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cemezzina47 avatar

Post RT 6 years after RP with Rising PSA now at .28.

Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Oct 5 7:14pm | Replies (39)

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Profile picture for jeff Marchi @jeffmarc

@cemezzina47

I was on Lupron for seven years. After that I went on Orgovyx just another ADT. Most of us can get adjusted to ADT, Some gets severe Fatigue But that is not the norm. Exercise can offset the fatigue brought on by low testosterone caused by Lupron and similar drugs.

Due to their different mechanisms of action. ADT which includes Orgovyx, Firmagon, Lupron, Eligard, Prostap, Camcevi, Lucrin, Zoladex, Trelstar, Pamorelin, and Decapeptyl can cause numerous side effects. Actually due to a lack of testosterone.
Hot flashes
Fatigue
Muscle deterioration
Bone weakening
Brain fog
Depression
Weight gain
Difficulty in breathing

Not all of these side effects occur to everyone on the drugs. Most of them are just things you have to be aware of and circumvent. I walk on the track twice a day, 1 mile at least, to help prevent bone weakening, fatigue and muscle deterioration. I also go to the gym three days a week (usually) and spend an hour with all different types of weight exercises. One thing that happens is people get a beer belly from the muscle deterioration, I do a lot of sit-ups to offset that.

Some people get depression but it is not common. It is easily treatable, according to people that have reported it on here and on Online Meetings I have participated in. If he has that problem Come back and ask for help, Or see a psychiatrist about doing something to relieve the depression.

Some people get no hot flashes at all. Others only have a few hot flashes and they are very minor. I had severe hot flashes for the first year on Lupron. As a hot flash was hitting I would feel a lot of fatigue. After a year, my oncologist prescribed a depo-provera shot every three months and it really stopped those hot flashes on Lupron. There are other hormones that can do this, speak to your doctor.
I know one person that says eating tofu every day really controlled his hot flashes, another person in this forum said the same thing. Tofu does have properties similar to endocrine hormones but a lot weaker. Can’t hurt to try it. Seems they ate it daily.

According to a bone doctor that spoke to a webinar, all people on ADT should be taking bone straighteners. I took Fosamax for six years and I’m now on Zometa. That along with calcium taken daily helps keep your bones strong. Ask your doctor about this.

I have never gained any weight while on ADT. I get on the scale every morning and base what I eat on what I weigh. Skip lunch at times.

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Replies to "@cemezzina47 I was on Lupron for seven years. After that I went on Orgovyx just another..."

@jeffmarc
Hi Jeff. After your recurrence after SRT and starting long term ADT have you taken any ADT "holidays"? Also, how often is your PSA checked now? Thanks.

@jeffmarc
Hi Jeff,
After undergoing 28 sessions of proton radiation therapy, I had my first blood test two months later. My PSA level dropped from 5.6 before the treatment to 0.03 now, but my testosterone level decreased from 406 to 13. I received two injections of Eligard before and after the treatment. The drop in testosterone to 13 is clearly due to Eligard suppression. In a few months, when testosterone levels rise again, will PSA levels also increase? Can the effectiveness of the radiation therapy only be confirmed if PSA remains below 0.1 even after testosterone levels return to normal?
Let me know if you'd like help refining this for a medical consultation