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Testosterone after PC treatment for men with Low T?
I have been hypo-gonadal for years... with testosterone levels below 200. I got diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (Age 49, T2c - Gleason 6 - 3 of 12 cores positive-one core 40-50% of sample, others at 5% and 10%) because my PSA was rising fast while on Androgel testosterone... which led to biopsy, which led to diagnosis.
I have been going back and forth between getting surgery or Proton Beam Radiation. My urologist (Surgeon Dr. Chris Kane, UCSD Medical Center) said I can go back on Androgel 6 months after surgery if pathology report shows that cancer has not gotten past the capsule.
However, I would much prefer to get the new pencil-beam Proton therapy at the brand new Scripps Proton Center with Dr. Carl Rossi, formerly of Loma Linda Medical Center.
Are there any Low T guys out there that have had Proton Therapy? Was anyone allowed to go back on testosterone? My quality of life is in the dumps at 49 because I have the testosterone level of a 90 year old (No energy, no sex drive, no recovery from exercise, etc.) while I try to teach 200 high school kids a day.
Thank you very much for helping out a total stranger who needs help.
Re: Testosterone after PC treatment for men with Low T?
Bioguy,
I was faced with the same problem. I was hypo-gonadal before I made my treatment choice. I chose ADT3 from Dr.Lebowitz in LA. After 13months of treatment I had a targeted biopsy that found NO cancer. I was offered T replacement and all the hypo-gonadal symptoms are gone. T replacement has gotten a bad rap. If T caused PC why don't 18 year old's get it. And what about the patient that is not hypo-gonadal before treatment and his T recovers to mid normal. What's the difference between that and raising yours to mid level with replacement T. A great book that covers this is "The new Testosterone Treatment" by Dr. Edward Friedman.
Keep in mind that most primary treatments affect sexual function and not in a good way. Also, if your cancer comes back you can still choose a primary treatment or another round of ADT3.
Re: Testosterone after PC treatment for men with Low T?
Bioguy,
I finished my proton therapy over two ago. Because I had a Gleason 8 tumor, they added 6 months of hormone therapy-post proton. While my PSA now remains low, my T-level never really recovered. While proton therapy virtually eliminated side effects, now I find my post hormonal T-levels expose me to health exposures as well as low libido. Sure, I'm 71 but I'd still like a few good years more. I have talked to my proton docs and they strongly discourage T-replacement, probably because (unlike surgery) with any form of radiation, there is no way of knowing if all of the PCa was eliminated from the prostate. I think if my 30 month post therapy numbers continue to look good, I will look around see if I can find someone who can prescribe a T-replacement therapy while closely monitoring a possible reoccurrence of PCa. I think I'll bring up this topic at my next UsToo meeting. I strongly suspect my sanity will be questioned.
Re: Testosterone after PC treatment for men with Low T?
Joe,
Good post. An interesting question to your Doc's. If my T would have recovered to mid normal would you have been OK with that level of T in my body? BTW many men do have their T recover with only 6 months of hormone treatment.
