Monday, January 16, 2012

Happy New Year…2012

A little late...but better that than not at all...LOL

The New Year has been good to us so far....  Cindy and I met with my new oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre… We both really liked him and his thoughts on where we are headed and plans for the future… Have to like a doc who is willing to plan for a future!!

I had a PSA test done on December 23rd… got the results when we met the oncologist… a little mix up at first (expected when your care is transferred from one doctor to another and then on to a third even without seeing the second...Not sure what happened to the second one!) but the results are good… My PSA levels actually fell slightly… so the Bicalutamide is still working… Great news to get going into the New Year… We discussed what the future probably holds and talked about new medications (not yet available here) and current Clinical Trials… so far I still qualify for a couple of trials...but hopefully we won’t have to worry about those for a little while yet… I will now be getting PSA tests every 2 months...previously it’s been every 3-4 months… The doctor is also willing to do as much as possible without me having to travel to Calgary and back… so testing will be done here, and we will connect through phone calls...if/when my PSA levels warrant further treatment then I will travel to Calgary to meet the doc and discuss the current options.

Hopefully the New Year brings great things to everyone! 

Happiness and Good Health!

Until next time....

Friday, December 09, 2011

Questioning The Benefits of Exercise for Cancer Patients

As promised yesterday… here is the article from David Haas…

*************************************************************
Questioning The Benefits of Exercise for Cancer Patients

Cancer treatments have changed a lot over the decades, and another change is now recommended for all cancer treatment centers. Based off recent studies, cancer specialists have called for physical therapists, trained in creating safe exercise programs for cancer patients, be included in treatment teams. As a result, growing number of personal trainers are receiving certification, and patients are demanding that their doctors and insurance companies make personal fitness part of standard, treatment protocol.

Is Exercise Appropriate During Every Stage of Cancer Treatment?

The simple answer is yes. Every cancer patient should be getting the same amount of exercise suggested for the general public, which is about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobics a week. Of course, some people with cancer are not fit enough to handle this even when well, and some forms of cancer and treatment may leave the patient unable to move around much. This is where a personal trainer can help out the most. Just as they help design and monitor cardiovascular workouts for heart attack patients, a fitness expert can help ensure even severely ill mesothelioma patients receive the benefits of exercise.

What are the Benefits of Aerobic Exercise for Patients?

The primary benefit to be identified for all patients is increased quality of life. Many of the symptoms of cancer, such as weight change, pain, appetite loss and fatigue, can be moderated or relieved through regular exercise. Following a surgery, exercise is recommended for returning proper blood flow to the effected area and speeding recovery. One of the benefits, discovered directly through clinical trials, is that breast and colon cancer patients increased survival rates and reduced recurrence through the use of exercise.

When is the Best Time to Start a Fitness Program?

As numerous studies and recommendations from national cancer organizations have shown, the best time to start an exercise program is before diagnosis. Lack of exercise is a major risk factor for most types of cancer, and being physically fit makes successful treatment far more possible. In other words, whether you have been just diagnosed, are currently in treatment, or are a cancer survivor, the best time to begin moving toward the 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week is now.

Though the primary goal is aerobic exercise, this says little about the type. Type of exercise should be determined by your preferences and the suggestions of a trainer working with the treatment team.

David Haas
*************************************************************

I do believe in exercise...at every stage… of course, it has to be appropriate for each individual.  I exercise every week… sometimes 2 or 3 times a week… sometimes only once...and sometimes only a part of my regular workout.  It all depends on how I am feeling.  Over doing it only makes me feel more tired and makes me less functional for the rest of my day or week… So I adjust to how I’m feeling or what I’m capable of… But regardless, exercise is great for everyone who can do some.

Thanks David for taking the time to write this and allow me to post it here…

Until next time....

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Another Guest Blogger…

Tomorrow I will be posting an article written by David Haas.  David is a cancer patient advocate for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. He writes and researches for the betterment of cancer patients around the United States.

David has written an article commenting on the Benefits of Exercise for Cancer Patients… It is only a short article, but a great read… I hope you come back soon to check it out....

Until next time....

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Latest Happenings…

Well, here we are into November already… A few thing have happened since my last update…

We’ll start with the latest test results… which are over a month old now… just too busy/tired to update....  Anyway, I was tested on October 3rd… and found out on October 21st that my PSA levels have dropped slightly.  They were at 14.6 in March… then down to 11.4… now down to 6.9… It seems the addition of Bicalutamide to my regular treatment of Eligard is still helping!  Great news!  Unfortunately, at the same time I heard the good news about my PSA levels, I heard the bad news that my oncologist is leaving his position at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre to take a position elsewhere.  He has assured me that one of the other 3 oncologists that he works with will be taking over my care.  I have an appointment with the new doc in January of 2012, at which time I will get the results of my next PSA test. 

Also in October, Cindy and I took a long over due vacation… It was fantastic… 11 days on Maui… While we only did a few excursions, we really enjoyed the sunshine and warmth.  The great part is that we came back relaxed and renewed rather than exhausted! 

