HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Introducing myself, and how long does hormone therapy last?

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
1 2
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/20/2012 12:18 PM (GMT -5)
JohnKeats,
Very sorry, John, for the Dx. I can't help but think it might have been me at 47 with your stats. We caught it at 44 for me and it was just leaving the barn. I became a moderator here and now also run a live support group and a 5000 PSA with skeleton invasion is a tough Dx. But six years ago we had a 42yo member join us with a 3200+ PSA and a similar Dx to yours, and he he still a great member here (Living1963). An initial response to the LHRH agonists is not uncommon even with high PSA's. But you won't be able to rely on testosterone ablation alone. I would think you might want to look into Zytiga as well and there is also, as you stated some great pipeline drugs on the horizon. I work in the advocacy with my oncologist who is a regular presenter at ASCO and a leading researcher in evidence based medicine and as he puts it the treatment options today are so much improved that men that typically would live 5 years are living 10+ years. But diligence is yours and being well educated is a very important piece of finding peace and regaining the feeling of control. I specialize on that aspect of prostate cancer support in our live group and over and over I see great response from the newly diagnosed advanced cases.

Stay well and hopeful. There are many guys I have met like you doing well.

Tony
Posted 6/20/2012 11:13 PM (GMT -5)
Lupron Legionnaire,

Thanks for the generously lengthy post. I take it all to heart.

I did get a copy of David Servan-Schreiber’s book “Anti-Cancer” and read it several times. I even bought the book-on-cd copy so I could hear parts of it while driving to work. My wife and I have completely changed the way we eat, taking the diet largely from his advice. We also got the DVD of his PBS special ANTI-CANCER and found him to be a very warm, compassionate person who really cares about helping people cope with cancer and also find ways to change our lives so we can empower ourselves and help manage the traditional therapies.

I agree with TC-LasVegas that we have to be moderate and careful with religious postings but I am addressing the spiritual side as well, I assure you. I do agree that cancer is often an opportunity to discover parts of yourself and of the world around you that you may have previously neglected and to find meaning where before there was just confusion and doubt.

I do feel its appropriate to add that a spiritual or religious practice can aid fighting cancer as powerfully as diet and exercise. Meditation and yoga can be beneficial as well.

Spiritual wisdom can be a healing medicine, and is very powerful when combined with the wizardry of modern medicine, diet and exercise, and stress management.
Posted 6/20/2012 11:16 PM (GMT -5)
John,

I agree with you, and though we are prohibited from serious religious discussion here ( and I agree with the rule and the reason behind it, it would be utter chaos without it in place), I can assure you from my 4 serious fights with cancer, including my almost 4 years with PC, that as a person of faith, I wouldn't have made it this far in all I have endured, if it were not for my faith. I will leave it at that, so I understand where you are coming from.

Good luck,

David in SC
Posted 6/20/2012 11:23 PM (GMT -5)
Tony,

Thanks for your posting and for reading my story.

As you can imagine, I'm still dizzy trying to process it all. A few weeks ago I was checking for updates from ASCO/Chicago on an almost hourly basis. I'm still googling all the names of pipeline drugs that I hear about, obsessively trying to determine which ones will be available when I need them.

However, at some point I have to sit back and relax and say to myself: My PSA is 2, and I'm doing fine. The lupron is working, and it may work for a few years. You are NOT hormone-resistent, and you may not be for a long time. And even if you become hormone resistent, that is far from the end. It's challenging, but there's a lot for you right now. You may even have a more advanced therapy available before hormone resistence and it may be an oral pill and it may have very minor side-effects. And within 10 years there may be a cure.

Post Edited (JohnKeats) : 6/20/2012 10:26:32 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/20/2012 11:27 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks David, I agree.
Posted 6/21/2012 12:29 AM (GMT -5)
John send me your email and I'll send you a nice little one page summary I put together for the live support group I run. This sheet is on advanced PCa...

The comments I took down were several scripture passages. Some of my personal favorites. I certainly hope the poster understands.

Tony
Posted 6/21/2012 8:22 AM (GMT -5)
Johnkeats,
Welcome to the place no one wants to really be. As everyone has said already, it's the best forum for individuals with Pca. Support, information, compassion, etc, it's all here on HW.
FYI - You mentioned ARN509. My husband was in the Clinical Trial, Phase I, dosing study for 1 year. He did extremely well on the study with considerable shrinkage to his bone mets. Sloan Kettering, since you mentioned the hospital, is still conducting the study, and I believe it is still open. It is being run by Howard Scher, MD.

Our experience with Zometa was some flu like symptoms with the first infusion, thereafter, no SEs.

I'm glad your wife is by your side. It's a journey you will both be on. If ever she needs a wife's perspective or needs to chat, she can contact me at my email. The best to you and your wife.

Zimac
Posted 6/21/2012 9:29 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you Zimac. My wife has been very strong through all this, in many ways stronger than myself. She saved my life.

I'll pass along your invite to her.

I saw Howard Scher on the web talking about Zytiga. His video was my first ray of hope a few months ago when I was very depressed.
Posted 2/25/2013 12:19 PM (GMT -5)
Hi all.
Glad to see not by myself and help from others. I am somewhat new to this. Had surgery that failed, then radiation that failed all in the dame year. I had my first lupron shot almost 3 months ago. Have been having off bone pain here and there that comes and goes. Is this normal? Should I be alarmed?

2nd Question: All I have seen to this point have been urologist. Do I need to see an oncologist? I am in Birmingham, al. If so, where do I look for one? Should they specialize in prostate cancer.

Thanks for advice.
Posted 2/25/2013 1:22 PM (GMT -5)
kscott:

I've started a new thread for your questions. This thread is a bit old and some people who can give you answers may not read through the whole thing to find your comment here.

Welcome to the forum! Be sure to look for responses in your new thread

here www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=2655885
Posted 9/26/2014 7:14 PM (GMT -5)
I just got done with 2 years of Lupron then zoladex inplants, for now your in good shape, the med keeps the cancer from growing, even like spots on your spine or wherever,, the cancer should not grow as long as the med is working, now the first 3 mo s are the worst, my dr told me this and he was right, the side effects start to get better and taper down, things I hated the most were hot sweats, you will be feeling fine , then bam you feel like a 102 feaver and sweat like a pig, then it just quits, and the other way feeling cold, which was the best just put a flannel shirt on till it quits, that's it,, Kenny email me any time for help,

Post Edited (kenny123) : 9/26/2014 6:25:09 PM (GMT-6)

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12