Firmagon (Degarelix) substitute for Lupron

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Comments

  • jpmpage
    jpmpage Member Posts: 13
    #82
    Medcomglen said:

    Intermittent therapy, same PSA
    Hi Carl,

    Hoo Rah! PSA results remained the same at 0.5. My last injection of Firmagon was August 26th. My plan is to stay off Firmagon until my PSA rises to 2.0. Wishing you a painless fifth injection.

    Best,

    Glen

    up date on my activities
    Hello Glen,
    Here I am late to respond again. I had my 5th injection on November 3rd.
    My PSA reading went up a little from 0.4 to 0.6 but was told not to worry
    about that. I will be going in for my 6th injection and a PSA reading on
    December 4th, 2009. I am having a lot of stomach problems lately, but, I
    also have some very good days. On Saturday, November 21st I was feeling
    great and put a new tire, and a new spark plug in our 1964 Rambler Wagon.
    The next day I felt terrible and did nothing. Today the 23rd of November
    I felt good again and washed off about 6 months of dirt from the Rambler.
    She runs well, and looks great. Enough for now.
    My best to you and all the others there.

    See Ya, Carl
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #83
    jogger said:

    degarelix
    Hi Guys,

    I'm glad I happened upon this forum. It has given me a good idea of what to look forward to since I'm getting my first shot of Firmagon tomorrow. I haven't had any other conventional treatment since my PSA started going up a few years ago. Now, at age 77, I have a Gleason score of 8 and a PSA of 800. You read that right, 800. The cancer has not metastasized, but it has given me an annoying case of incontinence. I'll keep you up to date. I have to mention: The biopsy was very painful. I've also had a cystoscopy and it was the most painful 2 minutes I have ever experienced.

    First Degarelix injection
    Hi guys,

    I've had my first (double) shot of Degarelix. For the first day I was somewhat achy all over, so I took ibuprofen and I was much more comfortable. However, the injection sites were annoying, especially the itchiness. I also had one brief, mild experience with hot flushing. There's been no change in vitality or ability to sleep. So far, so good. It's too soon to tell, and it just may be a coincidence, but I've been making one less trip to the john at night.
  • Odyssey
    Odyssey Member Posts: 1
    #84
    retired1 said:

    Lupron
    ld34
    I have very little side effects from Lupron except hot flashes and after so long a time thought I needed a training bra. No experience on any other dose other than the trial of one for 3 months (which did not work) so elected to keep the one per month. My doctor said we needed to do SOMETHING when PSA hit 10 so will discuss whatever he recommends for next step but in looking at all the sides on Fimagon the nost scary one to me is the 5.2 "Effect on QT/QTc Interval" cannot tell whether Fimagon is worse than Lupron or not or whether both would cause a problem after prolong usage. Good luck with your decision.
    Bob

    QT/QTc interval
    Great to find this group, thinking about Firmagon. I asked my doctor about the QT interval and he said it was related to dropping my testosterone and would be a potential issue regardless of the drug. Weighing my options and staying positive.
  • Medcomglen
    Medcomglen Member Posts: 95
    #85
    jogger said:

    First Degarelix injection
    Hi guys,

    I've had my first (double) shot of Degarelix. For the first day I was somewhat achy all over, so I took ibuprofen and I was much more comfortable. However, the injection sites were annoying, especially the itchiness. I also had one brief, mild experience with hot flushing. There's been no change in vitality or ability to sleep. So far, so good. It's too soon to tell, and it just may be a coincidence, but I've been making one less trip to the john at night.

    Firmagon injections
    Welcome Jogger,

    I too experienced itchness, swelling, rash at injection site. One of the other "Firmagoners" posted he ended up in the ER after an injection.

    Hopefully Ferring will develop a 3 month or longer injection program soon. Monthly abdominal injections can become a bother. Compared to the way I reacted to Lupron therapy I'll put up with the side effects of Firmagon. My last injection was in August and my past two PSA results remained the same at 0.5. This was the first time in two years this ever happened. I'll learn my newest PSA result tomorrow. In the meantime I wish you best of health.

