More Side Effects of Aging

It’s not fair and it never ends, but I haven’t found a reasonable alternative...yet

I’m only half joking when I tell friends and family that life has several clearly identifiable stages.

          Stage one – You live and slow down gracefully from birth to age 60.

          Stage two – You age as much between 60 and 70 as you did from zero to 60.

          Stage three – The jury is still out.

It’s the truth. At a youthful 60 I could still run ultra marathons, work 16 hour days, and keep up with the grandkids. Not so at an ancient 70. Between the medical side effects from my prostate cancer meds and the inevitable side effects of physical aging the changes are clearly evident to me (and probably everybody else, too).

Slowing down, taking it easy, and enjoying life really sounds good—actually doing it has been a lot more difficult that it sounds. I’m working on it. But there are so many things needing to be done and watching somebody else doing them (instead of me) just doesn’t feel right. Being a useless old man is not something on my Bucket List. My wife nods and smiles whenever I say it, however.

Stay tuned—I’ll chart my progress, or lack thereof, toward the good if not the useful life. But now it’s time to take my pills and then my nap.

axman

Weather or Not, That is the Question

La Nina, El Nino, Global Warming, Climate Change, and infernal rain

As a wee child I remember being amused when all the old folks sat around and cursed the weather (too wet, too hot, too dry, too windy, or too something else). The physical complaint of the day was rheumatism. Now I find myself doing the same thing, and worse yet my mental and physical health seem to wax and wane according to the temperature and precipitation. Rheumatism is no longer at the top of the list, but the process hasn’t changed. I have become my parents and grandparents. I’m not sure this is all bad but, like many people I know, I didn’t think it would ever happen to me.

I am sure that weather and climate don’t have all that much to do with my health and happiness but sometimes it sure seems that way. Once the weather changes I’ll be one of those complaining about 90 degree days, sunburn, and heatstroke (probably). Maybe I need to stay busier or get more creative or just get a life.

You’ve probably seen the research that points out how people are more depressed in the winter and drink more alcohol where the winter is longer. People generally live longer in warmer climates (I think diet and lifestyle may factor in there, too) and sunshine helps create Vitamin D3 that is supposedly good for all of us (what’s good or not good for us seems to change on a regular basis so don’t count too heavily on D3 forever). I can remember when large amounts selenium, iron, and vitamin C were also supposed to be good for you. And chocolate and coffee and wine were bad. We can all count on change.

So I’ll try to ignore the weather (pretend like it's warm and sunny), eat what seems to be good for me (or what I really like), and carry on as if the universe was unfolding as it should.

 axman

OMG—something to make Me Feel even Older

And I’ve even got old kids to prove it

My oldest son turns 48 this week. That’s good. He’s healthy, successful, and still keeps in touch with his elderly parents. All five kids are over 40 and then there are five teen-aged grandkids (and one mere babe). All this is good.

When I turned 70 I did a quick inventory of my aches and pains (there were more than a few) and determined that, in fact, I was getting older and more decrepit. But in my mind I was still 30. As the kids get older and older it’s hard to claim 30 or 40 or 50 or even 60.

I feel my true age more days in a week or a month than I used to. I have more side effects from those ever-increasing prescription strengths. I’m still alive, so all this is good, too.

Bottom line‑‑I guess I’ll have to come to terms with being young at heart, ancient of body, and the elder in my family (not as prestigious as in past generations). And I’m getting used to all those gray-haired kids of mine (at least in those who have hair).

axman

If More is Better…

...then I should be more better

About a month ago I discovered that my PSA had doubled since January. It also doubled between October and January. So that resulted in yet another increase in my main meds (bicalutamide). I have gone from a daily dose of 50mg in September to 100mg in January to 150mg in April.

It’s not hard to swallow them—the pills are very small—so that’s not a problem. There is the cost factor and my razor sharp math skills have led me to the conclusion that the cost of three-a-day is triple that of one-a-day (you see, I passed 9^th grade math).

So far it appears that there is no increase in obvious side effects like green spots on my skin, appendages falling off, or decreased brain function (it’s already at an all time low). But there is one little thing that stands out; I seem to need more sleep and rest. I’m not sure that fatigue is even on the list of 437 contraindications (possible side effects) printed out on the paperwork that accompanies my prescription.

