How soon do you get side effects from Lupron shot?

Got my first one month Lupron shot on Monday. No side effects yet in any department. How soon do they develop?

Geebra,
It took me a month and a half for hot flashes and 6 months later it was affecting me in a whole new way. The worst of it for me was adjusting to the angrogen deprivation. Low "T" levels can and will likely cause depression. I had to take a break from moderating here and get my "new mindset" in order to cope with depression. But I am doing very well now and the best advice I can give is don't be caught off guard by changing moods and feelings. Since I have been on ADT I also lost my ability to participate in sexual activity with my wife. Libido is very low, subzero low, and this too can lead to depression.

All in all, if you are able to recognize and address coping with these side effects, you can do very well. I figured it out, but I know many guys who struggle with it.

Peace to you, and stay positive!

Tony

Hi Geebra,

The side effects of the lupron started in earnest about two weeks after the first shot. (I just had my fourth a month ago). Hot flashes were fairly frequent and intense but of short duration. One year later and just after my fourth shot the hot flashes do not seem to come as often nor as intensely. Thankfully, the duration is still short.

Other side effects are:

   1. Loss of libido. Since I am single that is not a problem for me.

   2. Loss of body hair. Especially on legs and chest.

   3. Weight gain. I put on about 20 lbs fairly rapidly in spite of a vigorous workout program and running. I have managed to get about 6 of those back off.

   4. Loss of muscle mass. Took about a year for this to show up. Most evident in my upper arms and shoulder. I have had to cut back on the weights to a lower amount. Still three times a week. My running time is off by three minutes per mile. (was 10 now 13) Still in the gym everyday though.

   5. Shrunken testicles. The doctor did not mention this in his briefing but seems that others have had the same experience.

   6. Depression has not been a problem for me. I do seem to be a bit more sensitive to sad stories on the news and in the papers so I avoid them if possible. I think the exercise helps with this item.

Good luck with your IMRT. My own was not all that tough with only a brief episode of bowel and urinary problems midway. No issues after completion.

Let us know how you are doing. Keep your spirits up it does get better as you adjust to the new reality.

Take care,

Don

I had a 3mo shot to assure that my PC wouldn't progress until I could take care of it after tax season (either that or go out of business). It took me a month to notice any side effects. My hot flashes only happened at night and were fairly frequent. I was also able to joke that I now looked like a little boy. I also became impotent but the lack of libido meant I didn't care. <G> I didn't notice any weight gain or loss of muscle mass but I was swimming laps daily. I actually lost 7 pounds by the time I checked in for surgery. My wife has since noticed a loss of upper body muscle since I haven't been able to get back to the pool. Maybe next week. I didn't know depression was a possible side effect so I guess I didn't have it.

Here is a good post about ADT and radiation....From the Infolink...The study is linked...

http://prostatecancerinfolink.net/2009/06/11/length-of-hormone-therapy-in-combination-with-radiation/

Tony

Thanks, Tony. I discussed this with my Oncologist. He knew about this study. He says it is relevant for primary treatment, but is not yet accepted as a salvage treatment. He feels 6 months ADT will be enough, but we will revisit this in a few months.

It took my dad about a month of HT before he experienced any side effects. The hot flashes were pretty bad, but they have either gotten better or he has gotten used to them, because he doesn't complain about them very much anymore. Loss of Libido is another big one, as previous posters have mentioned. He also experience hair loss on his body. He has always worked out quite a bit, but I think his energy has been affected, because he doesn't go to the gym as much, either that or maybe a little depression. Just my observations. All in all, he looks great and we pray that his PSAs remain undetectable. Best of luck and keep us posted.

Depression and short term memory loss were the worse aspects for me.  I couldn't remember what I had seen on TV the night before.  The hot flashes were miserable, cost me a lot of sleep.  It all interacts:  tired, no energy, lost sleep, a hot flash when you least expect it  (is it hot in here or is it me  -AGAIN?) = a depressed state .    Some days I felt like walking in front of a bus.  There's also this pissiness.  My wife had gone through menopause a couple of years earlier, so I did get a lot of sympathy, plus a lot of  "Now you know what it's like" gloating.

