Hormone Therapy

My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
in the stomach and just physically wears him out. After spending 5
minutes at my house he was almost in tears asking my mother to take
him home. It's strange because he has such a huge tolerance for pain
after surgeries for other problems. I haven't seen him like this
since he had his prostate removed back in October.

You can talk with the Oncologist.
Remember that hormone therapy affects the entire body in a way. It slows if
not stops testosterone production and that in itself produces many ailments
in men in differing ways.
I remember I had Lupron Depot, and I had hot flashes, sweating/ and felt
very lethargic, and lost a lot of strength.
I was not myself........
Radiation Therapy can also cause many problems with lower bodily functions.
Talk with the Dr. and share your concerns...
John Loomis.
Wish your father the best.
<lalevesque@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1173193829.834254.132070@30g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
> in the stomach and just physically wears him out. After spending 5
> minutes at my house he was almost in tears asking my mother to take
> him home. It's strange because he has such a huge tolerance for pain
> after surgeries for other problems. I haven't seen him like this
> since he had his prostate removed back in October.
>

> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy.
> Has anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy?

I had difficulty breathing, short of breath. Couldn't walk
half a block without collapsing.

My legs ached.

My arms were sore.

Then I discovered that HT can affect the bones much like
arthritis does. I have ankylosing spondylitis, and that is
one of the side effects described for HT. Now I'm due
for a hip replacement in what was a "good" hip before HT.

And of course the urologist never explained all of this
before starting the treatment.

On March 6, lalevesque wrote:

> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
> in the stomach and just physically wears him out.

This appears to be a problem with type and location of injection, not
necessarily side effects (SEs) of the drug used for ADT (androgen
deprivation therapy).

The only ADT med I know of that is injected into the lower abdomen is
Zoladex. It can be painful. There are two possible solutions:

(1) To have an anesthetic injection before the Zoladex, Lidocaine, for
example.
(2) To insist that another med be used. Two that come to mind are Lupron
and Trelstar, which are injected into the buttock.

It is time to take charge and make some changes.

Information on SEs such as hot flushes and how to treat them is
available on the authoritative website of the Prostate Cancer Research
Institute at: http://prostate-cancer.org/index.html
Go to the section "Androgen Deprivation Syndrome."

FWIW, I fired a medic who knew nothing about SEs of ADT and did not care
to learn.

There is no excuse for inflicting what almost amounts to torment on a
patient, especially when it is so easily avoided -- if the medic cares.

Regards,

Steve J

"'MD' does not mean 'Medical Deity.'"
-- Stephen B. Strum, MD

lalevesque@gmail.com wrote:
> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
> in the stomach and just physically wears him out. After spending 5
> minutes at my house he was almost in tears asking my mother to take
> him home. It's strange because he has such a huge tolerance for pain
> after surgeries for other problems. I haven't seen him like this
> since he had his prostate removed back in October.
>
It's not clear to us whether you're well aware of the SE list and its
treatment and are asking just about the pain, or are uninformed about
the whole SE scene. HT (actually ADT) has a long list of mild to
horrendous side effects (SEs), each occurring with different likelihoods
(from a few percent to virtually guaranteed) and severities (from
hassles to deaths). Some can be mitigated by other drugs. But of all
those SEs, lasting pain at the injection site is a new one on me.

Which begs the question, "Did his oncologist discuss the SEs and their
prevention and treatment at great length?" If not, it's time to demand
proper treatment, which may or may not be available from this doctor.

I.P.

On Mar 6, 10:10 am, "laleves...@gmail.com" <laleves...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
> in the stomach and just physically wears him out. After spending 5
> minutes at my house he was almost in tears asking my mother to take
> him home. It's strange because he has such a huge tolerance for pain
> after surgeries for other problems. I haven't seen him like this
> since he had his prostate removed back in October.

I would like to add one piece of information to the replies you
have already received.

Hormone therapy plus radiation can be used for two different purposes.

