Cody's Health Problems

[Don Alaska]

If you can contact your oncologist, ask about the Tamsulosin causing a reaction. You can take two after different meals--one at a time, such as one 30 minutes after breakfast and another 30 minutes after lunch if needed, just try to take them 4 hours or more from other meds in case there is an interaction. You haven't mentioned other medications, so if there are no other meds, this wouldn't be the issue. Discuss this all with you providers though. They may have other suggestions. As I said before, there are other meds for the bladder spasms, but the VA may not stock them as they are expensive.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

If you can contact your oncologist, ask about the Tamsulosin causing a reaction. You can take two after different meals--one at a time, such as one 30 minutes after breakfast and another 30 minutes after lunch if needed, just try to take them 4 hours or more from other meds in case there is an interaction. You haven't mentioned other medications, so if there are no other meds, this wouldn't be the issue. Discuss this all with you providers though. They may have other suggestions. As I said before, there are other meds for the bladder spasms, but the VA may not stock them as they are expensive.

As for "other medications", I'm on: Extended Release Metformin and Glipizide (AM/PM) for being a Diabetic II. I take a blood pressure med each evening. I take a cholesterol med once a week on Mondays. I do think it's the Tamsulosin though, because the rash/sores didn't start until after I started taking the Tamsulosin. I've also got hemorrhoids and that doesn't help either.

I'm going to inform my oncology doctor about the rash/bumps, but don't really want to try another medicine. However, if these marks get much worse, I will have to try something else. I will also ask him about taking two Tamsulosin and see what he says. I did take those two, the other morning, at the same time. Perhaps that was my problem.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

I didn't take my "1" Tamsulosin yesterday AM, after breakfast, because I took "2" the day before and taking "2" without the oncologist doctors' approval isn't recommended at all. So, I read that if I did take "2", by mistake or whatever, I should not take my next dose of "1". Well, in not taking yesterday's dose of "1", I was pretty much up each hour last night trying to urinate with bladder spasm pain. At least with taking "1", I may get some spasm pain, but at least I urinate. With taking "2", I didn't feel good all day Monday, but that night I had no spasm pains at all when I urinated. And, I really urinated and got better sleep.

So, this morning (Wednesday), I'm about to take "1" and see how I do after that and tonight with urinating and sleep.

This morning (Wednesday) I got the Hormone shot. Another one is scheduled for me in November (three months from today). Before I get that one, I will get labs done at local VA, that will include a PSA lab to see if the Hormone shot I got today has helped lower my PSA number. Wife and I just hope that I don't get many, if any (yea, right) after affects from the shot I got today.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Unfortunately, or whatever, my wife's older sister will visit us next week. We simply couldn't talk her out of it. She definitely doesn't like hearing the word "no" from anyone. She texted me and told us how excited she is to come here, but neither of us share that feeling with her. Oh well, just depends on how I feel if we go anywhere to meet her. Her and our niece will stop by our place.

 

[Don Alaska]

I have no idea if the Tamsulosin is responsible for the reaction. I have been told by others that Tamsulosin reacts with other drugs. Here is a link that you can use to check for known interactions:

Tamsulosin Interactions Checker - Drugs.com

311 medications are known to interact with tamsulosin. Includes sertraline, furosemide, trazodone.

www.drugs.com

It has a list of 311 drug interactions with Tamsulosin and there may be others that are not documented. There are also a couple interactions with foods. Give it a look @Cody Fousnaugh and perhaps use that info to communicate with your oncologist and urologist, especially if you find any that apply to you.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

First, I done fine around Nancy's older sister when she visited last week. The only real bad thing was, wife and I ate too much and ate inside of restaurants for the couple of days she was here. She stayed at a Timeshare, not at our apartment.

Tomorrow, Tuesday Sept. 2nd, will be three weeks since my last/final radiation therapy and this Wednesday Sept. 3rd, will be two weeks since I got the Hormone Injection. The Tamsulosin aka Flomax is really helping me. I definitely don't get the bladder spasm pain I use to get before I would urinate. I did break out with a few spots of rash on the one side of my butt, most likely from the Flomax and/or the Hormone Injection, but they are getting better now after using a prescription rash ointment my wife has.