    Glen
  • olddukey
    olddukey Member Posts: 4
    #86
    gkoper said:

    Hormone treatments
    Hi Glen & Bill....I got the Davinci in May...it didn't work apparently as my psa since has been .3 in june to .7 a few days ago. My urologist suggested hormone therapy & radiation. My pet scan did not show conclusive evidence of cancer & bone scan was negative. Because of the scans I am hesitant to let them blast away with radiation. Since you both are doing hormones and appear to be doing well, can you tell me of the side effects? Sex life, mood,fragile bones, tiredness, weight gain......do any of these apply? Do you take injections forever to knock psa down? Your info is appreciated & hope you both continue to do well.
    Regards,
    George
    central Fl.

    intermitent(sp) hormone therapy
    I've been doing this for the last 18 years.
    e-mail me at olddukey@gmail.com call at 561 441 9796.
    John 34 ford 2 dr high boy 302 with 671 blower just for fun.
    I'm SE FL
  • Medcomglen
    Medcomglen Member Posts: 95
    #87
    Medcomglen said:

    Intermittent therapy, same PSA
    Hi Carl,

    Hoo Rah! PSA results remained the same at 0.5. My last injection of Firmagon was August 26th. My plan is to stay off Firmagon until my PSA rises to 2.0. Wishing you a painless fifth injection.

    Best,

    Glen

    An early Christmas gift, low PSA result ...
    After my last shot of Firmagon on 8/26 my PSA remained the same at 0.5 two months in a row for October & November. December 9th PSA results were even better at 0.46. This never happened before after taking a break from hormone therapy on Lupron. Happy Holidays everyone!
  • Medcomglen
    Medcomglen Member Posts: 95
    #88
    Medcomglen said:

    Firmagon update...
    I received two 125 mg injections of Firmagon today as a booster shot. My last shot of Lupron was 12/10/08 and my PSA rose from 0.2 February to 4.7 in June. I was starting to feel my cancer was growing inside me if that's possible. Pain in lower stomach and overall agitation. The injections were a little painful and after a few hours I feel that a Mac truck hit me in the 6 packs but I must say that I feel like a new person already besides the injection site pain. My next shot will be a 85mg dose injected in the stomach in 28 days.

    Correction on Firmagon dosage
    "I received two 120 mg. injections of Firmagon today..." not 125 mg.
  • olddukey
    olddukey Member Posts: 4
    #89
    gkoper said:

    Pomegranate juice
    Hi jpmpage.........I'm not Bill or Glen but I'm 65, a Davinci failure, and looking at radiation & possible hormone therapy so I can live to the age of 88. I applaud you for doing what it takes to live 88years. You are my role model. Keep us posted on your progress. Lets raise a p-juice glass...........
    George

    intermitent(sp) hormone therapy
    George,
    I'm 18 years into itermitent therapy.
    I works, all my parts work most of the time and there are NEW treatment options all the time.
    John
    dukey@mail.usa.com
  • retired1
    retired1 Member Posts: 11
    #90
    retired1 said:

    Fimagon (Degarelix)
    Hey guys many thanks for the input. Presently on Casodex (since July) and yes I have been reading the fantastic results that seem to be too good to be true for each of you. My appointment is Nov 4th and will post a notice of results (may have to wait for couple of days for) Lab results. Live in DFW area.
    Bob

    Fimagon (Degarelix)
    Hi Guys
    Update on last lab report, call it a little Christmas present, PSA down from 11.5 to 6.5 with Lupron shots. Don't know why it kicked in now but will take anything I can get to reduce it. Happy holidays to all.
    Bob
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #91
    jpmpage said:

    Two weeks behind you
    August 7, 2009

    Hi Glen,
    I just had my first follow-up injection yesterday of degarelix. I am surprised that today I am experiencing much more pain in the abdominal area than I did a month ago after the initial double injection. Was your experience similar at all?
    --Carl

    degarelix
    Hi, Carl,

    It's interesting that I had exactly the same experience. For one week after my first follow-up I felt like I had been shot, besides which the injection was on my belt line. A couple of Ibuprofen takes the edge off. However,I had no flush and little muscle ache. Except for having to get up at night 3 0r 4 times, I feel well. An afternoon nap helps a lot. I see guys talk about getting their numbers down to .5. Starting from 800, I wonder if I'll ever see numbers like that. I had hoped to deal with my situation with intravenous vitamin C. It worked for a while, but then my veins collapsed and the procedure was too painful. So now I take a lot of vitamin C orally.

    Jack
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #92
    Medcomglen said:

    Correction on Firmagon dosage
    "I received two 120 mg. injections of Firmagon today..." not 125 mg.

