Hormone Therapy

So...Gleason 7, N1M0, 44 radiation treatments (26 pelvis, 18 prostate specific) Dr. suggested 24 mos. ADT/Orgovyx. Would you recommend the same monotherapy for the full 24? I'll definitely ask about Estradiol.

What were the side effects you found with Abiraterone? My husband had his fifth radiation treatment today but he has started having some diarrhea. The technician said that he is pretty early into the radiation for the diarrhea to be caused by the radiation.

I am trying to learn all I can for my husband.

Yeah, it’s sometimes the radiation that’s causing the diarrhea. According to the Mayo Clinic. One study suggests that abiraterone may be associated with the highest risk of diarrhea compared to other similar medications for prostate cancer. It is also likely to cause constipation, I think that one got me.

I never had a diarrhea problem while I was having salvage radiation for seven weeks.

Abiraterone Side effects were like Lupron but worse. Had a lot more hot flashes, My blood pressure went up, I never had blood pressure problems before, I’m still on three different blood pressure drugs, even though I have Been off abiraterone For two years. It did some permanent damage to my blood pressure, With the drugs, however my blood pressure is really good. . While I was on it, I had three Afib events, The third one putting me in the hospital For four days because I Was on an antibiotic that stopped the electrical systems of the heart from working right. For four days, my pulse Was 125 laying down, 150 sitting up and 175 standing up. In those 2 1/2 years I was on abiraterone My PSA only hit undetectable for one month. Just kept bouncing all over the place. About four months after stopping abiraterone I had another afib event. Two years after that, doing the same thing that caused the Afib event No longer causes any issues. Been on Nubeqa For almost 2 years and I’ve now have 20 months undetectable.

I had my prostate removed in March, gleason was 7, the doc recommended Eligard hormone therapy and radiation after discovering I still had residual cancer cells in the prostate area. The hormone shot was for 6 months, he wants to do another one to extend it for a year... is that overkill?? I am really feeling the effects of the first shot and would like to avoid any more of this, but... any thoughts?

My oncologist initially wanted to give me the hormone shot. When I said I have anxiety about the side effects I have read in this forum, I was given Orgovyx instead. So I can stop it anytime I experienced an unwanted side effect. You can ask your doctor about this option. I'm on my 4th month in Orgovyx and it works for me

If you have residual cancer cells in the prostate area, that means that after prostate removal you had positive margins.

When that happens, radiation should be arranged to zap the areas that have positive margins.

Going on Elgard will stop it from growing, But if you have not had radiation, you need to Get a second opinion from an expert. You need to find a center of excellence or a Genito urinary oncologist. They will look at your case and make major changes.

Going on Elgard does not kill the cancer. It just stopped it from growing while you’re on it. If you don’t get another Eligard shot, you could be assured that cancer is going to start spreading.

I cannot understand what kind of doctor would leave you in this precarious situation.

I’ve been on Orgovyx since May. I’ve not had “brain fog”, hopefully you won’t either. Still having sweats and chills though.

It’s not overkill. I know the hormone suppressant eligard wrecks havoc on your system, but you have to weight the benefits of a low or negligible PSA against the eligard side effects. I had my first round of eligard for a year, then was off for a couple of years until my PSA budged off zero. Went back on and was on it for about 3 years until we just recently paused it again.

This is one of the reasons I choose Orgovyx. I had no intention of stopping taking it.....but it gave me a modicum of control in this otherwise out of control battle.

Ugh! Oh well, I guess it comes with the territory. Hang in there, and I'll be hanging in with you.
RJC