Update on Xtandi and me: Hi all. Just... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Update on Xtandi and me

ppulatie profile image
40 Replies

Hi all. Just thought I would drop a line to let people and especially newbies know that they can be hopeful for the future.

Just had latest PSA while on Xtandi for 21 months now. PSA value now at .21. Started at 8.5 in Nov 2019 when Casodex failed.

Been 5 years on this journey at Stage 4 with 3 bone mets. Currently using Lupron, Zometa and Xtandi. When first diagnosed, never thought I would make it this far.

Secret is to get a great team of docs that you can trust and will listen to you. After all, you know your body better than anyone else.

Looking forward to my next goal of 10 years so I watch all the next phases of Marvel movies. (Set goals and strive to reach them is a real bonus.

On that note, time to start dinner prep. Breaded fried chicken filets, mashed potatoes and gravy, and fried butternut squash.

Hang in there and enjoy life.

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ppulatie profile image
ppulatie
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40 Replies

Congrats on the great response to treatment! Hope it continues. The dinner menu sounds fantastic. By the way, since your PSA is so low, you can start bragging about your diet like others do in this forum. :)

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to

Lol, am not worried about diet at all. Gotta have some vices since sex is out of the question. Oh, beer tonight with dinner also. 😃

Kaliber profile image
Kaliber in reply to ppulatie

I like your style warrior… you can take a breath now, relax and concentrate on that bucket list ( food ? ) family and QOL … for guys like us , it doesn’t get any better than that does it.

Same here lupron xtandi zometa….. 34 months so far at psa <0.1 and looking for 34 more yayahahahaya. Starting psa 1400-1600.

Congratulations brother ❤️❤️❤️

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Kaliber

Was lucky with a starting PSA of 80.8. Was avid politics follower but it upset me too much. So I just said to heck with that and no longer pay attention. Did wonders for my mental attitude.

Kaliber profile image
Kaliber in reply to ppulatie

Yea….. we’re …. All of us here …. way past the point in life where we should anguish over any of that kind of stuff. Even if you are healthy it can drive you nuts. I’m not saying it’s not important or being dismissive…. But we have loved ones, QOL and ourselves to think about now. We , all, can lay less important stuff aside and concentrate on “ today “ with our loved ones instead.

Like I said brother, I like your style.

💪💪💪👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️

Magnus1964 profile image
Magnus1964

Now is the time for you to be thankful for all your many blessings.

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Magnus1964

Every day I wake up

Boywonder56 profile image
Boywonder56

Dig that menu......keep on truckin

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Boywonder56

Food is about all the enjoyment now except when grandkids come to visit.

Shooter1 profile image
Shooter1 in reply to ppulatie

Grand kids are a kick... Youngest daughters son started his first day in school today... Eldest grandson up here just bought his first car... '86 Jeep. had death wobble. Jacked up front end and left wheel had 3 inches of slack in bearings... replacement on order.. right side only about 1/2 inch wobble. Showed him and a friend how to adjust them and it is fine now... Kids don't know as much about mechanics as we used to. Great to have a grandpa around to show them a thing or two....

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Shooter1

Mine are grown. 19 and 24. Waiting for great grandkids, but not too soon.

in reply to ppulatie

Got to see my granddaughter today. She's just barely over 1 now.

This morning she came over to me and put out her arms to be picked up. That really brightened my day up. She is so cute, so glad I made it to see her.

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to

Sweet!

GreenStreet profile image
GreenStreet

Great post. Very encouraging. Bon appetit

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to GreenStreet

Came out great! Next is spaghetti tonight.

Haniff profile image
Haniff

Great response 💪

Stay positive and enjoy life.

Haniff

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Haniff

Thanks! You too!

larry_dammit profile image
larry_dammit

5 year anniversary here as well , 4 3/4 years on Xtandi and ADT treatment. Loving every moment I have here on earth. Keep up the fight warrior 🙏🙏🙏

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to larry_dammit

You too brother warrior!

SeosamhM profile image
SeosamhM

Congrats and great post ppulatie! We need positive stories like this!

I freely admit that I'm a child of the height of the comic book era (as I see it) in the 1980s (and collecting "vintage" 1970s comics) when many of these Marvel story lines were conceived. Seeing how the MCU story arc continues (into infinity, apparently) is a motivating factor to live! :)

“It’s not about how much we lost, it’s about how much we have left.” - Tony Stark aka Iron Man

'Nuff said and Excelsior! - Joe

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to SeosamhM

My exposure was in the very early 60's. Wish I had all those vintage comics back. Would have some real money in the bank account now.

E2-Guy profile image
E2-Guy

Hi Pat, I was 61 when diagnosed and the doc that did the biopsy came into the examaning room a few days later to give me the 'good' news! He looked at me and said, "Ron, you have the real deal!" His reply when I asked him how much time does he think I still have was, "Five to ten." Well that was 17 years ago and here I am still finishing out condos in Thailand.

May you still be enjoying life at least 15 years from now! Ron

Working on a condo bathroom
Woodstock82 profile image
Woodstock82

What side effects have you noticed from the Xtandi?

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Woodstock82

The normal. Brain fog. Hot flashes, tired continuously. Aches and pains occasionally. Could be worse though.

catsup profile image
catsup

stay positive.going on my 7th year on Xtandi. Like some of you guys enjoying the grandkids,good food, wine and an occassionel glass of single malt. Stay safe you all!

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to catsup

Most of the time I forget I have this dreaded disease. That is when you know you are doing well mentally.

Jp2sea profile image
Jp2sea

Yum. And congrats for the progress.

Muffin2019 profile image
Muffin2019

Congrats, you give us all hope as do all the responses, the dinner sounds delicious and enjoy the beer, fight on warriors.

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Muffin2019

We get too caught up on the negative, so I just try to focus on the positive.

Tjc1 profile image
Tjc1

Good to hear !!! I have had grest lick with Xtandi. I was on lupron for 10 years before it failed and Xtandi for about 2 and a half years. Due to the covid i missed my lupron shot and figured i would see what happened. That was october, over a year ago. Im still below 50 in testosterone but its inching up and so is my PSA. But PSA is still under 1 like .56 . Oncologist wants me back on the lupron. Im thinking of castration though. Lupron side effects i believe are real. Im going to meet my urologist next month for a second opinion. Like you, i eat what i want but practice portion control and i have shed 30lbs being off the lupron. I live life as well as i can, lots of other factors to consider also. This time im not so anxious about the PSA spike.

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Tjc1

Lupron alone lasted about 2 years for me. With Casodex, another year. So now the Xtandi. Love that it is taking so long to work down to undetectable. More to look forward to with each blood test coming up.

Gonna keep up with Lupron. Even with the weight gain I experienced. Not gonna do a "New Coke."

Survivor1965 profile image
Survivor1965

I’m on the same three drugs you are for 55 months now but dx’d in 2012. Gleason 9 4+5 bone and lymph mets, spine, ribs, femur, frontal bone. Today PSA undetectable and mets inactive. Living life and having fun. Had a $50,000 penile pump installed 3 yrs ago, it it a game changer and keeps my wife of 32 years happy. Don’t give up on sex.

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to Survivor1965

We are proof that there is life after diagnosis of Stage 4. Keep up the good work!

monte1111 profile image
monte1111

Great news. Except for the squash. I'm 48 months Xtandi plus 24 months chemo. (And Lupron, etc) Extensive bone mets stable as of July. Psa 0.1 What a wonderful world.

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to monte1111

I always remind myself that 30 years ago, I would be "expired" by this time. Certainly a wonderful world.

BonoVox1 profile image
BonoVox1

good to hear, I'm on Xtandi as well, if you want try adding 300 mg of ubiquinol twice daily, ALL people over 50 should be on this, I dont drink anymore but have a beer for me God bless.

MateoBeach profile image
MateoBeach

Mashed potatoes AND butternut squash? You are living the life. “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” What is on the menu for today? Cheers

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to MateoBeach

Leftover spaghetti. Always tastes better the next day.

Butternut squash is from a neighbor whom I am helping on her lawsuit against a VA lender for violation of the Qualified Mortgage Rule. She only eats the blooms. Also get tons of cherry tomatoes from her and I give her peaches off my tree.

Today is see the oncologist day. She is very happy with my progress to date.

KAgolf profile image
KAgolf

My kind of dinner!! AND CONGRATS on good response! hope for continued success

Is Zometa the only bone med. you have taken? did you consider Boniva or Prolia?

looking for best bone med to avoid bone loss and rebuild bone mass--my husband has osteoporosis in 1 hip and osteopenia in other hip--I know Lupron/Eligard can be bad for bones. NONE of the cancer docs even mentioned protecting the bones, so I mentioned to primary doc and he put hubby on Boniva.

would appreciate your input and all others too. At this point he is only on Eligard and no other meds besides Boniva for this. T2b N1 M0 and after proton the "suspicious" iliac nodes are no longer seen

THANKS--everyone here is so helpful

ppulatie profile image
ppulatie in reply to KAgolf

Only tried Zometa for the bone mets. It has been working fine for 4 years now. Get it every 3 months along with Lupron. Only get a flu like symptom for a couple of days after taking it.

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