AM I BEING PARANOID

Hi I get a bit breathless and have afib ,can I ask is it the hormone injections that can make you breathless?

Hi Mace My husband went to the GP and she checked him out and decided that he needed an ECG as she thought she heard AF . However, the ECG was absolutely normal.

We know that the Abiraterone can cause issues with heart & liver . His liver function was high so they reduced the Abiraterone and it’s back to normal . So maybe same with the breathlessness . 

He walks miles every morning and it was only occasionally he got breathless on steep inclines .  But he never stopped and it went away . He also goes to the gym three times at least a week . He still gets tired but feels the exercise helps. He’s determined not to let the cancer take over his life and this is his way of coping. 

take care Mace  & hope your doing ok 

best wishes 

Liz & OH xx

Thank you ,yes it's mainly when I go uphill and I must say it's worse if I've had a pint 

I think you are being rightly anxious, and questions need to be asked. 

However, I have read an article suggesting that the class of drugs represented by Abiraterone is likely to be as effective at lower doses. I can't find the article again. I wish I could. I am going to have to save this stuff more professionally. 

If your OH's blood are the same in September, then he will have had 9 months at the same level. It might be time to extend.

There is something about Abiraterone and the other drugs, though. I have read of people on them for 10-15 years without progression. 

I have begun to feel that there is a point where life extending treatment can be considered a cure. 

My example is myself. I am 73 (in August). If something extends my life by 15 years I am 88. That's longer than the current "normal" life expectancy for men. And, because I am monitoring myself, and being monitored, I am more likely to catch other stuff while it is treatable.

I think that, in those circumstances, what we think of as palliative care is far more than that.

Hi johnam Liz,

I don’t think you are being paranoid at all. 6 months feels too long to wait, because this can be mental struggle as well as physical, can you ask for a three month blood test? Then if that’s all good you will feel better about going longer next time? 
Lx

Awe thank you Steve. In my head I feel 6 months is too long . My reasoning was the Oncologist said as long as the Abiraterone & Prostap continue to work! My OH had no symptoms other than up during the night to pee . He is still up overnight albeit not as many times .

we will discuss when we see him in September as he does know OH gets pretty stressed on the lead up to his blood works & results . 

hugs 

Liz & OH xx

Thank you BW xxx

Hello Liz

No! You are not being paranoid! You are very naturally concerned about your husband’s wellbeing. As you might be aware, my husband has had PC treatment alongside other healthcare problems. We had a torrid 18 months or so with one thing or another. It felt like I was a full time nurse, chauffeur, chief cook and bottle washer. I nearly reached breaking point. Gradually things improved but I think, too, my husband’s doctors understood that the different treatments and procedures and appointments were taking away all quality of life for both of us. 

so, they extended the times between appointments and tests and reduced some of the treatments etc! On the one hand p, this gave us our lives back. On the other hand, we were scared silly about an undetected relapse! As I have said elsewhere, initially it felt like we had been riding a bike with stabilisers and suddenly they were removed. Looking back to then and to where we are now, I can see that this was as much a gamble for the doctors as for us!  We, too, are on 6 monthly PSA tests but, for 5 months of those 6 we are actually able to shove PC into the back of our minds! I get twitchy in month 6! I think, though, that we benefit from 5 months ‘without’ ( if you can ever do that 100%) PC. Your team think this is safe. Can you trust their judgement and enjoy life for 2x  5 months a year? I hope so!!! 

I do hope all continues to go well for you both . You’ve come such a long way on an incredibly difficult journey!

xxx

Awe L  Worriedwife 

thank you for taking the time to give me different perspective on life as it is and will be now.

Yes we’ve been through the proverbial wringer like many of our friends here . I suppose you have to put your life in the medics hands even more and trust their judgement. Which is hard how we were treated in the beginning.

He is doing great but was wife’s we do worry. 

hope you are both enjoying this lovely weather . Sending hugs 

Liz & OH xxx