Carbon Fidicial Marker, SPACEOAR Surgery & Proton Therapy

I am scheduled to have it done this next week and I am apprehensive about possible bleeding or other side effects after the insertion.

Sounds very encouraging. Did they use Valium and lidocaine for the pain management? Thank you for your response. Much appreciated.

For the SpaceOAR and Carbon Fidicial Marker procedure that was done at Mayo Phoenix last week. There was zero pain and to my knowledge, I experienced no bleeding. I was placed under anesthesia (was asleep) for the procedure. All went very smoothly and I was back home feeling fine within a couple of hours. The entire procedure, I am told, took about 20 minutes. I was in the recovery room, waking up, for about an hour. Again, I felt no pain, had no bleeding and the only after effect that I experienced was a slight feeling of “fullness” for a day or two after the procedure. That slight “fullness” feeling has since gone away.

Hi cdcfbw,
Three years ago when my radiation oncologist told me that we should include Lupron as part of my treatment, it was the first time I had heard of ADT. When I looked at the side effects, I asked him if it was necessary. He told me, my Gleason was 4+4, that with the stage of my cancer cells adding Lupron will increase my chances of survival by 20%. I decided to check it out and the research I found verified that use of ADT and radiation did increase my chances of beating this cancer upto 80 some percent. Now for guys with cancer cells of Gleason scores less then mine, ADT is not as necessary and I met a number of guys at Mayo who didn't have the ADT treatment, but their cancer was less serious. I was 73 when I started my treatment and now am 17 months from the end of the ADT treatment. Somethings remain like increased breast size and added 5 lbs, but others are coming back including muscle strength, energy level, bone density and even my libido. Would I have preferred not having the Lupron treatment? Yes I definitely would have preferred not going through it, but my wife and I discussed it and she wanted me around.
So, whether to use ADT or not comes down to the risk of not using it. The risk is tied up in the level of your cancer. Pretty serious stuff.
It will take some time but your life will return to normal.

None of us asked for this.

Take care.

Thanks for your reply and I guess you are correct that the bottom line is "recovery" and life expectancy overall. It is just that I was not fully informed by my Dr's and it seems almost like the "cure" is worse or even with the cancer. When you are going along with no symptoms at all and now in a matter of a few months you are experiencing all the horrible SE, it's hard to accept. Hopefully you are correct that the SE will get better over a very long time.
Thanks & take care

I didn't really have a choice as to the type of radiation (or I should say I didn't ASK for a choice). My urologist recommended a Dr. that runs the radiation dept. at Memorial Hermann hosp. here in Houston where I did mine. My urologist is also in the same hosp. system. I must say I was putting all my confidence in my urologist as to my best course of treatment so I hope I made the right choice. I finished the 2nd of July with 39 treatments and so far so good. You are lucky you will not need ADT as that stuff is rough on some people. Good luck with your journey and remember all treatments will have some side effects, I looked at my history with drugs I have taken over the yrs and I have had none to very few side effects so hopefully this will be the case with my radiation.

Went in for the gold markers and Spaceoar October 4. Urinalysis showed blood. Had a CT scan and they found a kidney stone and infection. The doctor would not insert the gel or markers. He did however remove the stone and inserted a stent which I have to deal with for another week or so. If the infection is gone he will put in the markers and gel, pull out the stent. Fun times!