Share your test results (if you'd like)

Posted by northoftheborder @northoftheborder, May 28 5:25pm

I thought it might be helpful to have a thread dedicated to sharing routine test results, good or not-so-good. My intention is just to provide a place for sharing, support, and encouragement, not for debating tests and treatments

I'll start. I've been at stage 4b oligometastatic for over 2½ years, and last Friday I did my routine 12-week bloodwork. My PSA remains below 0.01 (undetectable), Orgovyx and Erleada are holding my testosterone at 0.2, and the other tests are in normal ranges, except for those related to iron, which are slightly low.

Overall, it was a banner day! 🎊 I always treat myself to a masala chai at the little Indian café across the street while I'm waiting for my results to pop.

Do you have any recent test results you'd like to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

@q95oldies

PSA tested a few weeks ago, .0004

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Thanks guys!

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@q95oldies

PSA tested a few weeks ago, .0004

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YES! 👍

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Had BPH for some years and was well controlled with Flomax and Avodart. PSA remained low.
Spring of 2021, PSA started to rise slowly into the high 1's.
Summer of 2021, PSA started to take off into 2's then 3's.
By September of 2021 it was 5.7.
MRI showed a concern on right side. Went in for a biopsy.
Late Oct '21 TR biopsy (he rushed the lidocaine and the first 7 were awful), but 14 samples all clear.
Nov. perineal biopsy (way better 🙂 with ultrasound showed 3 positive on far right side. One was aggressive. Consulted an oncologist at a local center of excellence and scheduled a RALP for 1/21/22. Positive margin on left. Took seminal vesicles on left.
March 2022 started Lupron. PSA quickly (2-months) went to 0.5.
June '22 Lupron shot and PSA at naught !
Finished Lupron on 1/4/24 following all naught PSA's. Now looking forward to good times that should improve as hot flashes and some fatigue wear off.
Wishing all of you, my brothers, as good or better results. Stay Strong and in the fight.

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I am 77 years old and my journey thus far is this. In 2017 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and it was determined after a biopsy, that I was a candidate for radio-active seed implant. I received 31 seeds and all was well for a number of years. In 2021 my psa hit 1.22 and then in 2022 it went back to 0.21. In 2023 the psa went to 2.26 and 6 months later it was 5.41. I did a biopsy and the results came back negative. The Urologist decided to take wait and see period. On 02-27-24 my psa was 172. I then did a whole body bone scan and that also came back negative. On 03-07-2024 my psa was 356 and a PET test was scheduled. On 04-01-2024 the results of that test showed Widespread osteoblastic skeletal metastatic disease. (Not Good) I was then referred to a cancer doctor. On 04-11-2024 I received 2 injections of Lupron. On 04-18-2024 I had a port installed for chemo. On 04-19-2024 psa was 113. I had the first round of chemo (Docetaxel) and started taking Nubeqa. On 05-10-2024 psa was 16.8. Had second shot of Lupron and second round of chemo. Today 05-31-2024 psa is 7 and I will take third round of chemo. Except for hair thinning and a sore mouth for 5 days after chemo, I have no side effects. So all seems to be going in the right direction and like someone said. I WILL DIE WITH THIS NOT OF IT.
Keep your spirits up God is in control

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@oldfords

I am 77 years old and my journey thus far is this. In 2017 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and it was determined after a biopsy, that I was a candidate for radio-active seed implant. I received 31 seeds and all was well for a number of years. In 2021 my psa hit 1.22 and then in 2022 it went back to 0.21. In 2023 the psa went to 2.26 and 6 months later it was 5.41. I did a biopsy and the results came back negative. The Urologist decided to take wait and see period. On 02-27-24 my psa was 172. I then did a whole body bone scan and that also came back negative. On 03-07-2024 my psa was 356 and a PET test was scheduled. On 04-01-2024 the results of that test showed Widespread osteoblastic skeletal metastatic disease. (Not Good) I was then referred to a cancer doctor. On 04-11-2024 I received 2 injections of Lupron. On 04-18-2024 I had a port installed for chemo. On 04-19-2024 psa was 113. I had the first round of chemo (Docetaxel) and started taking Nubeqa. On 05-10-2024 psa was 16.8. Had second shot of Lupron and second round of chemo. Today 05-31-2024 psa is 7 and I will take third round of chemo. Except for hair thinning and a sore mouth for 5 days after chemo, I have no side effects. So all seems to be going in the right direction and like someone said. I WILL DIE WITH THIS NOT OF IT.
Keep your spirits up God is in control

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Great to hear that ADT and chemo are getting you to where you want to go, and that the cost isn't too high. Thank you for sharing your story.

