Another update

The rule of thumb for T recovery after ADT is that it takes half as long to recover from the hormones as you were on the hormones. So, since you served an 18 month sentence, you should expect 9 months of probation. Eight months in, at a T of 54, is probably a bit on the sluggish side but different men's mileage may vary. I'd check it again in a few months and if it isn't headed up then, yes, it's behind schedule.

Most guys recover. I never did but I talked my MO into a T supplement that works well for me. He waited three years after the end of my ADT and, since my PSA was behaving, he hooked me up.

Whole prostate radiation often has a depressing effect on T production anyway.The mechanism is unclear. Mine took a year to recover, and that was with no ADT.

Just what I was going to suggest. Keep on keeping on!

We are all here for you.

Roger

Hey Mark. Not much to add but encouragement. T recovery in your situation is a really gray area, without much to go on. No one seems to know what the numbers mean, and it can make you crazy wondering. The timing is all over the place. I'm sure you were hoping for a faster recovery, but there's little to do but wait.

Having ridden out a somewhat worrisome year as my T recovered and PSA rose, it was encouraging to see the PSA eventually level out at a reasonable value. The timing and pattern of your recovery are simply impossible to predict. Unless your PSA looks like it's clearly passing 1.0 and heading toward 2.0 and above, you would probably be worrying unnecessarily. The key is keeping an eye on doubling time, but not getting too worried unless the PSA is solidly trending upward.

It's just maddening that there is so little info on recovery after RT and ADT. With your added chemo, that's yet another challenge.

Good luck, brother!

Artist Mark said...
Jerry....My Dr. at UW in Seattle said 1.0 was the # to start thinking about BCR as I had low PSA (3.42) high gleason score. I guess if the PSADT is rapid,that may change things before 1.0 ?

I think that's true. My MO said even with a pretty rapid doubling time, unless that time held and the number got above 1.0 or so he wasn't concerned. I knew things were improving when my doubling time line started bending down even though the T level was still rising, so the doubling time was increasing. That was a good sign! My initial doubling time during T recovery was quite worrisome, so seeing it slow down was quite a relief.

In fact, I'd put more importance on plotting the doubling time with each new reading to spot such a trend. It's not too tough with a spreadsheet approach. With your slower T recovery time it may just take longer for things to ultimately level out.