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Jerry E and Lisa live in North Carolina, USA. He was 70 when he was diagnosed in November, 2014. His initial PSA was 8.40 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 8, and he was staged T2a. His initial treatment choice was Brachytherapy (Seed Implant with External Beam) and his current treatment choice is Brachytherapy (Seed Implant with External Beam). Here is his story.

THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2018 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.

I learned of my diagnosis November 2014 at the age of 70. I have been dealing with PSA over 4 for the past few years. My last PSA showed an increase to 8.7 which prompted concern. A DRE showed my prostate was 51-52cc. It was not hard but firm on the left side. A biopsy consisting of 12 samples uncovered 7 positives. My Gleason scores were Left Lateral 3 + 5 76%, Left Base 4 + 4 10%, Left Lateral Mid 4 + 3 90%, Left Lateral Apex 4 + 3 44%, Left Mid 4 + 3 40%, Right Lateral Mid 3 + 4 40%. All six of the left biopsies were malignant, only one of the six on the right side was malignant.

The doctor ordered a CT Scan of the abdomen and a bone scan scheduled December 30, 2014. The results were returned January 8, 2015 with negative for metastasis. I have been to see a surgeon and radiation oncologist in order to learn what my options are. The surgeon believes I am a good candidate for prostatectomy but I am concerned with the outcome of incontinence and permanent ED. The oncologist is recommending six months of hormone treatment with Lupron and Casodex and 44 sessions of radiation treatment. The side effects being hot flashes, bowel irritation and rectal bleeding. Of course there is the growth of breast and tenderness, shrinkage of penis and scrotum and ED as well.

I am undecided on treatment. Two months out of diagnosis, I have asked for a second opinion on the reading of my slides. If the 3+5 is incorrect, this will impact my treatment plan.

UPDATED

July 2015

It has been a while since I reported to your site. When I last reported and I mean my report and not Lisa's I ask for a second opinion on the original biopsy report from Solstas, Greensboro, North Carolina(Owned by Dianon Systems, Inc., Shelton, CT.) I ask for my slides to be sent to Dr Jonathan Epstein, Baltimore, Maryland! Solstas only sent 5 slide and not the total of 12? I do not have a clue why only 5? Jar(A) Sol read 4+4=8(Inv 10%) JH read 4+3=7(Inv 10%) Jar(B) Sol read 4+3=7(Inv 40%) JH read 4+3=7(Inv 50%) Jar(G) Sol read 3+5=8(Inv 76% and JH read 3+4=7(Inv 80%) Jar(H) Sol read 4+3=7(Inv 90%) and JH read 3+4=7(Inv 80%) and Jar(I) Sol read 4+3=7(Inv 44%) and JH read 3+3=6(Inv 40%)! In summary I strongly recommend a second opinion from Dr. Epstein and Johns Hopkins as the are listed as the best in the USA for reading Prostate Cancer Biopsy's(GOOGLE)! By getting the second opinion My Oncologist Dr. Charles Neal and I decided to do the 25 External Radiation Treatments and The Brachytherapthy Seeds with took place on June 5, 2015 which 69 I-125 seeds were implanted! I still have a weak urine steam even with the Flomax pills? I have extreme low energy and very tired all the time and my bowels are not regular yet even with a natural laxative twice daily? When I started this journey my PSA was 8.7 and after taking Saw Palmetto Berry Extract 450 MG once a day my PSA was down to 7.4 and my prostate had shrunk from .53 to .37! I said I would never have a tattoo but I now have three cross's(+)! Credit Stage ll prostate cancer for the tattoo's! Just to let you know that I have been on this journey all alone so any e-mails from Lisa should be discarded as she was never with me on the the treatments and showed up at the hospital for the surgery for 5 minutes and I never saw her? So that being said any e-mails from her has no validity sheer speculation! PERIOD! I would not wish this on my worst enemy!

UPDATED

September 2016

This is an update I have had my PDS checked twice since the radiation and the seed implant back in January 2016 my PSA was down 2.25 then a follow up in July my PSA was 1.25 which is a miracle in itself! I had just lost over 80 pounds before treatments and down to 230! After the treatments I ballooned to 335! My stomach was burned to a crisp! Could not get enough food to cool it off? Six months later I have lost 50 pounds and weigh 285! I have 65 more to lose but I am well on my way! Seldom get an erection and if I do it does not last so no sex has been in order! My Urologist Dr. Bennett says he can fix that My Testosterone is a low 154 but Dr Bennett says that was by design as the Cancer feed off the Testosterone! The bottom line is I am alive and well with cancer in remission which is a God Send! Make sure to get a second opinion res on the slides from Johns Hopkins it may be the best thing you ever did? I will keep you posted and I have started dating for the first time in over two years! But if I am sexually active I am sure I will need some help! Thank you for reading! Jerry

Jerry's e-mail address is: easco AT bellsouth.net (replace "AT" with "@")

NOTE: Jerry has not updated his story for more than 15 months, so you may not receive any response from him.


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