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Hi Al,
My treatment was different, was on 3 month Lupron Depot shots to the hips for one year, last shot April o8. All the responses are about right. I still have hip pain, which hurts when ever I walk a couple of miles or more and ride my bike 5 to 7 miles, usually about 50 mins of exercise. It did not mater if I exercised or not, I was still very tired, one or two naps/day. So far not much sex drive, am to test the PSA and Testos this week, do not expect much the way I feel. Talk to your Docs about depression early, I had to beg & plead for help, from my HMO!
As you can tell, everyone reacts a little differently.
Hope you are hit lightly with all this. Be thinking about you. YANA!!!!
Joe
George's post gives some hope (thanks for sharing...)
Three follow-on questions:
1. On the weight gain it seems that some of you were able to take weight off after gaining it.
Had you been on a normal or maybe a higher calorie diet and then restricted calories and increased exercise to lose the weight? It seems that by dropping daily caloric intake that you should be able to manage the weight or does Lupron have you gain weight even off of a restricted calorie diet?
2. What helped with depression and low mood?
3. Assuming ability to take naps and not too severe urinary symptoms were you still able to maintain a normal work schedule throughout treatment?
Prior to the treatments, I ate a moderate diet and jogged daily. During the treatments, I ate anything I wanted. I needed the energy and I wanted to baby myself since things sucked at the time. Part of my rapid weight loss may have been due to the return to a normal diet. I know I wasn't able to exercise normally for quite a while.
The only thing that helped with depression was therapy. I saw a clinical social worker every week. We talked about my anger and depression as well as the changes in my life. We also mapped out what I had to do to return to a normal life.
I was able to go to work every day during treatments. I'm an engineer and I work at a desk mostly. I was tired during the day and beat at night. I had to stop doing many things to conserve energy. No exercise, shopping, yard work, family visits, etc.
Just heard back from my urologist. Turns out he will put me on Trelstar 11.25mg every 3 months along with a daily Casodex.
I am assuming this doesn't change the picture that has been described in either direction? Would once again appreciate any experience or knowledge of the difference of Trelstar/Casodex to Lupron.
Trelstar and Lupron both imitate LHRH(Leutinizing hormone releasing hormone) which is intermittently secreted by the hypothalmus as a response to low testosterone level. LHRH then activates the pituitary to release LH (Leutinizing hormone) which stimulates the testes to produce testosterone.
Trelstar and Lupron both constantly bombard the pituitary and trick it into shutting off the LH to the testes resulting in a lack of testosterone production.
Casodex further reduces testosterone by attacking the 5-10% of testosterone that would still be produced by the adrenals molecules.
I would say that LHRH analogues like Trelstar, Lupron, and Zolodex are probably equal as far as side effects and effectiveness, one would probably decide on one brand depending on insurance and Dr. preference.
Although there are several indications for Casodex usage, the one I received advice and literature on was testosterone flare. Trelstar, etc. cause testosterone flare that can be life-threatening or very painful if there are significant mets or alarge tumor in the prostate. For me, getting CAT and bone scans done Before any ADT was administered let me rule out Casodex. There weren't any areas on the scan of concern.
I'm sure there are probably other reasons for adding Casodex to the initial treatment prior to radiation but I'll have to let others speak for them. Take care - p (Alaska, USA)
