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Posted 4/28/2015 2:03 PM (GMT -5)
I gave blood last week and got the call today.   Good news is the PSA remains undetectable at <.10. However, the Testosterone is still low as I do not appear to recovering very well from three years of hormone therapy.   My last shot of Lupron was in August 2013 (6 month).   So I should have started my T recovery in the spring of 2014.   I understand the half life is 6 months, so there is still some of the effect a year later, but I was hoping for a faster recovery.   Redwing had linked some studies that indicated T recovery takes longer the longer one is on HT.   Apparently that is my case My T report follows.   I am not familiar with all the measurements and invite comments and information. This test was performed using the Beckman Access 2 Immunoassay System and Total PSA and Free PSA Reagents. Result values obtained with other assay methods or kits cannot be used interchangeably.   My Level                                               Ref. Range/Males Testosterone 0.60                                1.75 - 7.81 ng/ml SHBG 30.40                                         13.3 - 89.5 nmol/L Free Testosterone 0.011                      0.043 - 0.213 ng/mL Bioavailable Testosterone 0.27           1.12 ng/mL – 5.50 ng/mL
Posted 4/28/2015 2:26 PM (GMT -5)
Did you discuss clomid and hCG to kickstart it back into gear?
Posted 4/28/2015 2:29 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks Tall,

No, but I am ready to hire you as my advisor. Please tell me more.
Posted 4/28/2015 2:33 PM (GMT -5)
I know this is not necessarily helpful. I was on ADT for 3 years and mine bounced back very quickly - approximately 3-4 months to get back to normal. I was told by one oncologist that it more typically takes 6 months for a rise to start and a year for a general recovery. I was also told that higher pre-treatment T levels resulted in a faster return. You are definitely overdue. I would be investigating Tall Allen's advice.
SC
Posted 4/28/2015 4:46 PM (GMT -5)
Good news for you Jack on your PSA. Your T progression unfotunately is a forecast of what mine will be after I suspend taking Zytiga after 9 months about a month from today.

I had my last one month Lupron shot a couple weeks ago as I down shift from a 3-monther on New Yers eve and 4 month variety ever since 3-28-13. So my 26 month anniversary today after having already been low T the last couple of years pre G9 diagnosis on 2-4-13.

Baby steps I guess for both of us as Southern Comfort already took the one large step for mankind. Maybe we need to move to Phoenix.

Post Edited (LupronJim) : 4/28/2015 4:00:37 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/29/2015 6:43 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks guys. My uro and I started the discussion, but he is hesitant to take any action quite yet due the high PSA when I was dx. The info Allen provided is interesting based on the my reading last evening and I have sent an email to my uro.   One of the interesting side effects of Clomid is reversible male balding.  Since I am already balding does this produce a double negative resulting in a positive-----producing hair growth?   Probably not with my luck.    I have been envious of SC's recovery as he bounced right back without assistance and I was hoping I would follow.

My uro says that some men stay low so long as there is a small amount of the Lupron effect and recovery is also aggravated by age. This is supported by the reports Redwing posted showing a mean recovery of about 48 months. Given the 1/2 life of six months, I figure I still have between 1/8 and 1/4 of the effect at this time and I have just entered the third 6-month period. Hopefully relief is just around the corner.
Posted 5/2/2015 2:18 PM (GMT -5)
JNF,
You mentioned reports posted by Redwing on T recovery times - any chance of a link to them? I've been on Lupron holiday for a little over 6 months (after 36 months on), and my T level is recovering, currently at 279.
Posted 5/2/2015 7:49 PM (GMT -5)

Kayak808 said...
JNF,
You mentioned reports posted by Redwing on T recovery times - any chance of a link to them? I've been on Lupron holiday for a little over 6 months (after 36 months on), and my T level is recovering, currently at 279.

Hey Kayak, this might be what JNF is referring to:
Thread from last October: www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=3213559
This paragraph is in an article I linked in that thread:
medicalxpress.com/news/2014-09-shorter-adt-high-risk-prostate-cancer.html
With a median follow-up time of 84 months, 55.7 percent (161) patients in the 18-month ADT group recovered normal testosterone levels. In comparison, 44.9 percent (122) patients of the 36-month ADT group recovered normal testosterone levels. Additionally, median time to testosterone recovery was shorter (47.2 months; range 40.1 – 54.3 months), in the 18-month ADT group, compared to the 36-month ADT group (73.2 months, range 58.3 – 88.2 months.

It bummed JNF out (sorry!!), and me too. The recovery periods are sobering. The MEDIAN for the 36 month group to recover "normal" T levels is just over 6 YEARS. Holy crap. This is a cruel disease, with frankly inhuman treatments!

Jerry
Posted 5/3/2015 8:01 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks, Redwing!
Bob
Posted 5/3/2015 12:08 PM (GMT -5)
JNF and all ...

glad to see great PSA numbers for you all. Keep us posted on how the T levels go it gives us all hope; trust those turn up for you soon. I'm about to follow you later this summer/fall on the Lupron holiday, and the information is sobering for us 36 month folks. Though i think my T never was above 200 -- somehow i'd imagined more like flipping a light switch. Got to bear down and persevere some more ...

Ray
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