Feeling worse after stopping chemo

[Scootman]

The Doctor felt that my body needed a rest and time to heal . But since I stopped the chemo I have been aching worse than before . They told me I am anemic but want numbers to come up on there own . They were going to give me a transfusion but changed there mind. Have you heard of anyone experiencing aching after stopping the chemo. I am concerned it is the cancer just taking off. The Doctor told that prostate cancer grows slow and there not a concern for a month between treatments but they have all told me it is aggressive cancer so what do I make of that. The last scan in april said stable and less uptake so I do not know if the chemo is still working since I stopped a month ago.

[Hidden]

Aggressive prostate cancer is not slow-growing as far as I know.

It could be that the pain you are experiencing is from progression of the cancer. Sounds like the chemotherapy was keeping the cancer from progressing.

Is your PSA and/or Alkaline Phosphatase rising? Imaging is the best way to know for sure if there is progression.

[Scootman in reply to Hidden]

having tests on monday will find out then. the Doctor knew

I had an aggressive cancer but stated that it was still as a slower growing cancer I guess compared to others had me confused. His statement was to a reassure me that changing treatments and the time in between was not to get overly concerned about. That did not work.

[Hidden in reply to Scootman]

Glad to hear you are getting tests done. It's hard to interpret pain because it's really subjective, but the first time I was pain free was when I was on chemotherapy. It really can reduce the pain because it's killing the cancer. When it comes to chemotherapy, it's easy to focus on the side effects and not the cancer killing aspects.

But having done 6 cycles myself, I do understand well how worn out you get from it and I really can't say how many more cycles I would have been willing to do before needing a break.

Wishing the best for you and hope you are able to continue to get a break without having to worry about the cancer progressing quickly.

[Scootman in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Scootman in reply to Hidden]

Have you had any other treatments after chemo and what is you status now if you do not mind me asking. My mets have stayed confined to my pelvis and they are optimistic about me being on a trial with xofiga and olaparib. Still concerned my psa has never been as high as yours (60 range ) phostaphase was 400 hundred but came down to 80 with my labs in april but psa was rising to 25 was told the scans were stable and uptake was less. But still concerned about what is happening in last 4 weeks.

[Hidden in reply to Scootman]

I did early chemotherapy as per the STAMPEDE and CHAARTED trials along with ADT one month after diagnosis. It's hard to know how much the chemotherapy was doing and how much was the ADT alone.

I became castrate resistant about 6 months after finishing chemotherapy and then went on to ADT plus Zytiga. That's what I'm currently on now and have had undetectable PSA for over 2 years. In August I will have been on Zytiga for 3 years.

[Scootman in reply to Hidden]

okay thanks I was on xtandi and zytiga neither of which worked. It is just the anticipation of the test coming up is what drives me crazy can not get off my mind. It is always there. Since there always seems to be something negative I expect the worst just wish for once I could get some good news. Thanks for replies

[lewicki in reply to Scootman]

Yea man. I hear you.