YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

EXPERIENCES : DISCUSSION FORUM : FOR THE WOMENFOLK : ABOUT US : UPDATE YOUR STORY : MAIL US : DONATIONS

YANANOW HOME PAGE DON'T PANIC : GOOD NEWS! : DIAGNOSIS : SURVIVING : TREATMENT CHOICES : RESOURCES

BRONZE

Gary I and Barbara live in Texas USA. He was 56 when he was diagnosed on June, 22, 2009. His initial PSA was 4.6 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 7 and he was staged T2a. He is undecided as to his choice of treatment, but is leaning towards IMRT. Here is his story.


Just a few weeks past the initial diagnosis and surprisingly calm about the whole matter...maybe I'm in some sort of denial, maybe it won't sink in until treatment begins.

Went to first support meeting this week and all I found were a bunch of much older men complaining about their surgical procedures.

All the post-surgical men I've spoken with or read about do nothing to enhance my perception of surgery. Met a very fine and highly-experienced Radiation Oncologist here and he feels I'm curable using IMRT---best part, I can continue to go about my life---work and working out and family---without major side effects. While I know there may be some effects from the procedure, the post-radiation reports seem to be encouraging me to go in that direction.

Later: After much thought, consultation with others and feedback from other YANA mentors, I've decided to pursue IMRT treatment here in Dallas. My radiation oncologist could not be more motiving nor more 'take charge' in his approach, which I really find refreshing. He's convinced that he can treat and cure this completely and I'm on board.

Early the week of July 27, I'm to have my urologist implant several gold markers which will guide the radiation to exactly where it needs to go and hope to start my series of weekday treatments by very early August.

I'll keep you all posted on how it's progressing, once I'm involved in the actual treatment.

 

UPDATED

August 2009

 

 

Wanted to thank various members for such terrific support...I look forward to hearing about their progress and letting you know of mine.

I have had 10 of my 42 scheduled treatments with the IGRT/IMRT radiation. Each morning on my way into work, they do a fresh CT scan to ensure that the prostrate is exactly where it needs to be, then I'm dosed for several more minutes. From the time I start walking back to the 'linear accelerator' room until I'm walking out of the building, it's all of 20 minutes or so. Best part, to date, no urinary nor bowel problems and so far, I am quite pleased with my progress, but it's still the early stages of the journey.

Thanks to some advice on your site, I'm really paying attention to my nutrition and supplements and recently added 2,000 IU of Vitamin D3 and 2,000 IU of Fish Oil and still on my non-iron mutivitamin. Drinking pomegranate juice added to my water glass and V8 for the lycopene. Anything else I should definitely not miss?

I'll check back in with you all, as my treatment progresses.

 

UPDATED

September 2009

 

 

This week I passed the important 'half-way' point of my treatment and after this morning, only have 18 of an original 42 IGRT treatments remaining.

I've heard from many guys from many places, all wondering about how I'm holding up and I'm pleased to say that this far into things, I haven't missed a single day of work and have had negligible urinary/bowel side effects---minimal to the point of them not varying much from 'pre-treatment' levels. The only thing I have noticed, and it's 'livable' is increased fatigue, starting in mid-afternoon. Of course, by that time, I've been up since about 3 or 4, had my radiation treatment, worked the full day and probably fit in a lunch time workout, so it's hard to ascribe everything to my treatments.

Bottom line: I'm a very happy customer, pleased that I've gone this route and pleased to lend my support to others contemplating targeted radiation over surgery.

 

UPDATED

October 2009

 

 

I am now one week out, having completed 42 IMRT and IGRT treatments. Have to say that I did experience some bowel and slight urinary urgency issues, but seems that each day since completion, they're lessening, which is just great.

Having gone through targeted radiation, I'd do it again and have no regrets. I get my initial post-treatment PSA test in late November, 2009 - approximately eight weeks after finishing up...trust I'll get some great news.

I invite any men contemplating targeted radiation to contact me for advice, counsel and support. Now, time to get back to my life.

 

UPDATED

March 2011

 

 

I'm getting PSA checked every six months now and it has been on a steady decline since treatment - 1.6 to a 1.2 to a 0.7 and both doctor and I are thrilled. Can't even imagine why someone would subject themselves to surgery and terrible-sounding side effects, when my radiation treatments let me continue my life - both work and working out - and now it appears I'm DONE with all this. [Gary is indeed fortunate that he has no side effects from his treatment. Other men who have chosen radiation therapy are not so lucky. There are no published independent studies that demonstrate any one therapy as being superior to another either in guaranteed 'cure' or in side effects. The significant variable in results is the choice of the medical team carrying out the therapy and their experience.]

Welcome any who are considering targeted radiation treatments to contact me and I'll walk you through the process and answer your questions.

Gary's e-mail address is: gisaacs@wrr101.com