The libido aspect is kind of strange:  It's true that you have no desire, but I got my Lupron pre-RP, so I had no erectile issues.  Once I got started (with sex initiated by an exasperated wife) I had no performance problem and a normal erection and orgasm.  It's not that you CAN'T do it, it's just you couldn't care less.  I ddin't get any CASODEX moderation, so I had the testosterone flare, lasted about a week.  Whoo!  Whoo!.     I went from wanting sex all the time, to absolutely no interest whatsoever, all in about a month.   Interesting period in my life.  Don't want to do it again.

I understand from reading that the side effects moderate after a while, but I only got the one 4 month depot shot  June2008).  I didn't recover from it until I got testosterone replacement therapy (Andorderm patch) in Jan 2009.  Robotic RP was Nov 23 so I was pushing the envelope a bit.  One of the first things I noticed was that I was looking at the women in the supermarket again.   Here's an interesting and encouraging link:

http://www.ustoowichita.org/pdf/MYPROSTATECANCERSTATS.pdf

I suspect that T replacement could be a very valuable addition to post-op erectile rehabilitation.  I also suspect that you are not going to find a single urologist in the world who would adopt such a protocol  -and with good reason. 

I am new to the forum. I was diagnosed with PC over a year ago with a PSA of over 6. Had a prostatectomy with a few of my lymph nodes in the close vicinity removed for good measure. Took my 45 days of radiation as required. Of course the cancer ruined the old sex life. It is gone forever! Forward a little over a year and I have a PSA of a little over 2. Read up on the long list of possible side effects of Lupron and had my first injection a little over 3 weeks ago. When I got my injection I started my life style change. I work out with dumb bells and am walking 3 miles a day, 7 days a week. My goal is to get to 4 miles a day. I also went on a low carb diet and have lost 22 pounds so far. Have had zero side effects so far and feel great, no loss of strength or energy at this point.

Welcome to the forum. It's an old thread but still pertinent.

It appears that your primary treatments have failed, so you are now on "lifetime" ADT. I am also a member of that club. 😉

When I started ADT my MO said I *will* gain weight. I said the hell with that. I started walking - four miles most days now - and doing push ups. I watched my diet and lost 25 pounds, which I've kept off.

You will start feeling the effects of ADT soon enough, but for me, they haven't been nearly as bad as I thought they might be.

Did your doctor include a 2nd line oral ADT medication such as Zytiga, Xtandi, or Apalutamide? Major trials have shown significantly better survival by doing so. I encourage you to discuss this with your doctor.

I hope you will stay us for support.

Good luck on your path!

I have been on it now for almost seven months.... some nausea and not hot flashes, but I call cold sweats from my neck up about a couple times a day....

I got my first Lupron shot yesterday for three months and supposed to get another one three months from now. I’m supposed to start radiation two months from now. I guess it’s too early to notice any side effects from the Lupron and as you probably noticed in my signature header My total testosterone is only 37 so my RO thinks that I might not have too much in the way of hot flashes and other side effects related to low testosterone. I’ve been dealing with depression for many years now because of the low testosterone

Hello forum members,
First up, thanks to all you posters for the great and helpful information that this forum provides.
My PC journey is only 6 months old and the info is really appreciated.

I am three months into a 6 month shot of Triptorelin and about halfway through my "hybrid" SBRT.
(20gy in 2 fractions and 36gy in 12 fractions)

My side effects are pretty much standard, Hot flushes, ED, bit of minor brain fog, afternoon lethargy.
Hopefully the RT will not add too many more SE especially to my "waste extraction systems".

Any clues on when the T will rise and SE diminish after the ADT 6 mth. dose mark?

Cheers from Australia.

Post Edited (OziTez) : 6/22/2022 3:53:57 AM (GMT-6)