Lupron Injection Treatment

Deebo,

Yep. Normal. Happens to everyone.

Oh, and before I forget... Welcome to the forum! Glad you found us but sorry you needed to look.

So, tell us a bit more about yourself. You had surgery three years ago but needed salvage radiation a year later and now you're on Lupron. I got that much. But a few more questions if you know...

Do you have a copy of the post-operative pathology report? If you do, or if you remember, can you tell us what your final Gleason score was? It's a number that is written as the sum of two other numbers; mine is Gleason 9(4+5) but we see more that look like Gleason 7(3+4) or Gleason 7(4+3). The most common is Gleason 6(3+3) but that's probably not you since those guys hardly ever need salvage radiation. Also, what was the last PSA you got before your surgery and what did your PSA do between surgery and the radiation? Also, did the Lupron shots start before the radiation? (They often do.) Finally, why did you say your radiation didn't work very well. Is your PSA rising again?

We have a lot of smart guys here who might be able to talk about your options if you tell us what's going on with you. I'm not one of them, of course. I just tell the new guys hello.

Hello.

Hi Deebo. Welcome to the forum, and sorry for your reasons to come looking.

Yeah, the tend to shrink some. The good point though is that you sit on them less when they are smaller.

Deebo
Glad you're here for help from your brothers. Smaller testes ( and In my case penis) are a normal side effect of HT along with many others . My signature below shows the meds I'm on to mitigate side effects. The estradiol patch which I change twice weekly greatly reduced night sweats and hot flashes for me. In fact I never have night sweats but occasionally throw off the covers. This patch is placed at your waist, in my case below my navel. I change it on Tuesday and Friday. The cabergoline tablets taken three times weekly help
reduce breast swelling and prolia injections every six months help reduce bone loss and invasion of the bones by cancer. Weight bearing exercise is very important to help maintain strength and a sense of well being. Weight gain is the worst problem for me and I've given up even thinking about sex.
Bob

Thanks for the information about the hot flashes, I'll be seeing my doctor in a couple weeks so I'll mention the things mentioned along with the medication for breast swelling. Are there any other side affects that I may not have experienced yet such as hair loss or anything? I've also experienced some diarrhea and some muscle soreness, especially after the shot, I chose to have it done on my butt cheek. I also sometimes feel fatigued.

Bobby Mac
Unfortunately it's too soon for HT SEs to have surfaced yet. I've been on ADT3 ( casodex, lupron and avodart) for 11 months with two to go. I don't see why your casodex would be stopped. You should talk to your RO about meds to mitigate HT SEs ASAP because they are sure to occur. Are you planning to get RT to nodes?
Bob

Ok, help me out here....I've been seeing "RO" throughout out conversation, what is that? Is that the shortened way to say Urologist?

Hello Deebo,

We were both in our 40s when we were diagnosed, and I was also diagnosed three years ago, just as you were --- so we already have some common threads in our story.

I've been on continuous ADT shots for the past three years, including LUPRON ...

You've gotten some insightful responses to your original post, including medications that might help you reduce side effects such as hot flashes ...

A few helpful tips and strategies, learned over time ... if you experience night sweats, use cool cotton sheets and cotton pillowcases ... you can "double sack" your pillows with two pillowcases, if you wish, to protect your pillows. Lots of fellows keep a glass of ice water on their nightstand --- and a ceiling fan in the bedroom can be helpful.

During the day, if you are experiencing frequent hot flashes ... wear a lightweight, athletic t-shirt ... you can then wear an Oxford button-down shirt over that ... roll up the sleeves and adjust the buttons, as necessary, throughout the day ... you can keep a water bottle with you at home or at work ... and again, ceiling fans in various rooms of your home can be helpful.

Hopefully, a couple of these simple strategies can help keep you in cool comfort, day and night ...

You mentioned some weight gain, and this can be an aspect of the hormone shots ... best advice ... stay active each day ... some exercise each day is a great idea, and can help work against any feelings of fatigue you might be experiencing, as well ... I try to walk in the early morning or late in the evening ... I usually bring a gym bag to work and change into track clothes after work and that's another time of day to get some exercise in my day ... whatever works for you ...

This website is a tremendous network ... lots of concern and support to be found right here ... we've got members from "every corner of the country" and from across the globe, as well ...

Continue to post ... we welcome your contributions ... this website really helps others, as we all continue to "share our stories" in the interest of reaching out and helping others !

Sent with my best, from across the miles,
"Cyclone Fan" ~ Iowa State University

Anyone -

What is anti-androgen withdrawal syndrome?

How is it prevented?

Bobby Mac

Deebo,

It's worth writing to your surgeon to see if you can get a copy of your post-op pathology report. There is information there that can help you decide what to do next.

And you shouldn't, necessarily, look at chemotherapy as a dire last resort. The research seems to be finding more and more benefit for using chemo earlier in the progress of the disease. The other thing that seems to be coming out of the studies is the realization that chemo seems to be better tolerated by younger men who are not quite so sick. And the new, better-targetted chemo drugs are still struggling to throw off some of the bad reputation earned by previous chemotherapy drugs that did have worse rates of unfortunate side effects.

Oh, and one more thing about your testes. I suspect you will notice that they don't hurt properly when thumped or squeezed. They become less sensitive as they shrink.

Funny the things you miss sometimes...

I'll do that PeterDisAbelard, thanks for your suggestion and advice.

Hello Deebo,

My husband had been on Lupron on and off for 3 years. While on a hormone vacation our Oncol. switched my husband to Degarelix which is another HT. See signature below.
He had all the same symptoms you mentioned while on Lupron but now on Degarelix for 2 years he doesn't experience those symptoms.
He does have to get those injections monthly however.

It may be helpful to add your signature with your posts, so the guys and gals can be more helpful when sharing info, so ask away.

Good luck with your treatment .

BOOGEE