At an early stage of the cancer it can be used to try to cure the
cancer. The radiation is delivered to the prostate and the hormone
therapy is used to reinforce the effects of the radiation, making the
likelihood of a cure greater.

If that is what your father is receiving, then he can consider
discontinuing the hormone therapy. Some studies (though not all)
indicate that the hormone therapy is most useful before and
during radiation and may be discontinued some time after radiation
is complete.

The other possible use of HT and radiation is to manage advanced
metatstatic cancer. In that case the radiation is usually
administered to the bones, not the prostate. In that case it
may be more dangerous to stop HT. However, as Steve Jordan said,
there are other types of HT that do not require an injection in
the stomach. I had a 30 day Lupron injection in the arm and a
90 day injection in the buttocks. Each injection site was sore
for a few days, but there was no serious pain.

As Steve suggested, your Dad may want to consult with another
doctor and get a second opinion about whether and how to administer
HT. The doctor should be a medical oncologist specializing in
prostate cancer, not a radiation oncologist or urologist.

Best of luck.

Alan

"Alan Meyer" <ameyer2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1173222755.944066.294060@8g2000cwh.googlegrou ps.com...
> On Mar 6, 10:10 am, "laleves...@gmail.com" <laleves...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
>> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
>> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
>> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
>> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible
>> burning
>> in the stomach and just physically wears him out. After spending 5
>> minutes at my house he was almost in tears asking my mother to take
>> him home. It's strange because he has such a huge tolerance for pain
>> after surgeries for other problems. I haven't seen him like this
>> since he had his prostate removed back in October.
>
> I would like to add one piece of information to the replies you
> have already received.
>
And I would like to ask one or two questions (as the wife of a man who
had a year of these injections).......what in hell is he using to inject
him with??? And why is he getting them once a month?? These shots are
normally given every 3 months.....not every month.

My husband had a bruise and a slight bit of bleeding, but he and I do
not clot well. NEVER have I seen a "hole" in his abdomen......and I am
sure the others on here are a bit baffled as well.

I don't know who the doctor is that is giving these shots, but please go
to a medical oncologist for them. Perhaps he could be allergic to
something in the shot.....perhaps the doctor doesn't know how to give
them properly and is causing him undue agony. And for heaven's sake,
get freezing first. You can buy a patch at the pharmacy that will numb
the area as well.

Heather

<lalevesque@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1173193829.834254.132070@30g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...

> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
> in the stomach and just physically wears him out. After spending 5
> minutes at my house he was almost in tears asking my mother to take
> him home. It's strange because he has such a huge tolerance for pain
> after surgeries for other problems. I haven't seen him like this
> since he had his prostate removed back in October.

There are several who find HT intolerable, but I never heard any complain of
the symptoms that he is experiencing, other than being wore out..
Furthermore, shots in the stomach are unusual. My Lupron shots are in the
butt and Casodex is oral. What is he on? And finally, it would be very
unusual to have an prestatectomy in October and other treatments so soon
after.

Can you fill in some details.



--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05, 5/05, 10/05,
2/06, 6/06
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

My Zoladex shots were in the stomach. They never hurt during or after.
Along with a daily dose of Casodex, I stopped treatment after 9
months because of weight gain, incresed Glucose levels and "trigger
finger" a form of arthritis . I was part of a clinical trial testing
these drugs as compared to the drugs plus chemotherapy. My Oncologist
was suprised that I had left the study. Two weeks later he called me
with the news that the chemo arm of the study had been halted because
of too many patients developing lukemia.

WSF

"Steve Kramer" <skramer@cinci.rr.com> wrote in message
news:45ef2158$0$28121$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> <lalevesque@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1173193829.834254.132070@30g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>
>> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has

> Furthermore, shots in the stomach are unusual. My Lupron shots are in
> the butt and Casodex is oral. What is he on? <<<<

Steve....Zoladex is injected in the abdomen, either 2 inches above the
waist, or about 2 inches below. The first one Ron had was also injected
in the same place, but darned if I can remember the name of it. I don't
think you use it in the US. But it was the same as Lupron or Zoladex.

