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Provenge side effects

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Posted 9/29/2013 6:03 AM (GMT 0)
How long do Provenge side effects last after final round ?
Posted 9/29/2013 6:31 AM (GMT 0)
I had a strong reaction on my first infusion. After that on the next two they gave me benedryl at a higher dose thru the IV. I didn't have any SE's that lasted more than a few hours. What are the SE's that he's had?
Posted 9/29/2013 6:37 AM (GMT 0)
He is very weak and no energy. He is easily winded too. Just walking up a flight if stairs has him breathing heavily. His last infusion was Friday so Provenge treatment is complete. All 3 were done but it seems like the last few weeks he has been doing nothing more then sleeping with little activity when awake. He says he feels like he ran a marathon.
Posted 9/29/2013 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
I am also a hopeful daughter. Do you mind me asking long your dad was taking his Hormone treatment before it stopped working?
Thanks.
Posted 9/29/2013 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
He was first diagnosed in 2003 and had the RP surgery. He didn't have radiation until about 2006. He started casodex last year and that only worked for about a 8 months. He still takes Lupron shots just because but it is having no effects. He's been on that for years.PSA still rising rapidly. He then went on xytiga for about 4 months but that didn't work for him. He just finished Provenge and will start either radium 223 or xtandiA and then he is out of options other then chemo at this point. So basically hormone therapy hasn't really worked for him with the exception of the months of casodex. His psa is 809 but went from75 to 300 when on xytiga. What is your dad on and has the prostate cancer spread?
Posted 9/30/2013 11:59 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your reply hopefuldaughter. My dad is still in the diagnosis stage. His PSA is 27-30 and the left lobe has a tumor that is malignant (Gleason 7 (4+3) and right lobe 10/10 are benign) However they're still trying to determine how large and whether it has spread. One doctor advised HT without requesting further tests. Perhaps its because 90% of the 10 cores on the left were found to be containing the cancer. Hence my question about HT.
I've been reading the forum trying to determine if there are any negative effects of RP when the spread is questionable. At the moment I think more tests are needed to determine if it is contained or locally advanced. But are there any MRIs/scans out there that are good at detecting metastasis? I read somewhere that Combidex is discontinued now :(
Perhaps this warrants a new post. If anyone is reading this and knows the answer, please reply...thanks.
Posted 9/30/2013 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
sr9sh,

I would think that dad should have a CT and bone scan to rule out node invasion and bone involvement. Good luck.

Posted 10/2/2013 6:08 AM (GMT 0)
hopefuldaughter,

Thank you on behalf of all of us for being so caring and concerned for your father. The physical symptoms that you are describing do not fit Provenge. I had four infusions and only got chills and flu like symptoms for a short period (like a day or so after the treatment).

First I would recommend that you talk with your Dad's oncologist and discuss with him all of his symptoms and get his reaction. Since I am not a doctor, I really can't give any advice but I would suggest just like Pepsiguy to get into his oncologist, discuss what is going on and what would be causing his illness and fatigue. Maybe he is experiencing metastasis that is causing the symptoms, which would make sense. Bone scans, etc would or could be very useful to you and your father.

Best wishes and hopefully you will be very blessed for all that you are doing for your father.
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