Hormone treatment

gragil
gragil Member Posts: 5
I was injected with Lupron a week ago. To this date, I have not felt any ill side effects except for some tenderness in the scrotum area. How long is it before I can expect to feel any major side effects? I have completed 4 days (out of 42) of radiation and have not had any side effects of that either. Am I fortunate or is the worst yet to come?

Comments

  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    effect
    Lupron side effect are different with each person, if I can remember 2 years ago, I think it was about a month for the hot flashes to start, the drug is already working on the shut down of food source for the cancer.

    The Radiation treatment effect will probably start close to the end of final treatment's,It will be exhaust, being tired. This saying that the side effect will get worst in and up to 6 months after the final treatment! Like mine was a year after treatment.

    What were your Gleason score's and PSA count and did you have prostate remove?

    Mine was Gleason 4+5 7 out of 12, PSA 6.8 and prostate remove.

    What was your PSA at the time of Radiation treatment started?
  • gragil
    gragil Member Posts: 5

    effect
    Lupron side effect are different with each person, if I can remember 2 years ago, I think it was about a month for the hot flashes to start, the drug is already working on the shut down of food source for the cancer.

    The Radiation treatment effect will probably start close to the end of final treatment's,It will be exhaust, being tired. This saying that the side effect will get worst in and up to 6 months after the final treatment! Like mine was a year after treatment.

    What were your Gleason score's and PSA count and did you have prostate remove?

    Mine was Gleason 4+5 7 out of 12, PSA 6.8 and prostate remove.

    What was your PSA at the time of Radiation treatment started?

    PSA was 5.2. Gleason was
    PSA was 5.2. Gleason was 8-9. Doctor did not recommend surgery because of my age (71). I am going for my fifth radiation treatment today.
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    gragil said:

    PSA was 5.2. Gleason was
    PSA was 5.2. Gleason was 8-9. Doctor did not recommend surgery because of my age (71). I am going for my fifth radiation treatment today.

    Good Doc.
    Sorry of your condition, you can beat this monster! Surgery is tough! At that age I would do the same. After going through surgery at the age of 56 it was hard. It take away your ???? or in my case it took a lot to get clean margin. nerve and muscle removal! Keep your prostate if you can!

    What kind of Radiation treatment are you on? Protron?
  • gragil
    gragil Member Posts: 5

    Good Doc.
    Sorry of your condition, you can beat this monster! Surgery is tough! At that age I would do the same. After going through surgery at the age of 56 it was hard. It take away your ???? or in my case it took a lot to get clean margin. nerve and muscle removal! Keep your prostate if you can!

    What kind of Radiation treatment are you on? Protron?

    radiation
    To tell you the truth, I have not heard the name of my treatment. I think I'll ask today. I am experiencing some scrotum discomfort (not hard pain). Is that connected to hormones? Thanks.
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    gragil said:

    radiation
    To tell you the truth, I have not heard the name of my treatment. I think I'll ask today. I am experiencing some scrotum discomfort (not hard pain). Is that connected to hormones? Thanks.

    Pain
    Sorry of your pain, it's most likely the Lupron. I hard to believe after 4 section radiation would cause that! Call Doctor, he makes the big bucks!!!

    good luck
  • gragil
    gragil Member Posts: 5

    Good Doc.
    Sorry of your condition, you can beat this monster! Surgery is tough! At that age I would do the same. After going through surgery at the age of 56 it was hard. It take away your ???? or in my case it took a lot to get clean margin. nerve and muscle removal! Keep your prostate if you can!

    What kind of Radiation treatment are you on? Protron?

