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44 of 44 RT treatments @ 4

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Posted 10/4/2011 5:30 PM (GMT -5)
Well my last radiation treatment is in about an hour or so.  I'm more nervous now then I was for my very first.  Worried that there is no more bullets in the gun, so to speak. Treatments have really been no problem at all. Pretty boring to say the truth.  A freind of mine was very tired toward the end of his.  I'm still working every day and had treatments after work.

I sure hope they got it all.  Time will tell, I guess.  Next appointment with both Med. Onc and Rad. Onc is in early Nov.  That's when I have my latest PSA test.  Anyone know what I should expect? Thanks.....

Posted 10/4/2011 5:36 PM (GMT -5)
YEEHAW!!! and WOOHOO!!

Congrats on knocking them out. And big time congrats on having a non-eventful event with the RT. Can't tell you what to expect with the PSA test. As you know from my journey, I have been anything but normal throughout the process.

But, here's hoping you join the Zero club soon and stay a member for life.

Sonny
Posted 10/4/2011 5:44 PM (GMT -5)
I can't imagine how good it will feel for you when you walk out of the facility after this last treatment.  Here's hoping every single PCa cancer cell is fried to a crisp, nevermore to bother you, and that you see nothing but zeroes from now on.
Posted 10/4/2011 6:03 PM (GMT -5)
Congratulations for finishing off your RT, from having been through major RT twice, its an endurance contest. I am thankful that you didn't have all kind of bad side effects and consequences like I did.

Hopefully, it will do the job for you. It will take you several PSA tests over the next months to year before you will have a good feel for its effectiveness.

Hope it drops you into the zero club for good

david in sc
Posted 10/4/2011 6:35 PM (GMT -5)
Way to go Bert.. Glad that you finished up today.. Congrats.

Cajun Jeff
Posted 10/4/2011 7:47 PM (GMT -5)
Congrats! I finished mine a little over two weeks ago. It may silly, but I was so excited to be done. My wife and I went out with a friend for a celebration dinner that night. Again, congratulations.
Posted 10/4/2011 8:17 PM (GMT -5)
Mary here,

Congratulations on completing your radiation.

Hope you get to be a long-term member of the ZERO club!!
Posted 10/4/2011 10:35 PM (GMT -5)
Bertb,

Congrats on a major milestone. Like our other HW brothers, I hope you scored and they got every single little cell and you will never have to worry about PCa every again. By chance, did you HT along with the RT. I ask that because I probably will be starting with the HT soon and then two months later starting with the RT.

Sure hoping you score a big fat zero. The only time in our life when we want to get a zero on an exam!
Posted 10/4/2011 10:36 PM (GMT -5)
Oops just read your signature and saw you did do HT.
Posted 10/5/2011 1:48 AM (GMT -5)
44! Wow that was some deal. Well done for getting through that.
RT left me feeling very tired, so interested to see that you have not have any bother from fatigue etc. My brother-in-law also had RT instead of surgery and he said it was fine too.

So a Question: Do guys who just have RT as there primary treatement (with or without HT) suffer less from the side eefetcs of RT than guys who have Adjuvant or salvage RT after surgery?

Alf
Posted 10/5/2011 7:21 AM (GMT -5)
That is great to have that behind you. I hope your done with treatments.
Posted 10/5/2011 7:37 AM (GMT -5)
Congratulations. Hoping for zeros for life for you.
Posted 10/5/2011 8:02 AM (GMT -5)
Congrats on completion, bert. Now enjoy the fall and try to forget it for a while.
Posted 10/5/2011 8:13 AM (GMT -5)
Glad to hear your great news. Hope it zapped the cancer out of existence. I'm sure it's a huge relief to not have had any troubles with radiation. I'm glad to say that I have been lucky as well.

I'm just eight treatments away from being done. After that, it will still be quite a while before any PSA test could show anything for me, since ADT drove my negligible PSA to less than 0.01, and it will likely stay that way until I'm off it. Perhaps the same applies to you. I guess that means a vacation of sorts until the ADT is stopped.

