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I had my second one monthly injection 3 days ago and I have a few problems.
Just after the 1st injection I began to have some pretty awful attacks of shortness of breath. I had not checked out the side-effects at all and did not connect this with Lucrin. I was also getting a lot of fatigue but because I've had a lot of CFS in the past I didn't connect that to Lucrin either. The SOB became much worse and my GP booked me in to see a Cardiologist, however before I actually got to the appointment I was admitted to hospital with a heart attack. I've been out a couple of weeks now, loaded down with drugs to keep the ticker going. When I saw my GP 3 days ago for the 2nd injection I talked to him about this being side effects of Lucrin - he said that was possible but he thought it likely to be a coincidence. I finally went on-line and checked out all the side-effects, I now have no doubt what the problems are. During the 1st month I also suffered a lot of upper back pain and I'm getting that pain right now, worse than I've had it before although I have just a little more energy than before, but that is very little anyway.
I'm just wondering where I am with this, at the moment I would rather not have these side-effects but if I stop having the injections where am I? I understand that Zoladex have the same kind of side-effects.
My big question, if anyone can answer it, is "does one become adjusted to the treatment over time?"
Also what is the alternative?
Any help with this would be most appreciated.
Thanks
Ken from New Zealand
Aloha Ken,
Lupron has many faces and is different for everyone. I think that your one month shots is a good step. Mine were unfortunately 3 mths. Ask to quit after a year due to painfull tenderness at shot sites. Apparently the stuff was tearing apart my tissue. The pain lasted for over a year until I got a cortisone shot. It has been over 3 years since I stopped and when my testosterone began to return, my breasts were diagnosed with Gynocomastia, so the side affects are still with me.
It seems to me from what I've read of others experience, is that the better physical shape your in, the better your body will handle the drug. And no matter how the drug makes you feel, you should continue to exercise, exercise, exercise. What you eat may help, it just depends on how your body copes. It was very difficult for me to continue to exercise when I felt my world was falling apart.
If you can afford it, get some mental help/counseling. I could not have done it by myself without my wife and that extra help.
Hang in there. I don't know if there are other choices, research, research, research!
Joe
Hi Joe and thanks for your response to my post. Sorry to hear that you had such a bad time from it.
Since that post I've done a lot of research and I'm stunned about what I've found about Lucrin - I have to wonder if such a drug should even be allowed to be used.
I'm still in a very bad condition, even though I've had a slight improvement over the past 4 days I can still not walk more that 50 yards without being exhausted. Exercise is not something I could even contemplate except for these very short walks several times a day. I am hoping that the longer I am clear of Lucrin the better chance I will have to pick up. Unfortunately that last injection is still only 12 days past so I have some way to go to get clear of it.
I have done quite a bit of digging out information about alternatives and it looks like only one would be suitable, that one being EBRT, External Beam Radiation Therapy. Surgery is out due to my age and heart problems and Brachytherapy is out because my Gleason score, being 9, is too high. I see the specialist tomorrow to make that decision.
Hello Ken,
I haven't followed all your story, however I went through HD Bracytherapy with a gleason score of 9 and a grade 5 cancer, followed up with 23 sessions of EBRT, I spent a total of 15 months on Zoladex.
My Oncologist and Urologist have given me a clean bill of health.
Aloha Ken,
Hopefully your doc has explained all this, but for now the ADT is specifically to try and shrink your prostate before PCa treatment. Lupron is suppose to shut down PCa growth. There are a few cases that do not respond to lack of Testosterone, but you should be a long way from that.
If you have not been exercising prior to ADT, there is not much you can do to relieve the side effects. I know the older we get the harder it is to keep fit so to speak. I had my 3 score & 10 this year and still after 35 years, I off-road bike ride & do floor routines regularly.
EBRT is the choice I made which was in 07 after 4 months of ADT. For me it was a difficult path. There is some PCa treatment methodology that is step by step, sort of, on this weg site:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703279704575334982806405218.html
Hopefully you could gather the paperwork and discuss the results with your doc. I would talk to several oncologists as each doc will have a different take on your specific problem.
If you want to talk, please e-mail to get started.
Joe
Aloha Ken,
In that last post, I got the wrong web-site. Here is the site I meant to post:
http://prostatecancerinfolink.net/2010/02/19/life-expectancy-and-lifetime-risk-of-prostate-cancer-mortality/
Hi Joe and thanks for your post.
There's not really a lot that they, I, or anyone can do to change the course of my life at this time.
The meeting I had today with my Urologist resulted in his referring me to the Radiation dept at Waikato Hospital, the main base hospital in our area. The final decision will be with the Specialist Radiologist but my guy is recommending the possibility of both Brachytherapy and EBRT together. This should be sufficient to keep me alive until my main problem knocks me off.
OK, firstly I'm closing in on 78 years old. I have severe Coronary Artery Disease. I've just had a heart attack (brought on by Lucin) and had an Angioplasty without Stent in my RCA. The stent could not be placed because of the state of the RCA which is extremely thin. All 3 of my coronary arteries are calcified. The heart surgeons are not prepared to try any further work on my heart unless there are serious ongoing symptoms. I would not survive a by-pass.
Whilst I was in hospital with the heart attack they checked me out with an ultrasound scan on the heart. It was noted that one side of the heart is working OK but the other is not. I was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.
My future is not exactly rosy!
My aim in life is to take my wife out for dinner to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary and that will happen in approx 2 years time - I am determined to do that. Afterwards - whatever!
Thanks again for your support Joe - keep up with your work - I wish I could do what you are doing.
Best wishes
Ken
