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High Blood Pressure on Abiraterone

User
Posted 23 Jan 2020 at 16:33

Hi - I've been following this community for a few months but have only just joined.  My husband, aged 70, was diagnosed with advanced PC last July.  We live in France so treatment may be a bit different to the UK, not sure about that.  He had absolutely no symptoms and was feeling really well, even though he is on medication for his heart following a triple bypass in 2011.  First indication was a high PSA at 30, then a biopsy showed PC with Gleason 8 (4+4).  He couldn't have an MRI but a scintigraphy then showed that there were secondaries on 6 vertebrae, one of them a big concern as it was threatening spinal compression.  He started on Decapeptyl HR injections in August, then in November had 10 sessions of RT on the larger of the vertebral tumours.  When we saw the Oncologist in early December he gave a choice of either Chemo or Abiraterone, they tend to use Abiraterone or Enzalutimide as first line meds in France.  His cardiologist gave the go ahead for Abiraterone, he is now in his 2nd month.  He has been far more tired than normal, and has had hot flushes since the Decapeptyl started.  The nurse comes every two weeks to check his blood pressure, take blood for potassium levels and just a general check up (standard procedure over here), when she came last week his BP was at 210/90 so panic stations!   His GP has doubled his blood pressure medication which is now causing terrible cramps, especially at night, but his BP, although down from 210 is still really unstable - anything from 140 to 190.  The docs are now talking about increasing the meds for BP but I am really concerned that this is all due to the Abiraterone.  Husband is really not happy about having to stop that and go on chemo instead but we seem to be going round in circles.  It's been really hard to keep thinking positively - it seems as if we're fighting a battle between cardio vascular problems v cancer.  Sorry for this long first posting, just wondered if anyone else on here has had similar problems.  My husband is normally really active, always busy doing something, he is now being told to rest up all the time and it's driving him crazy!

User
Posted 23 Jan 2020 at 19:44

My oh had arberatitone for almost two years but was on bp medication and had no problems though it is one of the principle side effects they check for. He is now on chemo and so far it is not as bad as we thought it could be so I guess your oncologist would be the best to advise you. All the best.

User
Posted 23 Jan 2020 at 22:58
My Husband is on arberiterone and has had his blood pressure tablets increased twice since he has been on them, he has to take his blood pressure at least once a week as this is one of the main side effects of them.

regards barbara x

User
Posted 23 Jan 2020 at 23:54

Our GP rang us tonight at home to discuss, we are seeing her tomorrow and she is going to try him on a different BP medication so we shall see how it goes.  The problem is that he is in agony with cramp that lasts for ages when his BP medication is increased - does everyone feel like they're going around in circles sometimes!!!   7 months ago we didn't even know there was a problem, it feels as if we are living someone else's life now.

 
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