Side Effects from Hormone Injections

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User

Posted 20 Jan 2018 at 13:08

My father is suffering severe fatigue which we think is due to the hormone injections and pills he is taking. Because of his age (86) other forms of treatment such as removal and radiotherapy have been ruled out. However the side effects are really limiting his quality of life. He is only able to be out of bed for 4/5 hrs in a day. I can't help but wonder if it is worth it. Has anyone experienced similar or seen alternative treatments for men of his age. Before the treatment he was an incredibly fit man and far more active than a lot of people 15 years his junior. Any help very gratefully received.

User

Posted 20 Jan 2018 at 13:49

Hello Sarah and welcome to the site

I can truly understand your concerns and I'm sure that those with the knowledge of HT will be along to advise you.

You say the side effects are limiting his quality of life and wonder whether if it's "worth it"

Has your father expressed such sentiments? Would he rather all treatment stopped so that he could "enjoy" the time he has left with his family?

The problem with that scenario is that there is no guarantee that stopping the treatment will give him back his strength and place him where he was before he started, ie a man more active than many of his age.

Have you and your family been able to talk to him about what it is he wants. Does he have a designated nurse that he could talk to ?

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 20 Jan 2018 at 14:10

It isn’t all directly caused by the tablets and injections - it is the complete loss of testosterone that causes such a change in his energy levels. In addition, the loss of muscle tone and stretching ligaments means that normal activity is much harder work. He could ask the oncologist about orchiectomy (having his testicles removed) - this would sort out the fatigue caused by the hormone treatment but he would still have the lack of testosterone to cope with.

You could call the nurses at the number shown at the top of the webpage - they may have some advice on reducing the fatigue. Will your dad swim? Old Al (used to be a member here) was in a wheelchair due to the side effects of the PCa but took up swimming and found it gave him much better mobility.

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

User

Posted 20 Jan 2018 at 14:43

Sarah

Although at a much younger age I also went from very fit to almost zero activity. It took nearly 12 months to get over the worse. Thus your dad might start to improve soon. The following migjt help -

1) if side effects are causing poor sleep enquire what help is available.

2) Some guys have found changing from 12 weekly to 4 weekly injections helped

3) Moving from injections to tablets such as Casodex helped some.

4) Bearing in mind his age/quality of life a holiday from HT might be worth enquiring about but that may well reduce survival time, something consultants might not go along with.

Ray

User

Posted 21 Jan 2018 at 14:09

sarah,i stopped zoladex 20 months ago,i can honestly say i dont feel any difference now to when i was on it,as lyn says it is the lack of testerone,i hate the way i look now with no test,i was always thin but now even thinner,but what can you do.good luck.

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 00:06

Whilst HT is leading to excessive fatigue, (one of several potential adverse side effects), I nevertheless recommend that Dad does all he reasonably can whilst he is able to exercise. Not to do so means that a greater decline in the ability to get about and do things.

As Ray has said, worth asking if an alternative HT could be tried.

Sometimes men become affected to a lesser degree by a form of HT after a period of time.

Barry

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 12:03

My local Specialist cancer hospital now offer acupuncture as a therapy to combat hormone therapy side effects. Dont know if this is available elsewhere but the results seem to be very good and my oncologist recommended it - The physiotherapy dept handle it and I cant see the NHS providing it unless it was effective. Its apparently particularly good at reducing hot flushes and these can cause constant interruptions to sleep leading to fatigue.

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