THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2014 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.

December, 2007: PSA 4.3 Family doctor recommends biopsy sends me to urologist.. Medieval procedure in my opinion. Confirms PC. Gleason 6

March, 2008: Brachytherapy at Cleveland Clinic. A breeze, back to normal in a week, no side effects.

August, 2008: PSA 7.6

November, 2008 Salvage Radical Prostatectomy. Dr Michael Blute at Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN. Start Lupron.

March, 2009: PSA Undetectable. Moderate Incontinence and total erectile dysfunction. 2nd Lupron shot.

March 24, 2009 Urethral stricture, bladder retention, stricture dilated to 20 FR Foley catheter inserted.

April 2, 2009 Transurethral incision of the bladder neck. Heavy incontinence.

June 3, 2009 Scar tissue covers bladder neck again. Difficult Foley insertion through stricture. Scar appears long and thick 1-1.5 cm. Basically told radiation and Radical Prostatectomy has left bladder neck 'hamburger".

June 18, 2009 PSA Undetectable. 3rd Lupron injection. Still have Foley in.

July 7, 09 Consult scheduled with Dr Blute and Dr Elliot at Mayo Clinic to discuss possible AUS (artificial sphincter) to treat incontinence.

Sequence from memory will update when I get hold of my records.

PSA undetectable since February 09.

Lupron for 1 year. Stopped against recommendations of Mayo Clinic. Unable, unwilling to cope with side effects. Quality of life has returned to wonderful. Load of flab has subsided and muscle mass has returned. Crippling depression and mood swings have subsided completely as has the hot flashes. The depression and mood swings were the deal breaker. Still seems to be some cognitive issues..short term memory took a dramatic hit. Can't be sure this was because of the Lupron but it was only after I started that I started to really notice problems.

Chronic urethral constrictures. Have had many bladder neck resections - about every 2 months since RALP. Scar tissue always returns. Bladder sphincter removed totally incontinent and impotent. Penis atrophy is unsettling. Living in Depends and Huggies. Learned to live incontinent. A drag but better than closing up and going into retention. Terribly painful.

Had a stent placed about four months. Scar tissue formed at the bladder end of the stent once again. Had a second stent placed about two months ago and going back up to see if I can get the artificial sphincter surgery after the new year this time. They will not do the surgery until my urethra remains open.

I take comfort in the fact that my PSA has remained undetectable. I watched my grandfather die of PC when I was a kid, I have two uncles who have been diagnosed. One did the Proton and one is watchful waiting.

Been away for years.

Thinking about it today. Curious if any Yana members who've had prostate surgery, etc have had any sort of non solicited follow up from their surgeons, their assistants, interns, hospitals?

Never had a follow up call on how any of the dozens of surgeries/procedures I've had from the hospitals. Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, etc. Only hospital communication I get is monthly medical bill. Never "Hey how you doing?" Wondering if this is typical experience with others?

Regards,

Dean

Metastisized to lumbar L-6, bone marrow, pelvis, liver involvement. Stage 4. 54 years old. PSA rising last lab work 3.9. Diagnosed '05, PSA 4.7 unsuccesful brachytherapy, salvage prostectomy Mayo Clinic, bladder neck strictures returning to the point of removing my bladder, seeds destroyed any blood flow to bladder neck, urostomy, Lupron. Married with 2 young children 11 and 13. Formerly high energy business owner, athlete and regular workouts.

4th week of Zytiga, prednizone, external beam radiation. 4th and last week of daily radiation.

FATIGUE, mood swings, depression, general feeling like crap, remorse, grief, post traumatic stress disorder (my thought), despair, isolation, hopelessness, passive thoughts on wanting to die, anger, hit to self esteem, social withdrawal, loss of appetite, working on coping skills. Did I mention debilitating FATIGUE. Only real uplift is spending time with my kids and wife.

I watched my grandfather die of this evil malady in the 70's, would much rather get hit by a truck.

Obviously I'm not in a good way mentally. Any tips from those that have been there much appreciated. Going to see a psychologist tomorrow. Wellbutrin and Cymbalta not cutting it.

Best,
Dean

Dean's e-mail address is: shadowsnd AT aol.com (replace "AT" with "@")

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