As for me, however, whatever the actual reason (age, mental breakdown, physical collapse, the heartbreak of psoriasis, or climate change) I get tired sooner, need a nap oftener, and just doing my normal daily chores (as assigned by my wife) brings on heavy breathing (not the good kind).

What’s next? Pretty soon I’ll just stay asleep 24/7 and avoid all that interfering social stuff that now goes on every day between naps.

axman

Beware of Omega-3 fatty acids–Are They now Your Enemy?

...but just a few months ago they were considered OK, even better than OK...

If you’re a man who has prostate cancer, by now you’ve seen the articles‑they’re everywhere‑pointing out the results found at the  Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Men with faster growing prostate cancer are more likely to have it get even more aggressive if they eat a lot of fatty fish or omega-3 fatty acids. Those with the highest levels of DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) were two and a half times more likely to have high-grade prostate cancer. This is exactly the opposite of what was expected. Common sense be damned, again.

The results are based on an old clinical trial – the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial that started way back in the 1990s. I was one of more than 18.000 men in that trial (it turned out I was in the placebo - sugar pill - group) which was actually stopped early. Now, 15 years after it all started another strange result. While omega-3 fatty acids are still considered to be good for your heart; it seems they can be deadly to your prostate cancer.

In another twist, it seems that trans-fatty acids (bad, bad for your heart) cut your risk. Men with high levels of trans-fats in their blood were 50 percent less likely to have high-grade prostate cancer. The study doesn’t mention how much their heart attack or stroke risk is increased.

So, I guess I’ll go eat some French Fries and slow down my prostate cancer. I wonder when they’ll publish research telling me that wine and beer will make my cancer worse? I may have to quit reading.

axman

Burn Baby, Burn!

...or, cleaning up the mess

For much of the past week we have been burning large piles of brush, junk, limbs, and other debris. Over the long, long winter the wind and rain managed to knock down hundreds of limbs around the farm. Most of the pieces were small but some limbs were the size of small trees.

There seems to be something therapeutic about building and tending a fire‑maybe it’s a faint connection to our prehistoric DNA or something. It’s hard work cutting, dragging, and piling the pieces, but once the fire gets crackling its almost hypnotic and energizing. The heat can get intense but I don’t mind (of course the cold weather makes the heat feel better, too). The only trouble with using a fire to keep warm is that one side of you is always cold.

Others have told me the same thing‑a big fire has some kind of power to keep us mere humans hanging around feeding it. From time to time a hot ember lands someplace where there is a bit of bare skin but no permanent damage is done. The little burn holes in my sweatshirt and jeans don’t heal so easily.

So when I need to get away from my normal rat race, a good roaring fire is just the thing!!

axman

Thinking – a Mere Artifact of the Past?

No, I’m not specifically referring to my senility and overall mental decline – that’s bad enough, of course.

I would like to think I’m a thinker; wouldn’t we all. After 70 years of hanging around the planet I should have developed some skills of observation, calculation, and evaluation. I never got rich and I have some health problems, but there’s still that hope of making up my own mind – such as it is.

But when I take a close look at areas in my life it seems that thinking is discouraged rather than encouraged. Maybe I'm just terminally cynical, but... for example...

·       Every day somebody on TV or on the radio or even a Facebook ‘friend’ is telling me what to think politically. No facts are presented to help me make up my own mind. Mostly the communication consists of less-than-half-truths, clichés, and flat out lies. “Don’t think, just agree – and of course vote MY way.

·       Advertisers (name your media) do much the same. “Buy our product because this is a cute, but flawed, commercial.” Don’t think, just buy MY product.

·       Religion? People knocking at my door with brochures? Hate mongering? Not many facts to hang a decision on here. Don’t think, just believe MY way (or else) – and of course send money.

·       Now I don’t expect any of this to get any better and the whole conversation is a bit exhausting. So, I think I’ll have a glass of wine. You see, there IS still room for thinking!

axman

Why Doesn’t My PSA ever go Down?

Don’t I wish…

Every couple of weeks I put something on my blog that relates a lot or a little to my prostate cancer. It’s easier to write about other people and other issues. After my visit to the oncologist last week, I guess it’s time to focus on me again.