I'm still able to load/run/unload the dishwasher, do laundry, vacuum, change the bed linens, make my breakfast and do numerous things on the computer.

I will be seeing my Oncologist doctor on the 12th and him, I and my wife will be discussing the two PSA labs, that he requested, I will be getting shortly at local VA Clinic. One PSA is called PSA Free and the other is PSA Total. My last PSA number was 28, that the lab was done the last week of July. Depending on what the two PSA labs say, we want to find out if my 28 sessions of radiation helped or not. The following Friday, the 19th, we see the Cancer MD's Nurse Practitioner at the office where I got the Hormone Injection. This 15 minute meeting will be about how the Hormone Injection is going with me. My next Hormone Injection is scheduled for November 20th. We also want to ask both the Oncologist and the Nurse Practitioner when I should have another PET Scan done to see (really see) how the prostate cancer is doing. IOW, there are those, like the Cancer MD that highly recommended the Hormone Injection, that doesn't trust a PSA lab number.

So, Bottom Line is: I'm doing ok, but do get fatigue quite often and have to relax.

Our plan for moving, still remains, however, moving to Reno doesn't look like it will happen. Moving back to Colorado, but to Colorado Springs this time. Looking at late next spring or early summer.

 

[Don Alaska]

First, I done fine around Nancy's older sister when she visited last week. The only real bad thing was, wife and I ate too much and ate inside of restaurants for the couple of days she was here. She stayed at a Timeshare, not at our apartment.

Tomorrow, Tuesday Sept. 2nd, will be three weeks since my last/final radiation therapy and this Wednesday Sept. 3rd, will be two weeks since I got the Hormone Injection. The Tamsulosin aka Flomax is really helping me. I definitely don't get the bladder spasm pain I use to get before I would urinate. I did break out with a few spots of rash on the one side of my butt, most likely from the Flomax and/or the Hormone Injection, but they are getting better now after using a prescription rash ointment my wife has.

I'm still able to load/run/unload the dishwasher, do laundry, vacuum, change the bed linens, make my breakfast and do numerous things on the computer.

I will be seeing my Oncologist doctor on the 12th and him, I and my wife will be discussing the two PSA labs, that he requested, I will be getting shortly at local VA Clinic. One PSA is called PSA Free and the other is PSA Total. My last PSA number was 28, that the lab was done the last week of July. Depending on what the two PSA labs say, we want to find out if my 28 sessions of radiation helped or not. The following Friday, the 19th, we see the Cancer MD's Nurse Practitioner at the office where I got the Hormone Injection. This 15 minute meeting will be about how the Hormone Injection is going with me. My next Hormone Injection is scheduled for November 20th. We also want to ask both the Oncologist and the Nurse Practitioner when I should have another PET Scan done to see (really see) how the prostate cancer is doing. IOW, there are those, like the Cancer MD that highly recommended the Hormone Injection, that doesn't trust a PSA lab number.

So, Bottom Line is: I'm doing ok, but do get fatigue quite often and have to relax.

Our plan for moving, still remains, however, moving to Reno doesn't look like it will happen. Moving back to Colorado, but to Colorado Springs this time. Looking at late next spring or early summer.

Glad you seem to be doing better @Cody Fousnaugh.

 

[Tony Page]

First, I done fine around Nancy's older sister when she visited last week. The only real bad thing was, wife and I ate too much and ate inside of restaurants for the couple of days she was here. She stayed at a Timeshare, not at our apartment.

Tomorrow, Tuesday Sept. 2nd, will be three weeks since my last/final radiation therapy and this Wednesday Sept. 3rd, will be two weeks since I got the Hormone Injection. The Tamsulosin aka Flomax is really helping me. I definitely don't get the bladder spasm pain I use to get before I would urinate. I did break out with a few spots of rash on the one side of my butt, most likely from the Flomax and/or the Hormone Injection, but they are getting better now after using a prescription rash ointment my wife has.

