Lupron Works!!!

Hi All - just had to post that my PSA has dropped from 3.9 in April to 0.5 in Aug.  It goes without saying that I am ecstatic that the Lupron is working.  Next shot Aug 21.  My wish to you is that you will also experience the joy of having your PSA drop to safe/undetectable levels.  I keep all of you in my prayers.  In fact, I think I will call my church and have all those coping with PCa put on its prayer list.  I hope that many of you will feel the power of those prayers.

Gene in Md

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the nice post.  Staying positive is about 90% of the battle.  Your signature shows that you are doing very well.  Will keep my fingers crossed (as much as possible )

Gene

John,

Thank you for the info about the PSA level 0.5 indicating that the cancer is androgen-dependent.  That news is a great relief and I was totally unaware of that.  I'm looking forward to a long, but pleasant relationship with my PCa.

BTW, I haven't read about any local support groups for those of you in this forum.  I just returned from a support group session at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, Md.  It is hosted by urologist Dr. Ed Zagula, a prostate cancer survivor himself.  He is super knowledgeable and answers questions from those attending - about 30 men and women this time.  I think I'll start a new thread on the subject of support groups. 

In the meantime, be well or as well as you can.

Gene in Md

 

That's really great news. I hope you keep it low and you can join the decades survival category..

Hi David,

I've been following your story and will be thinking of you on the 18th. Maybe throw in a few prayers - won't hurt.

Thanks to you others who posted positive comments. I'll take all that I can get.

Gene

 

Greetings,

    Iam a new menber and want to share my story.... Iam 71...

 At 52, in '92, had a DX of Pc with a PSA of 9.0.   caught by accident after a full physical the month before in which i did not take a PSA.  A new doc insisted i take a PSA...and thats how i discovered it.  Had a RP , recovered no problem, went back to work in construction in 2 weeks  ....wore pads for a few months till i dried up.

   Went 12 years with a zero PSA  till 04 ......in 04 it went to 2.0,  05 to 4.0,  06  to  6.0  , 07 to 08, and 08 to 17.0 

  Had  bio on a small tumor  where my prostrate was,  was cancer.  Had bone scan and CT , showed it had gone to pelvic bone.......no pain or other problems.

    Have been on Lupron 12 months with zometa. no pain  but many harsh side effects. my Doc says iam doing so good that we will consider stopping treatments in a month....my PSA is now

0.05.........

  Side effects of both treatments are super hot flashes somtimes 30 min. apart, sore eyeballs,

  super fatigue, 20+ lb weight gain, very short of breath.

  iam looking forward to stopping this treatment and being rid of these side effects. iam very pleased with my progress ..............

       iam astounded with the cost of these drugs...when i get both treatments at once it approaches $7,000.00...wow.

     

       tommy76

 

  please tell me what you know about this new drug..   my doc cant tell me much

   tommy76

been researching lupron, if it is a synthetic drug, why in the world does it cost 5,000 a month or more for a shot? I was blown away when I read that. also, same subject, from what i read, and perhaps i missed the point, its not curing anything with the pc, seems like the lowering of the psa is temporary and is being used more to buy time (no disrespect to any of my advanced case brothers). ever since the new rad. oncl talked to me about lupron trying to understand it more.

the side effects i read so horrific.

david in sc

Age 67. Was having prostate problems. PSA's had risen to 14, I was told. Was scheduled for robotic surgery, but had chest pain the night before. Canceled surgery and started hormone therapy. PSA was about 6 then. Bio showed two incidents of cancer. Bone scan was ok. Dr. believe the cancer was caught early. 30 days after first shot and Casodex, PSA was 0.5 or there abouts. Receive a 90 day injection with pills to go along with the shot. Side effects, hot flashes, extremely tired, headaches, probably a few other that I can think of at the moment. At times, I feel like there is something else wrong because of the side effects. Are these normal side effects?

wlkin

thanks......your treatment results are remarkable.....i have become increasingly aware that so called pros in a lot of professions  are lacking including the med field.  i have even had some issues in the infusion center with  nurses.......  i  go to the cancer treatment centers of S Texas......have been for 12 months.......have never heard of casodex ......may be able to use after lupron no longer works.....iam always watching out for me and mine healthwise.   and...iam wondering why it took 12 months on lupron to drop my PSA  from 17 to .05.   and i was told that if i get off lupron  for a while and my PSA comes back ,lupron may not work against it????? ....he never mentioned casodex .......has anyone here had this happen to them?   

what is the rumors on the new PC drug............my doc doesnt know much. 

thanks

tommy76 

Hi Wlkin,

My guess is that the injection was Zoladex, although I haven't had that med (yet).  I am on Lupron and my PSA has gone from 3.9 to 0.5 in 4 months.  Next shot Aug. 21.  I am not on anything other than Lupron.  However, for the first two months or so after my first shot, Apr. 21, 2009, I was extremely tired / fatigued and wanted to lay around and sleep.  Fortunately, that feeling has been long gone.  I am now walking on a treadmill at 3 mph (faster than you think) for 30 min each day.  In addition, I am lifting 5 lb bar bells using 5 different moves.  Those two things alone give me more energy and block any tiredness / depression that I might otherwise have. 

I am impressed that your PSA is 0.05!! Not shabby in my book.  I wonder if the Casodex is combining with the injection to cause your side effects.  The hot flashes are a bother for sure.  I change my clothes 2 to 3 times a day.  I'm thinking of asking my uro on Aug. 21 for something to mitigate them.  At the same time, I don't want to acquire a host of new symptoms, so I'll probably follow his advice.

Good luck with your treatment.  Hopefully, you will find the side effects less bothersome over time.

Gene in Md

Casodex is an anti-androgen. It works in thebody by preventing the actions of androgens (male hormones).

Casodex is used together with another hormone to treat PCa.

It is also considered a Chemo drug.

 

I am not a doc only someone with PCA. Below is what I understand:

1.  If you have PCa and do not have surgery or radiation and even sometimes then, you still have PCa.

2.  Lupron and Casodex only starves the cancer you have or might have and keeps it from growing (if it is working)

3.  This treatment will artificially  keep your PSA low. My Doctor at UFPTI told me that we would not know difinitively if the radiation had killed the PCa until about a year after I stopped my HRT (2 years). I started in May 2008 before radiation (IMRT and PROTON) so I have another 8 months before I should come on HRT and then we will see.

I can't really say much about side affects except some infrequent hot flashes.

 

Rich