OK j-o-h-n, feel free to post a video of the song...
I'm scheduled to go (drive) to M D Anderson in a couple of weeks for my semiannual appointment, which normally includes bloodwork, CT and bone scans, and a prolia shot. But Houston being a COVID-19 hotspot at the moment, I'm hesitant. My local MO, who gives me Lupron shots, suggests setting up a telemedicine visit with MDA and skipping the scans, particularly if my PSA (blood drawn today) comes back still undetectable, as it has been for the last >2 yrs. I can't get the prolia shot locally, so would miss that. Anybody else dealt with this issue? I'm trying to do a risks/benefits analysis on going or not going, and any thoughts will be appreciated.
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Garbonzeaux
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If it makes you feel better my husband goes to MDA daily for radiation. They are requiring patients to get tested for COVID and also checking temperatures of everyone as they enter. From what he mentioned today they are installing thermoscanning technology at the entrances to detect any temperature anomalies in patients and it will be operational next week.
I don't know how imperative the Prolia is for you but I wanted to give you a real time update of what was going on here.
How was week 1? My perception of the process is that it seems a very inexact process with all the precision medicine out there. They put you on the table, move you a bit this way and a little that way, now hold still. 🙂Hope all is well.
In case you might decide to risk it and go to the Harris County COVID-19 "hot spot", the MD Anderson COVID-19 page might be helpful for planning purposes.
You might noodle around with the "Prolia Finder" tool to see if there may be any closer or easier options for getting Prolia (perhaps a Specialty Pharmacy with capability to ship it directly to you or to your local doctor to be injected, or a Retail Pharmacy for a prescription that you could take to have injected locally, etc.). Anyway...
The 19 is reeking havoc internationally and spawning a financial collapse . I don’t fear covid although still we are cautious . I do fear a decline into hell with parts of our society in big trouble .
Skip Houston for now if possible. You’re doing fine, why risk it?
Got my lab results today. PSA still undetectable and alkaline phosphatase stable at about 50. My inclination at this point is to not go. Going to take ctarleton's advice and see if there is a way to get the prolia shot locally.
Unless you are on a trial where a one-to-one comparison is required your doctor at MD Anderson should be willing to have you do the scans and bloodwork locally.
My local urologist and local MO offer Prolia so please look around and don’t skip it if you have been on ADT for years like I have. Finally, MD Anderson itself may delay your visit due to COVID-19, as they did with me in April. When I went there in May the precautions where excellent.
If you can get a prolia shot locally , why not then? Houston and Phoenix are both now maxing out on
Icu beds with covid . No thank you . You haven’t fought to just throw it away by chance . You’ll be ok .
I just went to MDA this past Wednesday for a biopsy.,they have things locked down pretty well. Only patients allowed to appointments. No one accesses the buildings with temp and question screening. Masks everywhere. I didn’t feel concerned. It is a personal choice though, just my experience.
Also, unless you need to see the doctor, I agree get what you can locally. I’ve had my chemo and lupron done locally with no issues, scans as well. My Onc was quite happy to provide orders to local Onc.
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New to all this. Not even sure what to ask.
