Introduction/ Kazi from East London

Hi Kazi K, and a warm welcome to the forum, though sorry to have to be here. My treatment was different to yours, so I can't really help, but I know there are guys on here who had chemotherapy "Docetaxel," and will be happy to share their stories, and a big well done in carrying on yor gym and badminton. 

Eddie 

Hi Kazi K - I can’t comment on the chemo, but I can comment on the sport and gym sessions: keep them going and your symptoms should be less intense with regards to fatigue.  It’s also better for your bone and muscle strength, obviously.  Well done!    AW

Hi Kazi, I'm in a similar situation to you, but I have bone mets too. 

I'm 46, and when I started chemo was keen to keep active so continued working and gym sessions all the way through the 6 cycles of docetaxel. Definitely good to keep up your exercising if you can, in fact vitamin D supplements and weight bearing gym training is recommended to keep your strength. 

What other therapies are you on? Triplet therapy adds chemo and hormone tablets (I'm on Darolutamide) to another hormone treatment (injections such as degarelix or prostap). The hormone therapy has longer term effects, whereas chemo is more short term...

In terms of treatment effectiveness, have you asked or been told that their intention is to fully cure? It looks like you are stage 3, so that could be the case, although you might be advised to stay on hormone therapy indefinitely? 

So my lowdown is that being stage 4 and with spread to lymph node and bones, the intention is to control long term. Regular blood tests will be the first way that your team will judge the effect of treatment, then scans (usually CT, probs not a bone scan for you, maybe MRI or PET). Your PSA will be the obvious marker of cancer activity. Ideally, you want it to go as close to 0 as possible. 

What was your PSA at diagnosis? A notable decline in the number will show a good response; mine was 90, then 20 as I began chemo a few months later (having started degarelix immediately), after chemo it went down to about 10 and has steadily declined since. It's now about 1.2 a year after chemo finished. 

Anyway, all the best with it - everyone on this forum is lovely and knowledgeable and here to help! 

Feel free to ask any other questions, and keep your head up

Hi Kazi K that is very impressive to keep up a fitness regime all the way through chemo.  I reacted badly to Docetaxel (see my profile for info) but it seemed to kill off the cancer.  Are you on a curative or treatable pathway?  Anyway keep up the fitness and stay positive.  David

Thank you Eddie for your kind wishes. 
will keep in touch. 

Regards

Kazi

Hello Alpine,

Right…! I hope so. Thanks for your advise. 
Let’s keep in touch. Best wishes 

Regards

Kazi

Hello Brighton,

Greetings…!

I would like to express my gratitude to your generosity taking time to express your experience. Thank you 

My pathway to control it for long term. My PSA now below 0.4. I’m going with chemo Darolutamide. Also hormone injections every after 3 months. Having Vitamin D too. 
This week my chemo 6th cycle will be completed. I have scheduled phone conversation with doctor today. I will meet doctor physically in 3 weeks. Doctor advised I might need to do radiotherapy and bone strengthening treatment, before that I need to check with dentist. He also said I could take break for hormone if PSA level low. 

Let’s hope for the best and keep in touch.

Regards

Kazi

PS: Initially my PSA was 53. Regards 

PS: Initially my PSA was 53. Regards

Thanks David for your quick and positive notes.

I’m on treatable pathway as long as doctor told when it’s spread to lymph nodes it not curable but try for long live. 

Let’s hope for the best and keep in touch.

Regards

Kazi