THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2021 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.

I was accidentally asked by a doctor to test for PSA upon complaining from harsh pain in the lower part of my Back and thighs. To the doctor surprise PSA was 22.5 early January 2009. He referred me to a Urologist who carried a biopsy and asked me to do bone and CT scan. Biopsy showed a high grade tumor and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, occupying 50% of the prostate, Bone scan was positive where cancer spread to my pelvic area and to my left leg bone and CT was free. Late January I repeated PSA and it was 50.

I started a hormone treatment and carried out lots of readings and adapted the following alternative measures:

1- stopped eating red meat, sugar and dairy products.
2- Eat lots of vegetables and fruits.
3- Drink ~ 300ml of Pomegranate juice daily.
4- Drink 4-6 cups of green tea daily.
5- Eat 4 table spoons of tomato paste mixed with 1-2 tab ground flax seeds and ground almonds and walnuts daily.
5- I have experimented with a local prescription for 90 days.
6- Half an hour exercise daily.

At the end of February, my PSA was 1.5. a month later it was 0.19 and in June 09 it was < 0.06 nadir level, according to the machine available in the laboratory. I stopped prescription in step 5 and carried on with Flutamide and Zoladex. The value of PSA continued at the at < .06 level up to March 2010. The Dr. then asked me to stop Hormone treatment and take Avodart.

PSA record were as follows:

1 April 2010, 0.65
15 April 2010, 0.73
15 May 2010, 1.4
June 2010 3.3

The doctor then asked me to repeat bone and CT scan, the good news both were negative, I was very glad that I got rid of the cancer spread to the bone. The doctor at this moment decided we should go for Surgery but when he consulted with another expert and to my relief they decided to continue with Flutamide and Zoladex for the time.

I will fill you in with future news when available and I would very much appreciate any comments, advices from members or experts on my situation.

Later: Hello everybody wishing you Quick recovery.

Just to remind you doctor put me on Avodart for 6 months December 2009 - May 2010, my PSA starts increasing after stopping Zoladex and Flutamide. Goes up from 0.06 January 2010 to 3.3 June 2010, Doctor decided to go back to Zoladex and Flutamide until PSA is less than one then we go back to Avodart and so on.

I am not sure whether this a good strategy, in 14 July PSA is 0.58, I met him on 15 July and he asked me to stick to the plan. I wonder if it reasonable to switch from one medicine to another on a monthly basis.

I appreciate very much comments on this issue.

Sadeq writes, in response to a reminder:

I would like to delay the update for at least a month since I will have more information to include in the update.

After approximately using HT for 15 months during which PSA level was 0.06, PSA level then started to rise for 8 months (Aug. 2010-March 2011) even HT was not stopped, it reached 26.5 in April 2011.

The urologist decided that the hormone resistance stage was reached and suggested that I switch to chemotherapy, I did not like the idea and with the guidance of Allah(God) I stopped all sorts of medicines I was taking including Zoladex, Flutamide. I adopted a protocol of complementary treatment depending on search in the net and the health instructions reported in the Sayings of prophet Mohammad peace be upon him, in particular the use of Nigella sativa oil, i.e. I employed ideas of religious believe. I used progressive dose of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) starting with teaspoon per day and increasing the dose every 3 days.

In one month PSA level is down from 26.5 to 11, in the next month it is down further to 8. I felt all symptoms and bone pain were gone completely. After a complete stop of all medications for 6 months using only healthy diet and NSO, PSA started rising to new level of 111 in November, I think because I was tempted to use high dose of NSO, I went back to urologist, he suggested switching to two tablets of Casodex 50 mg per day and Zoladex shots.

In Dec. 2011 PSA was down to 7.5 and continued falling to 0.5 in Feb. 2012, CT scan was negative and bone scan shows a small lesion in the left leg pubic. I feel fine no pain and side effect is gone. I have the feeling that Nigella sativa oil break the dead lock of cancer cells changing to hormone resistance( this point needs investigation by experts).