So far this month, not a lot is happening… The colder weather is not helping my energy levels… I continue to try to get out every day for a walk, although some days it is pretty tough. Also I am trying to get in one or two workouts a week… one seems to be ok… two drains me… but I try to get the second (lighter) one in anyway. Hopefully, once I become more used to the weather, my energy levels will fluctuate less.

Time to prepare for Christmas too… already have some shopping done… I’m looking forward to the holiday season...I always do… Just a BIG kid at heart!!

Until next time…

Friday, August 26, 2011

A “Must Read”….

I follow a blog by a fellow prostate cancer survivor… His name is Dan Zenka and he is the senior vice president of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.  He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April of 2010… His blog can be read at My New York Minute.  He became friends with another gentleman, Rick Davis, going through a lot of the same issues with prostate cancer and the long story made short, he asked Rick to write a posting for the My New York Minute blog.  It is an amazing write up of what I have been wanting to write about for some time… With Rick’s permission, I am posting it below.

*****************

Twenty-eight months of hormone therapy does not sound like much considering the benefits –your life. But nobody tells you how many functions of the male body can go awry without an assist from your macho hormones that turn 120 pound weaklings into Charles Atlas and Plain John into Casanova.

Three months find you fanning your brow as you swelter in mid-winter. At six months you could be wondering how you might have failed to notice Julia Roberts pass under your nose.  And yes, you are always hungry – not for healthy victuals but the carbs, ice cream, and chocolate your wife and friends crave. It’s quite possible to add a quick 20 lbs while not being able to find the motivation to hit the gym… not to mention the strength or endurance once you get your sorry butt there.

By nine months you are cursing this slow drip chemo. ‘Lupron Brain’ lowers you into the constant fog of a San Francisco July; it’s hard to concentrate for more than 120 seconds since you lose track of the first sixty. The wretched combination of fatigue, depression and anemia, the same three musketeers that duel with brain cells in chemotherapy patients, all result from a lack of testosterone.  Surprisingly and contrary to expectations, a fuller mane above is covertly offset by loss of cover elsewhere on our pre-pubescent body.

Yet, so many well-meaning folks tell you look so healthy, producing emotional twinges of guilt for feeling as crappy as you do.

After 12 months, we know the systems are all awry; the liver may be inflamed, cholesterol rockets, the heart beats to its own testosterone-less drum; and one task per day can lay us flat. Our medical gurus never mentioned all the issues we might well have noted by carefully perusing the pharmaceutical disclaimer.

It’s fair to say, every man reacts differently to hormone therapy. Few hit the jackpot of every side effect with a 5% or less incidence. My bogeymen were liver and anemia; Dan’s his arrhythmic heart, fatigue and momentary brain fogs. In the worst cases, some poor souls who have never received a visit from what I call the emotional ‘black dog’ spiral further into depression. For many men the simplest and safest antidote is daily exercise – perhaps the subject of a future post.

Hormone therapy, like chemotherapy, is systemic. Contrary to many chemo treatments it does not assault the system; it creeps up like too many birthdays. Men facing just 4-8 months of adjuvant therapy in combination with radiation are frequently off the ‘juice’ before much more than the sweats. Those facing longer treatments find an exponential deterioration in their quality of life beyond 12 months. Several doctors have disclosed, NOT upfront mind you, that some men cannot endure more than 12 months before coming off the LHRH (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone) drugs.

Intermittent therapy, going on and off hormone therapy, balances Quality of Life factors with controlling the prostate cancer; but this is more in line with recurrent disease. It must be managed for a lifetime stretching the period hormone therapy is still effective. For men receiving neo-adjuvant or adjuvant hormone therapy in the hope of finding the elusive C-word grail – CURE, different studies suggest continuous therapy for 18-36 months. In line with Dan’s recent post, there is a developing school of thought that the LHRH drugs do the bulk of their work in the first 12 months; thereafter the benefits are marginal and easily outweighed by QoL and medical co-morbidities.

Either way, those of us who have lasted the longer course as well as several enlightened practitioners, are in agreement that treating doctors do a poor job preparing men for their rough ride along the hormone therapy journey. Over the past 18 months I have provided a catalytic function to produce a comprehensive UCSF ‘Your Health Matters’ pamphlet for men considering hormone therapy, long or short. While still in draft, I am happy to share with any of you that follow this blog. And for those of you well along the Lupron highway – keep the faith …. onwards & upwards!

–Rick Davis

You can contact Rick at “medafit@gmail.com” .

*****************

Rick is currently (in his words) “trying to identify a connection to a national health club chain to initiate an exercise program for folks living with serious and chronic illness; we have set up a couple of successful pilots here in the bay area.  I have many of the other building blocks in place and hope to get something up and running asap.”

I’ll comment on some of Ricks thoughts in an upcoming post… but for now, he has told it like it REALLY is… at least for a lot of us!

Until next time....