    Degarelix dose
    Hate to be picky,but your follow-up will probably be 80 mg., not 85. It's going to hurt anyway for a bit :-)

    Jack
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #93
    jpmpage said:

    degarelix/Firmagon injection pain
    Hi Glen,

    It looks like we are experiencing just about the same results from our first and second set of injections. I had my second treatment on August 06. The next day, Aug. 07, the pain started getting stronger. By 8pm the pain became terrible enough that my son Jon took me to the ER at the hospital. They did a lot of tests before giving me an injection to stop the pain. I went home about midnight feeling better. About three days later the pain seemed to have pretty much gone away.
    In response to your question, I have not taken any of the Lupron or Eligard. This is my first trial of anything for my cancer which has been spreading around in my body. I have gone through four Bone Scans and one MRI which showed where the cancer has spread. Thanks for your information. I value it highly, and look forward for more. Best wishes to you. Carl

    bone scans
    Hi, Carl,

    Four bone scans? I don't think I could endure that, judging by my one experience with it. I found it to be most uncomfortable being confined motionless to the narrow hard bed for I think what was a least half an hour. I had one about a year ago and it came up clean, but my urologist wanted me to have it done again, but I had to refuse. I'll have to mention to the doctor that I would do it again if I could be given a sedative. But the discomfort was nothing like a cystoscopy or a biopsy through the anus. The biopsy resulted in blood in the urine. When I first got blood I was standing up and the blood gushed all over the toilet and beyond. So after that I had to sit down. I collected a sample to show my doctor and he declared it to be "gross hematuria" It would show up sporadically and eventually after about a month it cleared up. My oncologist thought it was blood from the cancer, but since it has stopped I'm of the opinion that it's just from the biopsy, although I'm not denying that I have a Gleason score of 8.

    Jack
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #94
    lewvino said:

    I started on the pomegranate
    I started on the pomegranate juice. Read another article that said the pill supplements will provide the same effect so I switched since they are alot cheaper. Also I could only find one grocery store that sold 100% Pure pomegranate juice. Many of them are mixes with other juices.

    I also take Green barley capsules, Vitamin D, Acai supplements, Flax seed oil and another combo vitamin called malegard. My first post surgery PSA will be in Middle October.

    If all these suplements aren't helping I'm at least doing my part to stimulate the economy!

    Larry

    supplements
    Hi Larry,


    "If all these supplements aren't helping I'm at least doing my part to stimulate the economy!"

    My sentiments exactly. I'm probably one of Vitamin Shoppe's best customers, (online) but I'm saving a few pennies by using Black Cherry concentrate rather than pomegranate. You could get pomegranate concentrate from them. I like their policy of no shipping for a $99 purchase.
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #95
    Medcomglen said:

    Firmagon injections
    Welcome Jogger,

    I too experienced itchness, swelling, rash at injection site. One of the other "Firmagoners" posted he ended up in the ER after an injection.

    Hopefully Ferring will develop a 3 month or longer injection program soon. Monthly abdominal injections can become a bother. Compared to the way I reacted to Lupron therapy I'll put up with the side effects of Firmagon. My last injection was in August and my past two PSA results remained the same at 0.5. This was the first time in two years this ever happened. I'll learn my newest PSA result tomorrow. In the meantime I wish you best of health.

    Glen

    PSA score
    Hi Glen,


    I have absolutely no medical knowledge, but it seems interesting that one could get a PSA down to .5 after a diagnosis of lymph node involvement and grade 4. Way to go!. With a Gleason score of 8 and a baseline PSA of 800, I should be so lucky. Happy New Year!

    Jack
  • olddukey
    olddukey Member Posts: 4
    #96
    Medcomglen said:

    Firmagon injections
    Welcome Jogger,

    I too experienced itchness, swelling, rash at injection site. One of the other "Firmagoners" posted he ended up in the ER after an injection.

    Hopefully Ferring will develop a 3 month or longer injection program soon. Monthly abdominal injections can become a bother. Compared to the way I reacted to Lupron therapy I'll put up with the side effects of Firmagon. My last injection was in August and my past two PSA results remained the same at 0.5. This was the first time in two years this ever happened. I'll learn my newest PSA result tomorrow. In the meantime I wish you best of health.

    Glen

    Glen,
    please email the results to me.
    I file all info for future use.
    I went off Zoladex in April and had a 1.1 then, 3.4 May, 4.0 July and 4.6 in November.
    I still take a proscar every day. Have for the last 15 years. They say it halves the PSA
    but I think it's anti cancer qualities are always there working for us.
    john
    olddukey@gmail.com
  • Medcomglen
    Medcomglen Member Posts: 95
    #97
    jogger said:

    PSA score
    Hi Glen,


    I have absolutely no medical knowledge, but it seems interesting that one could get a PSA down to .5 after a diagnosis of lymph node involvement and grade 4. Way to go!. With a Gleason score of 8 and a baseline PSA of 800, I should be so lucky. Happy New Year!

    Jack

    Happy New Year!
    Hi Jack,

    I was surprised as well as to my low PSA results especially for the length of time from my last Firmagon injection in August. "Knock on wood" Hopefully you will experience the same results.

