How long does Lupron last?

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Alan Meyer - 03 Feb 2004 04:12 GMT

Can anyone who has taken Lupron and then stopped taking it
tell how long the effects lasted after the last injection.

I had 7.5 mg in October, and 22.5 mg around November 22.

The theoretical 3 month dose will be over in 3 more weeks.

The main subjective effects have been decreased libido
and hot flashes. The hot flashes may be a bit less now
than before, but I can't tell for sure. It's possible that I've
just gotten more used to them. I've also got elevated liver
enzymes which may be attributable to the Lupron.

I was told that some people have the effects for up to a year
after their injections and that 6-9 months is not uncommon.

Can anyone relate their experiences?

Thanks.

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c palmer - 03 Feb 2004 06:59 GMT

hi alan - this much i do know. when my dad was on the lupron shots, the
office would call if he was a day over the date he was due.

it is very important that you get the shot on the day it is suppose to
get it, in order to keep the level of the lupron in the system.

now, it comes in 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30 mg doses. it also equates to
one, two, three and four month shots. you are on the 22.5 shot
strength. since you are coming off of the shots, the level of the
lupron will be going down and even if they said it took 6 months to get
back to normal, you will be at 3 months since that last shot. i would
think that over the next month, you should see things change and
continue for the better.

my .02 cents, hope it helps.

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional

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Tom Cular - 03 Feb 2004 09:47 GMT

Alan,
Coincidently, I was asked the same question yesterday by a co-worker and
couldn't answer. I' m on my second 7.5 mg dose now; I'll ask my Dr. and
share his info.

Tom

> hi alan - this much i do know. when my dad was on the lupron shots, the
> office would call if he was a day over the date he was due.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional

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Allan Matthews - 03 Feb 2004 14:03 GMT

I was on Lupron for 25 months. Taking the 4 month shots. The
effects of it wore off about 10 months after my last shot. I did have
many side effects while on it. Hot flashes, 35-40 per day, which were
ended by Megestrol. I lost a lot of upper body strength, which I
recovered. I was very emotional while I was on Lupron and had real
difficulty in attending the viewing of a friend. I cried easily. and
was depressed. All of these side effects have long since gone.
Unfortunately, my psa which dropped to .014 is now rising and I must
either go back on Lupron or face surgical castration within the next
two months. While I was on Lupron i also had 41 radiation treatments
of proton radiation, which contributed to the side effects.

>Can anyone who has taken Lupron and then stopped taking it
>tell how long the effects lasted after the last injection.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
>Thanks.

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Steve Kramer - 03 Feb 2004 23:33 GMT

Allan, Are you sure about 0.014? And, if so, what did it go up to? When
you're talking less than 0.1, that's almost always good.

Signature

Prostate Cancer Survivor (so far), not a doctor
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000
PSA .1 .1 .1 .3 .4 .8
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .3 .2 .2 .2 .3
Erection 05/12/2003 @ 48
HTbegins 07/21/2003 @ 48
PSA .1
Lupron 7/03, 8/03, 12/03

> I was on Lupron for 25 months. Taking the 4 month shots. The
> effects of it wore off about 10 months after my last shot. I did have
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> >
> >Thanks.

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Allan Matthews - 04 Feb 2004 11:44 GMT

>Allan, Are you sure about 0.014? And, if so, what did it go up to? When
>you're talking less than 0.1, that's almost always good.

Hi
Yes, I am sure of the figures. My PSA dropped very fast when on
Lupron and continued to drop for several months after my treatments
ended. My PSA Jan. 6, 2004 was 4.26 and has been doubling at a rate
of about every two months. You must realize that prior to any
treatment, when I was diagnosed on March 26 , 2000 my PSA was 39.6 and
the cancer had spread to the seminal vesicles but not to any bones.
Doctors considered that removal of the cancer surgically was
impossible. I went into the treatment with the reaLization that it
might not be successful. Actually two different Doctors gave me a 50%
chance of success with the treatment. I will be 70 years okd in Sept.
Allan

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Steve Kramer - 04 Feb 2004 12:09 GMT

> >Allan, Are you sure about 0.014? And, if so, what did it go up to? When
> >you're talking less than 0.1, that's almost always good.

> Yes, I am sure of the figures.

I keep getting conflicting information on just how low a PSA (including
ultra sensitive) test test. I thought the low was .04.

> My PSA dropped very fast when on
> Lupron and continued to drop for several months after my treatments
> ended. My PSA Jan. 6, 2004 was 4.26 and has been doubling at a rate
> of about every two months.

Yes, I would consider that a cause for concern.

> You must realize that prior to any
> treatment, when I was diagnosed on March 26 , 2000 my PSA was 39.6 and
> the cancer had spread to the seminal vesicles but not to any bones.

I don't understand why. They remove the seminal vesicles too. Was it in
your lymph glands? What was your Stage?

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Allan Matthews - 04 Feb 2004 18:14 GMT

>> >Allan, Are you sure about 0.014? And, if so, what did it go up to?
>When
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>I don't understand why. They remove the seminal vesicles too. Was it in
>your lymph glands? What was your Stage?

I don't know the stage. Gleason was 7. I was pretty much in state of
shock at the time. It had not spread beyond seminal vesicles to
lympth or to bones..Had several different scans in one day. Urologist
simply told me it was beyond removal of prostate and immediately sent
me to oncologist.. Had 41 radiation treatments and total of 25 months
of Lupron. Also had Casodex for a while.

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Steve Kramer - 04 Feb 2004 21:54 GMT

> I don't know the stage. Gleason was 7. I was pretty much in state of
> shock at the time.

As I've written before, I'm very familiar with that shock. And it was worse
during recurrence than initially. And, I didn't even know it until it was
over and my wife pointed it out to me.

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Alan Meyer - 04 Feb 2004 01:29 GMT

Allan,

You might want to have a look at Stephen Strum's book. I don't have it
in front of me, but if I remember correctly, he was claiming that people
whose PSA went down below .05 on hormone therapy had unusually
testosterone sensitive cancers and could get great benefit from
intermittent HT. He had a particular protocol for treating such patients
which he thought could extend life for many, many years.

Alan

> I was on Lupron for 25 months. Taking the 4 month shots. The
> effects of it wore off about 10 months after my last shot. I did have
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> >
> >Thanks.

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Tom Cular - 04 Feb 2004 11:55 GMT

Alan,

I called yesterday to inquire about the duration of lupron side effects. The
Dr. wasn't available, however, a nurse in his office who has fielded that
question several times said that some effects may remain for up to 90 days.

Tom

> Allan,
>
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> > >
> > >Thanks.

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Dale - 04 Feb 2004 21:54 GMT

> Can anyone who has taken Lupron and then stopped taking it
> tell how long the effects lasted after the last injection.

What I was told, and have also heard elsewhere, is that the production of
testosterone will begin again "when it happens". Some men will be free of
side effects within 30 days, some may take 60, and a very few never resume
testosterone production. It is really an individual thing.

Dale P
Denver, CO

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