I'm still able to load/run/unload the dishwasher, do laundry, vacuum, change the bed linens, make my breakfast and do numerous things on the computer.

I will be seeing my Oncologist doctor on the 12th and him, I and my wife will be discussing the two PSA labs, that he requested, I will be getting shortly at local VA Clinic. One PSA is called PSA Free and the other is PSA Total. My last PSA number was 28, that the lab was done the last week of July. Depending on what the two PSA labs say, we want to find out if my 28 sessions of radiation helped or not. The following Friday, the 19th, we see the Cancer MD's Nurse Practitioner at the office where I got the Hormone Injection. This 15 minute meeting will be about how the Hormone Injection is going with me. My next Hormone Injection is scheduled for November 20th. We also want to ask both the Oncologist and the Nurse Practitioner when I should have another PET Scan done to see (really see) how the prostate cancer is doing. IOW, there are those, like the Cancer MD that highly recommended the Hormone Injection, that doesn't trust a PSA lab number.

So, Bottom Line is: I'm doing ok, but do get fatigue quite often and have to relax.

Our plan for moving, still remains, however, moving to Reno doesn't look like it will happen. Moving back to Colorado, but to Colorado Springs this time. Looking at late next spring or early summer.

Cody
I've been told the PSA may not reach correct number for a long time after the last radiation treatment. It will remain high.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Cody
I've been told the PSA may not reach correct number for a long time after the last radiation treatment. It will remain high.

Unfortunately, that is the "deceiving" part of radiation therapy. A patient would think, after having 28 sessions of radiation, the PSA number would come down. However, we are really wondering what the numbers will be after I get both the PSA Free and PSA Total lab numbers back.

When I talked to my 1/2 brother on the phone on Sunday, he told me that two of his doctors don't like, or go by, PSA.

I remember, but I'm not sure if I stated it in my postings, that the Cancer Society put out a message that highly recommended that doctors no longer do a PSA Lab to any male that is 75 or older, unless it is requested by the male. That is due to the "supposedly" inaccuracy of the PSA Lab and that the Cancer Society doesn't think a male at 75 or older will live beyond 85 anyway. I know, the four years we lived in Loveland, CO (2019 thru 2023), I never got a PSA Lab from either VA doctor I had those years. It wasn't until we moved here to Henderson, NV, and the first time I seen a VA doctor here (January 2024), that I got a PSA Lab. At that time, it wasn't that high, so she did nothing. Then, the following August 2024, I had labs done and PSA was 18 and she thought it was due to a UTI, gave me antibiotics, but nothing happened (except I got a sore stomach). Then I was sent to a Urologist and MRI, PET Scan and Biopsy happened. I requested another PSA Lab done at VA and that read 28. That is what my PSA number still is now.

Wife and I don't know what to think, but will wait until both of the PSA's (FREE and Total) are done.

 

[Don Alaska]

Total PSA is a measure of prostate damage, so it can be elevated due to infection, injury, cancer, or probably quite a number of other causes. As far as I know, the free PSA is not useful if the total PSA is over 10. It is used to differentiate cancer from other causes if the total is between 4 and 10, but under 4 or over 10, I don't know a reason for ordering it. @Cody Fousnaugh if you get a chance to ask your oncologist or urologist why it was ordered, I would be interested to find the reason.

PSAs are not generally ordered in men over 70 (some docs) or 75 (others) unless they have a history of that value over time. The VA here includes a PSA in routine labs for men over 50, so they have a history of that value and can notice if the value jumps from 2.5 to 12. It would signal a problems then, but a 12 without a history in a guy over 70 may have little or no value. Does that make sense? As @Tony Page said, I would expect the PSA to remain elevated after radiation treatment for some time since the treatment probably resulted in some damage to prostate tissue.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Total PSA is a measure of prostate damage, so it can be elevated due to infection, injury, cancer, or probably quite a number of other causes. As far as I know, the free PSA is not useful if the total PSA is over 10. It is used to differentiate cancer from other causes if the total is between 4 and 10, but under 4 or over 10, I don't know a reason for ordering it. @Cody Fousnaugh if you get a chance to ask your oncologist or urologist why it was ordered, I would be interested to find the reason.

