2010

February 14

I’m due for another PSA test next month. My visits to my primary care physician to get blood work feel like a Russian Roulette exercise. About a week before the test, I start spinning up. My quandary is “What’s the point?”. If my PSA rises above accepted levels, what are my options? My understanding of the state of the art now is the first line of defense is Lupron, until the bone cancer sets in. Then it’s radiation to “relieve” bone cancer pain, and then onto whatever the miracle drug it is that extends life 2-3 months. Given my problems with Lupron, it seems I might as well just wait until I feel the bone cancer pain and stop this PSA testing nightmare.

In an email to my Jacksonville urologist I explain this. In a reply he convinces me that Casodex is a good substitute for Lupron, and I may not have as serious a reaction. Under those circumstances, tracking PSA would provide a very valuable early warning to start on Casodex. I decide to continue with the PSA testing.

March 15

My latest PSA comes in at 2.3. Not bad. We can keep doing this for a long time.

July 15

Got the results of my latest PSA test. The value of 3.3 scares the daylights out of me. The Jacksonville urologist calms me down and says this kind of burst is fairly common and temporary. We just need to wait for the next PSA test.