Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Chat Support – Men & Caregivers Recording, Apr 19, 2021
Editor’s Choice: Lively discussion on mental health brought on by treatment, especially in the Chat. And later on, hot & cold tumors (rd)
Topics Discussed
Recurrence 5 years after RP; recurrence after brachy + IMRT; Provenge; Caregiver discusses depression and anxiety; prostate in teh bladdernech impacts RT choice; 2nd opinion from Dr. Morgans may change treatment; Xgeva dosing; hot vs cold tumors impact immunotherapy; end of chemo in sight; Lu177 PSMA working; cyclophosphamide; HT holiday appears over
Chat Log
Bruce Bocian (Private): 5:04 PM: Wearing my new T-shirt tonight!
Rick Davis (to Bruce Bocian): 5:06 PM: I see …. nice job! Give it a plug …..
Bruce Bocian (Private): 5:06 PM: I did before you came on.
Len Sierra (to Everyone): 5:26 PM: Antonarakis and Denmeade
Jake Hannam (to Organizer(s) Only): 5:29 PM: CT and bone scan will probably be redundant if he can get the PET/CT approved
Pat Martin (to Everyone): 5:42 PM: Good night, all. See you next week
Jeff Marchi (to Everyone): 5:45 PM: no CT or bone scan
Alan Dibble (to Everyone): 5:46 PM: Alan does not wish to ask how everyone deals with the emotional aspect of this disease. He had prostate removed, radiation therapy and now on chemo, plus injections of eligard. (Cancer spread to hips and femur after 1 year after radiation).. He goes through much anxiety and depressions. He is 69 and was diagnosed at 56 years of age. He does not wish to speak. I’m getting involved on his behalf. I’m his wife of 20 years.
Jake Hannam (to Organizer(s) Only): 5:50 PM: Alan may wish to join Speaking Freely
Jake Hannam (to Everyone): 5:56 PM: Venlafaxine is used to treat depression. It may improve your mood and energy level, and may help restore your interest in daily living. Venlafaxine is known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).
Tad (to Everyone): 5:57 PM: venlafaxine = Effexor (er)
John Ivory (to Everyone): 5:57 PM: Many people use the brand name for venlafaxine, which is Effexor XR
Rick Davis (to Everyone): 6:00 PM: Let’s not push venlafaxine – we are not expert enough to do that! We have expertise in PCa – we don’t have expertise in mental health. And we know better how men respond to the PCa drugs.
Tad (to Everyone): 6:07 PM: Ok….. all I meant. isthat I have experience in mental health
John Ivory (to Everyone): 6:08 PM: Are you a physician or a therapist, Tad?
Tad (to Everyone): 6:08 PM: A lifetime of personal experience. Are there physicians here for prostate? I’m just offering help like others are
Rick Davis (to Everyone): 6:09 PM: an SSRI can effect one person well and not another. They may need an SNRI.
Tad (to Everyone): 6:10 PM: yep or maoi……or I had shock treatments, etc etc etc. just like there are generalities for prostate, there are generalities with mental….general places to start. Bipolar type 2 since 1988. Been in psych hospitals many times. Electric shock treatments. Every med there is. Best dr’s in the country. This cancer stuf has been. awalk in the park compared to having. alife with. a major mental illness. Haven’t been back here for over a year. Finally was able to get back here tonight…..but this makes me depressed. So I’ll leave. Have a nice night.
Dennis McGuire (Private): 6:24 PM: Hi Rick, Is Dr. Morgans leaving Northwestern ? Heard the end of that conversation. Thanks
Rick Davis (to Dennis McGuire): 6:24 PM: Yup – early July. She’s going to Dana-Farber.
Dennis McGuire (Private): 6:26 PM: Sorry to hear that. Great hire by Dana-Farber ! She is a Superstar. I remember she has a history with Dana-Farber in her earlier days
Rick Davis (to Everyone): 6:36 PM: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/research/epizyme-s-ezh2-blocker-boosts-immuno-oncology-response-prostate-cancer-models Tazverik
Vincent Wilmot (to Everyone): 6:38 PM: Thanks all. Have to jump off now. Will stay in touch.
Jake Hannam (to Everyone): 6:38 PM: Mark your calendars for what AnCan expects to be a humdinger of a webinar on Thursday, April 29 at 8 pm Eastern. Advisory Board Member and Co-Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at UCSF, Dr. Larry Fong, will answer “Will Immunotherapy Change Your Prostate Cancer Treatment?” . Register at https://bit.ly/3thuPmq to learn how Superman came to visit Larry!
Ken (to Everyone): 6:41 PM: Got to go… pilots telling me turn off electronics
Jake Hannam (to Everyone): 6:42 PM: Sorry. Can’t attach the flier. See our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/answercancer/photos/a.1872701729640708/2908943646016506/
Bill Franklin (to Organizer(s) Only): 6:43 PM: I’ve got to drop guys. Need to help my son finish up a little bit of homework so he can get to bed at a reasonable time. Take care all.