I continued taking NSO in a maintenance dose (1tsp) daily in addition to Casodex and Zoladex shots every 28 days. So far so good, wishing all PCa patient success in their search for a cure.

Since March 2012, I continued taking NSO in a maintenance dose (1tsp) daily in addition to Casodex and Zoladex shots every 28 days. I also take grapefruite juice and 2 tsp of curcumin boiled in one cup of water, PSA stable at 0.2 for the last 3 months, Dr. decided to stop Casodex and Zoladex and continue monitoring PSA every 2 months. So far so good, wishing all PCa patient success in their search for a cure.

Updating from last June when my PSA was .2, all therapies was stopped, in August it was 0.15, in October it was up to 8 and in end of November it is 21. In Dec. Cosadex and Zoladex was resumed and PSA is down to 7.

Starting from my last update when I resumed Zoladex and Casodex in Nov.2012, PSA was down for the next 3 months reaching 3 in Feb.2013. Then it starts increasing since then until it reaches 42.4 in Nov.2013. I noticed certain behavior in the last four months since August, PSA reaches certain value at the end of August 27.6, it stays constant until the end of Sept. (28) then increase by the end of Oct. it becomes 41.7 then kept almost the same reading of 42.4 by the end of Nov.2013. I really would be pleased if anybody can comment on this behavior.

Building my update starting from Nov.2013, PSA continue rising 59 by end of Dec., 83 on 10/2/2014. To my surprise this value stays the same after two month on 8/4/2014. The doctor has no explanation to this behavior which was repeated in the past. The last PSA test 6/5/2014 is 108. The Uro. have no other alternative and I have to look for new protocol I read stories of many survivors at YANA. I was impressed with Doug story, I wrote to him and he was very kind to respond and give me his advice. For the time I have no alternative but to try new protocol (Zoladex + 2x.1 Estradiol patches+ one morning Dexamethasone 0.75 mg).

Wishing you all a quick recovery, see you in the update.

For 17 months of being on zoladex +casodex , PSA continues to rise reaching more than 120 ng/ml. I then used Estradiol patches 0.2 mg and 0.75 mg Dexamethasone + Zoladex to help keep Tes. down. After being on this protocol for 3 months PSA is down by more than 60% to 43.

Hoping to bring it to even less values.

See you in the next update wishing you sucess in fighting PCA and speedy recovery.

Just to summarize, I have started Estradiol patches .1, .2, .3, .4, mg + zoladex per 3 months. There was 70% decrease in PSA value to 45 in the first 3 months, then PSA was around this value standstil (45-49) for 5 months. Then PSA starts increasing in big jumps 45-60-83-103. I used Estradiol patches for 10 months in total. My doctor then decided to move to another treatment. The new treatment is: Zytiga 1000mg/day, zoladex 10.8 mg, xgiva, prednisone 5mg.

I will update on the new treatment in few months, until then I wish you successful treatment.

I have started Zytiga, 1000mg/day + Prednisone 2x5mg daily, my PSA starts falling; to 83--69--35 the last reading was in October 2015, to my surprise PSA in Jan,2016 was 91, by the end of the month it was 122, I received some help from a YANA mentor saying that the reason is due to truncated androgen receptor variant no.7, he recommended the use of a natural supplement called Berberine (I could not find any one of YANA people using it). I myself did some literature surveys and found reports of how to deal with increasing PSA after initiation of Zytiga by two ways:

1- Some patient under medical supervision took the Zytiga dose with food instead of without, this maximize the dose by many factors and resulted in decrease of PSA the next month, and their research results concluded this resulted in an extension of Zytiga use by extra 100 days.

2- Some patient under medical supervision stop both Zytiga and Prednisone, they noticed drop in PSA by more than 50% next month (this means that Zytiga possesses what is called "Withdrawal Syndrome") and for some PSA declined to very low values and patients go on for months with stable PSA Without treatment except the LH one.

At this point I myself Puzzled to what to choose:

- Berberine + normal dose of Zytiga + Prednisone

- Zytiga dose with food

- Stop Zytiga and Prednisone

I would be very grateful for any help from experts or those who faced similar situation to allow me settle on one line of treatment.

