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

My PSA was elevated at annual physical exam and also a lump in the prostate was felt by DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) in 8/2002. Next month a biopsy with the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. Surgery in 11/2002. The PSA check it was at 0.6 but 3 months later it went up to .95 and then 1.0. Two consultations led me to EBRT (External Beam Radiation Treatment), 35 treatments in the summer of 2003. I had no problem with these until a couple of years later which I will not go into at this time.

After the EBRT my PSA dropped back to 0.6. That only lasted about 3 months. It slowly began to rise. There was a wait until it reached 4.0+ to begin ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy). The ADT was started in June of 2005. I was on Lupron Depot, 3 month variety, and 50mg of Casodex daily. There was a drastic drop in my PSA to 0.01 and to say the least my wife and I were elated.

I experienced some hot flashes, breast tenderness, very minor enlargement and slowly began to lose hair on my body except for my head. Also had more trouble with cold weather than previously. I was able and did go to the gym on a daily basis for an hour to hour and a half workout Mon. thru Fri. and was in great shape, gained muscle and weight.

This past spring I had a 2nd round of Transitional Cell bladder cancer and it removed (cauterized) in March. This is when I began to have problems with the radiation -radiation cystitis - and developed hematuria (bleeding) and would stop up with clots. Many trips for a catheter, learned self catherterization. In July my ADT shot was changed from 3 months to 6 months (Eligard). The following month, August, my PSA went up to 0.7 and then to 3.1 in November, 4.7 in December and 6.4 last week.

I had a bone scan today and a hotspot showed on my left hip. The Casodex was stopped last week after the most recent rise, and Eligard is not due to mid February. Chemo has been mentioned, Taxotere and steroid, for sometime later, even radiating the bone spot. We are not sure of when or what we will do.

I have started a very different diet since stopping the Casodex and await the next PSA check about Feb 12. My hope and prayer is the change in eating, and some other things will be beneficial.

At the last report a spot was found on my left hip by a bone scan. That was confirmed with a MRI. For almost two weeks I have been on a vegetable, nut, berries and fruit diet. Cutting out the flour, sugar and red meat. I have also been taking an alternative treatment known as PC Hope along with the diet. I am scheduled for a PET scan on Feb 12 when I will also get a new PSA report. The oncologist is waiting to see the results from that and may also place me on a drug called Zometa.

I am in chemo for the third time since May of 2008. It has lowered the PSA a little (to 2.40 ng/ml) so far. I had a new bone scan last week and it showed no change in the three areas that was found in August. So far so good.

It has been 8 years since I started all this stuff with a routine DRE.

Later: To correct the original story, I was 58 when originally diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. I feel blessed that I will turn 67 this week on Thursday the 18 November 2010.

As indicated in the last update I am taking chemo for the third time since May of 2008 with the cancer having gone to some spots in the bones, and this is the second time for it to show up in the bones. The first time radiation (10) took cared of that spot on the hip bone. This time so far no radiation.

In addition I am still on Hormone shots, Eligard, every 6 months and they have gotten where they are painful at the time of taking and sore for about a week. The shots will continue forever the urologist said.

I don't recall whether I mentioned that I have had two occurrences of T-Cell bladder cancer during this same time period. Hopefully that will not come back again. For some the treatment is BCG treatments. I have had two friends that have taken them and they are not easy to do or fun. So far the chemo (Taxotere) has worked pretty well and I have the best oncologist you could ask for.

Good luck to all the rest who are currently dealing with this cancer and contact me if I can be of help.

As last mentioned I have been back on Chemo since September for the third time. At this point the spots on an area of my hip started giving me some problem about three weeks ago with pain. It is sometimes difficult to sit down and to get into the car. My PSA has been dropping again and is down to 1.77 with the latest check tomorrow.

I went to see the radiation oncologist on Thursday and we are not going to radiate. The reason is this falls in an area that some of it has received radiation two previous times, 2003 and 2008, and it is best not to zap it again at the present. The pain could be caused by problems from the previous radiation or arthritis or who knows and not cancer. I will be on pain management, taking Lortab (hydrocodone).

It came to my attention last fall that this could be connected to Agent Orange, the defoliant used in Viet Nam when I was there. I am waiting on the V.A. to approve me for 100% disability.

Good luck to all you that are fighting this battle.

Just stopped the chemo again for the third time, due to the doc feeling like I needed a break. I believe I have had some 70 or so chemo treatments up to this point since April of 2008. This last series that started in September has been a little rougher on the body. He (doc) wants me off the prednisone for awhile as well as the chemo.

