Intermittent ADT

[Love the Sierra]

Wishing you the very best for a fast and perfect recovery!
Being a girl, I have not dealt with this personally, but my father in law has been on that treatment for about 3 years. He is an active tennis player. Granted, not as hard as backpacking, but he used to compete and play about 6-8 hours every day. He has the exact symptoms you describe with added incontinence and is 82. He has a trainer and lifts weights and also still plays at least 2-3 hours of tennis every day. He feels like hell and just pushes through it.
Anyway, have you considered finding a good, very qualified weight trainer? It has been really good for my father in law along with tons of sheer will power!

[Harlen]

Love the Sierra wrote:

Wishing you the very best for a fast and perfect recovery

Dear Bill, the same wish from all the Harlens.

My great friend of 35 years-- ever since our times in Alaska, and New Zealand together, just received the news in May that he too has metastatic prostate cancer. It has moved into his bones, where it is apparently inoperable. Hard news as you know Bill, but like you, and Giantbrookie John, Drew is a tough guy, and ready to both fight, and accept the cancer. It has been a great help to him and his family the clippings I have sent them from both you and John, as you both speak so intelligently about the condition, and the choices you face-- so thank you for that. Drew and Jane are the backpacking friends seen in several of our trip reports, including the ski trip he and I made from South Lake to North Lake, and last summer's trip to Bear Basin-- Here he is:

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Drew is 67 years young!

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We are going to spend the summer in Vermont with Drew and Jane, helping with their building projects, and just enjoying their company. This has really brought home to us exactly what you guys have been dealing with, and now I know the true depth of this disease, and the things you have spared telling us. We now feel even more sympathy for you and John, and wish you well on your journey through it.
One point Drew made to me, which I will share here, is that he should have had an exam-- the colonoscopy, [my mistake, should have said-- the PSA bood test, and rectal exam] way sooner, and if he had, things might be a lot different. I arranged for mine immediately, and will experience that procedure tomorrow. It's too easy to think nothing can happen to us, but some of us know better.

Thanks again to you and John for your candor, and the courageous example you have set out for us, and our friends. Cheers and Good Luck, Ian.

[sekihiker]

Thanks for the kind and understanding words, Ian.
My recent open heart surgery is my main area of concern at the moment. I took a break from cancer medication, then this happened. A few months ago, my oncologist joked that I'd probably die from something other than cancer. I almost did.
I'm getting close to recovery from the triple bypass. Next, I get to continue worrying about the prostate cancer, or not. Hopefully, I'm out of the habit. I've spent very little time thinking about or researching the cancer since the heart surgery.
All these health situations, metastatic prostate cancer, hip replacement [hardly counts in the scheme of things], and open heart surgery make me feel like I'm getting old, which I am at 77.
I'm back to walking at least four miles a day. I need to pick up exercising in other areas. My muscles really took a hit from six plus months of chemical castration. I'll probably be going back on that treatment within a year or two. I responded very rapidly to treatment - PSA from 80+ down to near 0.1 in a few months. It would be nice to be able to have the treatment on an intermittent basis for the rest of time. The side effects are no fun. Some folks under treatment claim they don't have side effects. They sure are lucky.
Aging ain't for sissies.
PS - My 80 yo brother is retiring from farming. He doesn't get around too well, but he smoked for 60 years.

[Love the Sierra]

Bill and John, WOW, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!
This morning when I wrote that note about the weight lifting, I had not looked at the date of the original post or the 6 pages of posts. You two are real hero’s! Keep up the perseverance so that you can enjoy every good moment that you have.
Weight lifting has done wonders for my father in law and I hope, that if you try it, it will help you two as well.
Bill, I am so sorry that you had the setback from the heart surgery.
Thank you for your fantastic example of courage! Also, thank you for all of the great advice you give to those like me who want to adventure out in the Sierra and enjoy all of its wonders, but do not have the skills or strength that so many of those in this group have.

[Harlen]

Hey Bill, you are too polite not to correct my gross error re. exams to screen for prostate trouble. I learned today from the doctors that of course, the colonoscopy screens for colon cancer, not prostate cancer. Are the blood tests the only method to monitor prostate health? He told me that the blood tests individually are not very accurate, and can produce both false positive and false negative results. Over time though, the plotting of blood test results can provide indications of prostate condition. Are there any other screening methods?

Wish you well Bill, and hope to see you in the mountains again. Ian.

[sekihiker]

Ian and anyone else interested in this topic -

The two preliminary tests for prostate cancer are the PSA blood test and the DRE [digital rectal exam]. Cause for concern is usually PSA > 4. Lumps found on the prostate during the DRE are cause for concern. Next step is a needle biopsy, usually 12 samples, done via the rectum. A pathologist looks for cancerous cells in the collected tissue.

Some think PSA testing has been overprescribed. Mayo Clinic says, "If you choose to have prostate cancer screening, most organizations recommend stopping around age 70 or if you develop other serious medical conditions that limit your life expectancy." I'm glad my MD did not follow that advice. When I was 72, my MD's DRE found multiple lumps on my prostate and PSA test result was 30. I would probably be dead from prostate cancer had I not had treatment. I can't say the treatment has been pleasant in any way, but I am alive. Some of the treatments may cause cardiovascular problems. Perhaps my recent heart problems were, at least in part, a result of prostate cancer treatment.

It's always something.

At this age, treasure every healthy moment. If you are able to enjoy our fabulous mountains, that's even better.

Bill

[Harlen]

Okay, thanks for that Bill. Cheers, Ian.