Need ideas for hubby to take for pain from Lupron side effects

Hubby has had 2 Lupron shots so far (Dec. and April).  He has had horrible hot flashes and bone/ joint pain.  Dr. prescribed Megace to help with that.  It worked... but the side effects from it were worse.  Contributed to really bad UTI and bladder irritation which led him back to total incontinence.  So had to stop it.  Finally have the UTI and irritation under control and incontinence about back to what it was prior to megace.  But the hot flashes are back with a vengeance.  And the bone/joint pain is much worse.  His feet, hands, back and hips seem to be the main foci of the pain. 

We know he shouldn't take aspirin.  Aleve upsets his stomach.  Advil has never seemed to work for him in the past and Tylenol is not much better.  He is allergic to codeine. 

Does anyone know of an over the counter remedy that we should try?  He says the pain is better than being dead, but I am very concerned!!! 

Has hubby had a recent bone scan to locate any possible bone mets? If not too extensive, these can be treated with spot radiation and the pain eliminated or reduced..If that's not an option, the opiate pain killers like Oxycontin are effective..

Lupron, by itself seldom causes bone and joint pain..The hot flashes, well we all learn to live with those..The drugs prescribed to control them are usually worse than the hot flashes...

so many things unrelated to PCa can contribute to back/joint pain.

If you do find lesions in the bones/back resulting from mets, should oyu check, there is plenty you can do for the pain and I've seent his first hand in the last few weeks. There is tylenol three times a day, 100 mg of Oxycontin a day and if extensive and very painful, even medications like Oramorph on a need basis. My mother is on all of these for her extensive lesions. She is also on an anti-depressant and on Xanax to help with anxiety.Finally, on Friday they put a screw in her femur. She still hasn't been given the green light to walk but says the pain seems to be gone and that she can again sit and lay down in positions that just a few days ago were too painful. I had no idea that strengthening the femur with a screw could have such a big impact on improving her pain. She's also going to start Xometa soon to strengthen the bones.

I don't know if this type of treatment is consistent with what doctors do in America but it has certainly helped her so far.

Sorry to dispute the lupron side effects but yes lupron can cause joint and bone pain. Side effects can be different for each individual and there are many. Some folks have little to none while others have extensive issues with lupron.

Thanks for all the replies.  We are looking at over the counter because he wants to try to deal with this himself right now.  The last bone scan (less than 6 months ago) showed no bone mets.  Unfortunately he reacts badly to Oxy and Hydrocodone - both are synthetic codeines and he isn't able to tolerate them. I don't think he needs anything like Fentynal yet.  He's not in that much pain (I'm very familiar with it- both Daddy and sister used it).   His latest bout with the UTIs and incontinence has put him 'off' doctors for now.  The Uro wanted to send him to rehab for the incontinence and that was ALL HE'D DO- it would have consisted of a PT talking to him about Kegels.  Considering the fact that he was totally dry about 6- 8 weeks after surgery and this started back with the UTIs, he was a bit upset (pissed actually- all puns intended).  His PCP has helped with the UTIs a bit.  Buy hubby and I have  decided his urine is too acid, though and he's started on cherries, cherry juice, etc.  and it really seems to help- it's stopped the burning he was feeling in his urethra.  But the bone/joint pain is getting bad.  He also doesn't want to irritate his bladder. 

He sees the URO again in August.  But I don't know if he can handle it until then. 

Unfortunately, the musko-skeletal pain just comes with Lupron. It was my worst bugbear the first year but has receded under the onslaught of opioids my onc has Rxed me. BTW, Lortabs are Hydromorphone, not Hydrocodone, so you might give them a try. I was on Fentanyl for 4.5 years and now am on its IR sister drug, Fentora. This is the best I've felt in the six years of HT. I also suggest a neuro analgesic like Gabapentin/neurontin.I am RXed Cymbal tea which is both of the above and an antidepressant which can help with the mood swings such as " being off the docs" and other negative reactions to therapy related pains in the butt . . . Q

Always checking by to see if there are any new recommendations.  My husband is having minor surgery for shoulder and back pains on C-5, C-6, C-7.  He is so sensitive to some of these medications.  Luckily, I respond quite well to most anything.

(Hi David!  We are hanging in there!  Hope all is well with you!)

Peace,

Aimzee