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Bicalutamide

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User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 17:35

After a year on Degarelex and some really bad adverse reactions to it, my oncologist has changed my medication to Bicalutamide in tablet form.

I have never heard of this drug before. Has anyone had any experience of it?

I took the first dose early evening yesterday and later on in the evening, I had mild flu like symptoms, but nowhere near as badly as I used to get it with Degerelix. Today, I have felt so sleepy that I haven't been able to move. I hope this is an initial reaction and not something that will stay or get worse.

My oncologist tells me that this drug is less effective than Degerelex, but he thought I might find the symptoms more tolerable. So we will wait and see how it goes. I see him again in three weeks, so that gives a reasonable trial period.

I would be grateful for any comments

 

Peter

 

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 19:50

Hi Peter
I have been on Bicalutamide for nearly 9 months. I take one 150mg tablet at bedtime. It knocked me for six for about 2 weeks then symptoms were more bearable. I still have great fatigue and high emotion. Luckily I don't get the hot flushes or breast soreness/growth. I was given Tamoxifen to counteract this. I still have mucho libido but total ED. As with everything PCa it's all a bit voodoo. What works for some fails for others. This is my first HT since surgery and dropped my PSA from 2.4 to 0.13 so it's working for now.
Good luck
Chris

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 21:22

My OH was put on Bicalutamide temporarily whilst in between Radium 223 and Cabazataxel. Unfortunately it had no effect on PSA and after a month he has just today stopped taking it. He has been more achey than normal so will have to see if this improves.

Glen

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 21:35

Hi Peter, it is also known as casodex - it works differently to your previous hormone in that rather than stopping production of testosterone, it simply disguises it so that the cancer thinks there isn't any. Consequently, your body may start producing testosterone again which might give you a bit more energy soon.

Casodex is often used for men needing HT in the lead up to radiotherapy, or to prevent tumour flare in the first month or so before you have hormone injections. Apart from breathlessness, the side effects of casodex are for many men milder than the hormone treatments that stop testosterone from being produced.

I hope you feel better soon.

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

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 23:00

Hi Glen and Lyn,

Thanks for your replies. They are greatly appreciated. Thanks Lyn as always for a very straightforward explanation of how Bicalutamide works. As I said to Chris, at the moment, the symptoms feel pretty much the same, but at least I haven't had to go through the painful injection and its immediate aftermath.

I have my next appointment with my oncologist in three weeks, so we will review its effectiveness then.

In the meantime, thanks very much for your comments. It is so good to know that this community exists and help and advice is so close at hand.

Best wishes

Peter

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User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 19:50

Hi Peter
I have been on Bicalutamide for nearly 9 months. I take one 150mg tablet at bedtime. It knocked me for six for about 2 weeks then symptoms were more bearable. I still have great fatigue and high emotion. Luckily I don't get the hot flushes or breast soreness/growth. I was given Tamoxifen to counteract this. I still have mucho libido but total ED. As with everything PCa it's all a bit voodoo. What works for some fails for others. This is my first HT since surgery and dropped my PSA from 2.4 to 0.13 so it's working for now.
Good luck
Chris

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 21:22

My OH was put on Bicalutamide temporarily whilst in between Radium 223 and Cabazataxel. Unfortunately it had no effect on PSA and after a month he has just today stopped taking it. He has been more achey than normal so will have to see if this improves.

Glen

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 21:35

Hi Peter, it is also known as casodex - it works differently to your previous hormone in that rather than stopping production of testosterone, it simply disguises it so that the cancer thinks there isn't any. Consequently, your body may start producing testosterone again which might give you a bit more energy soon.

Casodex is often used for men needing HT in the lead up to radiotherapy, or to prevent tumour flare in the first month or so before you have hormone injections. Apart from breathlessness, the side effects of casodex are for many men milder than the hormone treatments that stop testosterone from being produced.

I hope you feel better soon.

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

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 22:37

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your quick reply. I looked at your profile and noticed that we do seem to have a lot in common so far as our symptoms are concerned. So I can appreciate what you are going through. In my case, by the time cancer was diagnosed in July last year, it had already spread to the spine, lymph nodes and lungs. My PSA was 168, but that was down to 1.8 at the last test.

I have just had my second dose of Bicalutamide. I do feel much the same symptoms as I had with Degerelex, but without (so far) the immediate reaction to the injection. I am encouraged that you found the symptoms eased after a couple of weeks, I will look forward to that! But at this particular moment, I am wishing that I hadn't let him change my medication. He was clearly reluctant to do so and did point out that this product was a much less efficient way to starve tumours!

I guess all we can do is to make the most of each day.

Good luck

Peter

User
Posted 02 Jul 2016 at 23:00

Hi Glen and Lyn,

Thanks for your replies. They are greatly appreciated. Thanks Lyn as always for a very straightforward explanation of how Bicalutamide works. As I said to Chris, at the moment, the symptoms feel pretty much the same, but at least I haven't had to go through the painful injection and its immediate aftermath.

I have my next appointment with my oncologist in three weeks, so we will review its effectiveness then.

In the meantime, thanks very much for your comments. It is so good to know that this community exists and help and advice is so close at hand.

Best wishes

Peter

 
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