55 year old active Male taking no meds officially diagnosed with Stage 1C in October 2016. I had a PSA of 5.0 most of 2015 and really did nothing about it other than false denials and meds hoping it was just an infection and decided to monitor it. In early fall 2016, PSA was 8.2 and biopsy results were 7/12 cores active, 3+3=6 Gleason score: was it time to Celebrate? back in 2016 no but now maybe. Original plan I decided on was Brachytherapy in April 2017 after confirmation of MRI Coil inserted procedure confirmed Cancer was contained within Prostate. Time to Celebrate? Yes indeed!! In May 2016, after several more tests my PSA was now 11.6 and MD Anderson Cancer Ctr changed lab report to 4+3=7 Gleason and now the plan was (2) 3 month Lupron Shots, 22 EBRT sessions and finally a Brachytherapy procedure. Was it time to Celebrate? Not then but now maybe.
Post Results: Lupron-First 45 days were just some Hot Flashes, than the weight gain of 4-6 pounds, run out of breath easy, wake up more at night which are all current 5 months in. Lupron has dropped my testosterone to
Brachytherapy completed yesterday. Day 1 side effects. Painful urination like a college STD. I am on all these meds, Flomax, Cipro, Medrol and starting OTC AZO so more to follow.
Day 4- Sunday AM from Brachytherapy completed on Wednesday. Physician called on Friday to inform me that the Post MRI Coil scan done completed on Wednesday after the actual Brachytherapy procedure results were really good and no need for me to come back in. I was thinking; Great to hear, but what if he said to come back again; would they really put me under again and how soon? Anyway, later in same day as procedure and next AM I had uncomfortable not unbearable pain during urination but by Friday I had none. I was instructed to pick up AZO which is OTC Med for urination pain but I have yet to use it. I am also on Cipro, Medrol and Flomax. The Cipro I completed in 2.5 days and that is just a standard antibiotic so no real side effect other than Sun exposure which I caused from being at a college football game Saturday. Yes; just (3)days later(which is one reason I decided on Brachytherapy) I was back to most normal activity except the drinking beer part at the tailgate. Medrol for me is the worst of the meds since it makes me very light headed with an off-balance feel. I have two days left on Medrol and will not miss it. Flomax helps you urinate like you did in college but that also makes me light headed but that is hear to stay for 60 days. All other plumbing other than sexual function is working well so far. No blood in Urine or rectum area. I do take Epsom Salt baths that seem to help relax muscles and clean out procedure are but unsure if true or simply my perception. In the pamphlet it actually says to maintain an erection for at least 3 days a week which I probably could do but I have no desire to do just yet. Some men worry about shrinkage as a result of shortening of urethra and I do as well but I am unaware of any so far from casual inspection and without an erection:) I plan to resume some much needed physical workouts later today and tomorrow and will post results since the meds also have increased food consumption desire, sugar levels etc, resulting in a 8-10 lb gain in last 45 days. Some of this may be also from Lupron but so far these meds seem to be doing more harm than the procedure itself.
Day 4-12
Started working out again and it was indeed difficult as I found myself running out of breath very easy. After I stopped the Medrol doses and as I continued into the week I did see improvement. Side effects are difficult to determine but given that I am on my 5th month of Lupron out of six, taking Flomax daily and my Brachy procedure complete it is down to one of those three or some combination of them. Still get dizzy at times, plumbing seems very normal except I do urinate more often and sometimes there is a noticeable delay before actual release of urine or sometimes a short strong feeling of urgency but only pertains to urinating. I do urinate 2-3 times a night where I was going maybe once prior to all of this. No leakage or incontinence to report which I was hopeful for and one of big reasons I chose the path I did so for now it appears like a good one. I do feel bloated at times and feel like I am retaining water very easily but that could be from the Lupron. It does indicate in my pamphlet to have and maintain an erection 3X a week which I am currently not doing. I am capable of having one but any orgasm is dry and somewhat painful so when combined with a lack of desire this activity is not front and center for me right now. This may be all from the Lupron but any sex drive has been and/is definitely reduced. I also did travel for the first time and was worried about the Airport scanners going off and some DHS representative clueless on what to do about it, so I did have a medical travel letter with me but I did not need to use it. With that said, both times (round trip segments) I avoided the full body scanner by luck so unsure if that is why I went undetected this time around. I believe there is approximately Qty 56 Palladium seeds in my Prostate (I need to verify this) and of course the metal fiducial markers. I do not have another scheduled appointment with Rad Oncologist until March 2018 so from now until then I hope to forget about this for awhile and pray alot including to have my PSA stay down. Last MRI was very positive with comments like the cancer was indistinct and confined to Prostate. I will update if there is something I find which can help others but for now I feel better than I had planned for and the recovery from the EBRT and Brachytherapy appear much better and sooner than some of my fears and angst!! I hope this helps someone who may be reading this as they decide what is best for them.
It has been a while since my last post. September 2017 does seem like awhile ago since my procedure. My first check-up post Brachytherapy went well in February 2018 with an undetectable PSA. My next check up is December 2018. I have definitely changed my outlook on life to a more live for today perspective than ever before since my diagnosis. I am currently not on any medications and feel blessed about that. I was on .4mg of Tamsulosin but stopped it since I have had good bladder control and have no issues on flow when urinating. I do not have the same hold and wait power as I once did especially when having a few beers but for the most part it is very manageable and little worry. Before my procedure I was worried about leakage and other urinary problems and have none. When I work out and drink coffee I do feel some bladder pressure but it is very minor. My hair on my legs is starting to grow back but I do believe the Lupron still caused more issues than probably the procedure itself. I struggle for energy some days and I feel very absent minded more than ever. On the sexual side, erections are non-existent and when I do have them they are almost worthless. Big decline in this area along with only dry orgasms which were not planned or discussed prior to procedure. I have also notice shrinkage which the medical industry calls Penile atrophy from loss of tissue. Hoping this recovers and I am not taking any Viagra or enhancements yet. Looking back I feel I made a good choice and I am lucky to have resumed a normal life other than sexual set backs accelerated at 56. I do worry that this is a long journey and unsure what I will do if it returns but for now I am happy for today!I will try and update again before 2019! Cheers!
Unsure why its been so long since my last update other than it is no longer something I think about often, that is the good news. I go only once a year now for my PSA testing and general session on side effects. The side effects as i have mentioned in previous posts are around sexual stamina, loss of penis size and it is just not the same after you have cancer in a sex gland. I have Cialis prescriptions but it does not work that well and I have resisted pumps and injections so sexual activity has taken a back seat the last few years. I am happy to be alive and living mentally and physically free of cancer worry right now and I am hoping all of you all the best as well. Feel free to email me for any questions about why I made the decision I made and any additional side effect details! Best wishes in 2021!
Virgil's e-mail address is: coachnwtn AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")
