XTANDI dosage question

Gregg01
Gregg01 Member Posts: 1
in Prostate Cancer #1

Last winter about February I was able to get a GRANT to help pay for my XTANDI medication. I had STAGE THREE PROSTATE CANCER my COUNT WAS 20.9 after a long period of treatments my PROSTATE CANCER came back not long after my treatments stopped.

My CANCER specialist prescribed XTANDI for me however it cost with our plan etc $12,000 plus a month so I said, "TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS see you in the next life because we don't have the funds for this treatment and I am not going to put my wife in debt." 

His staff and the hospital found a NON PROFIT that picked up the balance of the cost of XTANDI and it was a MIRACLE HOW WELL I RESPONDED. 

My GRANT soon runs out and I am on my last bottle of XTANDI, we have applied to a renewal of my GRANT.

 

I take 4-40 mg or 160 mgs a day CAN I CUT THAT TO 2 OR 3 CAPLETS A DAY AND EXTEND MY SUPPLY UNTIL WE HEAR SOMETHING FROM THE GRANT?

 

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    edited January 2020 #2
    CRPC

    Gregg

    Welcome to the board. In my opinion you can lower the dose of Xtandi to 80 mg daily during a short period, returning later to the 160. In fact this drug is supplied in 40 mg pills precisely to allow patients in having smaller or higher doses, depending on the health status of the patient and if other medication is been taken causing interactions.

    The recommended dose of 160 mg daily is based on the best results obtained from clinical trials but some guys have done well with lower doses and some with higher doses. Xtandi's half-life is one week meaning that it will be full active 7 days after stopping it.

    You do not share much about your case but by using Xtandi (a second line ADT drug), I believe that you have already experienced other cheaper more common, first line antiandrogens (bicalutamide, etc) without success. I wonder if you are taking concomitantly other hormonal drugs such as Lupron. Are you a refractory patient?

    Other ADT drug recommended to refractory cases is Zytiga that works by inhibiting the metabolism of testosterone. This is also expensive but, before approval of these drugs; enzatulamide (Xtandi) and abiraterone (Zytiga) some famous medical oncologists used a cheaper similar drug called Ketokonazol in refractory patients. However, before anything, you should inquire with your doctor about the doses and if he can recommend you a substitute affordable to you.

    Here are links on the above that may help you understand the facts;

    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326429.php#xtandi-vs-zytiga

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/30154429/

     

    Best wishes

    VGama

     

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