Best wishes,
Nellie
Posted 10/5/2011 8:33 AM (GMT -5)
congrats bert....I just finished my last one (45) yesterday. Pretty non eventful myself except I just started urinating blood last night 3 hours after my last treatment...did again this morning but on my 3rd I did not. Not sure what to think of it...if its something I need to report or not.

Good luck and lets hope they got both both of us cured.
Posted 10/5/2011 11:07 AM (GMT -5)
Bert,

Glad you have gotten those behind you. Since you had no fatigue, it sounds like your SE's were minimal. If you had any at all, they should now start to improve. Next step is seeing your PSA starting to drop, hopefully all the way to 0. For now....celebrate!

Joe
Posted 10/5/2011 4:53 PM (GMT -5)

English Alf said...
44! Wow that was some deal. Well done for getting through that.
RT left me feeling very tired, so interested to see that you have not have any bother from fatigue etc. My brother-in-law also had RT instead of surgery and he said it was fine too.

So a Question: Do guys who just have RT as there primary treatement (with or without HT) suffer less from the side eefetcs of RT than guys who have Adjuvant or salvage RT after surgery?

Alf

Salvage RT is more than likely to be my next treatment - just waiting for the appointment with the Radiation Oncologist.

Although, I am fortunate that my Daughter works at the Hospital where I go, in the Cancer Centre. She is a co-ordinator and works with the consultants and specialists. She knows of my concerns of incontinence, luckily though I haven't had any at all. She had a chat with the Oncologist, (who I'm going to see) and asked about the risk of incontinence with SRT and he said that side effects are much less with 2nd line RT treatments after surgery.

So hoping that's the case with me!

Good luck Bertb with your treatment.

Chris.
Posted 10/6/2011 3:59 PM (GMT -5)
Bert, Glad you are done and hope it has zapped all the cancer.

I have 4 more to go and think I will be excited to get it done. Actually more excited to see my PSA down to nothing.

John
Posted 11/7/2011 4:09 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks everyone for the great support! I went on Friday for my first PSA test after the treatments. I have appointments on Thur with my med onc and rad onc. I don't know what to expect but I'm hoping for a significant drop in my PSA. After my appointments I going to take my wife on a long weekend trip. She has been on this journey with me from the beginning and has been my rock! I'll report back next week.
Posted 11/7/2011 4:23 PM (GMT -5)
Bert,

Since your RT was primary treatment, you still have a prostate, and it will still make some PSA. So don't expect a zero. But over a few tests it should go down markedly (at least Dr.s Scardino and Walsh tell us that), and then stay there.

I'm not sure we have a criteria for Zero Club for RT as primary. Guess that goes on the to-do list smilewinkgrin

A weekend break sounds good. Enjoy!

Posted 11/7/2011 4:35 PM (GMT -5)
Bertb,
I am surprised that you are having PSA done this soon. My drs say to wait at least 6 months and then it still will not be down to were it should be. I will see my oncolist this Thurs. as 4 week follow up and then have a 6 month appt. I am doing well post radiation
Posted 11/7/2011 4:41 PM (GMT -5)
bert: my journey was different from yours, but one thing about radiation therapy ( i understand this would apply either as a primary or "salvage" treatment) : the radiation doesn't kill the cells, it messes up the DNA, so the cell dies when it tries to replicate.  so don't expect an immediate big drop--it takes a few months for the bad stuff to try to reproduce and then die off....so the advice is: don't read too much into a number in the next month...you need more time to let it work....that's the way it was explained to me...

wishing you all THE BEST!

bob

Posted 11/7/2011 4:50 PM (GMT -5)
Congrats, 44 treatments! Hope you get good numbers. I start SRT today and have not heard how many treatments I will receive. Hope less than 44.
Posted 11/7/2011 5:51 PM (GMT -5)
Greg - you are starting SRT today, and they haven't already gone over your plan, which would include how many treatments and how many gys. of radiation you will be receiving? I find that a bit odd, please let us know how it goes with your treatments.

bertb - congratulations on finishing your RT, now we can hope over time that it did the job for you. It may take several PSA reading to see the drop you are looking for, remember, radiation is the gift that keeps on giving. Good luck.

david in sc
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