Jake Hannam (to Everyone): 6:58 PM: dexamethasone (1 mg/day in the evening) with cyclophosphamide (50 mg/day in the morning). Zofran
Ted Healy (to Everyone): 7:02 PM: Got to go folks, thank you all!
Support comes in many forms, and here at AnCan, we are so blessed to have Hannah Garrison, a fantastic MS activist, moderator for our MS Virtual Support Group, and artist.
In honor of MS Awareness Month (March) we had a phenomenal time with adaptable art of all skill levels. We used paint and old gift cards to create masterpieces. We even had adorable kids join for a family night!
Feel free to create this art project anytime (no matter what community you belong to) with the video below: (Scroll down for supply list)
Supply list:
1. Acrylic paint
2. paper plate or palette
3. old, empty gift card or old credit card – the paint will ruin it, so make sure they know it can’t be usable
4. napkins – lots!! things will get messy
5. paper – any sturdy paper – cardstock, watercolor paper, acrylic paper
6. brush – optional, for mixing colors on your paper plate/ palette
We will be offering more art related support soon, including an AnCan art gallery. If you’d like more information or have any suggestions, please email me at alexa (at) ancan.org!
For information on our peer-led video chat MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, click here.
To SIGN UP for the Group or any other of our AnCan Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page.
Peter Kafka, our Board Chair and Lead Moderator for several of our video-chat virtual support groups, poignantly reflects this week on the meaning of 7 years living with his prostate cancer. (rd)
One subject that comes up fairly often in our prostate cancer support calls is “fatigue”. Usually in the context of dealing with physical fatigue as a side effect of various treatment drugs. But I am thinking today about a different level of fatigue that affects us mentally and emotionally. We hear a lot about this in regards to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. A year or so into it and people are crying out, “Enough already!”. But I would guess that many of you feel the same sentiment regarding your ongoing experience with a prostate cancer diagnosis.
I have reached my 7-year anniversary since my official diagnosis of prostate cancer. What is it about the number seven? Yes, it has some kind of man-made spiritual significance. The seven colors of the rainbow, the seven days of the week, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and of course the Seven-year Itch. But as I (celebrate?) this seven-year anniversary of dealing with my prostate cancer I hear myself crying out, “Enough Already!”. Fatigue is setting in.
I have done my best to look at this disease from a wide variety of angles. The friendships I have made with many of you. The increased understanding of the dynamics of prostate cancer among an ever-increasing body of men and women. The empowerment of taking on the job of being one’s own best advocate. But in honesty, prostate cancer and all the accompanying side effects of the variety of treatment modalities that I have, and continue to experience, bring on a good deal of mental and emotional fatigue.
I don’t believe that medical science graphs this fatigue factor. We read a lot about “overall survival – OS” or “progression free survival – PFS”. I guess the category of “Quality of Life” might come closest to what I am talking about, but it doesn’t quite capture the essence. I suspect that any of you who have been on this journey for any length of time know what I am talking about. I don’t have an answer, and I am certainly not selling any kind of snake oil for treatment. I know in my heart and mind that this bump in the road will pass and I will move forward. I always do.
On March 3rd, we had the esteemed Dr. Darryl Leong (Cardiologist and Director of the McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences Cardio-Oncology Program) at our Active Surveillance Virtual Support Group.
Dr. Leong, explained to men on active surveillance that his work on men on AS makes sense because many of these men are at greater risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases—such as heart attacks and strokes—than they are to die from prostate cancer. He said there is strong evidence for the benefits of exercise to reduce CVD risk. He said the research on a diet is not as strong because there are few randomized studies. However, there is recent research from MD Anderson that the Mediterranean diet may have some benefits for men on AS. Long warned that many cardiologists are now questioning the long-accepted practice of taking one baby aspirin a day. He also answered questions about cardiovascular disease issues in men with advanced prostate cancer who are taking hormonal therapy.
We want to thank Dr. Leong for answering so many questions!
To view the slides from this presentation, click here.
For information on our peer-led video chat ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE PROSTATE CANCER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, click here.
To SIGN UP for the Group or any other of our AnCan Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page.
Wendy had a great blog post to share from our friends at Cure. Titled “The Cancer ‘Bombshell’: 8 Tips for Devoted Caregivers“. With great practical advice and commentary, we’re sure you will find this incredibly helpful. My caregiver, my mom Lisa, will especially appreciate tip number 8. Hint: it’s about her favorite food.
For information on our peer-led video chat CANCER CAREGIVERS VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, click here.
To SIGN UP for the Group or any other of our AnCan Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page
