Post RP and SRT journey - oh joy

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  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #82
    Three score and ten

    Cushions,

    I did worry as much in my fifties but now I am so close to my nominal span that I tend to accept easier what karma has been reserved to me.

    This doesn't mean that I lay back lazily on the facts but simply that I manage to presence them from a different perspective. It relaxes me allowing me to enjoy the little details of life and the occurrences surrounding us all. Brexit, the Chinese Moon mission and trials of corrupted ministers are inclusive in the equation. What I may miss the most will be the moment when men steps on Mars.

    Think about it. Your score is still far but you will get there too.

    Enjoy.

    VG

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #83
    Beer and kippers

    Hi Cushions,

    When did you finish ADT / HT as you should have a zero PSA for some time afterwards, it takes at least a few months for the systems to switch back on and the testosterone to reappear.
    No testosterone, no cancer activity, no PSA.
    It is very unlikely to the point of impossibility that your cancer is independent of testosterone at this point so I reckon even if you have some cancer it will be sleeping!
    I am T - 6 weeks and I am doing a list; PSA, glucose, etc, I got Dr Pooh to give me some amoldipine 5mg today and she warned me not to be naughty and double up before at least a fortnight.
    You will be zero mate and so I will I at the end of March and that is a stone ginger, promise
    So kick off your shoes, pour a big glass of red, drink and then repeat until you feel better.
    I have snagged myself some kippers so I am having them fried tonight with fresh homemade bread and Brittany butter, washed down with Old Speckled Hen, mmmmm

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #84
    Thanks guys

    Thanks guys

    As always, your kind words help. My inner "Mr Catastrophe" is running at full revs at the moment.

    My situation has precipitated a real existentual crisis which is leading me to a new way of thinking, that your words confirm.

    I've prayed to God, dabbled in Bhuddism and Taoism and other such notions. Of course, it was like talking to a brick wall with the words "I do not care" graffitid on it. Your words, my personal counselling and my own inner reflections are making me finally realise the solution only lies within each of us to help ourselves and each other. Whatever the circumstances, I just need to fully absorb the fact that I can either change things or accept them as they are but either way it is down to me. I'm slowly getting there.

    H

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #85
    T - 24. Let the sqeaky bum

    T - 24. Let the sqeaky bum commence.

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #86
    Wassup?

    What does that mean?

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #87
    Wassup yourself :)

    Wassup yourself :)

    First post SRT test tomorrow afternoon. The term squeaky bum is used on my UK forum to accurately describe the feelings of impending impendingness :)

    H

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #88
    Hours, hours, hours!!!

    Sorreee,

    I have just been digging in the garden so I was feeling a bit out of it,
    OK D - 1 or as the French would have it J - 1.
    Best of luck, old chap, you are going to be fine!
    I take it that drinkies are on ice ready for wild celebrations, Eeyore style sorrow drowning, demain?

    Best of luck again,

    Georges

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #89
    Cheers George

    Cheers George

    Champagne only - no more negative thinking for me!

    H

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #90
    No champange tonight - there

    No champange tonight - there was a letter cock up over a clinic cancellation and I actually have an appointment in two weeks. Poorly worded letters not explicitly referencing each other or actually saying there was a cancellation. I forgot rule #1. Never assume the NHS will get your paperwork right - CHECK, CHECK and CHECK AGAIN.

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #91
    Merde

    Merde, merde, merde!
    Suffering suckercats Batman, over to plan B, large Glenfiddich, try and avoid worry mode.
    I have been up to Roscoff today with the wife to buy some local seed garlic that is adapted to Breton conditions, bloody swimming and then boily warm.
    Mission accomplished

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #92
    That is the polite version :)

    That is the polite version :)

    I devided to take it all out on the Imperials in Skyrim this evening. I feel much better Cool

  • Josephg
    Josephg Member Posts: 460 Member
    #93
    Stay the Course

    I'm pleased to read that you are feeling much better, Hew.

    We can't impact the cards that we are dealt, but we can manage how we play the hand.

    We can manage, for the most part, how we react and maintain our mental and emotional stability.  What works for one person, may not work for another person.  When you find something that works, stick with it, but do not stop searching for something that may work even better.