PSAs are not generally ordered in men over 70 (some docs) or 75 (others) unless they have a history of that value over time. The VA here includes a PSA in routine labs for men over 50, so they have a history of that value and can notice if the value jumps from 2.5 to 12. It would signal a problems then, but a 12 without a history in a guy over 70 may have little or no value. Does that make sense? As @Tony Page said, I would expect the PSA to remain elevated after radiation treatment for some time since the treatment probably resulted in some damage to prostate tissue.

Well, Tony and Don, I don't know much about either the Total or the Free PSA labs, but we will find out more once we discuss both with the oncologist doctor on the 12th. As for myself, I pretty much leave all of the "technical/number" stuff up to doctors. They do have all of the education that wife and I don't have.

What I do know is, the Oncologist doctor's office, after I had my last radiation therapy, gave me a Letter of Completion for radiation, the two labs the Oncologist requested, a follow-up appointment date to see him again and that I make an appointment to see my Urologist again. Well, I can't see the Urologist again without an Authorization Letter and Referral from VA Community Care aka TriWest Healthcare Alliance, of which I no longer have. That letter and referral only covered what I've had done by him already. IOW, all of the exams, procedures, radiation therapy is being totally paid by the VA Medical Community Care Network aka TriWest.

And, what I also know...........from looking at the "This is NOT a bill" invoice from each of the places I've had things done for this prostate cancer, Medicare B and my Supplement Medical Insurance would've (most likely) paid each much more than the VA has. We were VERY surprised, actually shocked, at how little the VA is paying each, compared to what each charged. Great thing is, we don't have to pay anything, unlike if I would've used my Medicare B and Supplement.

 

[Don Alaska]

Well, Tony and Don, I don't know much about either the Total or the Free PSA labs, but we will find out more once we discuss both with the oncologist doctor on the 12th. As for myself, I pretty much leave all of the "technical/number" stuff up to doctors. They do have all of the education that wife and I don't have.

What I do know is, the Oncologist doctor's office, after I had my last radiation therapy, gave me a Letter of Completion for radiation, the two labs the Oncologist requested, a follow-up appointment date to see him again and that I make an appointment to see my Urologist again. Well, I can't see the Urologist again without an Authorization Letter and Referral from VA Community Care aka TriWest Healthcare Alliance, of which I no longer have. That letter and referral only covered what I've had done by him already. IOW, all of the exams, procedures, radiation therapy is being totally paid by the VA Medical Community Care Network aka TriWest.

And, what I also know...........from looking at the "This is NOT a bill" invoice from each of the places I've had things done for this prostate cancer, Medicare B and my Supplement Medical Insurance would've (most likely) paid each much more than the VA has. We were VERY surprised, actually shocked, at how little the VA is paying each, compared to what each charged. Great thing is, we don't have to pay anything, unlike if I would've used my Medicare B and Supplement.

Hopefully that is true. I have had the TriWest issue a statement that I didn't owe anything only to receive a bill 2 years later for hundreds of dollars. It turns out the VA doesn't always bill third party insurers. If you have a third party, you can push it through by calling the VA billing folks, but it is a hassle. If the bill is large I have gone through a debt forgiveness process once when the bill was over $500. It this happens to you, be sure to notify your Federal Senator or Representative (whoever is more sympathetic to veteran's issues) so that perhaps we can get that fixed. My experience was under the previous administration though, so it may have changed with the new VA Secretary.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Hopefully that is true. I have had the TriWest issue a statement that I didn't owe anything only to receive a bill 2 years later for hundreds of dollars. It turns out the VA doesn't always bill third party insurers. If you have a third party, you can push it through by calling the VA billing folks, but it is a hassle. If the bill is large I have gone through a debt forgiveness process once when the bill was over $500. It this happens to you, be sure to notify your Federal Senator or Representative (whoever is more sympathetic to veteran's issues) so that perhaps we can get that fixed. My experience was under the previous administration though, so it may have changed with the new VA Secretary.

