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How long does your oncologist have you on ADT?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Sep 28 12:11pm | Replies (69)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for that information. My husband has stage four metastatic prostate cancer Some in the lower back and a lymph node. He is an 84-year-old organic gardener/double E design engineer. He has been on Orgovyx and Xtandi since the end of February. His PSA had risen over a year from three, to 11. 19 biopsies all came back carcinoma. He did have chirp surgery early in March, and he needed two blood transfusions and was in the hospital, a place. He has never been in his life, for four days. His urologist said he had a huge prostate, and there was a lot of bleeding He does have hot flushes and was having chills after that, but they seem to have stopped. What I am, noticing is some cognative changes. Very subtle but noticeable to me, I’m his wife. He had a cystoscopy yesterday as they found blood in his urine two weeks ago. His bladder is clear, thank God. We’re seeing his oncologist to discuss change in medication. Lupron injection was mentioned. His urologist suggested we talk to the oncologist, but he also agreed with me, that it is easier to stop a pill, than to wait six months, and even longer,if my husband has more severe reactions to the Lupron injection. He has not had any other procedures, just two PET scans, in the last six months. We went to Dana Farber for a second opinion. His doctor there wanted his PSA at .02 he is there, and last PSA, two weeks ago was .01. Has anyone dealt with the cognitive issues? my husband‘s concerned that he’s going to be a drooling, unresponsive vegetable. I still think it’s too early to know since it all has come as a huge shock to both of us and mentally dealing with this is difficult. He was active 15 hours a day, at his age trimming trees, putting a new roof on our shed and cultivating in his John Deere tractor 3 acres of property here. His urologist told him, “it’s quality of life versus medication’s.”
Replies to "Thank you for that information. My husband has stage four metastatic prostate cancer Some in the..."
Orgovyx and Lupron work almost exactly the same. I’ve been on both of them. There’s been no difference in any reaction/side effect.
Now, if you want to get off ADT, you could look at the patch study and consider using estradiol patches which work just as well, but have many fewer side effects.
You would find that Nubeqa Works almost identically with Xtandi But has fewer side effects and does not pass the blood brain barrier which reduces the amount of brain fog. Unfortunately, if he stays on ADT, the brain fog can continue But it won’t be as bad. I’m on Orgovyx and Nubeqa And after 15 years, I’ve been undetectable for the last 20 months while on Nubeqa. I know a lot of people in their 80s that have switched to using that alone, It works, even if you have testosterone. Something to discuss with your doctor.
If you Would like to hear more about it you could join an advanced prostate cancer weekly meeting at Ancan.org. And get some information about what works for people in their 80s.
Nubeqa is supposed to have less mental side effects than Xtandi. But Orgovyx is likely causing some of the mental side effects. A speciality cancer pharmacist told me that sometimes Xtandi doesn’t add to the mental side effects because the ADT is already causing them but he also said everyone is different. Wish you both all the best with this.
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Well, I've been on ADT + Apalutamide (same family as Enzalutamide/Xtandi) for nearly 4 years now, and I don't feel remotely like a drooling idiot, if that's any comfort. I can still solve hard sudokus in ink without pencil marks, read books in several language, remember small details of conversations weeks or years ago, design complex databases and computer programs, memorize an hour of classical guitar repertoire (just this year), and keep track of all the details my own long-term prostate cancer treatment. I also went up in a Cessna with a flight instructor (I lost my own aviation medical because of the cancer and spinal injury), and he confirmed that I haven't lost any of my stick-and-rudder stills in the cockpit, either.
I'm not writing this to brag (I'm Canadian, after all), but I thought I'd put it all out there just this once to help allay any fears about ADT always destroying cognitive ability. I've had zero cognitive decline so far. I know not everyone's as lucky, but if early signs of brain fog do show up (as happens occasionally) he can always choose to stop ADT then.