    Protron it is

    Protron it is
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    gragil said:

    Protron it is

    Protron it is

    I consider it to be state of art!
    That is the treatment i had. Less evasive, it still has it's problems! As long as you stay still and the operator is good! This is prefect for Prostate cancer!!!!
  • tonybuxton
    tonybuxton Member Posts: 88
    Hormone therapy
    I had Zoladex 3 month injection the second week of my six week IMRT. I had little or no side effects from the injection until about 2 1/2 months later when all hell let loose. Diabetes, heart problems, severe weakness, memory loss and nausea. These were all known side effects. My oncologist said "no more injections" and my urologist said that since I am 81, I should not have been given them anyway. So now it is 4 months since the injection and I am feeling better. But have a lot of hot flushes. I was given the $1,500 injection and told I must have them every 3 months for two years I have a strong belief that money and profit was part of the motive. I found that it was four times more expensive than the the pharmacy cost. I.E a profit of $1000 for the Doctor. I have researched this issue and found that there is very little difference in survival rates between having and not having hormones with RT. Especially since I had the very latest Novalis shaped beam IMRT.
    Also what is the point of all the side effects just to prolong my survival when due to my age I will probably die from other causes. I think that if I had continued the hormone therapy it would have killed me. The weakness it caused resulted in two bad falls fracturing my chest. I have never fallen before. The heart side effects resulted in Angina something I have never had before and now I have full blown diabetes.
    I am following an anti cancer diet and trying to get a lot of exercise and I feel that this would probably do more to stop any recurrence than these "castration hormones". They kill testosterone the very hormone we need for strength, especially old people. thgese
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member

    Hormone therapy
    I had Zoladex 3 month injection the second week of my six week IMRT. I had little or no side effects from the injection until about 2 1/2 months later when all hell let loose. Diabetes, heart problems, severe weakness, memory loss and nausea. These were all known side effects. My oncologist said "no more injections" and my urologist said that since I am 81, I should not have been given them anyway. So now it is 4 months since the injection and I am feeling better. But have a lot of hot flushes. I was given the $1,500 injection and told I must have them every 3 months for two years I have a strong belief that money and profit was part of the motive. I found that it was four times more expensive than the the pharmacy cost. I.E a profit of $1000 for the Doctor. I have researched this issue and found that there is very little difference in survival rates between having and not having hormones with RT. Especially since I had the very latest Novalis shaped beam IMRT.
    Also what is the point of all the side effects just to prolong my survival when due to my age I will probably die from other causes. I think that if I had continued the hormone therapy it would have killed me. The weakness it caused resulted in two bad falls fracturing my chest. I have never fallen before. The heart side effects resulted in Angina something I have never had before and now I have full blown diabetes.
    I am following an anti cancer diet and trying to get a lot of exercise and I feel that this would probably do more to stop any recurrence than these "castration hormones". They kill testosterone the very hormone we need for strength, especially old people. thgese

    Hormone
    I think your doctor is doing the best he can. These medicine are very expensive to develop. These medicine side effect are sometimes not worth it. The medicine that I take are causing problems with my liver and make me sick and tired " and I'm sick and tired of it". But there is a thing called quality of life, " it called TIME vs QUALITY" There will be time in my life and be brave and say enough is enough.

    What your PSA and your Gleason score?

    I am following an anti cancer diet and trying to get a lot of exercise and I feel that this would probably do more to stop any recurrence than these "castration hormones". They kill testosterone the very hormone we need for strength, especially old people.

    But these Castration hormones stop the food source for the cancer. There is other things you can do to build up you Strength!
  • Samsungtech1
    Samsungtech1 Member Posts: 351

    Hormone
    I think your doctor is doing the best he can. These medicine are very expensive to develop. These medicine side effect are sometimes not worth it. The medicine that I take are causing problems with my liver and make me sick and tired " and I'm sick and tired of it". But there is a thing called quality of life, " it called TIME vs QUALITY" There will be time in my life and be brave and say enough is enough.

    What your PSA and your Gleason score?

    I am following an anti cancer diet and trying to get a lot of exercise and I feel that this would probably do more to stop any recurrence than these "castration hormones". They kill testosterone the very hormone we need for strength, especially old people.

    But these Castration hormones stop the food source for the cancer. There is other things you can do to build up you Strength!

