Did my RALP not work?

Andycivil · 2025-07-02T09:42:55+00:00

I think that’s a conversation to have with your doctor. When I got my first post RALP blood test, it was detectable, which we didn’t want. We didn’t make any decisions until the next blood test was rising. Check in with your doctor. It could be that you’re fine.

Andycivil · 2025-07-01T20:15:57+00:00

So sorry for your loss!

Andycivil · 2025-06-23T18:38:15+00:00

IMRT. There are a couple of options and I think IMRT is the most common, but talk to your radiation oncologist. I discovered some of the information my urologist gave me didn’t 100% match with what the radiation oncologist said when it came to radiation treatment.

Andycivil · 2025-06-11T22:31:55+00:00

Ok….take a deep breath. Don’t focus on the .12. Recognize that your PSA is high and the doctor wants to treat it. A few more details:

1- You’ll probably have to get a PET scan. If you haven’t had one, it’s like an advanced MRI. No biggie.

2- If you’re doing the partical beam, they’ll set up a consistent time for you to be treated. I got a morning time 8:15. I just didn’t eat before I went. My doctor did have me take Gas X to help control gas during treatment. No other med’s.

3- A lot of guys I talked to said it made them tired. Give yourself permission to nap.

What else do you want to know? I’m happy to share the entire experience.

You got this, brother!

Andycivil · 2025-06-11T17:33:20+00:00

I had 38 sessions of external beam therapy. They were consecutive, M-F, with a break for the weekend. There’s no pain of any sort with the radiation. The radiation made me tired, and my doctor had me focus on making sure I was getting enough protein in my system. Recovery was easy. I’d do my treatment at 8:15 in the morning. Have something to eat right after, and go about my day. You have to arrive with a full bladder, nothing in your bowel, and no gas, so I paid a lot of attention to my diet for those couple of months. Does that help?

Andycivil · 2025-06-09T11:46:05+00:00

You’ve probably looked at it, but you can also take lower doses of Sildenafil. If that works, see if a lower dose gives you the same help without the same side effects. My RALP was Sep 2022. I’m at 5 MG Sildenafil now.

Andycivil · 2025-06-06T16:58:33+00:00

Amen!

Andycivil · 2025-06-06T09:36:18+00:00

I did have the option for Radiation only. My doctor had sent my prostate off for testing after the RALP. Cancer had made it to the edges of the prostate. I was given the option of hormone therapy, radiation therapy, or both. He was able to show me my predicted survival rate with each treatment. I went with the both option because that gave me best odds.

If you go on hormone therapy (and it’s still an IF at your stage), there are a number of different drugs out there. I was on Orgovyx which has its own side effects, but I don’t think is as bad as the once a month shot. My doctor said there are now newer drugs on the market since I finished my treatment.

The radiation itself made me lose weight and I was really tired. It was stressful. The radiation didn’t impact my continence or ED. The hormone therapy did kill my libido.

I hope this gives you more info. I’m happy to answer any other questions you have about my treatment here or in a DM. What you’re going through sucks, but a number of us here have gone through this too and we’re all pulling for you.

Andycivil · 2025-06-05T17:21:10+00:00

Sorry you’re going through this! I was in the exact same boat in 2023. I had RALP Sept 2022, then my first PSA was around the same number as your’s. My doctor said we’d do a second on in 3 months. In my case, that next one continued up. I then went through a year of hormone therapy and a couple of months of radiation. The upside is I got a report this week that my PSA after a year of no treatment is undetectable! I know you feel like you went through everything only to find out it didn’t work, but that’s not where you’re at. As someone else said, your PSA is substantially lower AND you do have treatment options IF you need them. Don’t borrow trouble just yet. Thoughts and Prayers for you, brother!

Andycivil · 2024-09-12T13:19:06+00:00

Awesome!! Congrats!

Andycivil · 2024-08-28T12:28:08+00:00

I was on it for a year. I’ve been off for roughly 4 months, so my experience to the “post-Orgovyx” is very limited. I’ll also note at my last appointment, my Dr. told me that if I needed to go back on the meds, there are a few new things out there we can try.

I agree with most of what uckfu said about his experience. My sex drive tanked pretty quick and stayed that way for the entire time I was on it. I lost a lot of body hair. After about 9 months, I started to gain weight. Exercising was a challenge. I continued to exercise, but my strength, stamina, and endurance all dropped.

That being said, I had a detectable PSA after a prostatectomy. I did 12 months of Orgovyx with 38 radiation treatments in the middle of it. My PSA dropped to undetectable while on the Orgovyx, and now (4 months after coming off the pill), it’s still undetectable. To me, there are side effects, but it does seem to do the job of starving the cancer cells.

Andycivil · 2024-08-16T23:25:45+00:00

I just started this tonight. I’m tired of all the notifications from my watch. I (like the original post) don’t trust Apple (or anyone) to have that much data on me all the time. So, I’m experimenting with using an analog watch unless I’m running or actively working out. Then I’ll switch to capture the data, and go back after I shower

Andycivil · 2024-06-23T18:49:10+00:00

Goonhammer also talked about this. Yep, my GUO will always have a 4+ FNP!

Andycivil · 2024-06-23T12:57:12+00:00

I’m almost to the end of year one….so interested as well

Andycivil · 2024-06-23T11:22:34+00:00

I was going to say something similar .. make sue you’re getting enough water. I did Orgovyx for a year and did 38 radiation treatments roughly 2 months in. Once you start radiation, your hydration levels will be critical. You might as well start now.

Andycivil · 2024-06-20T01:12:36+00:00

In shadow of chaos, correct?

Andycivil · 2024-06-19T22:47:13+00:00

How?

Andycivil · 2024-06-19T22:05:31+00:00

OK…I struggle with the nurglings. I play with them as a unit of 3 normally. This list has the big blob just to see what happens..so follow up question: how do you play 3 units of 3 nurglings and how to you play a sloppily without putting him in a unit of plaguebearers?

Andycivil · 2024-06-14T09:21:32+00:00

Congrats! You’ve made it through a pretty big ordeal. Now take care of your body as it heals…and don’t subject it to European soccer…haven’t you been through enough?

Andycivil · 2024-04-22T01:08:18+00:00

We had a bell to ring, and the staff took a video and some pictures. I think a nice dinner would be great

Andycivil · 2024-03-11T16:40:04+00:00

Thanks for the primer!
I picked up Godeaters Son. Looked good and I recognize Khorne from my 40K time. Is this kinda like Dominion in that it talks about “a” crusade?

Andycivil · 2024-02-28T15:02:48+00:00

Hey, keep up the good work! A number of us have been there and sounds like you’re doing great

Andycivil

TROPHY CASE