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Experience with combo Brachytherapy seed implants and EBRT
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Nov 4, 2023 | Replies (11)Comment receiving replies
Dear Fisch,
I'm 10 years younger than your friend. My treatment for the same Gleason scores in 5 of the 6 biopsy zones has been: 25 EBRT, 17 stainless Steel tubes inserted into my prostate and a high intensity radioactive isotope moving and stopping for a period of time in each tube (my Doctor also has her PhD in Physics and is a tremendously hardworking Genius), and 2 - 1/4 years of Lupron shots (1/ 3months). It has only been 2 - 3/4 years since my diagnosis. My Testesterone has dropped to < = 12ng, and my PSA has dropped to 0.02! I have been taking a break (nearly 6 months now) from the Lupron shots as my joints ached and my fatigue was great. I anticipate that I will sooner or later return to the Lupron shots so that the adaptability of the prostate cancer cells will not kick in and become the most aggressive prostate cancer cells.
I also jogged marathons. I hate to break it to all of us...; Boys- those days are over! It's sad, it can be heartbreaking and defeastating, but we all need to get over it and adapt our brain and physicality and self-image to our current and long term reality. I no longer have the tremendous gifts of muscular strentgh, muscular endurance and aerobic capacity that had been granted to me for over 60 years. I would be lying to you and myself if I told you it's no problem. It freaks you OUT!!!! My forearms building up with latic acid just carrying groceries to the car in the parking lot!!! Having to sit down and catch my breath after taking a load of laundry up the stairs! Having to walk for 2-3 minutes to catch my breath after every 45 seconds of running / jogging!!!! And the loss of muscle mass, the increase of fat mass and the change in body image is an earthmoving change that each one of us will need to squarely face and stoicly deal with fortitude and persistence. But we are alive. Life has changed, our health has changed, our activities for personal meaning and enjoyment need to also change and adapt, but every Day IS a GIFT and rejoice in that amazing gift and in every breath you take, every smile you give, every prayer you pray for others. Best Wishes to you and your friend. God's Peace and Blessings to All in this Struggling World.
Replies to "Dear Fisch, I'm 10 years younger than your friend. My treatment for the same Gleason scores..."
Thank you so much for taking time to respond. I truly agree with you that every day is a gift. It is difficult to decide on a treatment plan when several doctors are involved, and each has a slightly different take on things. My friend is in good physical condition for his age...walking every day. As you say, he needs to be prepared for life to change. Nevertheless, we are all blessed.., and I wish you the very best. Many thanks again.
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I still wonder if it's a blessing or a burden that my PCa paralysed me by compressing my spinal chord at T3 (before it was detected). It's a burden because, as I've mentioned in other posts, I was in a hospital bed for months; it's a blessing because over the two years since diagnosis, I've seen myself getting stronger instead of weaker (from admittedly a very low starting point, and with many temporary setbacks), and that's left me feeling optimistic instead of defeated.
Every first — the first time I was able to get upright (for a few seconds) with the help of a Sara Stedy then with support from my arms on parallel bars, the first time I could sit up for an hour in the wheelchair without getting dizzy, the first time I could transfer to the wheelchair by myself, getting home from hospital, the first time I cooked a meal from the wheelchair, the first time I could walk 100m outside with the rollator, then with a cane, then unassisted — has felt like a victory.
It was easier for me to feel that way because of my situation, but I wish everyone with prostate cancer could see the victories they're winning every day, even when things look gloomy.