New to prostate cancer!

Good morning clairegrps.

Sorry to hear of your husband's diagnosis, if you could provide some statistics eg PSA, Gleason score etc, someone here will be able to offer advice and support.

I was diagnosed with PC in 2020 and went an active surveillance until last October when I started hormone therapy tablets (daily) and then injections (3 monthly) and radiotherapy in February. I had 20 fractions on weekdays. You can read my journey by clicking on the picture of my cat.

Everyone is different but for me the side effects werr/are hot flushes and night sweats and loss of libido. Also towards the end of RT I had problems with urinating but was given tablets for that and all is fine.

RT and HT can make you very tired and fatigued so you will need to listen to your body and do what you can.

Good luck to you all on your journey

Regards

Peter 

Hi clairegrps  and welcome to the forum. I was 71 when diagnosed in 2018 with T3A N0 M0 a Gleason 9 and a PSA of 15. So a very aggressive cancer but no spread to lymph nodes or bones. My father died of PC at the age of 53, more than 50 years ago when diagnosis and treatment were very crude compared to today.

I was offered the option of surgery or hormone treatment and radiotherapy. I chose the latter path as I was very active and was told that surgery could leave me with stress incontinence. The radiotherapy was done in Feb/Mar 2019 and was pretty easy but very exhausting and by the end of the four weeks I was ready to hibernate. However my friends from the rowing club got together and made me get out for a walk every day. It was just a few hundred yards to start with but soo we were doing several miles every day.

I was on hormone treatment (Prostap) for three years and had the usual side effects of loss of libido and hot flushes, but the latter were well managed with Evening Primrose Oil and Sage Leaf.

It's nearly two years since my last Prostap injection and, at almost 76, I am walking about 50 miles a month, swimming a mile twice a week and rowing as often as the wind and tides allow. I have just started training for rowing in an eight on the local canal.

I'm having 6-monthly PSA tests and the last two have come back as 0.2, so I am currently in remission. The Oncology department have told that, as I still have the remnants of a prostate, that is a good result and they will continue to monitor it for a few years yet but won't do anything unless it creeps above 2.0.

Good luck with your journey.

Hi, I’m new here also and I was diagnosed with PC in March of this year and so far I’ve had my first Hormone Therapy and have an appointment with the Oncologist regarding RT on June 21. My Urologist told me that it’s ok for me to spend several weeks at my property in France, so that is where I am until the end of May. I’m trying not to worry but that’s easier said than done and although I’m 75, I still have many things I’d like to do in life, as I’m sure everyone feels the same.

Hi Clive

You're probably better starting a new thread to help get the best advice, also giving some stats would help as well IE, PSA, Gleeson, staging.

Best wishes

Steve 

Hi Clairgrp

This is part of the side effects of Hormone treatment I should think.   My partner often looks washed out and waxy, especially when he’s overdone it . Also your partners body is probably adjusting. Please post his stats as that gives you a better chance of connecting with people that are in the same position treatment wise and then you will get a better understanding of where he is and different meds available etc. You say recently diagnosed, so that’s a lot to take in and can be exhausting with the worry and change. The washed out is probably nothing to worry about and if he’s having HT he will have regular blood tests to see how his body is coping with the meds, anything becoming unbalanced will be picked up and delt with.  He will probably need more sleep and it could be a good idea to make sure he has some good supplements to support his system . Extra Calcium . Vitamin D , super strong 2000mg Vitamin c  these are all good for supporting T cells that fight cancer . Especially the vitamin C as we don’t retain it in our bodies and it boosts your immune system. Omega 3 fish oils and a multivitamin is also good . This way it makes you feel that you are proactive in supporting his body and what it needs along side the meds he is taking . 
Also make sure you look after you and take some time to do what you need away from the worry for a bit . 
best wishes to you and your husband 

L 

Hi clairegrps & CliveS

A warm welcome to both of you to the club you never expected to join. This is the best place for information and help and don't be afraid to ask - PC is an awful cancer, it affect both the man and his partner and also we are all different so we go through different emotions and experiences.

My personal story is Diagnosis - Hormone Treatment - Radiotherapy - now happy days I feel fine and awaiting some latest test results due in August.

As you will see from the posts above from Outdoor Walker, Seamus and Barry W - we are all having different types of PC journeys. Mine is also different - if you click on the icon of the beach, you can follow my story from diagnosis to date.

Any questions or information fire away  - there are lots of good people here to help you - you are not alone!

Kind Regards - Brian.

Hello Claire and Clive

my husband will be 76 in July and also feels there’s a lot more living he wants to do! His PSA has been slowly rising over the years and last July they decided it was time to investigate further. True enough, he was diagnosed with locally advanced prostate cancer but no secondaries in lymph nodes, pelvis or bones. He started hormone therapy once all the diagnostics were done ( November) and had radiotherapy in February/ March. It was a very scary time and I was a quivering wreck. This forum was my life saver!  People here gave me loads of information and unlimited support. In turn, I told my husband what people were offering both of us and so it helped him too. 

now he gets very tired and, sometimes, a bit down at times. But, we are moving forward! I am determined that whatever happens we continue to enjoy life as much as we can! On Saturday we bought a new car and next week we fly out to Germany for a river cruise! He is spending time in his man cave doing the wood work he lives. We’ve both been busy in the garden! Life goes on and we try to enjoy ourselves despite the pc lurking in the background.

I wish you both the very best on this PC journey!

Glad your going on holiday WW. Which cruise are you doing? You still up for a coffee when you get back?

Gina

Hi Gina, we are going on a river boat cruise on the River Rhine. We’ve done quite a few ocean cruises but never a river cruise and, also, first time to have a proper look at Germany. 

would love to meet for a coffee! PM me some dates when you’re available? Gates, still?