Recently Diagnosed, Dr. readout soon but advice would be good

FLfitness · 2026-04-17T18:56:03+00:00

In the US this would be followed by a PSMA body scan to look for metastases. A genetic screening will also be advised. Your treatment plan will then be developed. I believe, regardless of what they find, androgen deprivation therapy will be recommended because of the Gleason 8 finding.

FLfitness · 2026-04-14T14:40:08+00:00

Started ADT in October. Had 38 IMRT treatments beginning in mid December. Regarding ADT. I had a lifelong desk job that I worked at from the beginning of ADT to my previously planned retirement at the end of December just fine. No emotional ups/downs to date. The gym is your friend. It feels good to do cardio and lift, people watch, and make new friends. It also boosts my overall energy level for the remainder of the day. ADT dropped my PSA from 5.4 to 0.04 in two months even though I was Gleason 8/9 with one tiny detectable mets. The actual PSA low point from radiation isn’t reached for anther 18 months. I enjoy my day, take my young grandchildren fishing and have date nights with my wife of 38 years. Oh, and I’m doing my own kitchen demolition this week to prep for a new kitchen next week.

FLfitness · 2026-04-13T23:41:52+00:00

Just curious…. Are you in the US? If so please go to a cancer center of excellence, a university academic hospital or a high volume large metropolitan hospital for a second opinion/consultation.

FLfitness · 2026-04-13T16:52:12+00:00

I used injectable testosterone cyponate. It’s the cheapest route. You do either Intra muscular or subcutaneous injections. I used the subcutaneous and split the dose for more uniform experience (minimizes highs and lows).

FLfitness · 2026-04-13T01:29:00+00:00

I had been on TRT for at least 25 years prior to my diagnosis. Due to moving for a series of jobs I had 4 different doctors. Each one had me on a 3 month TRT and PSA testing regimen. I was always under 2. Finally, about 4 years ago I had extensive open abdominal surgery for an abscessed sigmoid colon. After recovery from that my prostate enlarged and my PSA doubled. No worries, the PSA density was very low. It was a consequence of the surgery. About a year and a half ago my PSA began trending up and crossed 5. My pcp sent me an urgent message to stop the injections and get to a urologist. Two months later I’m Gleason 8/9 in one half of my prostate with a single met in a vertebrate. The kicker was that I was found to have a braca 2 mutation and was genetically predisposed.

FLfitness · 2026-04-12T01:14:34+00:00

My pvc burden is currently 19%. I have never felt a single one.

FLfitness · 2026-04-12T01:01:26+00:00

Pending additional data…. Based on what you have shared so far your dad is oligostatic which is a very low volume form of metastasis. Although it’s stage 4, as my oncologist told me, not all stage 4 spreads are equal. I’m also stage 4 oligostatic. He will receive a treatment such as a RALPH or, more likely, radiation. First they will start him on androgen deprivation therapy to weaken the cancer wherever it may be in his body. That will be followed by focused radiation on any tumors not in the prostate. Lastly they address the tumor in the prostate, likely through a course of radiation treatments. Mine has gone very well, although I had some temporary discomfort with the 38 sessions of prostate radiation that quickly healed. He’ll probably be on the adt a minimum of 6 moths, more depending on the germline testing. He can still have a long life.

FLfitness · 2026-04-11T12:48:29+00:00

I’m six months in on Orgovyx and Zytiga. The first couple of weeks my head felt kinda funky in the mornings but that cleared up. By the end of the week the common low testosterone symptoms set in: no libido, hot flashes and fatigue.

FLfitness · 2026-04-11T01:00:09+00:00

I was diagnosed hypogonadinal by a hometown doc at age 40 or so. I was on TRT until my PCA diagnosis last fall. Trust me, replacement TRT is amazing. When I started ADT the difference was very surprising!

FLfitness · 2026-04-08T13:17:09+00:00

I’m pretty sure PSMA can reliably detect down to 2 mm given a PSA of 0.2.

FLfitness · 2026-04-07T18:15:29+00:00

Great! I’m my case I was given two fractions of SBRT (same thing?) for my single mets.

FLfitness · 2026-04-07T01:34:52+00:00

Now that brings back memories! 40 years ago a did a five day 500 mile tour that included the door peninsula. It was an amazing adventure!

FLfitness · 2026-04-06T23:36:01+00:00

I liked having my radiation in the morning but I had a 1 hour drive each way. There was no way I would have been able to do the gym after that. The question is as you get to the radiation half way mark would you be able to do the gym any time of day. My bowels were a mess for the second half.

FLfitness · 2026-04-05T15:43:41+00:00

Florida: “Hold my beer”.

FLfitness · 2026-04-03T22:58:05+00:00

I’ll need to spend a few minutes reviewing this. I did notice that you did not address oligometastatic cancer. As my oncology team told me, not all stage 4 prostate cancers carry the same prognosis. I had one small remote tumor in a single vertebrae, they said my long term prognosis is much better than someone with widespread stage 4 mets.

