← Return to What should I do next?

Discussion

What should I do next?

Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 12 minutes ago | Replies (45)

Comment receiving replies
@johnernest

That sounds normal for the hormone therapy. My story is similar: I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer this September. Prior to that I had blood work as part of my annual physical. My PSA normally ran around 1.1 to 1.9. Doctors were never concerned. My last PSA reading was 1.9 in February of 2022. My next blood work was in July 2024, PSA of 62!
My doctor sent me to a urologist and after he examined my prostate he told me he felt a large hard area near the top. Did a biopsy the next week. Gleason score of 4+5, sent me for a PSMA PET scan, cancer had spread up the back of my bladder, right lymph node, and into my pelvis. He immediately put me on ADT drugs, Firmagon injections plus Nubeqa (Darolutamide) tablets twice a day. As of December, my PSA is 0.4 and after about 3 more months I will start radiation on the prostate tumor first. Doctor said the cancer is now dormant and growths have shrunk. However, given the spread, it is not curable, but can be treated to keep me around for another 10 years or so. I am expecting to stay on ADT drugs for the next 2 years and have radiation along the way. Hormone therapy is no fun given all the side effects, but I lift weights 4 days per week and walk as much as I can every day. The exercise helps reduce the side effects and makes me feel more normal. I am now 71.

Jump to this post


Replies to "That sounds normal for the hormone therapy. My story is similar: I was diagnosed with stage..."

Thanks for sharing. Did they offer clinical trials on you? I have them calling me and no one has started my ADT yet. When you say you started immediately on ADT was that within two or three weeks? Just wondering how patient I need to be with all this as it seems like the medicine can't be picked up from CVS and instead special pharmacies.