Don, we got billed for $6,000 for something I had done concerning my prostate cancer. I called the Billing number that was on the bill and gave them all the info they asked for, including that I was on VA Community Care Network's TriWest. They looked up TriWest and told me, "absolutely don't pay this and you will get a notification from TriWest concerning you don't pay it. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Yesterday we got another TriWest "This Is NOT A Bill" concerning the Biopsy I got this past February. The invoice showed that TriWest didn't pay anything to the Urologist, due to: Invalid Referral Format. The Biopsy was approved by VA Community Care Network/TriWest, but whomever done the invoice didn't use the correct Referral Format.

We are always afraid that we are going to get a medical bill that says we have to pay, like we did that one that we didn't end up having to pay. However, every single TriWest "This Is NOT A Bill" invoice we get in the mail, I keep in file folders.

 

[Don Alaska]

Don, we got billed for $6,000 for something I had done concerning my prostate cancer. I called the Billing number that was on the bill and gave them all the info they asked for, including that I was on VA Community Care Network's TriWest. They looked up TriWest and told me, "absolutely don't pay this and you will get a notification from TriWest concerning you don't pay it. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Yesterday we got another TriWest "This Is NOT A Bill" concerning the Biopsy I got this past February. The invoice showed that TriWest didn't pay anything to the Urologist, due to: Invalid Referral Format. The Biopsy was approved by VA Community Care Network/TriWest, but whomever done the invoice didn't use the correct Referral Format.

We are always afraid that we are going to get a medical bill that says we have to pay, like we did that one that we didn't end up having to pay. However, every single TriWest "This Is NOT A Bill" invoice we get in the mail, I keep in file folders.

That is great @Cody Fousnaugh that you didn't have to pay that bill. My experience has been worse than that, but as I said if was during the past administration. Maybe it has all gotten fixed. Keep the EOBs from TriWest as you are and keep record of any payments you do make for copay and such just in case though.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Went to local VA Clinic last week and had two labs done for PSA. Yesterday (Saturday) looked in my VA Portal under Labs and my PSA Total was there from last week. It read 18, which is down from 28, which was my PSA lab from the last of July. So, apparently, both the 28 days of radiation therapy and the hormone injection has helped. However, nothing was listed in my VA Portal about PSA Free. So, I sent my VA doctor a message, in the Portal, asking her about that. My oncologist doctor requested both Total and Free in the blood lab. We see my oncologist doctor this coming Friday for a consultation about how I'm doing.

But, right now, just seeing the PSA number of 18, down from 28, is nice to us.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

Another thing: I'm now taking the Tamsulosin aka Flomax 0.4mg every-other-day, not daily and it's working for me! On the night I don't take the medication, my urine stream isn't like when I take it (solid), but I don't have any pain (bladder spasm). I read online that taking it every-other-day is ok and there are less side-affects when taken that way. I have found out that I don't have the fatigue side-affect on the day I don't take it, like I did when I took it daily. I will inform my oncologist doctor this coming Friday how I'm taking it now.

 

[Cody Fousnaugh]

UPDATE: Towards the end of July, two weeks before my last day of radiation on August 11th, I got a PSA Total lab done, along with other labs that was requested by the doctor and NP that is handling my hormone therapy/injection. When I seen that doctor and NP, my PSA Total was 28. Then, on Wednesday September 3rd, I had my PSA Total done and it was 17. ?. At the same time I was suppose to get a PSA Free done, thru my oncologist's request, but the VA wouldn't do it. However, the following September 8th, I had another PSA Total done and it read 12.4. Had the appt. with my oncologist doctor on September 12th and he told my wife and I that he never ordered a PSA Free to be done. I told him, "well, someone wrote "PSA Free" on the Labs Request at the bottom of the page." He said, "that had to be a mistake". Anyway, Bottom Line is: He really liked that my PSA Total was now 12.4. He will see me again in March 2026. I also ask him about getting another PET Scan and he told me that wouldn't be necessary for awhile.

