Husband 1st chemo

Hello Katrina, getting the prostrate cancer is a shock that just keeps happening. You have to jump through all the different diagnostic hoops and , seemingly, wait for ever for the results and the dollops of bad news just keeps on coming. Then you get to the treatment and all the fears of side effects take over. It is a horrible journey for both our menfolk and for us and I am so sorry you are having to work through this.

I can’t advise you about chemo because we haven’t had to go through this and we are keeping our fingers crossed that it won’t be needed. My husband started hormone therapy in November 2022. I hate the hormone therapy with a vengeance. It has changed my husband physically and mentally but he plods on with his 3 monthly injections.

I was scared silly of the side effects of the radiotherapy but our biggest problem was the journey every day across country lanes and through the city centre. I drove for most of the time and my daughter helped out. We wouldn’t let my husband drive because parking at the hospital was an absolute nightmare with queues up to an hour. He probably would not have got to appointments on time and the bowel and bladder prep added to the complications. I used to drop him off at the hospital and go and park at a nearby supermarket. He would ring me when he was finished and I’d go and pick him up. We both got very very tired!

Emotionally I have not coped at all well. For 6 months I could not stop crying! Once the radiotherapy had finished I decided that we had got to move on with our lives and not let the prostate cancer be in control. I don’t know what prompted this change of attitude and how I arrived there but the tears have stopped! We are trying to live life as fully as possible and living in the ‘here and now’ as much as we can. 

I wish you and your husband all the very best on your journey and really hope to hear from you that the treatment has been successful and that your husband is doing well

much love x

Thanks so much for replying, yes we found the various scans,xray,waiting times stressful too,only just started the hormone injection so no change so far only hot at times.we are both like yourself travel to hospital can be stressful,parking now ok as we have a barrier pass,emotionally we are on & off tearful,all seems unreal somehow,  we are both early 60s so lucky we retired early ,so dont work so he can relax if needed.

I wish you and your husband all the best & hope for health improvement x

Hello Katrina, thank you for your good wishes. I think you will find lots of responses later in the day. This forum has been, for me, a wonderful source of support and information through some very black days. I hope you find the same.

look after yourself!

Hi Katriina Welcome to the club you didn't want to join!!

The diagnosis is a shock but there are treatments available and it looks like from your posts you are well on the journey. I can only comment on the HT/RT route and although there are many side effect sand they affect us all differently - it's just an issue understanding everything that is thrown at you.

If it helps you can read through my journey along the HT/RT route by clicking on the icon of the beach next to my name.

I along with other members of the community will be happy to answer any questions you have and if you just want a chat and to put the world to rights (it will take some time!!) we are here for you.

Good luck with the treatment.

Kind Regards

Brian.

Thankyou Brian,I read your journey to date,well done for getting through it all, we find the wait inbetween appointments tries our patience!

Well done acieving walking the marathon! & it is great to see your psa levels so low.

My husband has a spread from the prostate,lympth nodes enlarged , hence the chemo, only has had 1 injection so far of hormones so no effects yet other than getting hot in the night.

All uncertain as we dont know how he will react to any of the treatments ,will be nxt week 1st one .

There was debate between Urology and Oncology as if my PC had got to my lymph nodes or not. The answer from Urology was "lets zap them with Radiotherapy to be sure". - as they say go with the science.

HT and hot flushes. My go to cure for these has been Sage Tablets - they don't work for everyone - but they did for me.

Good Luck with your journey.

Brian.

Thankyou x