hI All, Been here a while just reading

Hi John

Funnily enough I asked that question to a specialist a few years ago. My readings were similar.

He said that 5 years + although you may start having bone pain.

I would say  do consider having the RT, really no problems You could prob stay on AS longer  providing the tumour was not about to break out, the Mri should show that. One of my tumours was 13mm when I started treatment..

good luck, if u have nay more questions let me know

Steve

Hi John,

Thats an interesting question you ask,

Personally I have had HT and RT in the last 15 months, side effects for me have been hideous , affecting my physical and mental well-being specially in the last 6 months. However like many others , you may not experience this . I just want to give you a balanced response.

I have an appointment on Tuesday and  want to come off HT at least 9 months early.

I pray that my team understands ( which I’m sure they will) as I no longer want this.

I want my testosterone levels to restore themselves so I know my  treatment has been successful.

if not I would seriously consider having no more treatment.

John whatever decision you make I wish all all the luck .

Tony

It is indeed an interesting question. We all have different stats, of course. Mine are in my profile. I am not sure I would be brave enough to do nothing. I realise that I am more fortunate than many members but Tony 123’s experience of the combination on HT and RT has certainly struck a chord with me. 

I had the difficult choice between surgery or HT with RT. I chose the latter as surgery seemed unattractive - because of convalescence after an operation, as I live alone - also ocular hypertension made a four hour operation positioned upside down more risky. The loss of testosterone required adjustment, of course, but I came to terms with it. The hot flushes at night are sometimes a minor inconvenience, less so in the winter.

On balance, I would make the same decision again but HT together with RT (20 sessions ended a month ago) has had a significant effect on my health and mental well-being. For me, the urinary and bowel effects were easy to manage and those functions are now back to normal. 

The fatigue is profound. I go to bed at around 8.00 pm and sleep until around 6.00 am. Particularly first thing in the morning, I feel depressed, “guilty” and anxious. I have been fairly successful in persuading myself that those feelings and thoughts are simply symptomatic. I walk for two miles or so (I can no longer manage four) and then nap for about an hour in the early afternoon. I hope that things may improve by the time I am due to see the oncologist at the end of September. I am avoiding most contact with other people because I get cross at the least thing and I try to avoid embarrassing myself. 

I have read extensively about the common symptom of fatigue and it seems that a great deal of patience is sometimes required. 

Hi many thanks for the reply's,  already have bone pain . x-ray showed .. 'pincer-type'; femoroacetabular impingement .that's big words for worn-out hips,  which i take pain killers for, 

So you see after 68 years my body thinks it time to go to be honest its done well.. all without the stress of cancer treatment. 

 Not sure i want the hassle of pretending to be ok, when inside i just need to be left alone . john 

J

So obviously your hip problem is not due to the PC.

I see your issue here. I will suggest one thing that I don't normally mention but I had RT without the HT. Only possible with low stats but obviously u have low stats. It means that it will be over in a few weeks but with no long lasting side effects.

I assume that u could also have a hip replacement, u could be a new man.

Steve

Hips are just a warn out thing , So let chat about PSA levels , as i can see used to see how far the cancer has progressed ?  mine are 8.8 yet i read some have levels over 900, or is this just missing the decimal point. 

No not missing a decimal point.

Generally speaking the higher the PSA the more likely it is spreading but not always.

Once you get in the hundreds chances are it has spread outside the gland.

MRI always tells u more about what's actually going on. In terms of tumour size and also if it's broken thru the gland edge

Steve

John, I'd been on A.S. for over 4 years, then in May last year my PSA levels rose to 12.9

Gleason 3+4(7) Intermediate Risk, Opted for Hormones and Radiotherapy.  Fatigue was hard, not so much Incontinence, manageable.

Don't regret that decision a bit.  Now I'm in Remission, still dealing with the Hot Flushes for another few months.

Good luck with your decision.

Steve, may I ask you how long your fatigue lasted?

Frederico,

Basically the fatigue started into the 2nd week of the 4 weeks' Radiation treatment, increasing all the time.

Probably in all, about 3 months, but it gradually wore off in time.

Some men don't suffer from fatigue at all, just depends on each situation.

I don't regret getting the Radiation treatment, as nearly 10 months after it ended I am in Remission.

Best of luck.