Starting triplet therapy - question about prognosis

In my view of my situation, not yours, I will keep positive and doing what I can until I can’t.

As for you and your positive attitude, I’m certain whatever the life expectancy may be it’s yours to enjoy so enjoy it. We are all so very different in make up and mental attitude so there’s no slide-rule of expectations.

Keep it simple. Wake up, get up, eat up, get out, do stuff, eat more, have a drink, go to bed, go to sleep.

Simples…

Mr U said:

Keep it simple. Wake up, get up, eat up, get out, do stuff, eat more, have a drink, go to bed, go to sleep.

Exactly!

Do some of what you like, some that will help others, other things that feel important to you.

If you want to cheer yourself up, do some research about how prostate cancer treatment has moved forward in the last fifteen years.

Hi Beard - my partner just had his 2nd round of chemo yesterday on triplet therapy - diagnosed Jul(see bio) PSA initially 80 now 0.2. He hasn’t had any major problems with the chemo so far and injections for wbc have done their job well. Just took steroids at wrong time of day so went without sleep for 4 nights. Oncology nurses set us straight within hours. He has hot flushes mainly and not yet lost all his hair. Shaved his beard but it’s growing back! He’s kept a positive mindset even walking 20 mins to our allotment to keep active. His oncologist quoted “many years” if opting for triplet but we are taking every day as it comes through treatment with the aim to get to my son’s wedding in Crete next May. 

Unlike some people I wanted a prognosis however my oncologist was extremely reluctant to give me a prognosis at our first meeting and he wriggled out of it, at the second meeting 3 months later I pushed him for one and he told me 2½ years, to which I responded you can add another 3 years to that as I'm not going anywhere soon and intend on coming here to annoy you for a lot longer. He laughed and said something like well done that's the attitude. 

The last two appointments I've seen his boss the lead consultant and he appears more optimistic saying if we can get to 5 years on the current medication (Daralutamide and Relugolix) then we have other alternatives to try along with hopefully new breakthroughs in treatment. So whilst I wanted a prognosis I'm determined to out live it and getting on with enjoying life as best one can, at the end of the day what will be will be 

Thanks for the reply Peejay. I am sure you will make it to your sons wedding, that’s definitely something to aim for!

Good to know that your partner is coping well with the chemo, I am hoping that I will too. 

Hopefully I won’t have to change my profile name to ex-beard. But if I do, it’s a small price to pay. 

all the best and enjoy the wedding!!!

Hi Steve,

sound advice. It’s just come as a shock after initially being told the operation was successful. 

Hi Sprinter,

I can imagine the original prognosis was a shock. Currently I feel perfectly fine, even after the prostrap injection, so hopefully I will be ok through the chemo and as you say what will be will be! I’m determined not to let it win though. 

cheers Tom

Hi Mr U,

apologies for the delayed response.

I really enjoy your blog by the way.

It is important to stay positive for sure, and not to put things off!!

I am more resolved to the situation now, hopefully the triplet therapy will not be too tough and give me a few more years, ideally in double figures

Hi Beard

To be totally honest for myself it wasn't as I've always been a what will be will be type of person and just take everything in it's stride, however for my long suffering wife it hit her hard, though she is now more relaxed about it after hearing the lead consultants thoughts

Hello Beard,

I started triplet therapy last year, I wrote a blog which might be of interest if you haven't seen it already, the link is Prostate Cancer Recurrence - Triple Therapy if you're interested in reading it.

I was given average life expectancy statistics by my consultant but these were heavily qualified by a statement that, because triplet therapy is relatively new, full survival results aren't yet available (and won't be for some time), so it's not possible to give any meaningful info other than the fact that there is definitely evidence to show that survival time is better than other therapies. 

I dealt with this in the same way as I dealt with surgery and chemo for a separate cancer 11 years ago, just accept the situation, get your head around it and tough it out - you'll emerge at the other side altered but stronger and happy that it's out of the way and you can enjoy life again.

I definitely think you're right to ignore the timeline and get on with life, doing as much as you want. I can endorse the "more holidays" plan, we're on our 7th trip this year, currently in Arizona where it's sunny and 85 - 90F in the dry desert air, currently sitting overlooking a golf course which we'll be attacking later. 

I wish you all the best for treatment, it's not easy but you'll definitely emerge well when it's done.

Derek.