After nearly eight years, my prostate cancer is pretty well under control; managed but not cured. It’s still there but seems to be pretty quiet. But my low PSA doubled from September to December and again from December to March. That hadn’t happened in more than three years – since I started taking low dose hormones. My prescription was doubled in December and increased again just last week.

Most guys with incurable prostate cancer know that sooner or later, whatever treatments and meds they’ve had, their cancer will find a way to grow anyway and their PSA will increase – and increase. There are several levels of medications and I’m still at (almost) the lowest hormone treatment level. There is an inevitable progression once prostate cancer isn’t cured by first level treatments.

Progression is slow, no need to worry, no need to make any new decisions just now, but there will be a time when I’ll go to another level of treatment – maybe instead of pills, it’ll be delivered by injection or IV. Maybe there will be new medications to try or new and promising clinical trials. I’m not holding my breath waiting for a cure just now.

I’ll take my increased meds (hopefully my prescription plan will still pay) and wait and see. There really aren’t any changes in diet or exercise or lifestyle that might make a difference – I’ve tried to do all the right things already.

axman

When I’m NOT the Only Sick One

It’s easy to get hung up on your own problems, until …..

For several years now I’ve been writing little blurbs every few weeks about me. That’s what this blog was set up to do – focus on prostate cancer, what’s happening in the research field, but mostly how I cope (or don’t), what worries me, how my prostate cancer is progressing, what hurts, what doesn’t work any more, and on and on.

A couple of weeks ago my wife Carol started to cough a lot and feel weak. After a couple of days I convinced her to see a doctor in Arizona near where we were staying. Diagnosis - bronchitis and sinusitis; here’s a bunch of medicine. Should start to get better in a few of days. Five days later she felt worse. In addition to weakness and coughing she now had earaches and headaches. Back to the doctor. Ear infection, antibiotics, pain pills, and keep taking all the other meds, too. Then came the fever – higher at night, lower in the daytime. Finally when we got to Boise, now with an added fever, she ended up in Emergency for an IV of fluids to combat dehydration.

To complicate matters, we were in the process (slowly) of heading home from Arizona to Oregon by way of Las Vegas and Boise. We stopped often and Carol sleeps a lot on the way. Bertha (our big red truck) has reclining seats and a pretty smooth ride. I have come to realize just how much I depend on Carol to tell me where something is in the suitcase, where we turn off the freeway to get to the next Starbucks, or where the motel reservation printout is.

Friends have told us they had a similar set of symptoms and it took three or four weeks before they were back to normal. That’s a long time. She doesn’t complain except that she’s annoyed she can’t walk without feeling weak and dizzy and that she nods off in the middle of a conversation or watching a TV show.

Home in Oregon and its back to the doctor (three different locations – three doctors). I wish I could do more to help. Other than being there and doing what she needs at the moment, I feel pretty worthless. But we’ll both feel better in a week or two – for sure!

axman

The Cold, Cold Facts

What’s new in Prostate Cancer Treatment?

Every year or so I take another look at what’s happening (or not happening) in the prostate cancer wars. The answer (from my standpoint) in a nutshell is: not too much.

For eight years now I’ve been waiting for the next big breakthrough in prostate cancer treatment. All the ‘miracle’ cures I’ve been able to track down have proved to be less than advertised, anecdotal, unsupported, or downright fraudulent. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been improvements, new approaches, and new and better drugs (for example, keeping me alive 2.5 months longer is a step in the right direction but NOT a miracle cure in my estimation).

Genetics

Advances in the study of genetic inheritance may help in future prevention – I’m sure it will help my grandkids and their grandkids. This is a long, long term project.

Diagnosis

The PSA test is imperfect, new urine tests are being tested, biopsies in color are being developed to find cancers that don’t show up in black and white - and the controversy over testing or not testing rages on. It still seems that being diagnosed early is a good idea but there can also be a misdiagnosis and needless treatment. I am glad I was diagnosed when I was.

Vitamins

There IS such a thing as too much of a good thing. Vitamins that can help can also harm if taken in very large quantities. Diet and exercise and vitamins are good. But they aren’t a silver bullet.

Treatments

As time goes by, surgery, radiation, and other procedures become refined and more precise and do less damage to other organs and functions. This is a slow process but a good one for the men who will have these treatments in the future.

As I grow older and older I am still glad that I am getting older rather than the other dubious alternative. Maybe the big breakthrough will happen next month

axman