Sidewalk Consult
A few weeks ago, I ran into the radiation oncologist that I spoke with a while back outside the hospital where we both work. We started chatting and he recalled our conversation in the office and asked how I was doing.
I filled him in on my latest PSA results (0.14 ng/ml) and my PSA doubling time (48.9 months), letting him know that we punted the ball down the field until December to see what the next PSA would be. I could tell from his reaction that he would have been less supportive of that call. His preference is to start zapping at 0.10 ng/ml. But he also went into the discussion about how each case is unique and how each patients has a different risk tolerance level.
We also talked about some of the longer term side effects of salvage radiation therapy, and he confirmed that some of my urinary incontinence and ED issues could worsen post-radiation.
His wife came to pick him up and the conversation ended. I do appreciate that he was willing to have the conversation at all, let alone off the clock.
As I said, the plan is to get my next PSA taken just before Christmas with the follow-up appointment scheduled 5 January 2021.
Travel Tales
A while back I was checking my pay statement and noticed I had over four weeks of vacation on the books, which surprised me to a degree. Of course, with a global pandemic, I really didn’t have any opportunity to travel with pretty much everything locked down here in the United States.
I decided, though, that it was time to go on a trip, pandemic be damned. It had been nearly a year since I went anywhere.
The best way to be responsible in my travels was to load my camera in my car and head to some remote locations in a few of our national and state parks. That’s what I did and I was able to very easily maintain social distance 90+% of the time.
So I took a trip into Utah to visit its national parks—four of which I had never been to before. You can check out the details and photos of the trip here:
Enjoy!
Dan's Journey through Prostate Cancer 
Hi Dan, glad to see you are living life to the fullest. Nice pics, beautiful country!
Peace
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Bumping into your RO was a good thing. He’ll likely think about your case somewhat during the time remaining until your next appointment.
I’ll be getting my next six-month uPSA next month, in four or five weeks. Since my PSA went from 0.06 to 0.07 during the previous six-month period (NOV 2019-MAY 2020), I am expecting to see that feared-but-anticipated threshold of 0.08, that indicates probable SRT for me. If/when it hits that threshold, I’ll let my RO know via email, and I plan to include a link for the discussion here of 11 JULY 2020 / Month 116. I think it serves as a good basis to begin our next conversation in earnest.
I have been thinking, sort of assuming and anticipating, imagining my SRT. I’m wondering how the accuracy of the tx radiation beam can be maintained over the long term if I’m gaining weight (from the ADT). Mid-section weight gain is common, and those targeting tattoos are going to “move.” Well, I’ll have to ask.
Good luck to you, Dan, and to all who visit here.
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Further ramblings….
Yesterday, while on the Net, I discovered that statins can lower PSA lab results, yielding somewhat of a “false negative.” I investigated further, and learned of several meds and supplements that can have the same effect. Well, I take a statin as well as several supplements. (Oddly, there’s hardly any meds/supps that effect a rise in PSA test results.)
It takes 77 hours for atorvastatin (Lipitor) to be totally eliminated from the body; a little longer than three days. I’ve decided to stop all my meds and supplements for five days prior to my next PSA test. Nothing catastrophic is going to happen to me in that relatively short time period.
I’m wondering if I’ll get a result next month greater than a 0.01 ng/mL increase, beyond my expected 0.08 ng/mL, up from May’s 0.07 ng/mL. I’ll let you know.
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