Welcome Dan.

Great folks here as you know.

I'll let the HT experts speak more directly to your circumstances.

All the best,

Ron B.

Chicago

Standard ADT (HT) stuff, among many other SEs, with likelihoods ranging from
10% to over 90% (virtually 100% for the sex life). They're due to the
testosterone depletion, not just the chemicals. I presume your doctor
discussed these at great length, is treating you to prevent osteoporosis,
and is prepared to medicate other SEs if and when they appear, or was that
your last ADT shot?

I.P.

...

I was on Lupron for 4 months in theory, in practice the
effect lasted about 6.  It was before and during radiation,
with the effects lasting a couple of months after.

Depression:

I don't think I experienced big mood swings.  I was very
depressed about having cancer and I did cry from time
to time.  But I believe that had to do more with adapting
to the changes in my life than to Lupron induced
emotions.

Life certainly changes when you have cancer.  Just
having cancer is a real mood swing inducer.  Putting up
with the Lupron - loss of sexual function, hot flashes,
tiredness - has to affect your emotions.  Going through
radiation with the dry skin, tiredness, etc. has to affect
it too.

Dry skin:

I also have oily skin and didn't notice it drying out, though
I got the usual radiation burns in the a.s that needed
ointments.  For that matter, they still do.

Sexual function:

A real downer, if you'll forgive the pun.  I was able to have
both erections and orgasms, but not easily and not
frequently.  My wife and I both worked pretty hard to
make it happen.

Overall:

I really disliked Lupron.  But I'll take it again if and when I
need it to stay alive.

My advice is to focus on living and treat the Lupron
side effects as background annoyances that have to
be borne, but don't have to become the major focus
of life.  Get plenty of rest and plenty of exercise.  Both
are very important.  Stay in touch with family and
friends.  Be sure to keep on doing all the things you
most like to do.

   Alan

I've been on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT, which I think is more accurate a label than HT) since September 2004. I, too, started with a Gleason of 9 (4+5), five of six cores in one lobe. Had cyrotherapy in November 2003, which failed to affect a Gleason 8 tumor in the other lobe. Finished IMRT in October, 2004. PSA (on ADT, though) = 0.01.

The reason for ADT is that testosterone (T) tends to facilitate the proliferation of PCa cells.

Side effects (SE's) of some sort from testosterone suppression are not unusual. Patients might experience some, all or none of the various SE's.

Authoritative information on the SE's of ADT can be found on the website of the Prostate Cancer Research Insitute at
http://prostate-cancer.org/index.html
and in the excellent book, _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_ subtitled "The Empowered Patient's Guide," by Stephen B. Strum, MD (a medical oncologist who specializes in PCa) and Donna Pogliano, whose husband is a patient.

In my case, I did experience mood swings and weepiness. Over the past few months, that particular SE has disappeared. This is not the result of the low-dose Zoloft (5 mg qd) I started just last month. Of course, our situation *is* depressing; it would be odd if we were not depressed by it.

As for the dry skin, I do not recall that as a SE of ADT.

BTW, I know that the Zoladex injection is painful. I changed to Lupron, and will shortly be on Trelstar, both of which are injected into the gluteus maximus. The med onc was out of Trelstar a couple weeks ago, and I had to have Zoladex. But the nurse gave me a local of lidocaine and there was no discomfort (aka railroad spike).

And check on the injection intervals. Some insurers and Medicare will not pay for (e.g.)
three-month Lupron injections that are given at the intervals stated in the manufacturer's instructions (in this case, 3 monthsx28 days=84 days). They require an interval of three *calendar* months, which will make the interval too long. They save money that way.

My onc says that maintaining a schedule in accordance with the instructions is vital. Therefore, I have elected to have "monthly" injections at 28-day intervals, which insurance will pay for.

Sheesh, I've gone on at some length. Will now give it a rest.

Regards,

Steve J

"Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.''
--Sir Winston L. S. Churchill

<snip>

I've been on ADT (hormones) since November 01, 2004 and have
experienced the following SEs (side effects).
Mood swings: I still work as much as I can, but when something pisses
me off, I'm liable to spit the dummy and tip the desk over. I've even
wept at Soap Operas on the tube when the under-dog gets up.  I also
weep a little when I get a good pathology report. Weirdly enough, I
don't fret about having the PCa, but get frustrated about being
hobbled with it.
Skin dryness: Since starting the ADT, my skin has dried out
considerably on my face and my arms have become wrinkly. My veins have
all gone South too, so I have to have a special nurse do the vampire
work, from between my fingers after running the hand under hot water.
Sexual Issues: Given the right stimulation I can make a small woodie,
but do nothing with it, except watch it shrivel back to the size of a
mole.
Other Issues: the ADT has exacerbated all my other Ailments, including
Osteo-Arthritis in the legs and feet, Type 2 Diabetes BGLs and a
spin-off Peripheral Neuropathy in both feet and ankles (I lost my sox
the other day and wifey said "you're wearing 'em, silly".)
My eyes have also developed intermittent Conjunctivitis, which seems
to follow my moods.
I take about 18 secondary meds, non-related to PCa (not all at once,
some regularly, some as required) and my Primary Care physician keeps
experimenting with new drugs to combat each day's problems.

Currently, I'm 80% thru my EBRT stint and even that's causing a few
minor glitches, viz: initial urinary stricture, plus a few brown
flashes in the trousers (all now under control).
At some future date I'm having HDRB to pound the living sh.t out of it
and then back on the ADT for another 3 shots finishing late December,
2005.
70 yrs old - PSA at entry 21.0 down to 0.13 at 18wks, T2a to T2c, 4
cores G8 averaging 70%, 2 cores G7 averaging 45%.

Hope you do better!

 
-- Reader to complete...
-- Please reply to this ng as my email adress is fake:

-- Regards

-- CC

Welcome to the club, Dan!
I don't know much about the HT, but I'm sure others will be able to help.

Glad you posted and introduced yourself!

Take care!
MikeH

Thanks everyone for the welcome

I'm new to newsgroups, bear with me if I fail to respond or post properly.
Not sure how all this works.

Thanks again

Dan

Hi, Dan.  Welcome to the club that no one wants to be in.

I had a rrp 9 years ago.  My Gleason was the same as yours - G9, but
my psa was normal for a man my age (59 at the time).

About orgasms.....  Are you on any kind of anti-depressant?  Like you,
I would easily fly off the handle with very little outside influence.
My wife and I spoke to the doc and he prescribed an anti-depressant.
Well, it worked, but orgasms took a helluva long time.  I was
exhausted every time we made love.  Back to the doc right away and he
said that the anti-depressant (can't remember the name) was to blame.
Hell, I figured I had become Studley Dudley at age 62.  What a
disappointment.  d;o)

Anyhow, we stopped the drug and slowly our sex life returned to what
it had been.  That was five years ago.  I still fly off the handle on
a rare occasion, but it isn't anything I'm willing to worry about.

Hope you are doing better and continue to do so.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dave

Welcome to the club from lurkdom.

I had mood swings at first with Lupron, but not so much anymore.  Erections
are still a problem.  I wouldn't say I have dryness, but patchy slightly
darker spots on my arms.