Husband has stage 4 prostate cancer

Welcome to the forum i too have Stage 4 prostate cancer and am in my second round of chemo . You will find good friends and advice on this forum . I share your hope with the Hormone Therapy . 

Hi, 

My husband also has stage 4, diagnosed in 2020 and still okay even though only on hormone therapy by Prostap, three monthly jabs and now on Bicalutamide additionally, as psa going up. 

I think we would all describe it as a roller coaster, but the good thing is that my husband is still with us, despite not being able to have chemo or radiotherapy. He also does not seem to have significant symptoms other than extreme fatigue. This, of course, manifests itself in being unable to load and unload the dishwasher, or make his own bed. It is a well known fact that a kettle, when in contact with testosterone, can explode, however, now that this hormone has been banished and is probably now non existent as far as he is concerned, now debunks that theory.

Got to go and get the dinner otherwise he is going to starve.

Best regards

Gina

Thank you for your reply. Hope your chemo is bearable and side effects aren’t too bad. The Prostap is far better for hubby as the monthly injections were intolerable and so painful. His daily meds of abiterone and steroids are maintaining a very low PSA so far. 
Take care of yourself during your treatment 

Hello SLJ66.

A warm welcome from another wife whose husband is also Stage 4, diagnosed in 2020. I agree it is a rollercoaster punctuated by 3 monthly PSA and MRI scans with the accompanying scanxiety. Hubby also has the fatigue and emotional ups and downs but is still going strong despite having had 33 sessions of radiotherapy in 2020, being on continuous Prostap, 18 months of Bicalutamide, 18 months of Enzalutamide, 6 sessions of Docetaxel in 2023, and about to have SBRT to distant lymph nodes (hopefully). From discussions with the oncologist yesterday there are still further options for the future so we are grateful that, having been given an initial 6 month prognosis, life continues and we are enjoying it.

Please come back with any questions or just for a chat. One thing we have found is that it helps to have a good sense of humour which does erupt every so often with this group but it is also a great place for information and support, especially when we get the wobbles.

Hello SLJ66  Another warm welcome to the club you didn't want to join.

Although I am not a Stage 4 member of the club, you and your husband have my total sympathy here. As it's your first post and all is well I am pleased that you have joined us - as the posters above have said - it's the place to be for help, advice and a general chat.

We do have another forum you may like to join and the link to this is here Chemotherapy forum 

If I can do anything for you please let me know - I wish you both well.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thanks for the welcome. This week has not been good, mervyn has lost his appetite, so not eating. At first it was the problem with his bleeding gums stopping him but now he just looks at food and can’t eat it. He was like this back when he was first diagnosed but the meds gave him his appetite back, he is still on the meds but these last two weeks has gone downhill rapidly, lost weight and is a bent over old man , previously he was an active 85 year . I am due to have a knee replacement April 4th and go from my pre op tomorrow but, I am seriously considering weather I should have it done or not. He is back on morphine again as he now has pain in his arm (it’s in his bones too ) so with that and his mouth  and his ribs (cancer broke two of them when first diagnosed ) he is really miserable and worried  as am I.     Brenda 

Hello Crafter 1938 Brenda - my first thought is look after yourself - Mervyn needs you so get yourself sorted out as a priority

As I don't have his full details on your profile - I would advise you to contact his GP/Team in the morning to see if they can help - failing that I would contact the NHS on 111 to see what they can do for him. You can't carry on like this.

You can also give our helpline a ring on 0808 808 00 00 (8am to 8pm 7 days a week) and they will be able to offer you the extra help you need).

I hope this helps - please let me know how things develop - Best wishes - Brian..

Hello Brenda.

A warm welcome but sorry that Mervyn is having problems. I agree with Brian that you need to make sure that you are kept as fit and healthy as possible so it is important that you attend your own medical appointments.

Can I ask, when was Mervyn's last blood test? Bleeding gums can be a sign of low platelets count and anaemia caused by hormone therapy and the bone mets. You do need to see a doctor to stop the weight loss and get things checked out. In the meantime avoid acidic food and drink and try and get soft food down him like soup and porridge, but not too hot - little and often.

Hello and thanks for your reply. , Merv,s playlets are low but I don’t know what they do for that ? He has been put on iron pills   Yet they don’t seem to have made any difference to him. I spoke to the doctor and asked for some “food supplement drinks “as he had when he was first Ill. He will eat some things such as wheatabix with bananas, or porridge, last week he was having soup this week he has gone off it. 
I been to hospital this afternoon about my knee replacement pre op. They said I need someone (other than Merv) to be with me at all times for the first 48 hours, this would normally be our daughter, but she has holiday in lanzarrote booked then , so we are working around other people, who are sooo busy and I feel bad them doing it, but we will see. 
I have appointment with my gp tomorrow afternoon  for me as he is concerned about how stressed I am. I have been very stressed and felt alone plus I was I’ll myself the last three weeks with the 30day. Cough everyone. Seems to have, so need support from outside somewhere, be good to talk to dr tomorrow. I know this forum is supportive, but sometimes you just need someone to give you a hug or just hold your hand !! Or am I being silly ? 

Hello Brian, Mervyn’s last bloods were done three weeks ago, yes his platelets are very low, don’t know what they do for that. He is 85, got stage 4cancer which started in his prostrate and went into his bones, he is on hormone therapy, , diagnosed sept/oct 23, had second injection a six month one three weeks ago and has gone downhill since then. I was I’ll myself and found it very hard to cope, everyone I spoke to passed me onto someone else, for example I rang local hospital where he saw prostate cancer consultant, because his mouth is bleeding, they passed me onto oncology, who didn’t have home “on their books “ as he didn’t have chemo or radio therapy they didn’t want to know, so I felt on my own. I am seein* my dr about it all tomorrow afternoon so hopefully Merv will get help with his bleeding gums and I will get more support.