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Wednesday 20 July 2022

A further health update

Yesterday, which was the hottest day in the UK since records began, saw me visiting my local GP surgery and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

My appointment at the GP surgery was at 9.10am, and I saw one of the practice nurses. She administered an injection of Zoladex LA into my stomach area. Zoladex (which is also known by the generic name Goserelin) is a palliative treatment of advanced carcinoma of the prostate, and the twelve-weekly 10.8mg dose is intended to reduce the amount of testosterone that I produce, slowing or stopping the growth of my cancer.

I had time to pop home for a cooling drink before I had to go to my 11.15am appointment in the hospital’s Oncology Department. This was a follow up to my previous appointment and was so that I could be given an eight-week course of Erleada. Erleada (which has the generic name Apalutamide) is a nonsteroidal antiandrogen (NSAA) medication which is used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Like Zoladex, Erleada repressesses the procution of testosterone, and this combination of drugs should stop my cancer growing prior to treatment to ‘kill’ it using radiotherapy.

I have been told that I am very likely to suffer from one or more side effects, including fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, high blood pressure, rash, falls, bone fractures if I do fall over, and an underactive thyroid. Any of these side effects will be unpleasant, but if this course of treatment helps me to win my battle with prostate cancer, it will have been worth it. After all, suffering is said to be good for the soul ... and my soul could probably benefit from some improvement!

26 comments:

  1. You have to play the long game Bob, with the suffering should it come, being worth it in the end. 'Luckily' for me surgery was the only real option due to the spread of the cancer either side of the prostate. There are downsides to this but they are minor in comparison to still being cancer free 4 years down the line. Fingers crossed everything goes as planned.

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    Replies
    1. Steve J.,

      Cheers! The stories of people like you who have survived this sort of cancer helps me to keep the whole thing in perspective. Oh, for a quick, wonder cure … but in the absence of one, I’m prepared for the long haul fight ahead of me. Luckily, my wife keeps me firmly grounded (she keeps reminding me that the survival rate for prostate cancer is extremely good), I have lots of support from my friends and acquaintances, and - thanks to my mother - I’ve learned to treat life as a bad joke. She always told me that it was better to die laughing than crying … and that is what I intend to do. It’s not always easy to see the funny side of serious things … but if you look hard enough, it’s there.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  2. All the best for the next few months Bob - you have made relatively light of the situation but its a big battle you have on your hands - hopefully the little "c" in your prostate has been identified early enough for you to give it a bloody good hiding!

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    1. Rross,

      Cheers! I’m trying to realistic about things and - as my wife is always reminding me - that I should only worry about things that I can deal with and not to worry about things that I cannot. My cancer treatment is in excellent hands (thank God for the NHS!) and I know that if I follow the advice they give me, my chances are better than if I ignore them.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  3. Hope things improve with this new treatment - fingers crossed for you . Tony

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    1. The Good Soldier Svjek (Tony),

      Cheers! I’ve started my new course of treatment today and so far everything seems to be fine.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  4. Hi Bob...Well the treatment certainly sounds rough and I feel for you. However as everyone says and I can see you realise too, the end result looks very promising indeed. Everything has a cost and that price just has to be paid. Sunny days are on the horizon my friend. Regards.

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    1. Tony Adams,

      To tell the truth, the injections and having to take tablets every day isn’t too onerous, although visiting the hospital is. Finding a parking spot can be difficult, and the Oncology Department is about as far from the hospital’s main entrance as it could possibly be.

      I am expecting to suffer from some side effects, but as I wrote in my blog post, it’s a small price to pay to get better.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  5. Best wishes Bob, hope any side-effects are very mild at worse

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    1. Maudlin Jack Tar,

      Cheers! I’m also hoping that the side effects aren’t too bad!

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  6. BOB,
    All the very best with your health and the treatment success. It all sounds rather rough going- I do not know how I'd cope. Glad to hear that you are positive about it all and looking on the bright side of things. Stay well there my Friend. Cheers. KEV.

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    1. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      It could be far worse, and I am grateful to the excellent medical team who are helping me get through this. They haven’t sugared the pill so to speak, and are very honest about what I can expect to happen during my treatment. I know that some people prefer not to know, but I do … even if the news isn’t necessarily what I hoped to hear.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  7. I'm hoping for minimal side effects and maximum results. Best of luck!

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    1. Mark Cordone,

      You and me both! As long as can do something wargame-related, I hope that I’ll be able to cope with any side effects.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  8. I'll add to the hope you have minimal side effects - they can make a big difference to the quality of life. Sez I typing this without glasses because the steroids for my kidneys gave me cataracts (I always want to say cataphracts!) so I now have 2 'new' (and far better) eyes! I also keep forgetting to take my tablets...

    All the best, hope everything works out.

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    1. Rob Young,

      Cheers! As long as the side effects don’t stop me being able to do some sort of wargame-related activity, I hope I’ll be able to cope,

      Isn’t if funny how we can develop mental ‘ticks’ like wanting to say cataphracts instead of cataracts. In my case, it’s trying to avoid saying prostrate when I mean to say prostate!

      All the best,

      Bob

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  9. Sounds like you have a lot on your plate, but it also sounds like you are getting the right support to help you through it. Your wife sounds a treasure.
    Thanks for sharing your journey. It helps to dispel ignorance.
    Cheers,
    Chris

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    Replies
    1. Nundanket (Chris),

      In many ways I have been extremely lucky. The medical staff have all been excellent, and procedures, processes, and treatments have all been expedited. In addition, my wife has been supportive in ways that only a wife can be, offering everything from sympathy when necessary to a verbal kick up the backside when circumstances require it!

      It is said that knowledge is power. If this is true, than I hope that by sharing my experience, I am empowering other people.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  10. Replies
    1. Jon S,

      Cheers! Thanks for your kind words.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  11. In the words of Winston, "Keep buggering on" there is much work for your wargaming hands to be done ;) Looking forward to see some shoulder to shoulder Napoleonic Warlord Epics march across the Portable Wargame table.

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    1. Geordie an Exiled FoG,

      Too right! I’ve too many projects to work on to worry too much about my medical condition. When I get better it will be down to the wonderful medical team who are looking after me as well as my wife’s ministrations

      I’ve been looking at the cost of the Warlord Epic figures, and until they start selling individual sprues, I’ll be giving them a miss for the time being.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  12. Hope it's all going well Bob... the side effects are a bugger but I guess they're a sign the meds are doing their job

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    1. Alastair,

      Cheers! So far, the side effects have been minimal, and I’ve had no problem coping with them … and as you point out, they are a sign that the drugs are working.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete

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