    HT treatment
    On the third of May I had my second shot of Triptopelin". Anyhow she went high because the two for beginning were low. After about a week I still had severe pain, the injection area was swollen, and they said I needed an ultrasound. The us showed liquid and swelling. The NP said let us wait and see. Today is the 24th. Three weeks later and the pain is still coming at me. I have been so tired that I leave work a couple of hours early to sleep. Iam getting some strength back, but the bubble she created with the injection is still there. I can not do this again. I know she is going to shoot my right side, but I do not think I can do this for another month.
    Has anyone gone through this? How did you manage it? Could she have made a mistake?
  • tonybuxton
    tonybuxton Member Posts: 88

    Hormone
    I think your doctor is doing the best he can. These medicine are very expensive to develop. These medicine side effect are sometimes not worth it. The medicine that I take are causing problems with my liver and make me sick and tired " and I'm sick and tired of it". But there is a thing called quality of life, " it called TIME vs QUALITY" There will be time in my life and be brave and say enough is enough.

    What your PSA and your Gleason score?

    I am following an anti cancer diet and trying to get a lot of exercise and I feel that this would probably do more to stop any recurrence than these "castration hormones". They kill testosterone the very hormone we need for strength, especially old people.

    But these Castration hormones stop the food source for the cancer. There is other things you can do to build up you Strength!

    hormones
    Thanks your comment. I am 81 and I am not looking to prolong my life as much as getting a few more years of disease free survival whilst I am still mobile. Maybe 3 or 4 years at the most. I don't want to spend these few years being weak and sick with the side effects of HT.
    I personallay thought that my successful IMRT treatment should have given me these few years that I want.
    My PSA score was 42 but I had severe BPH. I had TURP from which my Gleason score was put at 3+4 70% positive. High grade localized advanced cancer. This was followed by IMRT 30 x 2.3 gy after which my PSA was < 0.1. I had no side effects from the Radiotherapy.
    Good luck to you. Keep in touch
    Tony
  • tonybuxton
    tonybuxton Member Posts: 88

    Hormone
    I think your doctor is doing the best he can. These medicine are very expensive to develop. These medicine side effect are sometimes not worth it. The medicine that I take are causing problems with my liver and make me sick and tired " and I'm sick and tired of it". But there is a thing called quality of life, " it called TIME vs QUALITY" There will be time in my life and be brave and say enough is enough.

    What your PSA and your Gleason score?

    I am following an anti cancer diet and trying to get a lot of exercise and I feel that this would probably do more to stop any recurrence than these "castration hormones". They kill testosterone the very hormone we need for strength, especially old people.

    But these Castration hormones stop the food source for the cancer. There is other things you can do to build up you Strength!

    hormones
    Thanks your comment. I am 81 and I am not looking to prolong my life as much as getting a few more years of disease free survival whilst I am still mobile. Maybe 3 or 4 years at the most. I don't want to spend these few years being weak and sick with the side effects of HT.
    I personallay thought that my successful IMRT treatment should have given me these few years that I want.
    My PSA score was 42 but I had severe BPH. I had TURP from which my Gleason score was put at 3+4 70% positive. High grade localized advanced cancer. This was followed by IMRT 30 x 2.3 gy after which my PSA was < 0.1. I had no side effects from the Radiotherapy.
    Good luck to you. Keep in touch
    Tony
  • rajivsaha
    rajivsaha Member Posts: 5

    hormones
    Thanks your comment. I am 81 and I am not looking to prolong my life as much as getting a few more years of disease free survival whilst I am still mobile. Maybe 3 or 4 years at the most. I don't want to spend these few years being weak and sick with the side effects of HT.
    I personallay thought that my successful IMRT treatment should have given me these few years that I want.
    My PSA score was 42 but I had severe BPH. I had TURP from which my Gleason score was put at 3+4 70% positive. High grade localized advanced cancer. This was followed by IMRT 30 x 2.3 gy after which my PSA was < 0.1. I had no side effects from the Radiotherapy.
    Good luck to you. Keep in touch
    Tony

    My Father's Rising PSA
    My Father who is now 76yrs old , had his early prostate cancer detected in 2000 and subsequently the castration was done in 2001. He was all well till 2012 feb having no/little complaints of obstructed urine etc. Dr.had never asked us to check PSA in between. Only as last time we did PSA test in Dec 2009 - which was 0.43

    Suddenly in 2011 June , he had started complaining for back pains.

