It’s another power surge!: Hello guys n... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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It’s another power surge!

Fitzbruce1 profile image
18 Replies

Hello guys n gals-

My wife determined that the ladies have the God given rights to the term ‘Hot Flash’. We have named my burning episodes ‘Power Surges’! It is so much more masculine- and with the ADT I am on, I need as much masculINity as I can get- 😬

2 months ago dx with Gleason 4-3, 10.6 PSA w about 20 bone Mets. I still have no real symptoms (other than the Power Surges). I started Lupron, Prednisone n Zytiga 7 weeks ago. I now have a .27 PSA! That result was certainly the brightest spot in the last 2 months.

I paddle board 7 days a week just before sun rise and then I have a short chat w the Big Man as I stand on my board in the middle of the lake as the sun rises over the trees. It is a Sunrise service everyday. It gives me a few moments of clarity to think about being the best husband, Dad and friend that I can be.

My wife and I then juice about 25 carrots, 3 apples, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and ginger. I drink about 3 big glasses of it everyday. Does it help? Who knows but between the new diet n going to the gym 3 days a week, I have lost 10 pounds.

Being relatively new to this new way of life, can someone help me understand what having an undetectable or in my case a .27 PSA really means? Does it mean that the cancer is not growing any more? Btw my T is now 57.

Thanks for being out there boys n girls- this blog and the guys who answered me about 5 weeks ago really helped me deal with the initial shock! However,I kept crying during times that I was telling friends and family about my situation. Not since my high school counselor had I ever sat done w a counselor. But I met a counselor in an infusion room while her Mother and I were both having a bag of curcumin dripped into our veins. 2 weeks later, in her office, I told her that I needed some help because I cried when telling my story to friends n family. After 2 hours and $250, I found out that I, and yes WE, are suppose to cry sometimes. Just saying-...

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18 Replies
JimVanHorn profile image
JimVanHorn

Welcome to the club. Lupron lowers your testosterone levels, which make your estrogen become more prominent in the percentage of 70% T to 30% E (estrogen). Any time these hormones change levels in either man or woman, a section of the brain causes hot and cold flashes. Mine went away after 2 years on Lupron. I was on Lupron for 6 and 1/2 years and now the cancer is undetectable. When they stopped Lupron I would get an erection when I urinated. After about 6 weeks of that, I am OK again. These things happen when you fight cancer. Keep truckin'.

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to JimVanHorn

Thanks Jim. Good to know u are doing so well after 6 years! It surely gives me hope- something I am needing more of! An erection? What is that? Oh yeah - now I remember! The funny thing is that I went to a men’s clinic back in May to start testosterone shots to help keep things going w the wife. After taking the blood test, they told me my PSA was 10.6. Then my world changed! Ironic that I wanted more testosterone and now I need less!

Thanks for the reply. 👍

arete1105 profile image
arete1105

You might want to check out Siberian Rhubarb. webmd.com/menopause/news/20...

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to arete1105

Thanks for the tip. Have u used it?

arete1105 profile image
arete1105 in reply to Fitzbruce1

No- I still at the "warm flashes" so far. But it is on the agenda if needed.

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

Your PSA is responding well, indicating that the progression of your cancer is being slowed by the treatment. If your T is 57, it is too high - above castration level. You should discuss this with your oncologist. Maybe switching from lupron to Firmagon, or switching from prednisone to dexamethasone will get it lower.

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to Tall_Allen

My wife corrected me- it is 47. Still on the high side of 50 or 20 depending on the MO (so I have read). Might my T not drop more since it did drop from 320 to 47 in just 7 weeks?

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen in reply to Fitzbruce1

You can monitor it monthly to see what happens. 50 is castration level but most MOs prefer under 20 if possible.

Cmdrdata profile image
Cmdrdata

Yes “power surge”. Been having this problem since 2010. Am basically on permanent castration because each time it rises, so does PSA. But now it is a new ball game after I became CRPC in 2017. Zytiga seemed to cause power surges too..

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to Cmdrdata

Yeah- my power surges are quite often but if this is my only side affect on ADT, I am ok with it. Happy trails

ctarleton profile image
ctarleton

IV Curcumin? Not a typical thing in the armamentarium of most advanced prostate cancer oncology specialists. Perhaps consider also:

respectfulinsolence.com/201...

Oral dietary curcumin in foods is a different nuance.

I think it's very good that you are communicating and sharing your emotions so well with friends and family. Local face-to-face cancer support groups and prostate cancer support groups are also a good place to share those feelings, too, in my experience. A big old shared "Lupron Hug" reportedly has some intangible medicinal properties, too. Ha. Ha.

Charles

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to ctarleton

Charles-

I read the report u sent about intravenous curcumin therapy (and death). Yikes.

I need to think about whether I am going to do that again.

I am feeling better after the Lupron Hug!

Thanks for sharing.

in reply to Fitzbruce1

Lupron Hugs are the best.

Break60 profile image
Break60

Circumin capsules gave me nausea.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

to Fitzbruce1: Remember what I said the other day "the more you cry the less you pee"

Good Luck and Good Health.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 09/25/2018 5:05 PM EDT

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to j-o-h-n

Good stuff John! Any other sayings u have used on this site!? Did u like Power Surge😬?

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to Fitzbruce1

I did like it .... but I wish it was what I use to have "Power Urge".....😬😬😬

Good Luck and Good Health.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 09/25/2018 8:08 PM EDT

Fitzbruce1 profile image
Fitzbruce1 in reply to j-o-h-n

Yeah- Sure to miss those urges! Damn Lupron !!

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