HIFU

Hi PeterWen,

Hope you are doing fine. 

I hapened to be in Munich last week for busines purposes and did not have the time to the the important things.

Money is not an issue at all, a good part is being covered by insurance and I could fund the whole thing, so my concern is which is the best.

Were you treated by Ablatherm or SB-500?

I wish you a quick and full recovery.

Moni

On 10/24/2007 MoniStar wrote:

Hi PeterWen,

Hope you are doing fine. 

I hapened to be in Munich last week for busines purposes and did not have the time to the the important things.

Money is not an issue at all, a good part is being covered by insurance and I could fund the whole thing, so my concern is which is the best.

Were you treated by Ablatherm or SB-500?

I wish you a quick and full recovery.

Moni

I had the Ablatherm which is what they use pretty much everywhere except in some areas around the USA.  So far everything is going fine, but I won't have my first psa test for another 2 weeks.

Petewen

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I wish you get the good result we all are looking for.

I spoke with several people who took this procedure, they were all happy and "clean". 

I have a scheduled procedure in Toronto with Dr. Barkin. He made around 200 procedures, hence I feel confidence with his experience. The one in Isarel made so far 20 procedures only. They are now trying to bring in Dr. Emberton from teh UK to cure our Prime Minister and at the same time have him perform additional number of procedures. If they manage to have him come in, I will opt this option.

 All the best,

Moni

So you are going to the maplelead clinic in toronto?  Great choice.  I'm sure you'll be pleased.  Ask them about the advisability of having a TURP done BEFORE you go there for the HiFu, since it will greatly improve your recovery 

Pete W.

Hi Peter,

I am going to this clinic: http://www.can-amhifu.com/index.php they are using HIFU too, however using a diferent technology. Their technology is teh Sonablath 500. My feeling is that this equipment has lots of advantages, hence better results than the ablatherm used in mappleleaf.

As for TRUP I will not need is since the size is small = 20 cc "obly".

 BTW, it is just a coincidence that our prime minister was diagnosed for having the same PC in intial stage, so there is a lot of commotion over here in Israel re: PC. Hope the local guys will be able to use it in order to promote the HIFU treatment.

Thansk for your support,

 Moni

On 10/6/2007 Petermurph wrote:

With his age and stats. he should look into the FDA clinical trial on HIFU. They are looking for low risk guys like him for the study. No cost to him!

I came back from Munich 6 mos.ago I had hifu treatment with Prof. Chaussy and Dr. Thuroff. My last two PSA results have been 0.1 They use the Ablatherm machine. They do a TURP prior to the HIFU. They use different frequencies and duration of pulses than some other treatment centers. You are in a hospital for several days. You walk out without a cath. I mention this because in my mind "HIFU IS NOT HIFU" It matters who, what, when and where you get the peocedure performed. Recovery has not been without its obsticals, but so far I would do it again. Do your homework, get armed with all the informatiuon you can. Check out all treatment options, get second and third opinions on your condition and options from the 'experts'. You will find a path to a cure.

Had I not gone to Germany I would have gone to Japan. I spoke with a Doctor who gives similar treatment as I received in Germany, He practices in a hospital outside Tokyo but I forget his name.

"Cancer is a word, not a sentence"

murph

 

On 10/9/2007 Joe Anne wrote:

My husband had HIFU 2 months ago and so far so good.  Everything is working fine.  He is having some minor problem but nothing to be concerned about at this point.  We went to Mexico and his Dr. uses Sonoblate.   I do not know anything about Canada or the  Ablatherm device .   The only negative thing I can say is we were told that the day after the procedure, other than the catheter, “You would not know that you had anything done.”  Your recovery time is not like having surgery, that for sure, but it done take a few days to get your strength back.    We have talked to several gentlemen that have had HIFU and they all agree with this.  But there are no regrets he is glad he went this route.  His doctor  is Dr. Ronald Wheeler in Sarasota Florida and I highly recommend him.   

here's my hifu/dr wheeler story:

I'm 55years old,married, diagnosed with a 3+3 Gleason and 6.1 psa in

1998. Watchful waited til 2000 then began more active surveilance with

intermittent hormone therapy--casodex and later casodex

+tamoxofin.--and guided by Dr Wheeler and his chronic disease

management protocol. This continued til April/May 2006. I was then

treated(HIFU) by Drs Wheeler and Suarez in PV Mexico in July 2006.

After the procedure and hours later while back in my hotel with my

wife,the suprapubic cathetar had somehow become dislodged during the

night and I went into urinary retention. I had to be rushed to the ER

to re-insert the cathetar; this time a Foley.This cathetar stayed in

for about 6 weeks.



In November 2006, 90 day post procedure PSA was 0.7, all seemed to be

going well; obviously, no erections but hope prevailed. In January

2007, after several trips to the ER for bladder retention, I underwent

a laser surgical procedure to relieve the strictures by another

urologist, though not schooled with HIFU. Then in March/April 2007 PSA

began to rise again. Dr Wheeler performed a MRIS and determined

cancerous cells remained in the apex of the prostate; however,capsule

and neurovascular bundles intact. We returned to PV in July 2007 to

repeat the HIFU, and months later PSA continue to rise. In November

2007 another MRIS, and this time also a PETSCAN, both essentially

unremarkable.



Prior to HIFU I was completely POTENT with little to no urinary

symptoms. Prior to HIFU I occasionally took 100mg of viagra for that

extra assurance. Since HIFU, I take all 3 of the ED meds, exercise

with VED, and ran the course of bimix, trimx, quadmix penile

injections, with little success, and many issues, ie, penile damage

from the injections and my internist telling me stories of reported

vision loss from normal dose ED meds, and no data yet for guys taking

such high doses.



I remain hopeful, despite 2 other medical doctors, with no dog in this

fight, telling me my nerves were irreparablly fried during both HIFUs.



Today, my last PSA was 6.3 and though low in number, significant that

it is rising again. I'm back on casodex+tamoxofin, impotent and

leaking urine.On the one hand,Dr Wheeler assures me potency will

return. On the other hand, Dr Wheeler also assured me 2 years ago HIFU

would CURE my cancer without potency and urinary complications. I'm

not at all happy with my HIFU results. For me HIFU has been a life

altering disaster. However, I'm not prepared to condemn the technology

because of my bad result.

new hifu support group: 

HIFU group member stat summary:



When was your initial diagnosis? 1998

What was your PSA going in? going in to 1st HIFU 1.1

What was your Gleeson going in? 3+3 =6

Any other treatments? intermittent hormonal casodex+tamoxofin

How much did it cost you (USD) (my initial treatment was 20K and the

2nd treatment 10K)

Did they use the Sonoblate? yes

Do you know/have any idea how long the probe was in (and/or other

data)? no idea