My local friendly phlebotomist, aka Dracula, just sucked a vial of blood from my arm for the next PSA test. I should have the results online by Friday.
I was impressed. In and out of the clinic in less than ten minutes. Not bad at all.
Here’s where we were the last time around just as a refresher:
Dan's Journey through Prostate Cancer 
Good luck Dan. I’m sending good thoughts your way for a stable or decreasing PSA level. I just had the first of my 40 radiation treatments. I hate to say this, but one treatment alone made me feel weak, nauseated and dizzy. Worse, when I got home my bowels just released on me. No warning, no urgency, just a big mess. This is not supposed to happen. Is it possible that I am the world’s worst candidate for SRT? I don’t know. The anxiety is killing me. I am already on higher doses of benzos than any ethical psych doc would give. No wiggle room there. Thank God I am not doing the hormone therapy, though I’m pretty convinced that reduces my probability of zero PSA at the end of this. It’s all a big dice game in the end. So far I’m rolling nothing but craps. Terrible pun intended.
Take care Dan,
Jim
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Hi Jim,
Thanks. I’m sorry to hear about your experience with your first radiation treatment. Sounds awful. I hope that that doesn’t continue through the remaining sessions for you. I remember how anxious I was just to have the first conversation with the radiation oncologist about salvage radiation. My stomach was in knots the whole day. I can only imagine how I might be for the first week or so of treatments if I go down that path.
Hoping things improve for you, physically and psychologically.
Dan
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Looks like you are where I was about 5 years after surgery- on an upswing. So I did the radiation (33 days) and Lupron trip 1.5 years ago. If you go that way I will look forward to reading your blog to compare my experience with yours.
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Hi Clark,
Thanks for the comment and offer to compare notes. How has the radiation worked for you? Been effective at keeping your PSA at bay? Any long-term side effects that impact quality of life for you?
Thanks,
Dan
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Dan, good luck. I’m hoping hoping praying that your PSA stabilizes and gives you at least a temporary reprieve. As you may recall, our pathology was remarkably similar, but it took only 2-3 years (depending on what measure you use), for my PSA to become detectable.
I finished SRT 4 1/2 months ago, and SRT ran its course as of a month ago.
FWIW, maybe it helps you to know, I’ve had no side effects other than a few minor annoyances.
Good luck, I’ll look forward to your next report
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