    We did not know any such PSA monitoring and hence did not. In Feb 2012 , he again started complaining of back pains and this time we did PSA test which was reported at 64 and a stage IV metastasis.
    Immediately Dr. Asked us to start Bicalutamide 50mg/day and monthly PSA check. After two month's PSA (was stable at ~60)had increased to 90. And then Dr. had increased the Bicalutamide dose to 150mg/day and asked us to monitor PSA within next 15-30days. Last three months' he is also under IV infusion of Zoledronic acid(Zometa)for bone metastasis.

    In case of a further increase , Dr. would define a 2nd line hormone therapy with HONVAN etc.before administering Docetaxel /Ketoconazole at his age of 76yrs(keeping in view of chemotherapy effects at his age). We are now in 7th day of 150mg Bicalutamide dose and just waiting for the next step.

    Does any one of you have any suggestion for further delaying the process of chemotherapy or increasing life expectancy without any further problems/criticality expected.

    Will be obliged if anyone can guide.
    thanks ! rajiv/india.
  • rajivsaha
    rajivsaha Member Posts: 5
    rajivsaha said:

    My Father's Rising PSA
    My Father who is now 76yrs old , had his early prostate cancer detected in 2000 and subsequently the castration was done in 2001. He was all well till 2012 feb having no/little complaints of obstructed urine etc. Dr.had never asked us to check PSA in between. Only as last time we did PSA test in Dec 2009 - which was 0.43

    Suddenly in 2011 June , he had started complaining for back pains.

    We did not know any such PSA monitoring and hence did not. In Feb 2012 , he again started complaining of back pains and this time we did PSA test which was reported at 64 and a stage IV metastasis.
    Immediately Dr. Asked us to start Bicalutamide 50mg/day and monthly PSA check. After two month's PSA (was stable at ~60)had increased to 90. And then Dr. had increased the Bicalutamide dose to 150mg/day and asked us to monitor PSA within next 15-30days. Last three months' he is also under IV infusion of Zoledronic acid(Zometa)for bone metastasis.

    In case of a further increase , Dr. would define a 2nd line hormone therapy with HONVAN etc.before administering Docetaxel /Ketoconazole at his age of 76yrs(keeping in view of chemotherapy effects at his age). We are now in 7th day of 150mg Bicalutamide dose and just waiting for the next step.

    Does any one of you have any suggestion for further delaying the process of chemotherapy or increasing life expectancy without any further problems/criticality expected.

    Will be obliged if anyone can guide.
    thanks ! rajiv/india.

    Honvan
    Can Honvan , be applied as part of 2ndline treatment for a male CRPC , after failing/not working of Bicalutamide 150mg dose ?
  • tonybuxton
    tonybuxton Member Posts: 88
    rajivsaha said:

    My Father's Rising PSA
    My Father who is now 76yrs old , had his early prostate cancer detected in 2000 and subsequently the castration was done in 2001. He was all well till 2012 feb having no/little complaints of obstructed urine etc. Dr.had never asked us to check PSA in between. Only as last time we did PSA test in Dec 2009 - which was 0.43

    Suddenly in 2011 June , he had started complaining for back pains.

    We did not know any such PSA monitoring and hence did not. In Feb 2012 , he again started complaining of back pains and this time we did PSA test which was reported at 64 and a stage IV metastasis.
    Immediately Dr. Asked us to start Bicalutamide 50mg/day and monthly PSA check. After two month's PSA (was stable at ~60)had increased to 90. And then Dr. had increased the Bicalutamide dose to 150mg/day and asked us to monitor PSA within next 15-30days. Last three months' he is also under IV infusion of Zoledronic acid(Zometa)for bone metastasis.

