prednisone side effects when taking zytiga

am now metastatic CR since Lupron not responding - had imrt only 9 yrs ago,
then Lupron off and on since 2016.. Dr says to research and choose xtandi or zytiga:

1. Am interested in specific side effects from the prednisone - I realize
it may not be easy to know if s/e from Lupron or zytiga or pred or some combo of them.

I read that pred can have a much wider range of s/e and also many that might
not be expected from lupron or zytiga, but many s/e probably could be same for all.

===> am asking since seems so many possible ones , even if its just the 10mg or even 5mg a day.
have read horrible stories in so many places since pred is used for so many things

2. I realize that pred is needed since zytiga takes away some needed chemicals and pred
can help replace it (not being technical here at all and that's ok, just that pred is needed dr says.


===> could that mean that the prednisone is in effect used by body in a different way
than if it would have been given for other reasons -- and thus that its s/e would be less ?

or could it still do the usual things pred does as to side effects ?

3. PS - if you have any thoughts on opinions of zytiga vs xtandi re side effects, please reply - am spending
hours browsing these topics via search


4. I read that need to stop zytiga from s/e is esp re liver values - or that can require

dose adjustments if dr would allow it ?

I guess same would be with xtandi ?

5. read somewhere that some big % of men don't respond at all to zytiga or xtandi
and others for a short amt of time whereas others for longer ?
I guess its like with imrt or lupron, etc - one's mileage can vary - still in shock over the new world
of being CR - reading this forum does help.

Prednisone side effects:

1. elevated blood sugars
2. changes in bone density if used long term
3. thinning of skin and greater risk of bruising
4. Potassium loss
5. Increased risk of infection
6. insomnia
7. Mood changes (in some people a mood elevator and in others irritability)
8. weight gain potentially

Most of these side effects are less prominent in the doses used for this indication. If used for months, it is important to wean slowly since the exogenous use cuts off endogenous production of cortisol. If the prednisone is withdrawn suddenly, the patient ends up having a cortisol deficiency which occasion cause an Addisonian Crisis.

Prednisone is definitely a potent drug, but needed when Zytiga is used.

Paul