Hip joint pain on ADT

Hi there,

I went through radiation and 19 months of Firmagon and I suffer from intermittent nervous pains in my legs and stiffness in my joints.
Although the radiation is focused on the prostate bed the other tissues in the area get a good dose as well, I have seen some numbers somewhere that suggested that the hip joints receive about 45 Gy each if you have 66 Gy to the prostate bed.
I was diagnosed at 55 and I am now 58 going on 59, but I reckon that the treatment has aged me by a good few years in comparison with how I would have been.
OK, I am in remission, but the treatment has exacted a price in terms of my sexuality, fitness and enjoyment of life.

Best wishes,

Georges

I also experienced joint pain while on the effects from ADT. In fact it is well known that the loss of testosterone results in a sort of osteoarthritis affecting articular tissues that can even lead to joint failure. In my experience, the symptom started at about the 10th months in from Eligard shots with increasing occurrences along the ADT period that lasted till three months post the end of the shots effectiveness when the testosterone increased from T=1 to T=100 ng/dL.

My RT protocol also involved an attack to the iliac and inguinal lymph nodes striking the localized bones. I cannot relate any issue regarding bone lesions due to the treatment as all exams (BS and PET) have been negative, but there have been reports from survivors here not so fortunate. The best to check if the pain relates to metastases is to get tested. I recommend you to give it an opportunity in submitting to a PSMA-PET scan.

Best,

VG 

Deprivation of the testosterone is not the solo cause of the symptoms we experience while on ADT. Osteoarthritis is a side effect from hormonal manipulation. Apart from the testosterone, ADT drugs used in PCa therapies also affect other hormonal glands as it causes havoc in the endocrine system. Estrogen therapies in breast cancer also are subjected to the same symptoms.

At such occurrences, the body tries balancing the situation for the missing hormones in a function substituting them by other androgens. Somehow, women are more sensitive to changes to their hormonal system and get faster and accentuated symptoms from HT manipulations.

Best,

VG

I do not know how far my daily aspirin (100mg) help me but during ADT I never took drugs specifically to counter the side effects. Symptoms were mild but numerous and existed in short periods along the 18 months on Eligard. I recall by the end of ADT that some days climbing stairs was painful. I couldn't walk well. However, the most annoying side effect was fatigue that was present all the time. Some guys experience nasty side effects and take drugs for relief (over-the-counter pain killers).

Best.

VG