PSA

Good to hear he's doing ok. I already had little taste and a smell has to be really strong due to having had coving 4 times. I tried the sage route as I was getting extensive hot flushes, even after 3 months I still get them, just have had to live with them.

My last PSA was 0.01 , they stopped the HT injections ( really happy about that ) next PSA check early November,  I'm a bit concerned about my toilet habbit is increasing again, but with having so much going on, I had my investigation put on hold for stenosis spinel channel nerve damage in neck and lumber due to having prostate cancer which obviously had to come first in treatments, The stenosis has since gone full steam ahead and now waiting to see the consultant/surgeon for plans on the surgery which will involve major surgery.  Now on top of this on my annual review at doctors they flagged up my cholesterol is very high and have put me on satins straight away due to family history and I'm  already on tablets for high blood pressure,  he put my odds at 1 in 5.55 people to either have heart attack or stroke. I still work at 70 despite all this, only part time now just to keep sane. Hope all works out good for you. Best wishes Paul 

Hi BG, it's been a while since we talked, I'm sorry your waiting so long for scan results, but when they come your PSA being so low would suggest good news, but absolutely chase them up, though maybe a bank holiday is the best day. Regarding the hot flushes, I took medroxyprogesterone, just over 3 weeks of a 10 week course and the hot flushes cleared up.

Eddie xx 

Hi Eddie 

totally forgot it was bank holiday so probally ring tomorrow . I thought that about his PSA maybe that’s a good sign treatment working . I will mention the tablets for the hot flushes thank you so much for that . Lovely hearing from you again it has been a while but I really appreciate you replying thank you 

hope your doing good 

BG

Hello Bg65 

I love a success story (I know they don't all have a happy ending here) but when one does and it's one I have been involved with (I don't reply to every post) from day 1 it makes it all worthwhile!!

Your brother just shows what, with a positive attitude and help from someone like you - you can do when all looks lost at the start.

He's done amazing an I hope he carries on to live a long and happy life.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Hi Brian 

Thank you so much for replying he is doing amazing he’s keeping fit he’s staying g possitive when at the beginning as you know we was up in arms frightened lost hope you name it we went though it like everybody here but you replied to me straight away and eased all our worries along with so many more who gave us advise . I know I always say this but without this forum and people like you Brian I don’t know how we would have coped and I really mean that . 
take care of yourself and thank you 

BG

Good evening, BG,

I trust that all is well currently.  You mention sage for hot flushes but my GP recommended Evening Primrose Oil.  No idea if that works either but I'll be trying it soon because my hot flushes are driving me mad at times.

I seem to get two varieties - a mild one that merely warms me a little bit and the main ones that require me to sit in front of a fan for twenty minutes.

Failure to do that leaves me swimming in sweat from all parts and towels drenched in minutes.  Horrible bloody things - far worse than my wife gets!

Really pleased that you can make good use of this forum - there's so much stuff here that pretty well whatever you need in the way of advise, it's here.

I'm one of those guys who spends much of his life laughing and joking despite having prostate cancer - I don't like saying that I'm irrepressible but it takes a lot to make me moody, miserable or grumpy.  Even my missus can't get me down - nor can cancer!   Why should it?

Because of that, I'll be extra careful with what I write to you.  Too much lightness could well catch you in the wrong mood, it sounds.

So take care and remember that we're all here - to help if you need us.

Best wishes

Chris

Hi Chris

what a great post to wake up to it did make me laugh . I got my brother them cooling towels that you put under tap he swears by them said they are brilliant for in the house and in bed he just won’t walk around with it so give them a go I got them of Amazon . My brother said the hot flushes are the only thing really that get him down I remind him that I know how he feels after going through the bloody menapause. The doctor has mention Antidepressants but he doesn’t want to go down that route . He said they have got worst since he’s changed from monthly hormone injection to  the three monthly one so maybe his body just needs to get used to them . 
you take care and keep going 

BG

Hi Bg65

Delighted that I entertained you - as well as being honest about about those damn hot flushes.

I looked up those cooling towels and they do seem to be an excellent choice - no going down the medication route, as you implied.  They certainly sound and look good but since the advert only shows young nubile females wearing them, I'd better keep off them before I end up in the gym!  I am 80 so it wouldn't be very seemly - might ruin the gym's reputation!

I too get three-monthly injections but I've been there twice now (for 18 months from September 2022 and again since May 2025) but I've only ever had three-monthly injections so I can't compare.  All I know is that I don't like them.

However, if those towels are as good as a fan or better, then we shouldn't really moan - when you consider the alternative.  And also no, I don't think that your body ever gets used to them, I'm afraid.    Unforuately your brother is in it for the long run - unless his PSA gives a reading of almost zero and stays there.

Tell him to take care and stay cool.

Cheers

Chris

Reading your post again cheered me up lovely to be able to laugh about things now because at the beginning of this journey with my brother I didn’t think I’d laugh again but as I’ve said many times before coming here is the best tonic so thank you 

you take care 

BG

Hello again Bg65

Once again I'm so pleased that I've done my little bit to cheer you and maybe your brother up.

The thing is, that life has to go on regardless of what it throws at you.You can't just curl up in a corner and expect everything to keep happening, because it won't.

You have to remain part of the human race, so you might as well enjoy it.  Your mind gets a lot more out of being cheerful rather than being miserable.

Oh, I do entirely accept that it's damn hard when cancer hits you, but then, as you soon find, there are always many people worse off than you.  What you think is a hard and painful situation soon becomes no more than an itch compared to some people's afflictions.

Of course, cancer can often be life-changing as you adjust to the "new you" but that merely opens up a whole new vista; a whole new way of life. It may not be better than before - it almost certainly isn't - but it's what's on your plate, so you simply have to get used to it.  There's no real option.

But I'm sounding all morose and I'm not.  And do bear in mind my own journey.  I was disgnosed with COPD a few years ago - which I absorbed since I'm no longer the get-up-and-go guy that I once was.  Then, in March this year, after spending too much time writing and stuffing jelly babies into my gob I ended up in hospital being de-sugared.   And while I was there I was called to see the cancer specialist who told me that I had recurrent prostate cancer.  Wonderful timing, I don't think.

Oh well - that's life!  But mine hasn't come to an end despite my age.   If anything it makes me all the more determined to fight on. I won't beat any of my health problems but I might as well give it a go.  

I happen to keep weather records, so the longer I can survive then the longer my record will cover.  I dearly want to catch a few more records - I've seen 40C turn up, so what's next?

However, while I wait for them I can't just sit here - there are too many wonderful things happening out there to follow - in real life, on TV, on YouTube and on Facebook, to mention but a few places to go.  I intend to enjoy myself until the final call.

So best wishes and here's hoping that you'll both be able to shake off some of the miseries and look on the bright side of life instead.

Cheers

Chris