brother on first month of enzalutamide

User

Posted 05 Sep 2017 at 19:33

Hi all,

My brother has just started his first course of enzalutamide 3 months after palliative chemo. His pain levels are increasing and I wondered if anybody else has experienced the same problem. We are due at the hospital for his first blood test next wednesday but I am obviously concerned that his pain is not improving, any help, good or bad would be much appreciated.

User

Posted 05 Sep 2017 at 23:24

It could be tumour flare as the cancer cells object to being starved. Some oncos give their patients another hormone for a couple of weeks first to try to reduce the tumour flare.

Is he taking painkillers regularly or trying to tough it out? It is important that he takes them regularly.

If you are concerned or the painkillers he is taking aren't enough, he should phone his clinical nurse specialist.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 06 Sep 2017 at 22:21

Thank you so much for your reply, I was hoping this might be the case, fingers crossed you're right. I have tried to discuss additional pain relief with my brother but he is reluctant to take more medication. It is really difficult because he doesn't keep in contact with the nurse...he's not in denial but I think this latest set back has left him in a very dark place. I am obviously new to this site and have to admit it takes awhile to learn your way around. Thank you once again. Fingers crossed for good news next Wednesday. Xxx

User

Posted 06 Sep 2017 at 22:52

Well hopefully they will explain to him at the hospital appointment that avoiding the pain killers is not sensible. The idea is to take them regularly so that the pain levels are fairly static rather than up and down - makes it much harder to judge whether or not he needs something stronger than paracetamol.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

Notification

Join the online community now.