My Experience With Chemotherapy and ADT for Prostate Cancer

By Dan Franke

2 min read

It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with stage T3c prostate cancer. Gleason score of seven and PSA near 90 ng/ml. I had DiVinci robotic surgery completed by a urologist. It failed to contain the cancer, and then I had to progress to chemo (Taxotere – six cycles, and several sessions of Lupron and Casodex) to knock it back down over the years.

I’ve had a couple of relapses. The last one started in 2018, and my PSA is still rising. Going from .008 to .332 last check. I did a PSMA scan last year, and it showed nothing. So I'm pretty lucky I guess (the doctor says I’m blessed since most time this cancer is a little more aggressive). No treatments at all since 2015 for the prostate cancer.

I’d like talk a little bit about the effects of my initial heavy chemo treatment. The chemotherapy (Taxotere) kicked my tail. I'd also like to talk about undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which I tolerated well with a few side effects.

Taxotere-heavy chemo

It had a cumulative effect to me – the more you take the more you feel. I was working at the time of the bad chemo, and I would go in the doctor on Thursday to get my infusion so that I could go through my cycle. First I would feel strong from the steroids added to the mix, then an okay day Friday at work, then sick on Saturday, and I'd recover in time for Monday to return to work. I did that for six cycles.

I used to plan on Thursday so I could get through all that crap by Monday. The treatments over a period of time would just drag me down. I got more and more tired and more physically weak, as well as more and more in a bad spot mentally. It was not good stuff.

Androgen deprivation therapy

ADT didn't really tear me up as much as the Taxotere did. I did get hot flashes, gained some man boobs, and some surface fat.

Hot flashes started, and I had to learn how to deal with that. I always chuckled about it, but my wife got the biggest charge out of the fact that I was getting them. She loved seeing me go through hot flashes, because I had teased her for years when she went through the change about all her hot flashing.

Now I'm the one throwing blankets off and throwing them on, and at times we were doing it in unison. That was kind of funny, and I told her at least finally now after so many years of marriage I could begin to understand her.

Looking back on the treatments

As I look back, the treatments were successful in stopping the rapid progression of my cancer. But like I said, my PSA is crawling up. I don’t think I will die of this, though.

I did have some lasting negative effects from treatment. My cardio system took a beating. Heart attack as I finished chemo, A-fib, aflutter, PAD, and many ablations and stents. I fought depression, had to regain my love of life, and get back into physical shape.

I have to say it’s worth the pain. I’m 70 now and probably in better shape than when it all began at age 55.

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Dennis E. Golden Moderator & Contributor
YUP......none of this is easy -did the surgery- did the follow up radiation and the Lupron - and was ok for a number of years - now seeing a rise in PSA - who knows?? In the long run you just deal with it --- Worry does you no good so ... simply move on and live life every day Dennis(ProstateCancer.net TEAM )
Jim Early Moderator & Contributor
Wow Dan. You have been through a lot of sequelae from your chemo and ADT. I really hope you are in a survivor support group. Because I think stories like yours and how you have fought your way through the hard times to come to a greater appreciation for life is exactly what so many of us need to hear when the dark clouds hover!
Cierra58 Member
 Same here on the Taxotere. I got eight rounds of it, and the last three really hurt me. About six months out from treatment now, and I still have ADHD (never had that before) and memory loss. My appendix rupture last month. And that was likely due to thinning from the Taxotere. But who knows? No heart issues, but a lot has changed. Old memories from high school and before are much closer now. And memories from when my kids were small are mostly gone or all jumbled. Libido seems to have returned with a vengeance. I have dreams about sexual experiences in high school every night. Luckily, I married my high school sweetheart. So she's usually the main character in such dreams. 
1. Cierra58 Member
 <inline-mention username="Cierra58" user-id="8662387"/> Update. I've been able to resolve a lot of my lost memories now. My college days came back lack a vengeance. While my girlfriend (now wife) and I were broken up, I was a pretty bad guy. I chased a lot of girls and broke at least one heart very badly. But due to the new clarity from this otherwise hazy time in our past, my wife and I were able to share this turbulent time which each other and deal with a lot of unanswered questions. This has made us closer than ever before, and I feel that a very old weight has been lifted off of our otherwise great relationship. The eight rounds of Taxotere and continuing ADT (Orgovix and Xtandi) have probably prolonged my life while not costing me organs and nerves I had rather keep. But I'm beginning to understand that I'm forever changed. I saw a video of myself the other day in a recent Christmas special at my church. I seem to still walk sort of oddly like a "rag doll". At this point, I figure that's here to stay, as is a certain amount of ADHD and other personality changes. I've told several people that asked, just to treat me like I've had a light stroke. In January, I can retire from my main job if I want to, even though I've planned to stay five more years. It may be better to retire sooner with less money and enjoy the time my wife and I can still have together. If my PC becoming ADT resistant and I have to go through salvage therapy, I'm not sure how much of who I was will be left.