Heather

"WhiteSoxFan" <leicam13@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1173306625.502494.299510@v33g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...

> ... I stopped treatment after 9
> months because of ... "trigger finger" a form of arthritis. ...

I also got this Sox. Now, three years after stopping HT, I still have
it in one finger, though I had pain, stiffness and trigger finger
in most of my fingers for a while.

I find that hand exercises completely control the problem.
Squeeze something strongly, many times a day. It can be
a rubber ball, a hand exercizer, a steering wheel while you're
driving, or your other hand. In my case, the pain and
stiffness would completely (though only temporarily) go
away.

I also found that sleeping with a clenched fist prevented
the problem at night.

Alan

My husband has a feeling of "tiredness" since his shot in January.

He gets another one in May from his urologist.

shirleyann

On Mar 7, 6:57 pm, "Alan Meyer" <amey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> "WhiteSoxFan" <leica...@comcast.net> wrote in message
>
> news:1173306625.502494.299510@v33g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>
> > ... I stopped treatment after 9
> > months because of ... "trigger finger" a form of arthritis. ...
>
> I also got this Sox. Now, three years after stopping HT, I still have
> it in one finger, though I had pain, stiffness and trigger finger
> in most of my fingers for a while.
>
> I find that hand exercises completely control the problem.
> Squeeze something strongly, many times a day. It can be
> a rubber ball, a hand exercizer, a steering wheel while you're
> driving, or your other hand. In my case, the pain and
> stiffness would completely (though only temporarily) go
> away.
>
> I also found that sleeping with a clenched fist prevented
> the problem at night.
>
> Alan


Hey Alan,

Aside from hand exersizers (I have three of them at home, the office
and the car) did you see a Rheumatologist? Did you take any drugs for
the pain or swelling? If yes, which ones worked?

WSF

"Heather" <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:esnf72$gii$1@registered.motzarella.org...
>
> "Steve Kramer" <skramer@cinci.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:45ef2158$0$28121$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>>
>> <lalevesque@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1173193829.834254.132070@30g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>>
>>> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
>
>> Furthermore, shots in the stomach are unusual. My Lupron shots are in
>> the butt and Casodex is oral. What is he on? <<<<
>
> Steve....Zoladex is injected in the abdomen, either 2 inches above the
> waist, or about 2 inches below. The first one Ron had was also injected
> in the same place, but darned if I can remember the name of it. I don't
> think you use it in the US. But it was the same as Lupron or Zoladex.

Thanks, Heather. But, even more curious. Why ADT3 so soon after RP.
Something just don't make sense.




--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05, 5/05, 10/05,
2/06, 6/06
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

On Mar 6, 10:10 am, "laleves...@gmail.com" <laleves...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> My father is currently undergoing radiation and hormone therapy. Has
> anybody on here had any problems with the hormone therapy? It's
> really putting my father in a lot of pain. Almost to the point he
> wants to stop. He had his 5th injection yesterday and I was shocked
> to see the hole in his stomach from it! It gives him terrible burning
> in the stomach and just physically wears him out. ...

After over 8 years on hormone therapy, I have seen and felt a lot of
problems. In your father's situation, there may be 2 different
problems from your limited description.
First, if he is having pain in the stomach injection area from the
Zoladex, then the it is just plain incompetence. Here are the
incompetent injections that I have experienced - even anesthetics
didn't help. One was slow weak jabbing to get penetration which after
many painful attempts it went in - left a painful wound that lasted
for weeks. The second was a dangerous injection by jabbing the needle
straight into the stomach - luckily I had enough fat for it not to
penetrate the stomach. Now I grill the nurse before the procedure to
make sure she has the competence to do it right. The right way does
not require an anesthetic, it is a big pinch of fat tissue and a swift
hard fast jab parallel to the stomach and an imperceptible pause and a
quick out. There is a temporary pain for a few minutes and the
penetration hardly bleeds. There should not be any persistent stomach
pain.
The side effects from the Zoladex drug are many and can be quite
serious and debilitating for some patients. In quick summary, the loss
of testosterone causes loss of libido, muscle strength, energy, drive.
Consequently it causes estrogen to decline which results in loss of
bone, short term memory, ability to multi-task, and emotional
instability as well as hot flashes. It also causes bad cholesterol to
rise and causes long term cardiovascular problems.

