Hormone therapy after RT

User

Posted 30 Oct 2020 at 19:13

I'm into my second year of treatment for a stage 3 prostate cancer (Gleason 3+4=7 pT3a). I was lucky enough to complete radiotherapy just as lockdown began in April.

I now know that I'll be on 12-weekly Leuprorelin (or Prostap - it tends to depend on the pharmacist) shots for another 20 months or so.

While the side-effects of the hormone therapy are not as bad as they were when I was also taking daily Bicalutamide prior to the RT, they're still very notable. I'm very likely to get weepy over any momentary setback, and my memory for detail is definitely not what it was two years ago - in fact, big chunks of information which I think I've absorbed can vanish over the course of a couple of days. (this is as well as the common physical effects)

I realise that there's a huge variation in the intensity of this menopause-like condition across all the men who need to enter it, but has anyone here known the effects to ease off, or get worse, during this 'long tail' stage where the dosage is fixed?

User

Posted 31 Oct 2020 at 09:00

Hi Donovan, I'm just off hormones after 24 months. I didn't have very bad side effects and mine were more physical than mental. I wouldn't say they changed much over the whole period of treatment.

Dave

User

Posted 31 Oct 2020 at 10:29

Hi Donovan,

I was prescribed 18-36 months on HT (depending what happened with PSA after treatment).

I think libido probably got worse in second year and body hair continued reducing, but no other changes.

I also didn't have bad side effects, but a big factor in that is that I exercise quite a lot - I think men should regard exercise as mandatory while on hormone therapy. Besides the obvious benefit to muscles and (depending on the type of exercise) bones, I suspect it has probably helped with brain function, sexual function, certainly with reducing fatigue, and it's known to slow prostate cancer progression.

I take part in an online home exercise class for prostate cancer patients, and I go out cycling.

User

Posted 01 Nov 2020 at 12:13

Hi Donovan, I'm just 12 months into the hormone therapy but mine is 6 monthly injections of Decapeptyl SR. I find that the side-effects are worst in the weeks following an injection and the weeks leading to the next one. They also vary day by day so yesterday was a bad day and today seems like a good one. Happily there are far more good days than not so good but I'm taking the view that the fact that I have not so good days means I'm still here and, with a PSA level down to 0.01 I think it's a price worth paying. I've also been told that it's important to take exercise. At RD&E in Exeter they have a superb follow-up programme for those of us who have been through radiotherapy which includes a consultation with a physio. He recommended a set of exercises for me. I can't say I enjoy them but I'm doing them as well as going for regular walks.

User

Posted 17 Feb 2021 at 14:27

Hi everyone,

My husband Ian is nearly done with his radiation sessions, only 8 more to go! He is mostly tolerating it ok, but he has an annoying pain in his right hip. When he asked the nurse about it yesterday at the hospital, she said it was likely due to the hormone therapy than due to the radiation. Has anyone experienced this ?

User

Posted 17 Feb 2021 at 15:48

I think it is very easy to put every ache and pain down to the cancer or its treatment. So the short answer is Yes I have had RT/HT and I have had minor pains in probably every part of my body, but I probably had them before but didn't have anything to blame them on.

Dave

User

Posted 17 Feb 2021 at 16:10

The hormones cause his body to change in a similar way to a girl hitting puberty - breasts may start to grow, ligaments soften and stretch and - critically - the pelvis starts to spread. Hip pain is therefore common on HT

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

User

Posted 17 Feb 2021 at 17:45

Donovan

Was circa your age when diagnosed, many years ago. HT (Zoladex) was nigh on 4 years. As regards non physical side effects. Lookng back its more got used how to handle them. Ability to multi task never fully returned but again adapted to how to manage. Memory is not good, but from 58 I'm now 75 so perhaps expected.

My advice is find ways to adapt the best you can

Ray

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