    Best wishes,
    Glen
  • Medcomglen
    Medcomglen Member Posts: 95
    #98
    olddukey said:

    Glen,
    please email the results to me.
    I file all info for future use.
    I went off Zoladex in April and had a 1.1 then, 3.4 May, 4.0 July and 4.6 in November.
    I still take a proscar every day. Have for the last 15 years. They say it halves the PSA
    but I think it's anti cancer qualities are always there working for us.
    john
    olddukey@gmail.com

    PSA Results after Firmagon injections
    Hi Olddukey,

    Sorry to see your PSA rose and hopefully will dropdown again.

    My last reading 12/14/09 came back at 0.4.6. Down from 0.5,October and 0.5, November. Last Firmagon injection received August 26th. Testosterone reading was down to (7) on 12/14/09.

    Trying to keep warm here in the Sunshine State.

    Talk again soon.
    Glen
  • jpmpage
    jpmpage Member Posts: 13
    #99
    Medcomglen said:

    PSA Results after Firmagon injections
    Hi Olddukey,

    Sorry to see your PSA rose and hopefully will dropdown again.

    My last reading 12/14/09 came back at 0.4.6. Down from 0.5,October and 0.5, November. Last Firmagon injection received August 26th. Testosterone reading was down to (7) on 12/14/09.

    Trying to keep warm here in the Sunshine State.

    Talk again soon.
    Glen

    Happy New Year
    Hi Glen, on the 4th of January, my PSA was 0.9. I was given a hormonal injection and told that next month I will be put on a three month period for these injections. For the last month I have been feeling GREAT, in fact, I have been working very hard to remove a very large tree that a recent wind storm blew down. It landed against our house. The tree was my pet, it was a Crab Apple tree, and I love Crab Apple Pie especially the way my wife makes it. I planted that tree back in 1949. I wish you and all of our CSN group of Firmagonians a GREAT, and healthy NEW YEAR.
    jpmpage (Carl)
  • Medcomglen
    Medcomglen Member Posts: 95
    #100
    jpmpage said:

    Happy New Year
    Hi Glen, on the 4th of January, my PSA was 0.9. I was given a hormonal injection and told that next month I will be put on a three month period for these injections. For the last month I have been feeling GREAT, in fact, I have been working very hard to remove a very large tree that a recent wind storm blew down. It landed against our house. The tree was my pet, it was a Crab Apple tree, and I love Crab Apple Pie especially the way my wife makes it. I planted that tree back in 1949. I wish you and all of our CSN group of Firmagonians a GREAT, and healthy NEW YEAR.
    jpmpage (Carl)

    Happy New Year!
    Hi Carl,

    Thank you for the New Year wishes and glad to hear your PSA is under control. I assume you are taking one of the following: Lupron, Zoladex, Viadur, Trelstar or Eligard since you mentioned three month injections. As long as it works and agrees with you is the bottom line. Sorry to hear about your 60 year old crab apple tree. We had an old one growing up and the little apples made for great ammo playing war with the neighbor kids. Hopefully your Wife can make one last pie. Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year.

    Glen
  • jogger
    jogger Member Posts: 47
    #101
    Medcomglen said:

    Happy New Year!
    Hi Jack,

    I was surprised as well as to my low PSA results especially for the length of time from my last Firmagon injection in August. "Knock on wood" Hopefully you will experience the same results.

    Best wishes,
    Glen

    Progress report
    Hi Glen (and others)

    Yesterday I had an ultrasound of my prostate, which is a month after my third shot. Doctor is 'very pleased' with the amount of shrinkage. I had my fourth shot yesterday and it still hurts a lot at the injection site. However, I have no body aches or flushing such as I have experienced before. The nurse took blood to get my PSA and testosterone levels. I put off dealing with my prostate conventionally for years, counting on infusions of Vitamin C, which I had to stop because my veins gave out. It's just as well because my PSA was off the chart. I hope I did the right thing in that I may have avoided the possibility of surgery, chemo or radiation and their side effects. The Degarelix has not affected my libido because it was down to zero even before I had my first shot. :-) After my biopsy months back I had bloody urine for a while. Now every time I see the doctor the first thing he wants to know is do I have any more bleeding. I think he believes the bleeding was from the cancer. I like to think it was just the biopsy. Oh, well, time will tell.

    Jack (the ex jogger, thanks to the recent development of angina.) Bummer I had done the NYC marathon when I was 50, 60 and 70 and I was hoping to do it at 80. Just as well. The entrance fee is too high these days. (sour grapes)

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