Has anyone gone off hormone therapy (ADT) after radiation?

Posted by gkgdawg @gkgdawg, Sep 2 11:42am

My husband has completed 5 weeks of radiation and 4 months of hormone therapy, 3.5 months ADT. His PSA is less than .2 The doctor seems pleased with the PSA and is hoping that it will soon be undetectable. If he gets to that point, can he take a break from hormone therapy and ADT. He gets his next hormone shot in October. I am hoping he will get Orgovyx , instead of the Elegard. I hate that the hormone therapy has impacted his muscle and bone density. He looks smaller to me. He is trying to do weights and he is signed up for a weight room next month, when we return home from our summer holiday. I would appreciate any input

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dpayton | @dpayton | Sep 4 10:05am

In reply to @gkgdawg "Thank you for that, Doug. I told my husband. It helps when someone else has been..." + (show)

It absolutely does! If you need any other perspectives, just let me know. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!

gkgdawg | @gkgdawg | Sep 4 10:38am

Thank you so much. These comments and suggestions can brighten a person's day.

Glenda

gkgdawg | @gkgdawg | Sep 4 10:44am

Thank you so much for sharing. Which ADT were you on? I was really hoping that the side effects would disappear sooner than 11 months. My husband's testosterone is minus .2 so there is no libido, which is a total reversal from prior to treatment. I try to encourage him, hoping that there will be a time when the testosterone comes back and that will change. He is 70 years of age. He walks regularly and has begun working out at home with hand weights, every other day. I have watched videos of Dr. Newton's videos (Australian) on Exercise and Prostate Cancer and he has done many studies and said serious exercise, especially utilizing the large muscle groups is essential. So, we have signed up for a gym and we will, both, start going regularly. I was taking Alendronate for my own muscles but no one had mentioned it for his benefit in regard to the bones. I have been wondering about protein powders or even creatine but am not sure. It is wonderful that your PSA is undetectable. Did you have any metastasized tumours? Or was your cancer confined to the prostate?

gkgdawg | @gkgdawg | Sep 4 10:49am

In reply to @ededed "It took about 18 months for my joint pain to subside after quitting ADT. My new..." + (show)

How long were you on ADT? Did you have metastasized tumours or were they confined to the prostate? Did you also have radiation? Did you receive hormone shots, as well? My husband doesn't have joint pain, thankfully. thankfully. Thank you for the encouragement

Glenda

jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | Sep 4 11:22am

In reply to @gkgdawg "Thank you so much for sharing. Which ADT were you on? I was really hoping that..." + (show)

The testosterone is < .2 not -.2. Testosterone hits zero, There is no negative testosterone.

If your husband was on Orgovyx Then the testosterone can return quicker, Almost all other forms of ADT result in it coming back slowly. They say it will take as long to come back as You were on it, But age is a big factor as well.

A bone doctor at a recent prostate cancer conference said that everyone on ADT should be on bone strengtheners. I was on Fosamax for six years And I’m now on Zometa infusions. One of the first things, your husband may notice is that his stomach muscle muscles have weakened and he’s getting a bigger belly. Muscles deteriorate quickly under ADT. A specialist at a recent conference said that taking three weeks off from the gym Can dramatically affect your strength And set back your muscle gains. I noticed personally that I could not get off the floor after a few years of being on ADT without having regular strength training. It also took me three times as long to recover from the knee replacement surgery As it did with my other knee 5 years before.

Protein powder is a good idea after hitting the gym. My son has a degree in kinesiology and as a personal trainer. He was trained at a physical therapy office for seven years. He is adamant that I should be at least taking 100 mg of protein every day. I eat high protein cereal, even. That can help rebuild muscles after they start to deteriorate.

When you are replying to somebody specifically, As you did in the message I am replying to. Hit the reply button instead of doing a comment, that way the person you are replying to knows who you are talking to, And so do the rest of us.

mccannr | @mccannr | Sep 4 12:04pm

In reply to @capatov "I finished 5 weeks IMRT + one HDR brachytherapy procedure and six months Orgovyx ADT pills..." + (show)

Same story, I'm Gleason 9.

ededed | @ededed | Sep 4 4:13pm

In reply to @jimgaudette "After three years on ADT, I have been off for eleven months. There has been no..." + (show)

Hopefully improvement in side effects for you is just around the corner.

ededed | @ededed | Sep 4 4:21pm

In reply to @gkgdawg "How long were you on ADT? Did you have metastasized tumours or were they confined to..." + (show)

I quit ADT after being on it for one year. My urologist wanted me to stay on ADT for at least another 6 months, I said no, I've had enough! I had 42 sessions of IMRT radiation. I had a few local mets in the pelvic cavity. I started out with ADT shots and switched to Orgovyx. I now take two probiotics and one prebiotic for radiation side effects. I also take Turkey Tail mushroom tea daily as this mushroom has been shown in peer reviewed literature to kill prostate cancer stem cells. My urologists doesn't comment about the mushroom except to say that I am doing well and keep doing whatever I am doing.

gkgdawg | @gkgdawg | Sep 4 8:39pm

Thank you for the good wishes. What probiotics and prebiotics do you take? My husband also takes Turkey Tail mushroom but in pill form.

billfarm | @billfarm | Sep 5 4:46am

I can t answer your question but have a similar question. 23months orgovx and arbiterone/prednisone. After 5 month holiday my ankles and lower legs swell. Ran heart tests and no blood indication of kidney failure. How do they measure filtration rate? Kidney damage is a listed side effect of this combo.