Treatment begins HT RT

Hi Mustardo, I wish you all the very best with your treatment pathway and really hope there has been no escape of the cells. As you perhaps know, the outcomes from either surgery or RT and HT are very similar. I am sure you will get lots of replies from the ‘male perspective’ so I thought I would concentrate more on the female/ family perspective here. I hope you don’t mind?

 My husband started HT in November 2022 and had RT in Feb/March. He has tolerated it all reasonably well with fatigue and urgency to pee developing during radiotherapy. He has the usual side effects of HT. his last PSA was 0.06 which was really encouraging ( down from 10). We have been told he will need ht for: 6 mts, 18 mts and 2-3 years so really don’t know how long this will go on for! Obviously more than 6 mts now!

you don’t mention a partner? From my own perspective this has been and continues to be a horrible journey. I have been beside myself with worry etc . If I have 2 pieces of advice to give it would be 1. Talk to your partner and consider this as a couples disease and not just your own  and 2. Tell your close male family members about your diagnosis as they will be at higher risk of developing it and will need regular PSA checks from the age of 40-45 ish (depending on their ethnicity. - earlier if black African Caribbean)

Sincere best wishes!

Hi Mustardo - Well I am pleased for you, you have made what is a difficult choice and I hope all goes well for you.

Personally I think a positive attitude throughout this journey is half the battle - it has it's ups and downs (no pun intended there!) but where ever the Prostate Cancer is the lack of testosterone caused by the hormone therapy should stop it in it's tracks.

I know what you mean about reading other people's journeys, it's great when they have a happy ending and you can see yourself there down the line. If you have read mine it was complicated by the need for a long term indwelling catheter and the wait for a TURP operation but it still has a happy ending (well I think so!!).

Stay with us, keep us in the loop and come back whenever you want - there's always someone about for a chat.

Best wishes - and good luck,

Brian. 

Wishing you all the best for successful treatment Mustardo.

Hi Mustardo  One of the hardest parts of the journey is deciding which treatment path to go down, but now you are on the way.

I started with HT in October 2018 and was on it for nearly 3 years. I had 20 sessions of RT in Feb/Mar 2019 and had my last Prostap injection in June 2021. My last three biannual PSA tests have come back as 0.2 so I'm currently in remission. As long as my PSA stays below 2.0 the Urology department will take no action. In two years I will move on to annual PSA test until I am 10 years post treatment when they will stop.

I coped well with the HT but did find the RT quite a challenge. It took a few months and the help of many friends in the rowing club to get back to a good level of fitness but now, at nearly 76, I am walking about 100 miles every month (we recently got a new rescue dog), swimming a mile twice a week and coastal rowing as often as the wind and tides allow. A couple of months ago I started rowing in an eight on the local canal but I don't think I will be called on for the Boat Race any time soon.

Good luck with your journey and please ask any questions here as someone will have been there and will be able to help.