For the time, I am not sure which way I am going to choose and will let you know of the results I will get in future update.

As I indicated in my previous update I reached a condition in which Zytiga fails. I decided to choose taking it with food, a decision I took on my own in the absence of good follow up by my Doctor. I thought of going slowly, for example start with a cup of milk at first, then increased the amount of food to a usual light dinner. If the meal contains fat I used to feel elevated heart beats. After 3 weeks a PSA test revealed a good response PSA declined by 22, from 122 down to 100. I went to see my doctor and he was absent another doctor decided to stop Zoladex, I expressed my opinion that Zytiga needs low testosterone concentration ~ 50 ng/dl or less to be effective but he did not listen. The next month without Zoladex PSA jumped from 100 to 120, even though he was not satisfied and decided again not give me Zoladex so PSA test the month after was 150. I want to see a new doctor who put me back on Zoladex and asked me to do PSA test after 6 weeks to see if Zytiga kicks back again.

Best Wishes to everyone hoping to come back with good news the next update.

After 6-weeks of Zoladex been put back on treatment medicines(Zytiga+prednisone+X-Giva+Zoladex), PSA dropped by 20(163 down to 143), The doctor sow in that a progress and decided to continue on this protocol. I must mention that I tried the Sodium carbonate recipe during this time it might have a positive effect. I will update when new progress is attained.

As I mentioned earlier a PSA dropped by 20 (163 down to 143) was attained in July. August was completely different a PSA increase was unexpected as it rose to 268. A pain in the left shoulder was unbearable and an MRI to cervical spine revealed a lesion at c7, My dr. decided to go for radiation, during the preparation to radiation I decided to repeat sodium bicarbonate protocol, to my surprise PSA dropped to 190 in one month and my dr. decided to continue with zytiga for the time being. After 3 weeks pain was unbearable again in the shoulder and PSA test showed that PSA value of 270 this time, I stopped zytiga for 10 days and resumed it for 3 weeks and PSA dropped back to 210. I decided to stop Zytiga for 2 weeks with dr. permission this time, then resume it after that. I will update hopefully when I got new results.

The last year since my last update until now continued with (intermittent Zytiga + Prednisone) + Zoladex + Xgiva. The protocol involved using the mentioned medicines until PSA start increasing then Zytiga and its companion Prednisone is stopped, this will continue as far as PSA continue to decrease, then it is resumed when it starts to increase again. A typical decrease of PSA value in 3 weeks was found to be ~ 120 ng/ml. I wish every user on this site happy new year and good health.

In my last update I mentioned that I was on intermittent Zytiga + Zoladex and Xgiva. My PSA start rising until it reached an extremely high value of 600 ng/ml. My Dr. then suggested using Taxotere. I had 8 sessions of this medicine, PSA dropped to 55 ng/ml after session 6. The value of decrease in the last two session was very small dropping PSA from 55 to only 43 ng/ml. The Dr. ordered a CT scan and according to the results the dr. will decide what to use, may continue with Taxotere until it fails. Until the next update I wish all cancer patients quick recovery.

In my last update, I was on Taxotere, I continued using this medicine until PSA starts rising from the minimum value reached 35 ng/ml to a new value of 46 ng/ml, after 13 sessions. The Dr. then decided to stop this medicine and ordered Enzalutamide, Because of bad political and financial problems in the occupied West Bank I could not get this medicine until now. In this period extending almost 9 months I had no treatment apart from my personal trials, I tried Itraconazol, I used it at 300mg twice daily, this medicine was used for four months but unfortunately PSA continues rizing for 4 months reaching 170 ng/ml. I stopped this and asked my dr. to reuse Taxotere which is the only medicine available for me. I also Ordered B17 to use with Taxotere. My PSA now when I started Taxotere is 345 ng/ml. I hope that Taxotere will be effective in bringing My PSA down, until thin I wish All prostate Cancer survivors a quick recovery.

Sadeq's e-mail address is: sadeqs AT ymail.com (replace "AT" with "@")

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