Radiation therapy has it own adverse side effects that can compound
the hormone problems. If your father's doctors are not solving these
side effect problems, then maybe he should be looking for more helpful
doctors.

"Shirley ann" <shirleyann2@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:22531-45EFDE1F-158@storefull-3135.bay.webtv.net...
> My husband has a feeling of "tiredness" since his shot in January.
>
> He gets another one in May from his urologist.
>
> shirleyann

I believe that loss of energy is very common. Some
men have had it very severely, others mildly.

I was in very good shape before beginning radiation
and hormone therapy. When pushing myself hard, I
could run four miles in 36 minutes - not good for a real
runner, but not bad for an aging schlemiel like me.

By the end of my radiation, and while still under hormone
therapy, by pushing myself very hard I could just
make one mile in 11 minutes and then had to quit.

However, I never felt bad in daily life. I think the reason
was that, being in pretty good shape, I had a lot of
reserve energy. I lost a lot of that reserve during
treatment, but still had more than enough left for
daily life.

I recommend that your husband try to fight the tiredness
by 1) getting extra sleep each night, or a little nap each
day, and 2) maintaining an exercise program, doing as
much as he can reasonably do. This won't solve the
problem but I think it's likely to make it a lot more
bearable and keep it from getting worse.

Alan

"WhiteSoxFan" <leicam13@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1173370387.181609.119080@c51g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Hey Alan,
>
> Aside from hand exersizers (I have three of them at home, the office
> and the car) did you see a Rheumatologist? Did you take any drugs for
> the pain or swelling? If yes, which ones worked?
>
> WSF

I saw my family doctor. He prescribed anti-inflammatories.
We started with ibuprofen and then tried naproxen. Neither
one was even slightly helpful. He felt my finger joints, but
couldn't find any obvious joint damage, i.e., bone spurs on
the joints. He also did some blood tests, I think including
one for the blood factor that indicates rheumatoid arthritis,
but didn't find anything. He never sent me to a specialist.

Heat and cold helped. If I ran my hands under the faucet
with either hot or cold water, it relieved some of the
stiffness.

Then I went to the library and got some books on arthritis
and read them. The symptoms I had matched rheumatoid
arthritis - symmetrical pain in the small joints (fingers and
toes). But the books said that in the early stages there
are often no symptoms that show up on blood tests and
no current way to get a definitive diagnosis until it gets
worse.

One of the books recommended exercise. It claimed that
exercise could not only relieve symptoms, but could also
slow or prevent joint damage. It recommended both
flexibility and strength exercises. So that's what I've done
and it has worked wonders for me.

At one point I was doing over a thousand hand squeezes
per day with each hand with one of those hand exercisers.
The problem is no longer bad for me, but I still do several
hundred a day with each hand - to keep it fully under
control. I keep a couple of hand squeezers in the bathroom
and use them when I wake up at night to go to the toilet.
And I keep a rubber ball by the bed that I can use to
quietly work out any kinks in the fingers without waking my
wife.

The only side effect I've noticed from my treatment is that
I've gotten stronger hands. I like that much better than
the side effects of the drugs.

Alan

WhiteSoxFan wrote:

> Aside from hand exersizers (I have three of them at home,
> the office and the car) did you see a Rheumatologist?

I urged him (in e-mail) to DEMAND a referral to a rheumy.


> Did you take any drugs for the pain or swelling? If yes,
> which ones worked?

I was on Indocine from 1977 to 1999. Then Tylenol #3
until last year when I began ULTRAN ER200. They all
kept the pain level down to a 1 or 2.

