lupron

After receiving two 30mg injections of lupron four months apart ( in
March & July of 2006 ), prior to and after seeds & IMRT, I have gained
almost 10 pounds, and i have a pot belly.
Having problem loosing this with exercise, ( run 2 miles most days on
tread mill ) is this permanent, anyone with similiar problem. It is now
seven months since the last lupron shot, body hair loss, weight gain,
muscle flab all persist,will things go back to normal ??

Note i am now 70 years old. Also noted that my PSA was 0.01 on 10/06 ,
after the lupron & treatment, since stopping the lupron, my last psa was
0.044 on 2/07,
Is this a biochemical failure. My Urologist appears to be either poorly
informed / reticent with information.

From Bob wrote:
> After receiving two 30mg injections of lupron four months apart ( in
> March & July of 2006 ), prior to and after seeds & IMRT, I have gained
> almost 10 pounds, and i have a pot belly.
> Having problem loosing this with exercise, ( run 2 miles most days on
> tread mill ) is this permanent, anyone with similiar problem. It is now
> seven months since the last lupron shot, body hair loss, weight gain,
> muscle flab all persist,will things go back to normal ??
>
> Note i am now 70 years old. Also noted that my PSA was 0.01 on 10/06 ,
> after the lupron & treatment, since stopping the lupron, my last psa was
> 0.044 on 2/07,
> Is this a biochemical failure. My Urologist appears to be either poorly
> informed / reticent with information.
>
What's your testosterone level? Has it returned to normal since going
off the hormones? It's a simple, common blood test, like (and often
with) PSA. The older we are, the greater the slight chance it may not
resume spontaneously, leaving us permanently "on hormone therapy". I
presume the solution to that would be testosterone supplements. But it
often takes many months to return, so I wouldn't get worried yet . . .
although I WOULD get it checked to make sure it is returning. A year
with no T often produces medically significant osteoporosis.

I.P.

"From Bob" <IATROGENIC@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:16787-45E66FC4-43@storefull-3315.bay.webtv.net...
> After receiving two 30mg injections of lupron four months apart ( in
> March & July of 2006 ), prior to and after seeds & IMRT, I have gained
> almost 10 pounds, and i have a pot belly.
> Having problem loosing this with exercise, ( run 2 miles most days on
> tread mill ) is this permanent, anyone with similiar problem. It is now
> seven months since the last lupron shot, body hair loss, weight gain,
> muscle flab all persist,will things go back to normal ??

I am a big man already, but even during the summer, thought walking 3-5
miles a day, 3-5 days a week, I could not lose weight. When I added Casodex
to my diet, I immediately gained two inches on my waste and my hands seem to
have a layer of fact on them.


> Note i am now 70 years old. Also noted that my PSA was 0.01 on 10/06 ,
> after the lupron & treatment, since stopping the lupron, my last psa was
> 0.044 on 2/07,
> Is this a biochemical failure.

Biochemical failure is specificially defined and a single rise in PSA does
not meet the definition. If you have a 0.088 in June and a 0.176 in
October, then I think you will have satisfied teh definition. Until then,
you have merely had a rise equal to 3/100ths of 1 millionth of a gram of
PSA. I would not worry (and in the past, have not worried) about
fluctuations in that range.

> My Urologist appears to be either poorly
> informed / reticent with information.

Then get a new one... or go to a medical oncologist. The latter would
probably make the most sense at this time.

Testosterone On 4/10/06, 3 weeks after the first lupron injectin was
22, On 6/5/06 it was 5, and on 7/10/06 it was 6. However on 2/23/07,
which was seven months after the last lupron injection it was 257. Not
sure what normal is for age 70, most of the SE persist, except for the
flushes, which fortunately have stopped.

"From Bob" <IATROGENIC@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:16787-45E66FC4-43@storefull-3315.bay.webtv.net...
> After receiving two 30mg injections of lupron four months apart ( in
> March & July of 2006 ), prior to and after seeds & IMRT, I have gained
> almost 10 pounds, and i have a pot belly.
> Having problem loosing this with exercise, ( run 2 miles most days on
> tread mill ) is this permanent, anyone with similiar problem. It is
> now
> seven months since the last lupron shot, body hair loss, weight gain,
> muscle flab all persist,will things go back to normal ??

It took my husband about 7 months after stopping HT to regain his
strength and lose that pot belly. He gained more like 25 lbs after a
year of Zoladex and Casodex. I think the Casodex is more to blame than
the other. Doctor took him off that first. And I see Steve K. has
noticed weight/water gain with Casodex.

Btw....I am counting 7 months from when the next shot would have been
due, so it is really 10 months from the actual last shot. Comprendez?
It is nice to see him getting his strength and zip back. He still gets
more fatigued than he used to, but bear in mind he is 74 and has been
thru a lot in 4 years. I forget we are supposed to be getting OLDER!!
BAH!! (G)

Heather (and Ron)

From Bob wrote:
> Testosterone On 4/10/06, 3 weeks after the first lupron injectin was
> 22, On 6/5/06 it was 5, and on 7/10/06 it was 6. However on 2/23/07,
> which was seven months after the last lupron injection it was 257. Not
> sure what normal is for age 70, most of the SE persist, except for the
> flushes, which fortunately have stopped.
>
That's good to hear. Your T is back on track, so the challenge now is to
lose the fat and rebuild the lost muscle. You know the drill, in no
particular order because each is important:
1. Aerobics. I don't mean huffing and puffing like s steam engine; more
like long, slow distances at a pulse rate on the order of 90-110. Brisk
walking, treadmill, elliptical, brisk yard work, etc.
2. Weights, or some form of strength-building exercises performed
against ever-increasing resistance. You'll need some guidance on this,
but it is important for several reasons.
3. Fewer calories. Not a major reduction; just cut back by 300-400
hundred calories a day, maybe less of a cut if you get serious about the
exercise.

I.P.