Hoping that "PSA over a 100" is less than 123, as in 100.1. :)

Keeping you guys in thoughts and prayers.

nhwife, just to say "good luck" with second-time around Zytiga. I really believe that this is such a great medication, and that your husband deserves more than just a month on it. I cannot find this video again where the reserchers from UK who discovered the drug talk about it, but from my memory, it does show that it takes time for Zytiga to work, and that patients should be kept on it even when PSA rises. Has anyone suggested choline scan for you? From what I gather, your hubby´s cancer may still be in lymph nodes(?), which potentially could be treated with targeted therapy.

SpecialLady, thank you. I have read the same things which is why the oncologists thought it appropriate for my husband to go back on it. I will definitely ask about the choline scan next time.
Zimac! always good to hear from you. Unfortunately, he seems to be in a run of pain in his lower back. We really don't know the cause but suspect that it is a weakened spine from all the hormone treatments which has led to bulging discs which leads to this intermittant pain. So far managed with pain killers. When we get the scan next month I think we will see where the culprit is - maybe. I wonder if the tumor is causing some of this pain and if so, it might shrink with the zytiga. Time. Waiting. We're not good at that.
And yes, Bud, we will beat this crap!

nhwife....just a note to say, I am thinking and hoping pain is tolerable.....prayers and good thoughts being sent me me to you both.....

waiting for another update....

tednsal

Oh my gosh! Still no results???? It has been days. I wonder if labs know how their tardiness affects those waiting for the results. Back home and at the Mayo where we have been hanging out lately, we get our results the next day. Is that not the norm here?

I feel for you very much

nhwife

Its only a number.

This maybe of some help
http://advancedprostatecancer.net/?cat=85&paged=3

he question that comes up in regular conversation is about knowing when Zytiga has stopped working or when Zytiga should be discontinued.

All the real guidance we have to answer this question comes from the clinical trials for Zytiga. These trials were all conducted in men with advanced prostate cancer who were both castrate resistant and had failed chemotherapy with Taxotere. In the trials Zytiga was not discontinued solely because the man’s PSA was increasing. Instead, Zytiga was considered to no longer be effective when three things happened:

1- They had a 25% increase in their PSA over the baseline which was taken at the beginning of the treatment.
2- They had radiographic evidence of disease progression as seen in a bone scan, MRI or CAT scan.
3- They had symptomatic progression as defined by the treating physician.

Zytiga was only discontinued when all three of the criteria were experienced, not because of any one of the items.

For what its worth I agree with you, wait till have all in hand, give the Zytiga time to work - and give yourselves a break from the PSA terrors.

Hugs!

Bud

We will beat this crap

So hard for me to read that the last response on this thread was from Bud! and so totally Bud.
My update:
Husband woke up in real pain and discomfort. He has a stent on the left side going to the kidney and he said the pain was different and the kidney did not feel right.
So a phone call early to the urologist, a return call from his office right after 8 setting up a kidney sonogram. Lots of waiting but sonogram done.
The kidney is full, in other words there is a blockage. So my husband goes in for a new stent tomorrow. The doctor will try to clean out the ureter of any blood and stuff. In other words, try to unblock the ureter.
We hope this works. The doctor said the sonogram also showed the lymph node tumors but of course there wasn't anything to compare them to and that wasn't the focus of this. He has the CT scans in two weeks.
This was the second time I have seen my husband cry and I do not like it. Cancer Sucks.
And yet, and yet, I do hear Bud and he is saying we will beat this crap!

NH, that is terrible about your husbands kidney, sorry to read this, and I can only imagine the pain. The only time my wife has ever seen me cry has been dealing with some of my extreme pain issues of late, so I understand how hard that can be on both of you.

Yeah, kind of uncanny, that the last post here was from Bud, its as if he still he. The reality of his death is still sinking in to me, and realizing that he will never post again. Makes the grimness associated with PC all too real, and way too close to home. I think he will always be remembered here, for many years to come.

Hope your husband gets this situated, and out of the major pain zone fast. Good luck to both of you.

david

Oh NH.....so sorry to hear of this new development. Let's pray that the surgery goes well tomorrow. I will be thinking about you and your husband and sending you the best possible vibes

Nhwife, always in my thoughts. It's so hard to see them suffer - just hurts; and your hubby is suffering way too much. Extra thoughts for tomorrow.

Hoping so much that the pain is alleviated greatly and soon you both can get some rest.

NHwife,

It is so good to get some good news this week and lets hope this is one less problem your husband has to deal with from now on.  You were one of "Raddad's Women" and we talked often about you and your husband's PC journey and I know he is smiling down on you both this morning.

Terry