Hormone therapy ending?

Sometime in the next few months you should start to get your testosterone back, or at least some of it. You may start to feel more randy, chest and facial hair may grow more and if you were affected by fatigue that should be starting to improve.

Yes, Goserelin ! - thanks for the info, I've been getting a bit achy - feeling more like a man after the ladies, would be a vast improvement - my lady says😄 Thanks for the tips, further ones welcomed. 

Thanks, the Tadalafil helps with the latter problem, though I think it can cause Heartburn.

They are likely to all have the same effect. Most of the PDE5 inhibitor side effects are due to them inhibiting other PDE's too, and given this varies between the drugs, switching drugs can often resolve it.

However, the heartburn is caused by inhibiting PDE5 itself, which is also used by the smooth muscle of the esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter. It causes them to relax (like it does the smooth muscle around the arteries in the penis). However, in some people, that's enough to allow acid reflux, and for food to be swallowed more slowly and not always completely.

There are some things that may help.

The effect is very dose-specific. See if a smaller dose works for erections, and maybe doesn't cause heartburn.

You could try leaving it long enough after eating for your stomach to have cleared, e.g. 2 hours. (PDE5 inhibitors work best on an empty stomach anyway.)

You could try taking them with an indigestion tablet, although beware that long term acid reflux can cause esophageal cancer.

Do try the forth one, but I don't hold out a lot of hope. Trying smaller doses of all of them might be worth a try too.

By the way, I've not yet come across anyone who's tried Spedra/Avanafil, although it should be available to prostate cancer patients on the NHS if the others don't work. It's the most expensive, as it's the only one still on patent (until September, anyway).

Edited by member 18 May 2020 at 18:36  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks for your help Andy, as I posted above - I've been taking 5mg every other day & that has virtually eliminated the Heartburn & Reflux that I was getting, I'm going to ask Doc to prescribe 2.5mg version, if taking it every other day has other problems....

These problems that are sent to try us...... Bob

EDIT - I spoke to the Forum Nurse this morning, she said now I'm off the HT & it is leaving my system, she thought that the Tadalafil's effect was being reduced by the HT, so I need a lower Tad dose, anyway.
Interesting POV. Yes, cutting pill in half, might be an option....
Thanks Andy.

Edited by member 01 Jun 2020 at 11:32  | Reason: Not specified

Cheers,

Chris

Hi, 

Things returning to normal after HT can take quite a while. 

It was nearly 10 months before the effects left my system but when they did, it was worth the wait! 👍😄👍

Edited by member 01 Jun 2020 at 13:09  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks Steve, gives me something to look forward to.
Just seen Bill Turnbull on TV, he seems to be coping well.

The proper name for HT holidays is intermittent HT or IHT, if you want to search here for old posts / threads on it. Generally speaking there are conditions that the oncologist will want to see met, such as

- very low, stable PSA for a sustained period (often 2 years)

- no symptoms of active cancer

- an oncologist & a patient who both have some appetite for risk (some oncos refuse to even consider IHT no matter how well the patient is doing)

I have never seen IHT offered to a man on bical on here - but it is rare for someone with incurable PCa to only be on bical anyway. I suspect the reason IHT is more suited to injected HT is that it takes much longer to leave the body & for testosterone to start being produced and so the PSA takes much longer to start rising. With bical, the testosterone is there in his body so as soon as the tablets are stopped, the PSA may start rising.

Yes Lynne he is still on Bicalutamide and all things considered he is doing really well. Of course with the cancelled appointments he hasn’t had another psa test yet since the one in March which was six weeks after starting it.

The urologist said at the time he would stay on this until it stopped being effective which as you know is uncertain. 

He had a few weeks where he was in a dark place at times but thankfully the weather has been lovely so he has spent the last few months gardening which has helped he was a navvie in a former life I think 🙂

I had to rattle a NHS cage or two myself. Some hospitals, are utterly dominated by Coronavirus considerations - folks can get very sick from other things, they need to be reminded of this. I'm having a blood test myself Thurs Morning, at the Doctors surgery - had to organise that myself.

I take the view, "If they are disorganised, organise them yourself"

BTW I've had it confirmed from 3 medical sources + a very helpful FM here,, that Tadalafil is often the cause of Heartburn & acid reflux, & if this happens, take it every other day.... Works for me!!

Bob

Thanks Annie. Naturally I'm pleased & my GF also had good news today, her Mamogram test was OK.
I also managed to replace the brushes on her Henry Hoover & get that working!!

All we need now, is the Euro numbers to come up.😂

As you say, good old Henry, Anne.

I am having problems with ED, I guess with the Artificial Hormone fading away, there is a gap until my own Testosterone wakes up & gets going?? My GF, is not impressed.......

We are on early days really in the grand scheme of things. We seem to have gotten our heads around his diagnosis and the loss of our sex life now and to be honest its actually brought us closer together. Its still tough at times absolutely, but its getting easier as time goes on 🙂