HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Casodex SE queries

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/28/2013 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
OK, time to get specific.

I will be starting Casodex on Tuesday. I think 50 mg once a day for a LONG time. I'll then get my Lupron shot 2+ weeks later.

So, just talking about Casodex, when should I notice SE and what are they? Am I likely to get the breast pain and/or growth? I think I saw diarhhea listed and someone mentioned joint pain.

I realize it's a crap shoot and I could get none or some of the listed SE.

I guess I would like to hear what you folks experienced, including the SE and when you started getting the SE.

Mel

Posted 2/28/2013 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
I couldn't tell you which, the LHRH Agonist or the bicalutamide, first presented SE's for me. I started them at the same time and one day the SE's were there but not right away.

Mel did you ask the doctor about the best ways to ease the SE's? I also posted a link earlier today on things you can do when you see the SE's coming. Hopefully you'll do well, but if not, the actions I took to ease the SE's worked well enough that I wasn't dragged down. The key SE's me emotional swings and the hot flashed. But the worst one was depression after my mother died. I left no SE unaddressed and I kept a cool room, a military sponge cloth handy (worked great on hot days) and also got a lot of exercise. Walking was I think the best exercise but hiking or riding the ATV's was good too. I did that almost every weekend to get my mind off of things. I went to Zion National Park about 20 times in the first year of my Dx. It worked well for me.

Tony
Posted 3/1/2013 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
Mel,
Since I was only on Casodex I can give you a good idea. I forgot how long it took to get SEs, but it took a week or two.
I did not have breast enlargement because I took Femera. I did have breast issues while on Proscar, so I took Femera as a precaution.
Hot flashes were about 2 or 3 a day for about 5 or 10 min.
Total loss of libido, it was weird not to care about sex and not really caring. Could still get erections, but not interested.
I exercised a lot and I think that helped.
JT
Posted 3/1/2013 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
Mel,
Casodex--I was on this (50mg daily) shortly before starting lupron and until after radiation..
I had slight breast enlargement while on casodex which stopped when the drug was discontinued so lupron didn't cause this for me...
Lupron--Fatigue and emotional swings were the biggest SE's for me...I guess the trick is to stay active! I do tend to forget more now than in the past but maybe I can attribute this to age..As Tony mentioned, watch out for depression--the trick is to stay busy and do things you like to do--
Hope that this helps--"right hip"
Bill
Posted 3/1/2013 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on a combination of Casodex, Lupron and Zytiga. It's only been 3 and a half months, but in my case there's been none of the SEs that you mentioned. In terms of what I am experiencing, hot flashes are at the top of the list and they took about 3 weeks to start in my case.
Posted 3/1/2013 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
TC

when SE occur, I will give Dr. Lam a holler.

Mel
Posted 3/1/2013 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Good holler. But also you can do some of the things on the list. Even ask him about them.

Tony
Posted 3/1/2013 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
Been on ADT2 now for six months and consider myself lucky as my SE's have been minimal. Very slight hot flash issues but considerable joint pain although how much is bad arthritis I don't know. Had labs Tuesday but wont find out results until 3/5 needless to say I need continued success.

 

Posted 3/1/2013 6:47 AM (GMT 0)
I started on 50mg Casodex and Avodart .5mg, daily since January 5th.Then on on 1/24 added a 3 month shot of Trelster ." Happy New YeaR" Added an estrogen patch to reduce side effects, I've had zero hot flashes, my nipples became tender just last week, feels weird, just hoping they don't fill out into full blown bresteses. I believe the rad/bud is too late to do.

John T, what about Femara?

As for other noticeable SE, hard to tell with all the combos I'm on/under. Getting towards the end of radiation,9 left out of 30, Boniva, Vitamin D, Trental, sulfracate, tamulosin, rapaflo, ibupropfin, lisiopril and cialis when needed. This last one has been approved for symptoms of Bph, not just for keeping a stiff upper lip. Just for the record, 61cc unusually shaped walnut, with some annoying urinary symptoms going in. My current RO did not want a URO talking care of the urinary issues first or prostate size, afraid they would spread microscopic cancer cell into my blood stream. The thinking is kill cancer and shrink the prostate then have it evaluated. Giving me up to a 3 month window for part 2,
seeds. I want to let the inflammation recede allowing time for healing, where if the plan works,shrink as it heals, no more large prostate causing me symptoms, plus smaller target for seeds, or worse case, I still need a green light laser, but not have to worry about stirring up feisty cancer cells
Posted 3/1/2013 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
I am the poster boy of side effects from bicalutimide with Eligard shots.