    In case of a further increase , Dr. would define a 2nd line hormone therapy with HONVAN etc.before administering Docetaxel /Ketoconazole at his age of 76yrs(keeping in view of chemotherapy effects at his age). We are now in 7th day of 150mg Bicalutamide dose and just waiting for the next step.

    Does any one of you have any suggestion for further delaying the process of chemotherapy or increasing life expectancy without any further problems/criticality expected.

    Will be obliged if anyone can guide.
    thanks ! rajiv/india.

    HT
    I have a large supply of bucalutamide that I got from England at about US 20 cents a tablet of 50 mg. I intend to take these if my PSA goes up. I am worried about side effects, since I had very bad ones from Zoladex injections. Did your father have any bad side effects from bicalutamide
    Tony
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member

    HT
    I have a large supply of bucalutamide that I got from England at about US 20 cents a tablet of 50 mg. I intend to take these if my PSA goes up. I am worried about side effects, since I had very bad ones from Zoladex injections. Did your father have any bad side effects from bicalutamide
    Tony

    Self Treatment
    Tony,

    PSA by itself is not harmful. It's a natural and necessary antigen necessary for the reproductive process. interestingly it can also be found in women so the name Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is really a bit of a misnomer because it's not specific to the prostate.

    We don't treat PSA. We treat cancer. PSA is just one of any indicators of cancer and it is a fairly poor diagnostic indicator when taken by itself.

    After you have been treated for cancer, PSA is a valuable indicator of whether or not cancer might recur. Taking a drug to depress your PSA levels, unless under a doctor's supervision, is dangerous because it can mask what is really going on with your cancer. I strongly urge you not to take drugs acquired overseas unless your doctor knows what you are doing and approves.

    Best,

    K
  • tonybuxton
    tonybuxton Member Posts: 88
    Kongo said:

    Self Treatment
    Tony,

    PSA by itself is not harmful. It's a natural and necessary antigen necessary for the reproductive process. interestingly it can also be found in women so the name Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is really a bit of a misnomer because it's not specific to the prostate.

    We don't treat PSA. We treat cancer. PSA is just one of any indicators of cancer and it is a fairly poor diagnostic indicator when taken by itself.

    After you have been treated for cancer, PSA is a valuable indicator of whether or not cancer might recur. Taking a drug to depress your PSA levels, unless under a doctor's supervision, is dangerous because it can mask what is really going on with your cancer. I strongly urge you not to take drugs acquired overseas unless your doctor knows what you are doing and approves.

    Best,

    K

    Drugs
    Thanks Kongo
    Both my Urologist and oncologist suggested I could switch to Bicalutamide. But my oncologist suggested that I wait and see how my PSA fares. Because it also has side effects. I would never take the medicine without their approval. It costs 100 times more here than in England (due to Massive corruption in the pharmaceutical business.) So since my Nephew there was coming to visit me I asked him to pick me up a years supply from his doctor just in case I need to take it.
    Anyway thanks for the good advice.
    Tony
  • gragil
    gragil Member Posts: 5

    I consider it to be state of art!
    That is the treatment i had. Less evasive, it still has it's problems! As long as you stay still and the operator is good! This is prefect for Prostate cancer!!!!

    Hormones
    I appreciate all the comments to my original post. I must be living a charmed life since I have not experienced any hot flashes or some of the other side effects associated with hormone treatment. Obviously my testosterone is down like it should be. I have 3 more weeks of radiation ahead of me and will find out in August how everything is working. I've been feeling pretty good except for a mild case of diarrhea. My doctor gave me some instructions to fight this animal and I'm looking forward to some comfort soon. I'm an optimistic person so I'm expecting a positive result from my treatments.