Gordon
Kerr and Jan live in Queensland, Australia.
He was 56 when he was diagnosed in Dec 2003. His initial PSA was 21 ng/ml and
his Gleason Score was 9. His initial staging was T2c, although that was later
changed to T3a. His choice of treatment was High Dosage Brachytherapy.
Here
is his story:
At
my wife's insistence,I went to the doctor for a general check up, having not done
so for several years. I was concerned a little by the possibility of High Blood
Pressure but otherwise was in good health. I was getting up during the night but
put this down to getting older.
The
doctor did all the usual checks and when I returned for the results explained
that my PSA was at 21ng/ml and this was high. He explained that this could be
for a number of reasons and prescribed an antibiotic which would cure any infection.
He made an appointment with a urologist but as it was Christmas this did not take
place till February 2004. In the meantime I had completed my medication and another
PSA test.
At the urologist's appointment I learned that the PSA had risen to 27 ng/ml. The
urologist recommended a biopsy, then went away for a fortnight before doing it.
The biopsy revealed the Gleason Score of 9 and the staging of T2c [although I
have since been given letters which suggested that it could well have been as
high as T3a] He explained the surgery option but recommended that I talk with
a radiation oncologist. My own research suggested that the Brachytherapy option
seemed the best and this was reinforced by my discussions with the doctor.
He
recommended that I have a Laproscopic check of the lymph nodes [yet another doctor]
which came back negative. At the same time I started on a course of Luprin Depot
and Androcur to shrink the prostate. The double whammy made me tired but this
seemed to improve after the two months of Androcur finished and I was only on
Luprin. A further test indicated that my PSA was back to 2.2 ng/ml.
After
three months the PSA was below 2.0 ng/ml and I started my external beam radiotherapy
course [23 doses] which I have now completed. This had the effect of changing
my urination processes, more often, not being able to clear my bladder fully and
need to urinate quickly at times. I also experienced a week of significant pain
in my rectum but this has subsided now that I have completed the course. My libido
has not gone completely but has been very significantly downgraded.
This
week I will undertake the HD Brachytherapy and the doctors have been discussing
the continuation of the Hormone treatment for up to a year after the procedure
is completed. My wife and I are still coming to terms with this but while the
data is not yet there as to its benefit, we believe that we should take every
opportunity to ensure that we have a long and enjoyable life together.
Our biggest frustration was the time it took from the initial confirming diagnosis
in February until something actually happened to start treatment. The time taken
to move from one doctor to another to another, often in the same consulting rooms
frustrated us no end. However, once things got underway, the support of the clinic
staff and the doctors has been enormous and that has given us great confidence
for the future.
I
undertook the HDBR (High Dosage Brachytherapy). The 36 hours in which the rods
were left in was definitely the most uncomfortable period of my life. It was more
the fact that I had to lie on my side and could not roll over by myself which
bugged me rather than the rods themselves, although I was warned what would happen
if I did roll on them.
The
actual radioterapy was painless, just a series of clicks from a machine that I
was hooked up to. It was wonderful to get them removed at the end of the time.
I was put on FLOMAX and had some minor discomfort with both urine flow and with
my bowels, but this generally faded after a couple of months. However, about three
months after the end of the radiation treatment I had a urethral blockage which
was a bit scary. A visit to the hospital, and a cystoscopy seemed to solve the
problem but I too learned how to self catheterize in case there was a recurrence.
We were doing a six day wilderness walk over the New Year period and I didn't
want to get stuck miles from nowhere and not being able to cure the problem.
While
I had no problem on the trip, in February of this year, I started to get blockages
again. They became more frequent until by the end of March, I was having to catheterize
about 4-5 times a day. The urologist said I was an enigma as I was the only case
out of the 204 brachytherapy patients he had. I spent a couple of half days in
hospital about a month apart, while he passed SOUNDS [metal rods]through my urethra
and I started self catheterization twice daily. Everything has improved and I
now only have to do it once a day. This will get extended to every second day
etc. until hopefully I don't need to do it at all. It is not a big drama and we
have managed a five week trip to Ireland and a week in Japan without any trouble.
I
have changed my lifestyle a bit, and probably should work harder at it. We eat
less red meat, more soy products and start each day with fresh juice which includes
carrots, beetroot, ginger, grapes or red berries etc. I started doing more exercise
and try to keep this up. It was easy when I wasn't working but as I have been
back full time this year, it is a bit harder to squeeze the exercise in. [I know
I should be better organized] I am making sure that I enjoy life as much as possible
and focus on being positive and hope that next year will bring positive results.
The hormone treatment does make me tired but I have been lucky and have had minimal
side effects other then that. My urologist is very positive and believes [I think]
that there is a good chance of me being healthy in five years time. Only time
will tell.
My
PSA is still low (0.50 ng/ml) . I still have the occasional blockage but can treat
it easily with catheters when it happens. My libido has returned and while there
is no semen emission, I am still able to move to orgasms. I am not sure but feel
that the blockages are linked to this. I will keep exploring this but as time
goes by. I make a fruit juice drink most mornings which consists of ginger, grapes,
beetroot, carrot, kiwi fruit, celery and apple and add a dose of Dr Red Prostrate
formula giner punch. Whether this in fact has any influence I do not know, but
will continue to do this for the future. I am only seeing the urologist every
eight months and having PSA tests every 4 months. My health is good and as I have
just retired, I am looking forward to enjoying life.
Over
the past year my PSA has risen marginally and my urologist expects that it will
undulate and settle between 0.20 ng/ml and 0.50 ng/mland may even come down a
bit in the long term.The urinary blockages which I have been experiencing have
become significantly fewer and I have not had to catheterise myself since July
although my flow rate is now much reduced and frequency up [particularly during
mornings] which is quite frustrating. I can often go for longer periods if I am
seated or lying down but the desire to pee quickly occurs when I get up. Dr Yaxley
suggests that I return to catheterising and do it once every month or so just
to keep everything open.
My
PSA tests will now only occur every six months [up from 3 months] and my specialist
visits are now annual.
My
e-mail address is jandann@bigpond.com.au
