Hormone treatment

dmun136
dmun136 Member Posts: 2 *
edited December 2022 in Prostate Cancer #1

I am 80 and diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. I am being treated at the Bay Pines VA.

Radiation and removal have been ruled out. I have had three Firmagon injections (2 initially then a follow up). This past week I had my first 90-day injection of Eligard. I have the symptoms I read about...hot flashes, night sweats and no appetite for sex but I also have dizziness and vertigo. It may not be connected to the treatment. Wondering if anyone else has or is experiencing this

Comments

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,206 Member
    #2

    Hi,

    Unfortunately the side effects you stated even the dizziness are typical side effects of Eligard. Eligard will not cure your cancer but slow down it’s growth and is usually used with some other forum of treatment. Will you provide a little more info on your cancer like Gleason score, biopsy results, ect. It seems kind of odd to me that your doctor is just offering Eligard.

    Dave 3+4

  • dmun136
    dmun136 Member Posts: 2 *
    #3

    Dave,

    My Gleason score was 9. The biopsy showed the cancer, but a pet scan showed it had spread to several vertebrae and ribs. I initially had several Firmagon injections and just started the Eligard. I have had bone density scans and I expect next month I will begin receiving Zometa. Due to my age (80) and the metastasis... radiation and removal as well as chemo has been ruled out. I expect my dizziness is anxiety driven as I had a spell of it on my way to receive the initial Eligard injection....?

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,530 Member
    edited December 2022 #4

    Whereas surgery and radiation wouldn't be recommended for a case like yours, chemo could be considered. There are several varieties; some have stronger side effects than others. Did you agree not to undergo chemo? That would be understandable; comorbidities and Quality of Life issues should play a big role for an older person with an advanced case of prostate cancer. Significantly, it's likely that the proposed hormone treatment will keep your cancer under control for many years.

    Best wishes!

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #5

    Hi,

    I agree with above opinions. Unfortunatly your PCa status and age limits the options in treatment. ADT is typically the best choice.

    LHRH agonists (eligard, lupron, etc) that cause havoc at the pituitary may be behind your dizziness. These drugs "deregulate" heart beating. A drop in blood pressure or dehydration can make you fell dizzy and cause vertigo.

    In such regards, an antagonist like Firmagon seems to be friendlier (however still causing dizziness), but it needs to be administered monthly causing pain after so many injections. A substitute to Firmagon is Orgovix (more expensive), also an antagonist, that is taken orally in pills.

    In any case, none of these drugs are free of side effects. You have to try it and fix on the one that makes you feel better.

    Zometa is to "protect" against bone loss, which is a cause from ADT administered continuously during long periods of time.

    Best wishes

    VG

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