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It's been little over 1 year, have stage4 metastatic bones and I think one lymph node. I go for blood work once a month, I just checked, they test 41 different things, I only focus on the psa level and testosterone level. When I started treatment, psa was 962 and now it's been hanging at 0.02. Testosterone level been at < .3. I get firmagon monthly and take Abiraterone and prednisone daily. I go next week for cat scan and MRI on my back, they keep looking at a "smudge" on my lower spine. The following day I see my Oncologist for blood work and get firmagon shot. To be honest, I don't do well checking all the test results, I leave that up to my wife and Oncologist. I figure it is what it is. I feel a whole lot better then I did before diagnosis. Nothing can compare to the pain I had before treatment started. Pain is gone, I'm good to go. Best to all.

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@stevecando54

It's been little over 1 year, have stage4 metastatic bones and I think one lymph node. I go for blood work once a month, I just checked, they test 41 different things, I only focus on the psa level and testosterone level. When I started treatment, psa was 962 and now it's been hanging at 0.02. Testosterone level been at < .3. I get firmagon monthly and take Abiraterone and prednisone daily. I go next week for cat scan and MRI on my back, they keep looking at a "smudge" on my lower spine. The following day I see my Oncologist for blood work and get firmagon shot. To be honest, I don't do well checking all the test results, I leave that up to my wife and Oncologist. I figure it is what it is. I feel a whole lot better then I did before diagnosis. Nothing can compare to the pain I had before treatment started. Pain is gone, I'm good to go. Best to all.

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The Cancer Centre in my city is associated with the main hospital network as well as a university medical school and research centre, and the hospital shows test results in a website, including graphics with the normal range marked for each result and historical trend graphs, so you can get a quick overview of anything that's out of the normal range and then Google it or call the patient support hotline if you want more info.

Perhaps something like that is available in your city as well.

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I have an app on my phone, it's called "My Chart", I can check all my info. It charts all results with a graph. I usually just check white and red blood cell counts, and of course psa and testosterone numbers. My wife has my chart on her phone so she keeps and eye on everything. To be honest early in the process I was reading the results of some tests and broke down. I don't have my head in the sand over this, I handle it as best as I can. I need laughter to get by, one of my favorite is to randomly tell my wife I looked on my chart and apparently I have cancer. And again, this site has helped me greatly, of all the treatments I could and will receive, this site is one of the best treatments to help deal with the situation, Thanks to everyone on here. Best to all.

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What ever works and it will be different for everyone. For me, i have just tried to stay outside myself. It has been rather easy as since 2017, when my PC popped up, my wife was suffering from COPD and slowly going down hill. As a result i became caregiver, house and yard husband which will certainly take your mind off of internal concerns other than I've got to survive to tend to her. It's worked so far but I lost her just over 60 days ago. For a very short time, I thought I'm finished now and considered giving up. She would not have wanted that so I'm back. No more depression and will continue to fight it. Oh, forgot to mention, when she died, we only were short 28 days from celibrating our 61st anniversary.

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@ronc320403

What ever works and it will be different for everyone. For me, i have just tried to stay outside myself. It has been rather easy as since 2017, when my PC popped up, my wife was suffering from COPD and slowly going down hill. As a result i became caregiver, house and yard husband which will certainly take your mind off of internal concerns other than I've got to survive to tend to her. It's worked so far but I lost her just over 60 days ago. For a very short time, I thought I'm finished now and considered giving up. She would not have wanted that so I'm back. No more depression and will continue to fight it. Oh, forgot to mention, when she died, we only were short 28 days from celibrating our 61st anniversary.

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I am so sorry to hear about your heart-breaking loss. I hope you celebrated that anniversary for both of you. It will be a challenge to learn to live for yourself after living so long for another person, but it sounds like you're on the right path to get there.

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