Back
for my monthly visit from the oncologist today the 18th. Chest X-rays were clear
and the lesions on the ribs look like they were repaired by the Zometa treatments.
I continue to get the Zometa every 3 weeks and take 50mg of Casodex daily. I am
also currently taking the 3 month Lupron shot. I also finished my 15 radiation
treatments to my upper and lower spine which were completed on the 3rd of this
month.I am having no after effects except for some slight stiffness in my upper
back. No pain medication is needed at this time.
My
PSA continues to trend downward as expected with the hormone treatments, falling
from 9 last month to 2.82 this month. This is my 3rd month of hormone treatment.
I
have been intensly researching the internet and reading numerous books looking
for a way to beat this monster. I visited an alternative doctor this month who
practices a low dose chemo treatment called Insulin
Potentation Therapy. I urge anyone to check it out. I am very interested in
this treatment and considering it. It is it is used prior to going hormone refractive
and there are some cancer survivor success stories using this treatment.
I
continue to watch my diet, have pretty much cut out red meat and junk. I also
continue to take a variety of herbs.
Feel
free to email me for info and my thoughts on why I'm taking my treatment this
way.
Yesterday
was my 3 week visit to the urologist for my Zometa treatment. It started out well
as my latest PSA was 1.54 and continues to trend downward. It quickly went sour
however, as the Zometa was started and I began to feel faint. That was all I remembered
until I awoke and saw the concern in the nurses face as my Blood Presure was 90/50.
It did come back up with some sweet soda and sugar. I continue to doubt modern
medicine......
I
am still trying to eat a healthful diet and taking numerous vitamin supplements.
I will begin my IPT treatments in Chicago the week of Aug 22nd. I'm still not
sure as to how my oncologist will respond as he was not available during my last
visit. I did give the info to the nurse and informed her I was going to try this
treatment. I will meet with him next week prior to starting the IPT but am convinced
this is the treatment I will take. I will update again in a few weeks after I
have had some of the treatments.
Later
Just
returned from a week in the woods of Northern Michigan. This is a yearly trip
I do with a bunch of guys who have or currently work in the nuclear industry as
I do. It started out years ago as Deer Camp but since I have been going for the
past three years has turned into Beer Camp. So much for the healthful eating for
a week!
I
did ride 4-wheelers the entire week , and except for some minor pain which the
Vicodin took care of I had no problems. Rode over 220 miles on my quad with lots
of ups and downs so for now everything seems OK.
Back
to reality today when I visited the urologist for my 3 week Zometa treatment.
I was also due for my 3 month Lupron injection but believe it or not the office
was actually out of it. So instead I got the Trelstar which is a monthly injection.
I also got the Zometa which went a lot better than last time although the nurse
did poke twice before getting a good injection site. I decided to postpone the
IPT treatments for awhile, personally Im still a believer but couldn't bring myself
to start undergoing chemo until its absolutely necessary.
The
week of Sept 10th Im going to the Cancercenter
of America in Zion, Illinois for a second opinion. Should have done this awhile
ago.
Good
news is my PSA is down to 1.02 today, maybe the week of smoking and drinking was
the ticket I needed! This makes my 4th full month since diagnosis, looking forward
to many more.
This
month found me at the Cancercenter of America in Zion , Illinois where I spent
three days. I met with a variety of experts who re-performed all my scans and
reported nothing had gotten any worse. I went here for a 2nd opinion just to put
my mind at ease.
The
only difference in treatment that they recommended was that instead of the Zometa
being given to me every 3 or 4 weeks they suggested I only get it every 3 months
as the side effects are truly not yet known. I was at my urologist here and told
them this info but they didn't agree. I will bring it up with my oncologist on
my next visit and see what his take on it is.
In
the meantime I continue to watch my diet and take numerous supplements. I have
also just finished another book written by Bill Henderson promoting alternative
treatments. One of the treatments that caught my eye is the Budwig
diet* which can be googled or contact me
for more info.
Keeping
my fingers crossed my PSA will remain low, my urologist switched me from Lupron
to a three month Trelstar shot. I believe it is a cost issue and insurance gig.
Until next month good luck all!
Back
from my monthly doctors to receive my Zometa injection. I finaly had my testosterone
(13) and dihydrotesterone (67) tested after I insisted it be done at my oncologists
office during my last visit. I recently read a book by Dr.
Charles "Snuffy Myers" a 7 year survivor of stage 3 prostate cancer and he
points out the importance of watching these numbers. Apparently the dihydro is
20 times stronger than the testosterone and the number needs to be lowered to
achieve a lower than .05 PSA which he contends anyone on hormone therapy should
try to get under. I will have to do some more studying on these numbers but at
least now I have a baseline.
I'm
back to work also, albeit only 40 hours a week and so far it is ok. Its good to
try to resume a somewhat normal life and not be thinking about cancer all the
time.
I
am not going back until December for any more testing so hopefully I will get
a low PSA number as my Xmas present this year.
Just
back from my urologist visit. PSA was 0.62 ng/ml.Merry Xmas to me. I couldn't
have asked for a better gift.
I
see the oncologist next month but I don't think anything will be different by
then, I will have a full bloodscreen done but I don't forsee any problems with
my PSA still stable.
I
am still taking monthly Zometa, the 3 month Trelstar shot and 50mg of Casodex
daily. I also asked my urologist to add Avodart to my prescription regiment and
he readily agreed. I will begin taking that today.
I
feel great, I'm still eating healthy and although I haven't completely quit the
smoking and drinking I have cut back. I'm also working regularly and continue
to take multiple supplements. I have added Paw Paw to my supplements and will
see how that goes.
For
the time being its as good as it gets and I will take the news from today for
a long time forward!
I
haven't written for a while as my PSA remained steady until around April of '08
when it starting rising. In July I decided to change my treatment and went to
be treated by Dr. Snuffy
Myers, renowned prostate oncologist and himself a stage 3 survivor. He has
written a book that is a good read and can be purchased on Amazon. He has me on
a very intensive regiment of vitamins and a drug called Leukine
which is to increase my white blood counts. I'm also on Ketaconzole, Avodart and
still monthly Lupron shots plus a host of other drugs. I don't have enough run
time yet to know if this is working so I will keep writing and keep the group
posted. Anyone can write me to get my full regimen should they be interested.
I will tell you this treatment is very expensive with the Leukine alone being
US$9,500.00 a month so you better have deep pockets or be fortunate to have good
insurance like I do.
I'm
back from another year of four wheeling in the woods of Northern Michigan. I managed
to ride over 300 miles in the week and didn't break anything, pretty successful
I'd say.
I'm
still on Dr Myer's regimen and while my PSA did get up to 18.0, it dropped back
down to 15.4 this month. He knows I am totally against chemotherapy so we made
a gentlemen's agreement that if he got me below 1.0 I would do a few rounds. This
is a bet I wouldn't mind losing as he is still positive in my treatment. I have
been having some side effects, nausea, light headedness and forgetfulness, especially
with names.
Oh
well, for the most part I'm functional and still working so we will see... Take
care all and good luck .
Chris'
e-mail address is: cfrace@aol.com
NOTE: THE BUDWIG PROTOCOL IS A COMPLEX SERIES
OF TREATMENTS AND DIET DEVELOPED IN GERMANY. THE VERSION OF THE BUDWIG DIET PROMOTED
IN THE USA IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL. THERE IS NO AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
TO SUPPORT THIS DIET.[back].
Chris
F lives in Michigan,USA . He was 45 when he was diagnosed in April 2007. His initial
PSA was 31.0 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 8 and he was staged T4. His choice of
treatment was ADT/Radiation. Here is his story: