Hi ,my name is Brian

Hi Brian - and welcome.

Do you have any stats you can share with us - PSA, staging etc ? If you can then I'm sure someone here can help.

Regards

Stuart

Hi Brian - Welcome to the club - As Stuart says let us have your diagnosis details and where you are with the PC and there are plenty of good people here who can help.

Anything you need to know - I am sure we will have an answer!

Brian.

Hi everyone as requested,here is some info on my condition.My psa is 30 and I have been told my Gleason score is 4+4, so 8.I have started my 3 week course of tablets and had my first 3 monthly injection this morning.

Hi Brian

PSA of 30 isn't too bad and your Gleason could be worse ( all in my opinion - happy to be corrected). It's good that you have started HT as it will stop the PC growing. Have you the staging (TNM) which you should have been given ? Also did the consultant mention the next step - Radio Therapy perhaps?

Hope some of the above help ease your mind.

Regards

Stuart

Hi Scampidoodle, I am meeting with an oncologist in 4 weeks, and on my letter it says start radio therapy in 3 months. Does that sound like the norm to you.Sorry but I do not know what you mean by staging,cant see anything on my letter. Thanks for your reply it made me feel a little better about this scary experiance, Cheers Brian-Take care

Hi Brian

The 3 month wait for RT is about right. I was diagnosed at the end of Aug 2019 and didn't start RT until the December. The HT injections will stop the PC growing and also potentially shrink it -so all good. The HT will make you tired and fatigued. Whatever stamina you had, will leach away. If you can try and keep up with whatever fitness regime you had - it will help. Have they indicated how long you will be on the injections?

If the staging isn't on the the letter, give your Cancer Nurse Specialist a call - they will know. The staging will indicate how aggressive the cancer is, whether its spread , and , if so how far. I'm guessing, that, as the only option you have been offered is HT/RT, the PC has escaped from the gland - but I stress I am guessing.

Regards

Stuart

Hi Brian

I agree with Stuart above, it sounds right the HT/RT combination so you are already on the treatment journey. There is no instant cure for PC and the entire process is a waiting game - appointments - treatment etc - but having been there I know the wait is worthwhile - I am a Gleason 9 and after 16 months, I am still on HT for another 15 months I can see an end to my treatment - not my journey!

To see what the journey is like some of us have put ours up online and you can see these by clicking on our icon (mine's the beach). We have all had different journey's so you might find someone who may be able to answer a specific question.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Stuart and millibob thanks for your replys,they have said I will be on injections for 3 years.My only concern is they have said that my cancer has escaped from my prostrate but not got to limph nodes or bones, if I have to wait for 3 months for radio therapy to start,will the cancer have spread to these places by that time .Thanks Brian.Hope you two are feeling well at the moment bye the way.

Hi Brian

The injections will stop the cancer growing, so I wouldn't be concerned about the 3 month delay. In addition to stopping the cancer, the HT will also shrink it making the RT more effective.  Its good that it hasn't got as far as the lymph nodes and especially bones. 

As Millibob has indicated, anything connected to PC takes ages, and you will feel that nothing is going on. It's the same once you get through the HT/RT process - you then have to wait for your next PSA blood test!

All good as far as I can see.

Regards

Stuart

Hi Brian

Once you start on the Hormone treatment this quickly reduces your testosterone levels. The cancer lives on testosterone, and if you don't have any then it stops the cancer from growing and spreading. The radiotherapy is then used to kill off the cancer cells for good. Well that's the theory!! 

I am 16 months down the HT/RT treatment and apart from a little fatigue I am feeling amazing. Knowing the treatment I have received has been given as "curative" is great, but I know if it isn't there are further treatments available so life is good

Kind Regards - Brian.