THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2014 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.
I had my RP in August 1999, with positive surgical margins, and followed this with EBRT (External Beam Radiation Therapy) in July 2000. Very little side effects to date. I have to admit the first couple of years were very stressful.... The "C" word, unknowns!
My loving wife of forty years by my side every step of the way! If I had chance for a do over... I would have chosen AS (Active Surveillance)! But no one had heard of this in 1999. [Not strictly speaking correct there were some of us who chose the equivalent of AS before then, but it was not easy to get any medical support for that decision.]
I've made it to the ripe age of 62. At the time of my diagnosis there wasn't much to research online. One had to muddle through and get advice and options were one could the find best options, opinions and advice. I was blessed to find an old pal in Robert Young the founder of Phoenix5 web site. He lived on Vashon Island in Washington State for a time. I live on the Kitsap Peninsula Washington State and still reside here. Many of his pictures on his Phoenix5 site were from this area. We communicated every couple of weeks. With his help I was able to get a handle on my diagnose and a better understanding. Robert was my mentor.
So, here I am twelve later and still standing at age 62 with a current PSA of 0.17 thanks to Flutamide and Proscar - Anti-androgens
Thanks for the heads up on my update. I am currently vacationing... upon my return to the Seattle area I will be under going ct scan and bone scan with injection with radiology. Because of my slowly encreasing PSA from .09 (2011) a yr ago to .19 (2012) I'm not sure there is any diganosage value at this point unless it's for a baseline? My PSA doubling time is rather slow. But I had rather set out a brush fire than a forest fire! I have been under the care of Dr Higani for nine yrs. And will discuss the diganosage value of the scans this next week follow up.
Hey... No complaints here! I'm going on fourteen yrs! Diagnosed with what I call "entry level PCa". Fourteen years ago (1999) I didnt have acesss to sites like YANA, usToo, etc.
My advice to all... I keep an eye on your doctor no matter what the reputation, question everything.
Read all the men's story their knowledge is unbelievable!
Not much new to report on my update... Although my PSA; has been slowly climbing. I've not seen a dramatic encrease in my PSA; doubleing time. That is what I keep a close eye on. I seen my oncologist that specializes in prostate Cancer yesterday for a follow up after lab work. Waiting for a trial to open up for men that have not recieved ADT. Still taking the same meds although I am now taking three fultimide caps a day instead of two along with two Finastride tabs a day. I will keep all up to date as to when and how the trial goes. It will be done at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center here in Seattle. Still going strong at 65 and fifteen years from my initial treatments.
Kenneth's e-mail address is: ozonetwo AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")
NOTE: Kenneth has not updated his story for more than 15 months, so you may not receive any response from him.
