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prostate cancer ADT injection

Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 19 minutes ago | Replies (16)

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@jeffmarc
The two drugs I was taking were Lupron (shot every 12 weeks) & Abiraterone (4 pills daily).

I stand corrected about ADT.

I was told by my oncologist that Lupron suppressed testosterone from the testes, & the Abiraterone was an ADT drug that suppressed testosterone from other androgen (adrenal) sources. Hence, the distinction. I now see from Google that I misunderstood part of that.

After I had been on ADT for 1.5 years, I decided to move to another state, from one 2-story house to another. I had help loading/unloading the four 8'x16' "Pods" with some furniture, but otherwise the beds, chairs, tables, & numerous boxes & computer equipment by myself. I have a slight frame & am not particularly muscular, having worked (like you) as a computer desk jockey for most of my life. I did not experience any fatigue over what I would normally have felt, but did lose some weight.

I did feel a slight increase in strength & balance when I dropped ADT the following year. If I had not known about the effects of ADT, I would have thought that the change was due to getting more exercise. I also gained 20 lbs (which I have since lost by diet).

If I go back onto ADT, I will probably ask about switching to Orgovyx. I had no post-injection symptoms, but like the idea of no brain fog. I don't know whether I had any brain fog due to Lupron, because forgetting stuff is not only part of getting older, but I had a head start. I often forget people's names that I don't regularly deal with, but then when I was on dates when I was 19, I forgot the name of my date sitting next to me in my car (this happened with two different dates). Fortunately, I was able to recall the names before I needed them. At least now I have an excuse, but don't need two.

About six months after surgery, when my PSA started to rise again, they did a PET scan & found a spot in a lymph gland 1cm from my lower aorta. The radiologist wanted to zap it, but my oncologist thought that was too close to the aorta, & offered ADT instead. I agreed.

If my PSA rises to 0.20 or above, my current oncologist wants to do another PET scan. If that happens, I will have to decide again about radiation or ADT. I have a bit more information now (from this forum), so it will be an interesting decision to make.

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Replies to "@jeffmarc The two drugs I was taking were Lupron (shot every 12 weeks) & Abiraterone (4..."

@readandlearn
Zytiga Is a drug that acts like ADT since it further suppresses testosterone like ADT, But it is an ARPI as I’m sure you’ve found out. I was on it for 2 1/2 years and it was never easy. I was only undetectable for one month in 2 1/2 years. My PSA kept going up and down.. When I stopped it, I had to have a metastasis in my spine zapped because it just didn’t work well enough. It did give me high blood pressure, lots of hot flashes and four afib events. Not an easy drug to live with for many people.

The problem with stopping the drugs is that the metastasis are not always killed when you’re on them. They shrink in size and stop growing completely, but they may be there to come back again. It could be proton radiation could enable you to have that one on your lymph gland zapped, If it comes back, need to speak to a radiation oncologist that does proton.

If they have you get back on ADT Try to get them to prescribe Nubeqa. Unlike Zytiga, it has very few side effects, Most people don’t notice any. Zytiga did not stop my PSA from going up and down, I’ve been undetectable for 26 months on Nubeqa.

Hopefully your PSA stays undetectable for a long time.