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[sweetudog]

Hi All -- it has been awhile since I have posted an update. My husband Doug has Stage 4 MCRPC with mets to bones and small cell to liver. His PSAs have doubled every month for the last three months and his onc wanted to put him on Xtandi but we were unable to afford the co-pay of $3,000 (which is the negotiated price we were able to get the drug down to each month) so doc put him on ketoconazole and prednisone in October. It has not helped in lower PSAs so we are now facing his third go round with chemo starting on December 18th. First time around was with taxotere, second with carboplatin and etoposide and this time cabazitaxel. Feel like we are almost out of options as if this fails, the last thing we have available is possibly a clinical trial. Spirits are down for both of us but I am trying to stay positive. Any words of encouragement from anyone who is in a similar situation would be greatly appreciated.

Lynnette

[Dr_WHO]

You both have our support! You are not alone! It is a crime that insurance companies make life and death decisions on us just for profit.

God bless, you are in our prayers.

[sweetudog in reply to Dr_WHO]

Thank you -- it is nice to know that this site makes you feel you are not alone in this journey.

[MelaniePaul]

Hi Lynnette.

As you know, my husband and I are in a similar situation in that my husband, too, has mets to bones and liverr and has been treated with Taxatir first and, when it wasn't working, with Carbo Platin.

I am so sorry about your situation. And I can really understand how you two must be feeling. It is so so so very difficult to constantly live with this uncertainty about what the disease is doing, how it is changing (if it is changing at all), if there are more options for us and what these options might be and, of course, ultimately, not knowing how long we have and what the end would be like.

I think we have to believe as long as we are really proven wrong that there is the possibility that either the Chemotherapies keep the cancer under control, that they shrink the tumors or, maybe, even make them go away. I feel we can't give up hope.

My husband's last CT scan showed that the liver mets are slowly shrinking. The radiologist measured that one had gone from 28 mm down to 22. Our oncologist said that after four cycles of Carbo Platin treatment he would normally see a better result but that my husband's disease was so extensive that even a little change was good news. He also said, however, that he thought it was unlikely that my husband's liver would ever be clear of tumors again.

What is your husband's PSA? How are AST and ALT? Is he symptomatic?

Keep strong, both of you!

Mel.

[wrando]

Nobody should have to go broke for that medicine. I hope that changes for you.

[wellness]

there is a totally alternative treatment that is saving my life. If you trust MDs and would ask their advice about this, do not bother. if you are wiling to think outside the box, contact me. do what feels right for you. I can only share what I did.