I have an appt. with the NP on Oct. 10th to discuss how I'm doing since getting my first Hormone Injection on August 20th. At that time, I will also ask her about when I would be getting my next PET Scan.

Why are we asking about another PET Scan? My 1/2 brother told me that he has had two doctors tell him that they don't trust what a PSA Total says, that only a PET Scan can tell what's happening with prostate cancer and whether it has spread or not or is spreading.

As far as..........how I'm doing? Seem to be fine, but still get some, but not as much as when I was on radiation therapy, fatigued. I'm taking the Tamsulosin aka Flomax every-other day now and after dinner, not after breakfast. When I took it at 11AM, 30 minutes after I ate breakfast, I was really sort of "wobbly" by 1PM and couldn't do much of anything. Taking it 30 minutes after dinner, I don't have that problem.

I will be getting a Right Quadrant Ultrasound shortly to find out, since having those 28 sessions of radiation, how my liver and gallbladder survived. I still get some pain, sometimes, on the right side of my stomach, below my rib cage. IOW, want to know what that pain is all about. Funny thing is, the pain started when after we moved here to Henderson, Nevada.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

It sounds like you are doing better and the doctors are doing what needs to be done to make sure that everything is going as well as possible after the cancer treatments, @Cody Fousnaugh .

 

[Don Alaska]

UPDATE: Towards the end of July, two weeks before my last day of radiation on August 11th, I got a PSA Total lab done, along with other labs that was requested by the doctor and NP that is handling my hormone therapy/injection. When I seen that doctor and NP, my PSA Total was 28. Then, on Wednesday September 3rd, I had my PSA Total done and it was 17. ?. At the same time I was suppose to get a PSA Free done, thru my oncologist's request, but the VA wouldn't do it. However, the following September 8th, I had another PSA Total done and it read 12.4. Had the appt. with my oncologist doctor on September 12th and he told my wife and I that he never ordered a PSA Free to be done. I told him, "well, someone wrote "PSA Free" on the Labs Request at the bottom of the page." He said, "that had to be a mistake". Anyway, Bottom Line is: He really liked that my PSA Total was now 12.4. He will see me again in March 2026. I also ask him about getting another PET Scan and he told me that wouldn't be necessary for awhile.

I have an appt. with the NP on Oct. 10th to discuss how I'm doing since getting my first Hormone Injection on August 20th. At that time, I will also ask her about when I would be getting my next PET Scan.

Why are we asking about another PET Scan? My 1/2 brother told me that he has had two doctors tell him that they don't trust what a PSA Total says, that only a PET Scan can tell what's happening with prostate cancer and whether it has spread or not or is spreading.

As far as..........how I'm doing? Seem to be fine, but still get some, but not as much as when I was on radiation therapy, fatigued. I'm taking the Tamsulosin aka Flomax every-other day now and after dinner, not after breakfast. When I took it at 11AM, 30 minutes after I ate breakfast, I was really sort of "wobbly" by 1PM and couldn't do much of anything. Taking it 30 minutes after dinner, I don't have that problem.

I will be getting a Right Quadrant Ultrasound shortly to find out, since having those 28 sessions of radiation, how my liver and gallbladder survived. I still get some pain, sometimes, on the right side of my stomach, below my rib cage. IOW, want to know what that pain is all about. Funny thing is, the pain started when after we moved here to Henderson, Nevada.

Glad things are looking up @Cody Fousnaugh

 

[Smithy]

@Cody Fousnaugh How are you feeling right now? Hoping everything is fine with you or getting better.