Hot Flashes "R US"

Entry 49
April 27

Well, I had been cruising along nicely with little or no evidence of side effects from my antiandrogen therapy (hormone therapy) treatment. That changed about a week and a half ago. At first I wasn't sure if this was beginning of the 'thermal chaos' as an article in The New York Times aptly describes a hot flash. One thing for sure, it gets your attention. In my case the hot flashes started showing up about a month after the first Zoladex time release injection.

I would appear to be pretty typical in my reaction to the hot flashes. They are most irritating at night when they interrupt sleep but I have noticed that I am becoming used to that as time goes along.  

Links: Side Effects of ADT and Estrogen Deficiency Acupuncture for the Alleviation of Hot Flashes  Managing the Side Effects of Androgen Deprivation Therapy

Contact: hdstimson @ shaw.ca

|  Before Surgery |  After Surgery  |  Before ADT  |  ADT/Hormone Therapy  |

PC Cancer in the News 2

Omega 3 & Prostate Cancer

High levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in the blood may be associated with an increased risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer. If true, this bit of news is a concern to us because I have been taking a fish oil (Omega 3) supplement for several years and I have advanced prostate cancer. I recently quit the only other supplement I had taken long term, glucosamine-chondroitin, after being warned by a pharmacist that the information on chondroitin included a strong caution for men at high risk for prostate cancer. 

Manitoba's Big Announcement
Apr 14. Manitoba announces construction of the new Cancer Centre of Excellence. Let the fundraising commence.

Cancer Treatment & Sexuality
Many men are unaware of cancer's effect on their sexuality

Recommendations re: Active Surveillance

NCCN tightens active surveillance in prostate cancer guidelines

Biopsy Results Fast

Patient's diagnosis within 3 days of biopsy

Stem Cells : Groundbreaking Insights

A short audio commentary about stem cell research reported at an EAU conference

Men Who Delay
A British study shows that many men are reluctant to reveal symptoms to their GPs

Federal Election on May 2  Jack Layton, Leader of the NDP is facing a dual challenge. He will be on the election trail while still dealing with his prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer is Bad to the Bone

Prostate cancer spreads to bones by overtaking the home of blood stem cells

PC Cancer in the News

On Our Reading List

Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for NonFiction: The Emperor of All Maladies

The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificently written "biography" of cancer--from its origins to the epic battle to cure, control, and conquer it. 

Link:

Cancer Timeline 1950s to now

Contact: hdstimson @ shaw.ca

|  Before Surgery |  After Surgery  |  Before ADT  |  ADT/Hormone Therapy  |

No Free P--N on This Blog

Entry 48

April 13

I just returned from a great bike ride on a beautiful day. It was the first ride of the season and the new bike seat performed admirably. My pal Jim and I rode 20.3 km according to my gps.

Click image above to see how some people got here

 Hmmmm. We've had some strange visitor activity on this blog recently. Since we started the blog in the fall of last year, it has had thousands of hits from around the world, with the majority coming from Canada and the US.  From what we can surmise, most searches that lead here seem to be by people who are looking for an update or links to information related to prostate cancer. In the last month or two, we noticed that some Internet users found this blog by searching for a particular phrase which when we checked it out was the name of a free p - - n site. We think we can reduce visits from those guys by modifying one word in the magnet blog entry of December 23rd, replacing some letters with dashes so that it doesn't keep attracting people seeking p - - n.  

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Update: Our plan worked. It appears we are no longer having visits from people seeking p - - n :)

Contact: hdstimson @ shaw.ca

|  Before Surgery |  After Surgery  |  Before ADT  |  ADT/Hormone Therapy  |

Pain in the @#*

Entry 47
April 6

The change of seasons is causing me to think about my favorite spring activities like cycling, inline skating and paddling.  


One real concern in two of these pursuits is that prostate problems can sometimes result in sitting problems. Although I haven't experienced serious discomfort since the days immediately following prostate surgery, friends have told me how they had to find ways to make sitting more comfortable. One used a rolled up towel, another tried a sock filled with rice that had been chilled in the freezer, and a third modified and disguised a donut cushion. I'll be looking for a lightweight solution that can maximize comfort, if necessary, while on an extended spring canoe trip.

In anticipation of riding my bike, I contacted Morgan at Olympia Cycle for a bike seat solution. Morgan recommended the Serfas Men's Performance Rx saddle which has a deep groove designed to eliminate pressure in soft areas. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'm going to try it out. Morgan says we'll keep looking until we find one that works. Virtually any good bike shop will have seats like these.  I'm also going to invest in a new pair of cycling shorts with the gel padding and gusseted crotch that will protect the area. Fortunately, I don't have lingering incontinence so pads are not an issue for me when I ride.
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The Serfas bike seat worked great.....

Another option, recumbent bikes are often recommended for cyclists who can't tolerate pressure around their "sit bones".  Someone called it "a cushy club chair on wheels".  Sounds like just the thing for a guy with a tender butt.


Links:
Prostate Pressure and Bicycle Seats 
Bicycling Life: Recumbent Bikes

More good links from Hugh
http://www.bicycleseats.org/prostate-relief-exercise.htm
http://bicycleseatreviews.com/what-is-the-best-bicycle-seat-for-prostate-relief/

|  Before Surgery |  After Surgery  |  Before ADT  |  ADT/Hormone Therapy  |