Any one here had any Xtandi side effects?

Any one here taking Xtandi? I figure someone must be, or maybe more than a few? I am wondering about the frequency and severity of SEs. Of course I can look it up and already have worked a little on that, but I would like to hear from some folks who are on it re: their experiences.

Here is why I am curious: I teach a Sunday School class for the oldest guys in my church. But don't be fooled: as a group, these are the most faithful folks and very active and sharp for the most part. One particular fellow, well into his 80s, has retired twice and gone back to full time accounting twice, gets too bored. He was in Sunday School class just a couple of weeks ago, as he is most Sundays, and drove to our monthly get together at a restaurant a few weeks ago and seemed his normal self.

He was treated with RT for PC, and a few months back his PSAs started rising after 6 years. That is all the details I know about that. He had told me he was on some type of HT.

about a week or two ago, I heard he was in the hospital. While visiting his family in the hospital- he had just been taken down for an echo-cardiogram- I found that it all started with a fall as he was running to the parking lot trying to stop a client who had forgotten something he needed. He stepped down from the curve and down he went. Something about "he could not feel", maybe his feet? Apparently no bones were broken. That is the first I have heard of him ever coming close to falling.

But this seemed to start a downward spiral. Respiratory problems, fluids on the lungs and/or infection, diarrhea, blood count low(got 2 units of blood). They need to run some more tests but he is too weak they don't think he would make it through the sedation or anesthesia.

Then they mentioned that he had just started this new drug a couple of weeks ago, Xtandi. Now, a few days later, I have forgotten the long list of symptoms he so suddenly came down with. But I looked up Xtandia in Epocrates, and it seemed like everything they were telling me was listed at the top of e list of serious or common reactions. They also mentioned that he had been taken off the drug while he was in the hospital.

So, if anyone here has taken this drug, have you had any serious reactions? Is it possible that what has hit this guy, or at least what got him on the downhill slippery slope, is a drug reaction?

If not, I wonder what is suddenly going on with my old friend?

Thanks, Ranger.

RangerTug - Xtandi is likely in my future. Your results look impressive to me.

Gunner34 said...
BillyBob

I was on Xtandi for 8 months. From what I remember about it, I would be surprised if it caused some of the issues you mentioned for your friend. That said, I stopped taking Xtandi because the side effects were becoming unbearable. They included major bone pain, fatigue, muscle & joint aches, and concentration issues among others...

I wish there were a way to determine for sure what side effect comes from which drug since many side effects are the same for several therapies. For example I think Statins can also cause muscle and joint aches and I know that Lupron causes issues with s/t memory, fatigue, and other aches. Bone pain can also come from Zometa, etc. I still have the above issues but I think they might be not as intense as when I was on Xtandi.

I hope this fellow at your church is doing better.

Thank you for the report, Gunner. I was told he is better since I saw him, but I hope to go check on him again tomorrow. Yep, these drugs can have plenty of SEs, but sometimes it is hard to tell if it is from the drug or just his age and overall condition. But seems like that " fatigue,....and concentration issues" is pretty consistently reported and that could sure have contributed to his fall which seemed to get the whole downhill slide started. The great news is that he did not break a hip or anything.

Thanks, Marie!

My guy had the same experience as Myman's husband (that sounds like the start of a riddle). On Xtandi for about 2.5 months, he became so ill that he couldn't walk to the end of the block and his skin turned an awful yellow colour (eyes stayed white and clear). Back pain in small of the back as well. The onc. took one look at him and stopped that particular treatment. His PSA went from 26 I believe, to 48 in this last month. This morning, he took off for half an hour around the park and his skin is a normal colour again. He hasn't had to nap either. Both abi and enza have been bad for him SE wise and have not brought down his PSA, so we are now on Xofigo and keeping it all crossed.

Moonlitnight said...
My guy had the same experience as Myman's husband (that sounds like the start of a riddle). On Xtandi for about 2.5 months, he became so ill that he couldn't walk to the end of the block and his skin turned an awful yellow colour (eyes stayed white and clear). Back pain in small of the back as well. The onc. took one look at him and stopped that particular treatment. His PSA went from 26 I believe, to 48 in this last month. This morning, he took off for half an hour around the park and his skin is a normal colour again. He hasn't had to nap either. Both abi and enza have been bad for him SE wise and have not brought down his PSA, so we are now on Xofigo and keeping it all crossed.

Well, it is all starting to sound pretty consistent, more or less. I think I may print this thread off and take it to them and see what they think. Of course, if they have him off the drug and plan on keeping him off it, and if he makes it out of hospital, it will all be a moot point for this previously very active (working full time at accounting) 88 or 89 year old.

Boy, you sure hope drugs with such powerful SEs do a great job of controlling the cancers, don't you?