At first general feeling of increased burden moving about. Two episodes of depression lasting maybe three days each. Noticed memory getting fuzzy. Loss of sex drive and interest in sexual things. Gradually harder to get up from sitting position.

After 40 days or so, increased burden of movement and beginning of joint pain. Heavy fatigue. Muscle tightness and pain when active. Tending toward constipation with bowel movements of pellet type feces. Drinking over a gallon of water per day. Groaning increased with any exertion. I felt old. Foggy thinking increased. Finding myself empty headed while watching tv.

Since going off bicalutimide for two days now, feeling much better.

Caveat; I am 62 with heart blockage and generally not in good physical shape. Am slowly improving exercise and undergoing diet change last 9 months. I suspect, of course, your mileage will vary as I read of many who have little SEs from this med.
Posted 3/1/2013 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'd pitch in but I am on ADT4* (Casodex, Trelstar, Avodart, Prozac) and I can't factor out the side effects of the Casodex alone.

*science has not yet identified the cancer-fighting properties of Prozac but I am convinced that, with its sexual side effects, it fits right in with the other three and it must suppress prostate cancer proliferation somehow...
Posted 3/1/2013 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
 

Mel,

My husband was on HT for this last year, and although he had most of the above list of SE it took about 2 injections to feel them fully as it builds in your system.

I agree with Tony also to get as much exercise as you can to help with the mood swings, weight gain and hot flashes. It's not fun but tolerable, especially when you consider the alternative!

BOOGEE

Posted 3/2/2013 1:01 AM (GMT 0)

Mel,

Have been on Casodex 50MG for 6 weeks. No side effects. But guess what, it has brought my PSA down from 142 to 8.6 in 43 days.  They did the blood test and then I got my first Lupron injection. Later that evening they called to tell me about my huge PSA drop. If I had known that such a large drop in my PSA in so little time was possible I wouldn't have taken the Lupron. JohnT is right again.

Phil

Posted 3/2/2013 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
This morning as I was washing down my morning fist full O'pills it occurred to me that there is one side effect of the Casodex that I can separate out from my other ADT drugs after all. It's a tiny little white pill but it hits the bottom of my stomach with an easily audible thud. I try to eat something before I take my morning pills to cushion its descent. A handful of almonds or half of a low-carb energy bar tend to do the trick.
Posted 3/2/2013 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
Peter:

As long as it is the pill hitting your stomach making the thud as opposed to your stomach hitting the floor!

Mel

Posted 3/2/2013 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,

As you develop Dunlop's disease from the cravings that HT causes, your belly might be what hits the floor.

As in my gut done lopped over my belt -

Kettle Salt & Pepper chips at 3am are a big contributor.

Posted 3/2/2013 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
I have managed to retain my girlish figure while on HT so my belly never touches the floor. But my ass drags sometimes.
Posted 3/2/2013 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,
I want to apologize for harassing you about the lupron shots..A few members mentioned solutions for "breast" problems due to casodex. My problems were very minor but I wish I knew in my uneducated journey that there was a solution...Prior to taking your first "pill" I recommend that you check this out--It did bother me!! I didn't mention my other SE's such as ED, a complete lack of interest in sex, fatigue, and "hot flashes" at night while trying to sleep
since I don't know which drug caused these problems--I didn't want to scare you! If you can stay busy teaching students and exercise regularly you will be fine.
Bill
Posted 3/3/2013 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
I started on Casodex (bicalumitide) a year ago after 5 years of Lupron only. The only SEs I have noticed are man breasts and nipple soreness. Also put on weight which has something to do with the enlarged breasts. On the plus side it took my PSA down from 10.85 to .7 . . . Q
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Dx'ed age 52, PSA 511 Gleason 9 12/12 cores +
Current PSA 2.5 HT only
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply