HT-- Joint SE?

Mel,

I have been on ADT fior 15 months. My side effects have been hot flashes, weight control problems, lower energy, and some minor joint pain.

The hot flashes have been best controlled by exercise and dietary changes eliminating caffine and reducing alcohol to one glass or red wine each evening. I tried Megestrol/Megace and it didn't agree with me so I have not used any meds to counteract the flashes. To counteract weight gain, I have stepped up my exercise (five days a week at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise) and modified my diet in very traditional conservative ways. I now can contol my weight, but it is more difficult to lose weight.

The energy drop has been creeping up on me and it is just a little more difficult getting things done. Again, diet has helped tremendously. Red meat has the greatest effect on my energy so I stay away from it, except for an occasional steak.

I have experienced some joint pain particularly in my knees, left hip, and fingers. I do have some evidence of the normal osteoarthritis and I am vulnerable to psoratic-arthritis to begin with. I think the HT compounds this. By no means is it in any way debilitating and the only person that really can observe anything is my wife as I naturally complain more to her than anyone else. My office is on the fourth floor and I always use the stairs. Going down the stairs hurts my knees. I drive a little Mercedes sports car and getting out of the car hurts my hip. My fingers are a little stiff and sore in the morning but managed by low doses of over the counter pain relievers.

I won't know how bad any of this has been until I get off the HT. I have had bone density tests and they show normal. I have had some x-rays and they show minor signs of arthritis in the usual areas.

As to mood and emotions, I am calmer than I was and even my wife said the other night, more caring. I don't know if that is the HT or being blessed with seven new grandbabies to love in the last four years. I have not been at all depressed and I do not watch the Halmark or Lifetime channels or TMZ. The only of shoes I have bought since HT are a pair for exercise and a new pair of flip-flops. I do know of a man that was seriously depressed when he was on HT and it was very challenging for him. I do understand that severe depression is a relatively rare side effect of HT.

Hope this helps, time to reach for my fan as I have a little sweat on my brow.

Jack

Mel:
When I first started HDT (ADT) I had occasional sharp pains in my right shoulder, where I have long lasting injury from youth overuse. When reaching and twisting my shoulder a piercing pain ensued. After a few months this subsided and it has not re-occurred. I associated the pain to the induction of treatment. No other similar issues then or now.
By the way, no hot flashes, ever; no noticeable mental fog; no other side effects, really, other than complete ED, which is actually the main effect.

My father was on HT for two years. Hot flashes were the biggest SE for him, lack of energy, hair loss (although we disagreed on whether that was a pro or a con) He did not complain about joint pain. He was very anxious about starting HT, but it worked for two years and now he is enjoying a HT vacation. We are hoping it is a permanent vacation! Best of luck to you!

DD

At 15 months, the hot flashes, weight gain if you are not careful, breast development, loss of body hair, and in my case foot pain...Tired, aching feet...that has just started...I did not connect it to HT until I read this thread. The pain is not severe, maybe a 3 or 4, and a couple of Ibuprofen cure it quick enough..

I can see where you can reach a point where you can blame everything that's wrong with you on the HT..It can become a scapegoat for all your other problems..

Were it not so effective against prostate cancer, nobody in their right mind would consider doing it..

Yep, the SE run the gamut.

It is obvious to me that when I am on HT I'll have some SE that are a big nothing and others that will be a lot more than that. I won't know the particulars until it happens.

David, you present the argument for starting later. It presupposes that HT will work for X amount of time no matter when you start, and then fail.

Yet, many (most?) of the experts seem to indicate that if you get on HT BEFORE mets then it lasts MUCH longer. It also last longer of you get on HT after Mets but before symptoms.

Both Meyers and Scholz indicate this.

Yet, other experts seem to be in the later category.

I am curious to see what Hussain says. It seems she was originally in the "what's the rush, do it later" category, but then changed her position when it became apparent that my PSA was accelerating rapidly. However, I never actually spoke with her that last time. It is almost impossible to speak with her unless one has a face-to-face appointment. I do...on Monday.

Frankly, David, with the extreme pain you are in, I wonder if some further tx. (HT or chemo or something else) might help. I guess if the pain is not related at all to the cancer per se, then the answer would be no. The fact that the pain seems to be spreading makes me wonder. Of course, nerve damage will refer pain anywhere.

Mel

Hi Mel,

I am on my second round of Lupron. Eight months thus far. SE's this time do not seem to be as bad as second year of first round but here is the list. You have seen them before.

Low energy level. I find that forcing myself to the gym daily for weights and biking help this a lot.

Hot flashes. Ditto on the gym. More exercise less hot flash.

Loss of body hair. Most never came back from the first round. I shave every third day. (my face that is)

Struggling again with weight gain. Lost 33 lbs last summer and ten back on since second lupron shot. 

Blood sugar level up in spite of diet. This is one that does not get a lot of notice. I am on statins as well and recent news says they can cause type 2 diabetes. So really do not know if this is the lupron or the statin.

No sex drive. Doesn't matter anyway as the radiation pretty well destroyed that.

Otherwise I feel pretty good. No depression and no fuzzy brain as some report. No joint pain either.

I know that there are some who disagree with supplements but I take curcumin 1000mg per day. I started this because I had some minor aches that I believe are from the statins. Took care of it after about two weeks. I take others too but won't bore you with all of that.

Mel, none of this is pleasant but so far all is tolerable. Good luck with your treatment.

Don