CancerCompass message board discussion started by shep42 on 3/13/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,21966,0.htm Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I have recurrent prostate cancer.Had a radical just over 4 years ago: PSA has risen over the 4 years from 0.008 to 0.53. I have been put on Lupron and Casodex.......and am to stay on them for 6 months before they radiate the prostatic bed.My question is.......most of the people I speak to on Lupron have had various side effects.......ie. hot flashes etc., I'm experiencing none after 3 weeks.......so I'm kinda wondering if it's working.Can anyone offer any comments? Thank you.Stan. shep42 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Stan: You should know if it is working by the changes in skin and hair and other factors. Skin oil is greatly reduced, hair then feels dry and straw like, underarm and back and chest hair will thin. Skin will be dry and winter-like, even without winter dry conditions. This is due to the Lupron. If your Casodex was for a course of a week or two before the Lupron, as is sometimes followed, the Casodex does not have the same external changes, thus the Lupron based changes will be delayed until after its initiation.Men with Lupron or other LHRH agonists (Eligard, Androcur, Vantas, etc.) will have reduced libido and difficulty attaining erections, if it were possible beforehand. Other common early side effects include joint soreness, particularly in the extremities. Your physician can test your testosterone level sometime after treatment to determine if it is effective. Since your treatment is not meant to be long lasting, but only for the course of the RT, (I assume) then this may not always be done. Good Luck.  Thoosier Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/13/2008 shep42 wrote:I have recurrent prostate cancer.Had a radical just over 4 years ago: PSA has risen over the 4 years from 0.008 to 0.53. I have been put on Lupron and Casodex.......and am to stay on them for 6 months before they radiate the prostatic bed.My question is.......most of the people I speak to on Lupron have had various side effects.......ie. hot flashes etc., I'm experiencing none after 3 weeks.......so I'm kinda wondering if it's working.Can anyone offer any comments? Thank you.Stan.Dear Stan      How I hope you continue with your good fortune to not experience  the side effects of hormone therapy. Give it a couple more months. I'm sure by then you will notice some changes. I speak from experiance. It's just for 6 months. That's a good thing. The the best advice I can give you is to excersize every day for 1/2 hour minimum. That therapy is rough on a guys muscles.LOL, Joe   psarising Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Just a quick note to thank Thoosier and psarising for their comments.I've felt tired, and yes, my skin is dry, particularly under my arms. I play golf a lot, but it's getting to be a struggle now to walk 18 holes. Getting pooped. So, I would think it's the lupron. Thanks again and good luck to both of you.Stan. shep42 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT I didn't feel the hot flashes until about 5-6 weeks. needhelp Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT My first Lupron shot was July, 2007. A second was in October, 2007 to shrink my prostate for HDR and Tomotherapy. The third shot was in January, 2008, at the onset of my radiation.One side-effect has been "warm" flashes. These flashes occur two or three times per day. I just feel warm and usually peel off a sweater or shirt for a few minutes. Then it's over. No sweat.However, Lupron does affect the libido and my love-life tanked. Docs say it will likely return in May after recent shot expires.Lupron likely will increase your emotional reaction to personal issues.Some say they have an increased desire to go shopping with their wives and even go inside the gift shops!George Georgealbert Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi George, Many thanks for your response.Does Lupron work quickly? I have to get a PSA test a month after starting on it; should my PSA have dropped in that short a time?Guys at the golf course are giving me a hard time. Asking me if I'm getting the urge to shave my legs etc.......Interesting though, I live on Vancouver Isl. in Canada, and at the Golf Club you would't believe how many men have, or have had prostate cancer.Best of luck to you. Stan. shep42 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/13/2008 shep42 wrote:I have recurrent prostate cancer.Had a radical just over 4 years ago: PSA has risen over the 4 years from 0.008 to 0.53. I have been put on Lupron and Casodex.......and am to stay on them for 6 months before they radiate the prostatic bed.My question is.......most of the people I speak to on Lupron have had various side effects.......ie. hot flashes etc., I'm experiencing none after 3 weeks.......so I'm kinda wondering if it's working.Can anyone offer any comments? Thank you.Stan.Not everyone necessarily has severe side effects like hot flashes you mentioned. Some side effects like that can be influenced by hot drinks, spicy foods, coffee, alcohol, bright lights, extreme exercise.Two men I know currently on hormone treatment have done well few problems: they have both remained active and improved their lifestyle, diet and suppelements.One had a reduction in PSA from 28 down to under 1.The other man had PSA of 50, which reduced to .2 after three months, then .04 at 9 months.It usually works, sometimes one kind of medication can be more effective than another, but the effectiveness can't be measured by side effects which vary from person to person: only way to know how well it's working is  by PSA readings or more specifically by  hormone testing.   Johnw100 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Many thanks John..........appreciate your help. I guess I'll know in just over a week when I have my first monthly PSA test. Good luck to you.Stan. shep42 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT        I EXPERIENCED HOT FLASHES IN THE AMOUNT OF 120 PER DAY, NEARLY ONE EVERY 5 MINUTES.  AFTER 6 WEEKS OF THIS MADNESS MY DR PUT ME ON MEGACE [MEGESTROL 20MG] ON THE 8TH DAY OF A DOSE OF ONE PER DAY MY FLASHES/CHILLS STOPPED ALMOST COMPLETELY.   MEGACE WAS MY MIRACLE.  Patrick1935 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT