Treatment update... Back on the chemo

[subliminaldood]

As I last left off I was scheduled for a PT112 trial but trials got cancelled at SCCA due to staff having covid... Plan B: Cabazitaxel with Carboplatin... And Neulasta...

Age 59... Stage 4 Gleason 9 BRCA2 positive. Changed from CS to CR... resistant instead of sensitive somewhere in the last six months.

Lynparza (Oliperab) was working great for 4 months, until Nov 2021.

PSA has been rising since mid November... doubling roughly every three weeks... 1.1 to 10 then 17 then 26 then 57... the final period before chemo I took DIM it only rose from 57 to 60... Then I stopped the DIM at the start of Chemo. Second treatment of chemo PSA 108!! This is 3 weeks later... They said don't worry about the increase after first treatment. Third treatment is this coming Tuesday so I'll see then what is going on. Judging by how I feel, I have no idea. They suggested I go ahead and take the DIM again since it seemed to help. None of them at SCCA had heard of it. I stopped because I wanted to hold in reserve something that actually works. Rather than let my BRCA make the cancer become immune to it. But whatever works you take I guess...

I mentioned the bone pain to the MO... They called in an RO to examine the scans and he said no, I have nothing big enough for his hammer!!! He did not see any evidence of progression in the scans.

I haven't yet got a good explanation about why if there are no new tumors in the scans but the PSA has been rising consistently for 4 months now. I've got to write down all my questions so I can remember them to get all the answers next time.

Meanwhile I'm still functioning but fatigue and the bone pain, hip and sometimes arthritis in the knees and ankles flares up. The RSO oil no longer stops all of the pain but it still helps with some and sleep as well. Having to take a few ibuprofen per day to help with that. Also they suggested Claritin as an off label drug to help with the pain from the Neulasta... That seems to work and I have seasonal allergies anyway so that's a twofer. Must be Claritin, not benedril or any other.

Not missing work but sometimes it is not so easy but on the other hand it is great as a distraction from the physical side effects. I'm physically weaker, still walking a lot but upper body strength is waning and fatigue is real. Like you need a nap but are not sleepy.

Nausea is a side effect I didn't have before on Docetaxel... They say probably from the Carboplaten... It shows up on the 4th through 7th day after the pre-infusion drugs wear off 72 hours after... The anti vomit pills help with that. but it comes out of nowhere seemingly not related to diet. Prednisone in the morning sometimes helps with the bone pain but not always.

Oh yeah, I will add that i was taking a multivitamin and antioxidant suppliment but upon reading on here about that I inquired and yes, what you said here is true, best to not take anti-oxidants while on chemo... So I've stopped that. But I do need the magnesium for the calf cramps... I wonder what that did.

Looking forward to 3.5 weeks from now when I do the last one and it's all hopefully up hill!!! And maybe I can try the PT112...

Any comments or insight welcomed, and Best Wishes to everyone on this ride!!

Dave

[mrscruffy]

I find that a workout at the gym with weights helps with upper body strength and with the fatigue

[subliminaldood in reply to mrscruffy]

Thanks, I will look into that after I'm off chemo next month.

[London441 in reply to subliminaldood]

Rough road, great attitude! Which is why I say this:

I see that you are diet-conscious, walk a lot, yoga etc. Adding weights should be relatively easy for you, despite your challenges.

That’s because (as surely you know) it helps with so much more than the fatigue. It will help with every pain and symptom you’ve got.

You’re losing strength daily at 60 faster than ever-even if you had no Pca, chemo, any of it. Your treatments have exacerbated that greatly, (as you also know) .

Trust me, it’s not something you want to put off while on ADT in particular. . Looking into it after I’m off Chemo’ is a big mistake.

[subliminaldood in reply to London441]

Thank you!

[lcfcpolo]

Dave, just read this and some of your other posts.

Your a good guy, brilliant attitude (and a great writer). Really hoping that the results after Tuesday are a reduction in PSA and everything else.

I cannot help thinking that in the long run the answer lies with your BRCA2. I'm hoping that some of the guys or gals that advocate can point you in the direction of treatments specifically for BRCA.

Tc my friend. From across the pond in an unusually sunny England.

Graham

[j-o-h-n]

Hopefully all will settle down.... and you can handle these freaking meds.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 03/25/2022 6:58 PM DST - Greek Independence Day.