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: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hifu_survivers/join " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hifu_survivers/join
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
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