Posted 1/27/2021 8:13 PM (GMT -5)
Good news, just got my PSA checkup, still undetectable. Last check was in May 2020.
This forum was invaluable to me throughout my diagnosis, treatment selection, and for several years afterward. So many friendships made here, many folks we still see on occasion. Most of the names from that time no longer appear here, having moved on with life.
I felt a particular drive to be be here for the G9 folks, a small subset of cases with some particular issues. These tend to be discussions focusing mainly on survival and aggressive treatments, and less on some of the side effects. We had a "G9 Crew" thread running for a long time, though it has been a while now since I did anything with it.
A couple years after ending ADT, my PSA was trending up, albeit slowly, so I decided to take an aggressive measure and restarted ADT electively, a bit earlier than the Phoenix criterion would have indicated. But the G9 cases don't always put out as much PSA as some other types do, and there were some studies indicating aggressive ADT was helpful for G9. Not for lower Gleason scores, but for G9. And there are so few G9s that studies are hard to find.
Anyway, I chose permanent ADT with some supplemental estrogen (transdermal patches) to offset the unpleasant side effects of eliminating testosterone. I lived with the side effects of no T for 3 years, and really didn't like it! But today, I feel absolutely great. Better than I can remember, better even than before PCa entered my life.
My path is my path, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for anyone else. But for me, this has eliminated the suspense of watching the PSA trend, wondering when it would reach some trigger point. I've replaced that with an undetectable PSA that will hopefully last for years. I'm already on about the only remaining follow-on treatment left, short of the 2nd tier hormonals like Xtandi or Zytiga. Words from Steelguy, years ago, still ring for me: "Whatever it takes, pliers and blowtorch". I've always chosen an aggressive approach.
It's peaceful, calm, and has allowed this relatively atrocious disease to just become a non-issue. It's become one of the things I've faced, and no longer need to fuss about! Thanks for everyone here, and all of the support. We men are not very good at supporting each other through physical issues, and a forum like this can make a big difference!