Steve,

I hope Joel Nowak doesn't die because of your foolish comment.  Steve
you obviously enjoy  being a bully.

Steve,  I don't know what your issue is but I can only wish that you
resolve it so that you can make peace with yourself.  I don't want to
spend my time, which will be limited, feeling bitter or upset with
anyone.  So I wish you only the best.
Joel

On March 23, JoelNowak@finchrealty.com inquired:

As we are each different, no one can say with certainty.

However, there are txs for hot flushes. It seems that many medics are
unaware of them.

They are:

They are:

1. Megace (megestrol acetate): some concern has been expressed by one medic
that it might encourage PCa development where the tumor has mutated.
Unfortunately, there appears to be no way to be certain whether this has
occurred. Nonetheless, I do know that it is used successfully to relieve
hot flushes.

2. Paxil (paroxetine hydrochloride), an antidepressant. A side effect is
to relieve hot flushes.

3. Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride), an antidepressant. Same story.

4. Depo Provera (medroxyprogesterone, a synthetic form of the female
hormone progesterone), the "label" use of which is as a female
contraceptive. In the 400 mg (contraceptive) dosage, a study (Marx et al.)
has demonstrated excellent results in relief of hot flushes among men on
ADT (androgen deprivation therapy).

I selected this tx to relieve my hot flushes (6 per night + days) from
Trelstar (triptorelin pamoate), which with Lupron and Zoladex is one of the
LHRH agonists used to castrate PCa patients chemically thereby depriving
PCa cells of an essential nutrient, testosterone (T).

In my case, I chose Depo Sub-Q Provera 104mg, the "label"use of which
is palliative tx of endometriosis. In August 2005, I received 104 mg in
each anterior thigh. I have not experienced even one hot flush since then.
How long this will continue is anyone's guess.

However: one must be aware that progesterone is metabolized into
testosterone, and should take care that one's PSA is sufficiently low that
a rise in T will not be harmful. In my case, my PSA rose from 0.01 ng/ml to
0.02, then subsided to 0.01, which I feel is more than satisfactory.

Caveat: what works for me may not work for anyone else in the universe!

In the USA, such use of these drugs is "off-label" which is to say not
approved by the US Federal Drug Administration. The practical effect of
this is that the use of the drugs for relief of hot flushes will not be
paid for by insurance carriers.

I (1) am not sure of the dosages except for Depo Sub-Q Provera, and (2)
do not know the out-of-pocket costs of the off-label use, again with
the exception of Depo Sub-Q Provera (US$200 for two pre-loaded syringes +
$25 for the injection at my medic's office).

I consider the cost to have been well worth the result.

Had a bit of fun with my medic and his staff after the injections. Sighed
and observed that from now on I would be unable to ovulate.....

Regards,

Steve J

My hot flashes were minor from the start and dissipated to nothing in short
order.  Maybe a couple of months.

But, it is different for everyone.

I was only ADT for 4 months worth of injections, 5-6 months
actual androgen deprivation.

I had hot flashes every hour or so.  I got used to them and they
didn't really bother me too much.  They'd wake me up at night.
I'd toss the covers off, sweat for a couple of minutes, then go
back to sleep.  I wasn't bothered enough to seek any
treatment for them.

After my wife had them for years, I couldn't very well complain
about them.  Besides, every time I got a hot flash I'd think,
"These drugs are really working." :)

   Alan