Dads Diagnosis

Hi Nicola (Nikki65 ), I don’t have any personal experience re the bleads, but your dad, having been ‘watched’ for 6 years, sounds to have slow growing cancer, so the HT he is already working and will probably be all he needs for the rest of his life.  The shock of the diagnosis is the worst bit but now he is on treatment you can relax.  Please ask any questions and others will be along soon, to give you their own insights.  Best wishes David

Hi David (David2017 ), thank you so very much for the reassurance, this is what the urology oncology nurse told us yesterday she said she expects it to be a success in drawing a holt to any advancement of current disease & that he’ll most probably feel fitter than he has for the last couple of years. Dad’s lost a couple of friends to prostate cancer over the years so hearing the diagnosis was terrifying for him but the Dr’s & the urology oncology nurse sounded incredibly optimistic & positive that he will live with this until he dies from something else, they were pretty confident that this cancer even in a metastatic state will not kill him. They have said although almost fatal those bleeds had ultimately saved his life! 

Thank you again. 

Nicola 

Hello Nikki65  - Welcome to our little part of the Community - we aren't a bad bunch.

I agree with David2017 - the Hormone Therapy will stop the cancer in it's tracks and although there are side effects I don't think they will trouble dad. I am going to put up two links for you both from Prostate Cancer UK on Hormone Therapy and Advanced Prostate Cancer-

https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org/our-publications/all-publications/hormone-therapy

https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org/our-publications/all-publications/advanced-prostate-cancer

These should give you an insight into dad's treatment.

If we can do anything else for you please let us know.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Hi Nicola.

A warm welcome from a wife whose husband has metastatic prostate cancer which was diagnosed in June 2020, and is still going strong at 80, despite having a very aggressive form of it. Your dad will probably be given Bicalutamide for a few weeks and then the monthly injection some time after the first week - this will stop the flare and reduce the side effects that the injection can initially cause. From then on it is a matter of monitoring the PSA. In most men this will drop quite rapidly but don't be worried if it doesn't - what you are looking for is no increase. After about 8 weeks Dad's PSA should be at its nadir (lowest point) and his testosterone level should be at castration point (usually considered below 1.7). Dad may feel a little discomfort at the injection site but this should soon subside and it is important to make sure that they are given on alternate sides of the tummy each time. If dad starts getting uncomfortable with the monthly injection then it may be possible to switch him to a 3 monthly one. There is then a range of treatments available if dads PSA rises indicating that the cancer is spreading, especially targeted radiotherapy, but also there are nuclear treatments available specifically for bone mets. The hormone therapy may cause fatigue so keep dad as fit as possible, staying positive and watch out for low mood, particularly the longer he is on it. After a while the cancer might become less receptive to the first line of hormone therapy but don't panic, there are more available - as our oncologist says, he has plenty of tools in his toolbox.

Please come back with any questions and let us know how dad gets on. Also congratulations to you for being a Champion - we all appreciate the time, effort and expertise that people like you bring to the forum.

Thank you Brian (Millibob ) & thank you for the links, I will take a look. I wasn’t there when the nurse spoke to my dad, mum & sister but I have her number & I’m going to give her a call on Monday to hear everything from the horses mouth so to speak. Thank you again for the info.

Nicola

A fact I sometimes quote is

98% of men diagnosed with Prostate Cancer will die WITH it rather than OF it !!

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Alwayshope , 

Firstly I’m sorry that you & your husband are facing this too. Yes the nurse explained yesterday that as well as the treatment he’s been started on there are other options too. She said there are options if the spinal mets become at all troublesome. I think they’re planning on keeping him in hospital approximately another 6 weeks so he’s properly healed from the kidney embolisation that was performed to stop the internal bleed that almost killed him so they’ll be keeping a close eye on him & hopefully they’ll get the PSA level on its way down before he’s discharged. We’re lucky that he has always been fit for his age & is very independent at home, driving, cooking, gardening & attends almost every match of his local football team during the season so we’re looking forward to him getting his zest for life back. Thank you so much for your encouraging post it’s very much appreciated. 

Nicola 

Hi Nicola and welcome, firstly many thanks for all the advice you have given me on the bowel + colorectal forum. I too have metastatic PCa with 3 lesions on my spine, had radiotherapy1 year ago, though only HT for the next 18 months and regular monitoring, would have to agree with the guys, your dads treatment should be all he needs for the rest of his life, and Alwayhope's advice is wonderful as always. Just to go off topic, had a tumour removed from my rectum yesterday, and if as expected it's benign will be leaving the bowel forum, o thanks again and i hope your dad has many happy and heathy fears to come, best wishes to you both.

Eddie

Hi again Brian, this is exactly what the urology/oncology nurse said yesterday, she emphasised to my dad that he is not going to die from this cancer! We all feel after 4/5 very uncertain weeks very encouraged by this. We just want him home now but understand he still has some healing to do. 

Thank you again. 

Nicola 

Hi Eddie (eddiel ),

You’re very welcome. It’s good to hear you’ve had your surgery & I’ve everything crossed for you that it’s found to be benign as expected. 

Thank you also for your encouraging words regarding my dad, yours is a similar diagnosis by the sounds of things, I hope you’re doing well on your treatment. 

This community was invaluable when I had my own cancer diagnosis & I like to think I’ve paid forward some of that support I received by becoming a community champion & you’ve all helped me again today in making me feel a little easier regarding my dads diagnosis. 

Nicola