Need input

[Scootman]

I hoping for your input I started taxatere in dec 20 my Alkaline phosphatase was at 400 and then stated to drop to 82 in april and yesterday was 89 concerened about in increase. Also psa was 60 when I started and started to drop 1-21 16,9,2-21 13.1, 3-8 15.4, 3-16 had catheter in went to 24.8 and now I am self catherizing daily and went up to 32.11 yesterday. Has bone scan and ct scan on 4-7 and stated uptake was less than previous bone scan and some of the spots on pelvis showed some shrinkage. I am really confused and would appreciate your opinion. Does the daily catheter cause the psa to rise I would think so but what do I know also you mentioned about dying cells shedding psa is this a possibility . Just really confused and concerned because of the trend in the psa even though scans a month ago seemed stable .Finished 6th chemo yesterday I guess I have to wait for next scans to to really know. This ride is is really taking a toll mentally. Also failed to mention I still have my prostate in tact and size is 128 cc. I am my wits end trying to decide whether to continue with the chemo if it id really working or did I have a change for the worse in one month. Sorry to go on so long just so confused and the oncologist I have just does not seem to want to answer any questions just states you have an aggressive cancer,

[Tall_Allen]

You have to take this one step at a time. Trying to do medicine in your head doesn't work and has you spinning in circles. Yes, catheterization and dying cells all raise PSA, so does cancer. You will have to see if your therapy worked based on imaging. In 3 months your biomarkers may have stabilized - until then, trying to figure out what fluctuations mean will just drive you crazy.

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Hey Scootman! “Self cathing” caught my eye. Brought me right back to six years ago and my self cathing ordeal ending in k

Failure and tubes afterwards for 18 months. It was pure hell. A rising PSA is a horror to us all. Self cathing can be a self loathing process. I escaped that major urological hell and pray to never go back. I pray for you to fix your urology back to a better state of affairs. Hang in there . You’re under the gun now . Stay strong brother.

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I’m no expert . But I think what T_A said it correct. You can’t gauge yet .waiting in suspended animation is hell. Hang in there. 3 months from now you’ll know more. Get though it .👍

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An Alkaline Phosphatase increase from 82 to 89 is insignificant.