Hey
My husband got newly diagnosed with stage 4 PC in February! All because he thought he had an enlarged prostate and bladder problems. PSA was over 250, then CT scan showed outside prostate (advanced) Biopsy was Gleason 8 and 9s mostly, so very advanced, a full body PSMA PET scan showed everywhere! This all happened within 6 weeks or so and then finally we saw an oncologist!
After the CT scan we saw a urologist and he did the biopsy a week later.
He THOUGHT the Oncologist would suggest ADT and highly encouraged it.
My husband is 55 and in good shape and eats right and it hit him hard, it was his manhood! He was willing to die over taking testosterone away!
Even the month or so of waiting for the oncology appointment, he didn't want to do it, I pleaded and cried and got angry! That I would cut off my boobs or get whatever surgery if it meant years extra with my family! (we have 4 children, two are adults)
The Oncologist said ADT shot, ADT pills and chemo!
The ADT shots were first and even the day he had to do it, he refused! The nurse said she wouldn't do it against his will, I left the room crying! and still when he got out, I didn't know until that night that he did it!
He got Firmagon, which unlike Lupron, does NOT spike the testosterone (that can cause temper and anger etc.) The plan was to eventually switch to Lupron once the T was down, but these last 3 or 4 months he's stuck with the monthly Firmagon shots, though the doctor tries to make him switch.
Foolishly or desperately my husband also tried all sorts of supplements, and Ivermectin and Fenbentosol, not knowing it wrecked his liver! those numbers kept going up and up and my husband thought it was the injections but the doctors said no, the ALT got over 1500 which technically means liver failure, but he felt fine, no yellow eyes or brown urine.... but he at least got a wake up call and quit everything, they also sent him to get an ultrasound of the liver and whatever else is there, I think intestines and kidneys too, everything was fine, just not the bloodwork for a while.
Eventually the ALT got low enough that they told him to start the ADT pills (Zytiga) and Prednisone steroids.
The side effects from the shots (and I guess the pills too) is night sweats, some times crying, hot flashes, and no sex drive- AT ALL! Of course I'd rather have my husband with me and no sex life than a dead husband and still no sex life!
I know going to the gym helps a lot, he already did before all this, but now he's staying longer and tries also to do stuff around the house and he eats perfectly! No processed food, no carbs!
Then finally he started CHEMO and is about to have his 3rd session this week. That was a struggle for him to decide to do too, no begging or pleading or crying helped, he wanted to just do the ADT shots and pills and wait for the PSA to rise again so he'd qualify for Pluvicto! But a friend of ours is an oncology nurse and talked him into it, and to do all 6 rounds! instead of just 4.... we'll see.
The outlook isn't good, but maybe it's better than we think. Dr Google says 35% make it 5 years!
Though my husband is "young" when it comes to PC, he's healthy otherwise and FIT, so.....
WE know God is in control of all of this, but it's still very hard! (plus my husband's parents passed away last fall and my mom in February- it's been a rough year)
My advice about the ADT side effects is to keep moving!
I told my husband we can have hot flashes and night sweats together and cry over sappy movies! It'll be ok!!