Also on SOMA and FOSAMAX for the AS/RA itself.

My Hubby had his shot in the abdomen below his waist. It was frozen a
bit before and Hubby said he felt hardly any pain.
This was done at his urologist office.

He does not get another HT shot until 4 months later, which will be May
of this year and that will be after the radiation seed implant.

He still feels tired but goes to the gym 3 times a week.

shirleyann

"Shirley ann" <shirleyann2@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:21599-45F2A108-265@storefull-3137.bay.webtv.net...
> My Hubby had his shot in the abdomen below his waist. It was frozen a
> bit before and Hubby said he felt hardly any pain.
> This was done at his urologist office.
>
> He does not get another HT shot until 4 months later, which will be May
> of this year and that will be after the radiation seed implant.
>
> He still feels tired but goes to the gym 3 times a week.

Good for him!

Sometime after the seed implant he should be able to discontinue
the HT. Opinions vary on how long it should be continued. Some
doctors prescribe it for 6 months, some for 1 year, some for 2 and
some for 3.

Personally, I didn't like HT and I had some dangerous liver problems
that appeared to be associated with it, so mine was discontinued
after 4 months.

Alan

Shirley ann wrote:

> He still feels tired but goes to the gym 3 times a week.

Assuming he's working pretty hard there, he's dong him *and you* a great
deal of good in many ways. You *are* there, too, aren't you?

I.P.

I use my treadmill while he is gone 3 times a week.

My husband has 2 knee implants and has osteoarthritis. He usually comes
back in a good mood on the days he goes to the gym.

Other days he is grumpy and argumentive at times.

shirleyann

Shirley ann wrote:
> I use my treadmill while he is gone 3 times a week.

That's a great start, but strength, flexibility, quickness, and balance
-- not to mention companionship -- are all increasingly important as we
age. Treadmills are just part of the formula, and a slim figure is only
part of a healthy body.

> My husband has 2 knee implants and has osteoarthritis. He usually comes
> back in a good mood on the days he goes to the gym.

Endorphines. Even people who do not enjoy working out (notice it's not
called "playing out") get a big mental boost from busting their humps
physically, even if it's due just due to increased circulation.

> Other days he is grumpy and argumentive at times.

When he grumps, shove him onto your treadmill and hold a burrito in
front of his nose. A 20-minute jog will improve his mood, cardiovascular
system, and waistline, and can be done every day, unlike
strength-building exercise.

I.P.

"Lud" <LudwickP@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1173465771.479474.100820@t69g2000cwt.googlegr oups.com...

> After over 8 years on hormone therapy, I have seen and felt a lot of
> problems.

Hi, Lud. Welcome to the group!

Eight years on HT? That's really good news to some of us. Can you tell us
about your cancer?



--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05, 5/05, 10/05,
2/06, 6/06
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

On Mar 14, 5:56 am, "Steve Kramer" <skra...@cinci.rr.com> wrote
>
> Hi, Lud. Welcome to the group!
>
> Eight years on HT? That's really good news to some of us. Can you tell us about your cancer?
~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Steve

Here is the history in brief. It has not been fun but I have no
debilitating effects yet and I hope to keep in low chronic mode.

Take care ... Lud

Dx & Tx history:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dx 1999 at age 59: bPSA 34, fPSA 8%, GS 3+4 (McNeal)

Tx1 April 1999 - ADT2, Zoladex + Casodex
At 6 months, PSA 0.22 - hormone resistance noted
At 10 months, PSA down to 0.1 (no Proscar)
BMD = osteopenia, start Fosamax continue for 4.5 years
Side effects intolerable - stop Zoladex & Casodex

Tx 2 March 2001, PSA = 0.04, IADT with Proscar

Tx 3 March 2002, PSA 13.6, AADT High Dose Casodex 150 mg & Proscar
Nadir Oct 2002, PSA 2.1

Tx 4 March 2003, PSA 4.6, add Zoladex to HDC &Proscar

Tx 5 Sept 2003, PSA 1.05, Complete IMRT 80 Gy

Tx 6 Sept 2003 continue with Zoladex alone (stop HDC & Proscar)
Nadir June 2004, PSA 0.06

April 2004 discontinue Fosamax, add 3 quarterly Zometa (April, July &
October 2004) and have 2 bone infections treated with ABX
successfully,
stop all bisphosphonates forever.