My PSA has been dropping a little each month and that is good yet it is not below 1.0 where it has dropped to before. I did visit the radiation oncologist about the spots on the bones, especially the one in the pelvic area. That area has been radiated twice before so it is best not to do it again. Also, the pain I was having from that area seems to be gone, apparently taken care of by the chemo, at least it is not the problem it was.

My wife is doing well with the breast cancer after almost two years but will have her six month mammogram soon. I still have to have a cysto every 6 months due to the two cases of T-cell bladder cancer but has been there now for a couple of years.

Got good news last week. The VA approved me at 100% for my prostate cancer due to agent orange in Viet Nam. I was very happy to get that news.

I wish everyone the best and hope all get good PSA readings.

Gary Powell

It has actually been February since I had a chemo treatment. My PSA had been going down during this off time but has started to rise again - now 1.86. At some point I will start the chemo again but I think we are going to change from the Taxotere to something a little newer. I don't have the name for it but will post it once I start. It still has the same old side effects.

I have been having to take Aranesp shots and also getting Feraheme injections which is an iron shot. My red blood cell count has been low and needs building up. I have also changed from Zometa to Xgeva for the bones.

In March and June I had to have calcified stone deposits removed from the bladder/urethra. The doc says it will happen again most likely. I have been sore or tender in the urethra since the surgery in March, it is uncomfortable to sit. If I could go back to 2003 and know what I do now I would never have taker the 38 radiation treatments, oh the problems that has caused the last four years. I have also been losing weight since the ending of chemo in February, about 20 pounds.

My wife, who had breast cancer two years ago is doing well and has received good mammograms which we are thankful for.

Good luck to each and every one.

Just a couple to three weeks ago I began a new oral cancer drug called Zytiga. It works as a hormone blocker. In two weeks my PSA dropped a few hundredths but I will have another reading in about 2-1/2 weeks.

Just recently spent 3 days in the hospital with a bad bladder infection. I now have a super pubic catheter in my abdomen, which was installed at the beginning of August and it has helped with pain, bleeding.

The Zytiga is very expensive. It cost my insurance $6,000 a month for a 30 day supply of 120 pill. I take 4 each morning on an empty stomach. You can't eat 2 hours before taking and have to wait an hour before you can. You have to take prednisone along with it, a 5mg pill twice a day.

I am now tired most of the time or will get tired if I try to do a couple of hours work. But at least I am still here and can still go and do a little, but am limited as to what I can do.

Soon it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas..I wish every one a Happy Turkey Day and a very Merry Christmas.

Some time has passed since I updated my story. Thanks to Terry for a reminder to do so. I appreciate the work, time and effort he and others do to operate the YANA site.

At the last update, November 2011, I had started a treatment with an oral medication called Zytiga. It is considered a form of chemotherapy. During this time my PSA has remained below 5 every month except one. It fluctuates by .20 to ,60 each month but staying in the 4.23 to 4.93 range. I am due to check it again next week. My doctor put me on this treatment because he felt I could not afford another round of Taxotere. I had gone through enough in the 3 previous treatment periods with the Taxotere. I was getting run down, not a good appetite, anemia and some affects on my renal system.

The medication is quite expensive, about $6000.00 a month. Fortunately I only have a co-pay of $40.00 for a month's refill. I am still tired, still anemic and have had a transfusion, 2 pints, and in addition I got a couple of bags (pints probably) of Iron. I have had to have two iron treatments in the past two weeks. At times I am extremely tired and there is very little I can do. My muscles have lost a good deal of strength. Also, you may recall that I have bladder problems due to the radiation treatments I had in 2003, radiation cystis and radiation colitis. I can't lift much or strain because I am liable to bleed if I do. I still plug along and do the things I can and help out at home as much as possible.

Back in February I ended up in the hospital with an infection. While there I started having considerable pain across my lower abdomen and on the inside of my thighs at the groin. A number of tests were run but we learned nothing. It was suggested by my orthopedic doctor that it may be caused by the radiation. There have been times that the pain improves and then will come back. It got bad enough that I have had to use a walker, a cane and an electric cart when shopping. I came close to not being able to walk at all. I began wearing a pain patch and on occasions taking a lorcet for the pain. For an unknown reason as of this past week the pain and difficulties have improved. I can sit much easier, get in and out of the car easier and the pain is better. By the way I had stopped the pain patch due to possible cause of itching.

My oncologist has asked me to consider giving Provenge a try after the first of the year. I will probably give it a shot because the treatment only takes about three months. It is supposed to add time to your life and I am in favor of that. Have to give a report on how that goes.

As you may remember my wife has had breast cancer and is doing well. We are waiting to hear from her mammogram from this past Thursday. She has done remarkably well. .For now I will close and wish all well.

Gary Powell

Gary's e-mail address is: rgpjop AT charter.net (replace "AT" with "@")

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