    One day at a time.

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #94
    Hi all

    Hi all

    Results today.

    PSA 0.07 (was told OK as less than 0.1)

    Test 14nmol/l (was told back to normal)

    SRT finished in October

    So I would say encouraging given that this is an unmasked reading with no HT in my system.

    Next reading in four months.

    Nadir in 14 months.

    Thank you all for your support and kindness.

    H

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #95
    hewhositsoncushions said:

    Hi all

    Hi all

    Results today.

    PSA 0.07 (was told OK as less than 0.1)

    Test 14nmol/l (was told back to normal)

    SRT finished in October

    So I would say encouraging given that this is an unmasked reading with no HT in my system.

    Next reading in four months.

    Nadir in 14 months.

    Thank you all for your support and kindness.

    H

    A success indeed

    Cushions

    PSA=0.07 is fantastic. The testosterone is back to the normal range (14nmol/L = 400 ng/dL) indicating that your testis are functioning again. This will take you out of most ADT side effects too. I wonder why you say that the Nadir is in 14 months. Is this the threshold used by your doctor to access predictions in RT patients with your similar status?.
    The unmasked PSA is already pretty low. It would be considered remission by many.

    OK, Let's just have a preliminar celebration for the risen T and lower P.

    At our health ... hip hip Hooray......

    VG

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #96
    Hi Vasco

    Hi Vasco

    Yes, I feel much better now. I suspect a lot of the issues recently were in my head rather thean biochemical. My libido has returned (but my ED is still a minor issue) and my armpits finally smell like a locker room (odd how I missed this) but energy levels are still low - I suspect that will recover as I get fitter.

    Regarding the PSA levels, on my UK site, I am told by the experts there that it can take a year to 18 months for PSA levels to hit nadir as cells die off slowly. You are right that I am in a good place which will hopefully continue but it may take time to drop and level off giving my baseline for montoring. I've seen lots of PSA profiles that follow this pattern.

    I did ineed hip hip hooray last night with some wine and beer but that is it now as I am on a health kick!

    Thanks again for your advice and support!

    H

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #97
    Congratulations

    Hi Hew,

    Definitely a step in the right direction.
    Monitoring PSA profiles and guessing at a possible baseline is a game in itself.
    But I reckon you have a good chance of negligible PSA for a long time to come.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #98
    I hope so - could have

    I hope so - could have without that post about PSA doubling time but as that did not appear to factor in salvage, one has to look on the bright side.

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #99
    Hard to say what to factor into salvage

    Hi Hew,

    Hard to say what to factor into salvage.
    Your case should have been nice and simple, out with the prostate, bye bye cancer.
    But it was not as obviously some of the little demons had escaped but it is looking good now.
    I had a shot of Firmagon this morning so it hurts, I am on the rum and ibuprofené tonight.
    Tigger at the end of month, I am going to tell him that if he cannot come up with a good reason not to stop then 18 months of this **** is enough.

    Best wishes,

     Cap'n Georges, chief pirate of Quimper, arrrrgh!

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    #100
    It is looking good.

    It is looking good.

    I did sh*t kittens for a minute reading that bl**dy journal but then sanity kicked in. I had tell *myself* the journal was 20 years out of date and did not factor in salvage. Note to self - STOP READING STUFF!

    On an interesting note some thing was bugging me and I logged on to my private blood test site and looked at my T results from 2 years ago. 2 years ago at the start of this journey, my T was 9 nmol/l which is right at the bottom of the scale. Right now it is 14. Which means that I have had a positive reaction in a more testosterone rich environment than prior to my surgery. Intuitively that seems to me to be a good sign. I also suspect that the T is up due to a better lifestyle.

    Keep on the rum and borrow on my cushions for a while (assuming you had the jab in your bum!)

    H

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #101
    Jab in the tum

    Hi Hew,

    Firmagon is injected under the skin of the abdomen, I am an expert now and have trained several visiting nurses on the technique.
    I am on the Jersey Reds  v Doncaster Knights rugby match tonight via the internet.
    We are winning!
    Wife out, cat sleeping on her beanie!

    Nuit,

    Georges

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