Tx 7 Sept 2004, PSA 0.12, with Zoladex add Casodex 50mg

Tx 8 Nov 2004, PSA 0.10, add Avodart to Zoladex & Casodex

Tx 9 Jan 2005, PSA 0.14, change to TDE with Casodex & Avodart

Tx 10 Nov & Dec 2005, PSA 2.32, replaced Casodex with Androcur -
caused
hemolysis - discontinue

Tx 11 Feb 2006, PSA 3.8, discontinue TDE & Casodex, maintain Avodart

Tx 12 May 2006, PSA 8.6, Taxotere (75 mg/M2) every 3 weeks

Tx 12 June 2006 - after 3 TAX cycles - off treatment - maintenance
with Avodart, Celebrex

Aug 2006 PSA 2.95 nadir

Mar 2007 PSA 14.2 - doubling time is 3 months -aiming for Provenge
clinical trial in next few weeks, if not then I'll try LDK.

"Lud" <LudwickP@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1173911100.897959.85770@e1g2000hsg.googlegrou ps.com...
> On Mar 14, 5:56 am, "Steve Kramer" <skra...@cinci.rr.com> wrote
>>
>> Hi, Lud. Welcome to the group!
>>
>> Eight years on HT? That's really good news to some of us. Can you tell
>> us about your cancer?
> ~~~~~~~~~~
> Hi Steve
>
> Here is the history in brief. It has not been fun but I have no
> debilitating effects yet and I hope to keep in low chronic mode.
>
> Take care ... Lud
>
> Dx & Tx history:
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow! You're really fighting the bastard!

My husband dreads another HT so I told him to refuse it for awhile.

He just started Flomax -seed implant to be done on 3/20.
Sandoz (methylprednisolone) 4 MG, to start the night before the seed
implant. The pills are to be 6 taken days after too.

The day after the implant he gets a cat scan by his oncologist at the
Cancer Center in our town.

He is very stressed and his BP is on the high side now.

shirleyann

"shirley brewer" <brewcape@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:4975-45F90CD4-219@storefull-3132.bay.webtv.net...
> My husband dreads another HT so I told him to refuse it for awhile.
>
> He just started Flomax -seed implant to be done on 3/20.

I don't know much about brachy, but I understand that the more effect the HT
has on the cancer inside the prostate, the more effective the seeds will be.
I also don't know how bad his side effects are with HT. But, I would
recommend he continue them for another five days. We are possibly talking
life vs one more week of side effects.

shirley brewer wrote:
> My husband dreads another HT so I told him to refuse it for awhile.
>
> He just started Flomax -seed implant to be done on 3/20.
> Sandoz (methylprednisolone) 4 MG, to start the night before the seed
> implant. The pills are to be 6 taken days after too.
>
> The day after the implant he gets a cat scan by his oncologist at the
> Cancer Center in our town.
>
> He is very stressed and his BP is on the high side now.

Is he being treated for his HT (really, ADT) SEs? Although some of the
drugs used to combat ADT SEs have their own significant SEs, they are in
many cases less debilitating than the SEs they mitigate. And in the
short term, as an adjunct to seeds, maybe one set of SEs is more
tolerable than the other. Or maybe he'll have little trouble with the
drugs combating his ADT SEs.

Of course, there's the other obvious question, which I can't answer
because I haven't paid a lot of attention to discussions here on this
topic: does adjuvant ADT boost the effectiveness of seeds? Or is this
just another case of doctors firing shotguns at the problem with little
regard to SEs?

I.P.