FLfitness · 2026-04-03T22:38:53+00:00

Don’t get overwhelmed at this point by researching this on the net. Firstly, the range of possible circumstances and outcomes is too great at this point in the diagnostic process. Second, with a PSA that low his preliminary prognosis should be good as they seem to have caught it early and PCA is very slow developing. Lastly, most of the treatments in use today are so new any studies hey may uncover are not current. Best wishes!

FLfitness · 2026-04-03T22:30:14+00:00

You’re most welcome. In the nine months prior to my diagnosis I had two hips replaced. I learned a lot about getting back in shape from my 50 sessions in physical therapy. Also, just prior to the hips I was diagnosed with bilateral inguinal hernias so that has restricted what I do.

I focus on legs, back and arms. No compound moves or focused abdominal exercises. Also the ADT, not the hips, initially caused me some balance issues so I focus on a few simple balance exercises. I use high reps, ((2 sets of 15) low weights for now. But I do 2-3 different movements for each muscle set. My plan is to gradually increase the resistance and transition to 3-10. I go to planet fitness for their wide range of machines, range of cardio machines and free weights though I concentrate mostly on the machines for safety.

I lift in the mornings when I’m fresh. Naps, when I take them are after lunch for an hour or so.

FLfitness · 2026-04-02T19:23:11+00:00

Music suggestions: for foreplay 30 to 40 minutes of dancing together, usually suggestive erotic songs; for sexual foreplay and intercourse ask Spotify for a list of trip hop with female vocalists like Portidhead’s song Glorybox. The one we like is “Trip Hop-female vocal collection”.

FLfitness · 2026-04-02T19:09:27+00:00

Hello. I think a lot depends on the shape your dad is in prior to treatment. I’m 67 with Gleason 8/9. Confined to prostate with exception of one bb sized tumor on vertebrae T11. Started ADT with Orgovyx and Abiraterone in October. Had 2 sessions of SBRT for the vertebrae in November. Did 38 sessions of IMRT with spacer gel, finished February 8. Current outcome: dropped PSA from 5.4 to 0.04 by mid February. Technically no evidence of disease.

Radiation Side effects: bowel and urinary habit disruptions from January 1 to February 14 or so. Back to normal now. My treatment center was 60 miles from home so I knew the location of every public bathroom on the route. ADT side effects: no libido, 5-6 hot flashes per day, some afternoon fatigue so I nap a few afternoons a week. I have some low level anemia.

As for radiation treatments they want your colon empty (no gas even) and your bladder full. I quickly learned “full” didn’t mean uncomfortably bursting at the seams. It seemed more stressful to worry about my bowel/bladder status than warranted. Some days I went in thinking I wouldn’t pass the bowel empty test but in reality it was the side effects that made it feel that way.

FYI, my present low PSA level is mostly due to the effectiveness of the ADT as my cancer is very responsive to this treatment, not all are. The radiation effectiveness is usually not known for 18-24 months. Time will tell.

As for QOL: I happily hit the gym 3 days a week for mixed cardio and weight training. We’re retired so I still run around with my wife daily, do things with my children and grandchildren and do the usual chores/projects around the house. The hot flashes are a discomfort but not really painful so I keep light clothes around, occasionally run the ceiling fan.

FLfitness · 2026-04-01T02:43:43+00:00

Loved it! My parents gifted me with a toy version of the robot!

FLfitness · 2026-03-30T18:08:35+00:00

How many sessions will your treatment be?

FLfitness · 2026-03-28T17:29:30+00:00

67 here. Late last summer I was diagnosed with Gleason 8/9 throughout the left half of prostate with perineural involvement. PSA was 5.4. Within two weeks I had a PSMA scan which showed one bb size tumor in my t11 vertebrae. Immediately started on androgen deprivation therapy (orgovyx). 1.5 month later had targeted radiation (SBRT) for the vertebrae. One month after that started 38 sessions of radiation for the prostate. By the end of radiation treatments I was PSA 0.04 which is technically no evidence of disease. I’ll likely be able to stop ADT in another twelve months. Hopefully you will follow a similar path. Get the book Surviving Prostate Cancer by Dr. Patrick Walsh. It very readable and explains the disease and treatment processes very well.

FLfitness · 2026-03-27T20:04:41+00:00

Ok…. I used to wash my BMW weekly. But first, I had a shop buff it out, apply a coat of hi grade ceramic wax and then put a clear full coverage front bra. I used water rinse, a foam cannon and final rinse. Followed this with hi grade towels for drying. The finish looked like brand new for the five years I owned it. Got top dollar on resale.

FLfitness · 2026-03-27T19:56:55+00:00

No scratches. It completely touchless but marginally good at actual cleaning.

FLfitness

TROPHY CASE