid night and then it was every 2 1/2 hours from that point on.  The only things he wants me to watch is that I don't have trouble emptying my bladder, which can happen.  So far that is not a problem. It feels good to be looking at "Quality of Life" rather than a "constant dark cloud" of returning PSA.  That "cloud" is a little more of a fair weather cloud at this point. 

    I think both You and Bob were listed as the same pT3b N1 or NX.  So, to both of you, keep fighting, there is hope to get this beast slowed down.  We will never be completely rid of the beast.  However maybe someday men will be able to have that feeling as new treatments come about.

    Best Wishes

    Peace and God Bless

    Will    

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