How long do the hot flashes last? Another 3 month Eligard shot today

Posted by greg52 @greg52, Nov 26 10:15am

Hello all. I have completed my 5 1/2 weeks of EBRT for intermediate risk prostate cancer and had first injection of Eligard 3 months ago.

Gleason 7, Stage 2, PSA 8.9. 9 of 17 cores positive. Decipher 0.69.

I am scheduled to get my second 3-month injection of Eligard today.
I must say the hot flashes have been bothersome. I'm waking up every several times a night sweating and multiple annoying hot flashes throughout the day.
Just difficult to sign up for ANOTHER minimum of 3 months of these hot flashes. Haven't had a shot in 3 months and still having as many hot flashes when I first started.
As I wait for injection appointment which is only a couple hours away, I find myself searching for recurrence/mortality rates for those that forgo the second 3 month shot.

I understand there are others that are dealing with much worse than I am so don't mean to be insensitive.

I will continue to search for other posts on this topic but just curious what input/advice others might have.

Thanks to all.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

After being on Lupron, which is the same as Eligard, for seven years, I can tell you that the hot flashes don’t stop. There are ways to stop them, however. My oncologist recommended I get depo-provera shots every three months, and they reduced the hot flashes dramatically. When I went on Zytiga, they did come back somewhat, however.

The main thing I used to manage the hot flashes is a Wave Device from embrlabs.com. You wear it on your wrist like a watch, but it sits on the inside Of your wrist. When you get a hot flash, you must hit the button on the device and it will send cold waves through your arm, which can stop the hot flash from getting any worse. The sooner you hit the button after feeling the hot flash, the better the device can stop it. It has a night mode that sends cold waves for seven or eight hours. I used to wake up with my sheet, totally soaked under me in the middle of the night, With the wave device that stopped completely. The technology was invented by MIT.

People in a couple of forums Have said that eating tofu daily stopped their hot flashes. Never tried that one, but it may work.

There are other hormone options besides depo-provera, You should ask your doctor what they recommend.

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I get Firmagon shot monthly. On my list of side effects, the hot flashes aren't a big deal, annoying at times yes. My big side is fatigue. I'll take that over cancer spreading more than it has already. Taking meds is your business, certainly not mine. Not sure of your situation but I wouldn't stop my treatment. Best to all.

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3 years and 2 months, so far, and the hot flushes continue (but they're less frequent and more manageable than before). I'm a lifer on ADT, so no change expected. For me, the flushes seem to be milder on Orgovyx than they were on Firmagon, but there's no reason that should be the case (they're both GnRH antagonists).

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My Oncologist recommended Apple Cider gummies, I take four at bed time. I still have a few hot flashes during the day, but I no longer wake up soaking wet!! I’m taking daily pills and getting the 3 month Ekigard shots .

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@stevecando54

I get Firmagon shot monthly. On my list of side effects, the hot flashes aren't a big deal, annoying at times yes. My big side is fatigue. I'll take that over cancer spreading more than it has already. Taking meds is your business, certainly not mine. Not sure of your situation but I wouldn't stop my treatment. Best to all.

Jump to this post

Hot flashes are a piece of cake to me too, compared to the fatigue. DITTO

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I am on monthly Lupron shots, have had four thus far and the hot flashes have been horrible. Finally, my urologist suggested Effexor (an antidepressant) for both my depression, but he said that it may help with hot flashes. It has helped! Although I am still having the hot flashes, they seem to be “milder”, not as frequent, and more bearable. I also have almost stopped coffee and caffeine drinks. If I drink coffee, by the second sip, I will have a hot flash. Goodbye Starbucks! Best of luck!

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Fatigue is the biggest thing for me. The hot flashes are an inconvenience (I bought a neck cooling fan). I'll put up with both to be here.

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Some people don’t get severe hot flashes other people get a lot of fatigue. I would get 10 or more hot flushes a day, the first year On Lupron. Each hot flash would be preceded by a wave of fatigue. Most of the hot flashes would cause me to start sweating heavily sweat dripping down my head into my eyes. This is what some people have to face. My upper body would turn red.

One thing I did to try and Reduce the hot flash was drink a 16 ounce glass of ice cold water, Very quickly, It helped a little. I carried a battery Powered fan with me to try to cool off.

After A year I had a depo-Provera shot, Which almost completely stopped the hot flashes until I started taking Zytiga.

Never really noticed much fatigue, hot flashes, brain fog, muscle deterioration were the big issues.

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I am on active surveillance after having had 4 Lupron D shots over a 12 month period. The last one was May 13 and it took until November 13 before the hot flashes came to an end! I did not have night time ones, thankfully. My testosterone level is 10, but I am already more energized. I can only hope and pray that I can maintain some stability. Time will tell.

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My husband had his first Lupron injection on Oct 15th. Started Zytiga a week later. No side effects at all until 3 weeks in. Then bam, soaking night sweats and big time fatigue. Care team started him on 100 mg Gabapentin to help with night sweats. Very helpful. Maybe a couple since starting that, but not nearly as bad. But, fatigue is still an issue, plus he started radiation 11/25, for 20 days.

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