New to Casodex

User

Posted 05 Aug 2014 at 15:45

Hi all

Well, I've been strolling along on Zoladex since 21st March2011 but now it's Casodex as well. Read the side effects sheet and was much taken aback. Is breast development common? I already fell pretty fatigued. I constantly itch and my memory is shot to hell. Will all this just get worse.... Though I am on the low 50 mg dose so might that be less problematic?

Also wondered if anyone had had the blast of radiotherapy in advance to stop breast swelling? Not available in Norwich so is it worth travelling?

I'd be grateful for any advice as my consultant doesn't want to see me till November, despite the new prescription

Dave

User

Posted 05 Aug 2014 at 18:09

Hi Dave,

John was on 50mg casodex for 9 months but the man boobs and spreading tummy made themselves apparent very quickly. Unfortunately he wasn't offered the RT beforehand and once the problem moobs develop it's too late. Moobs are one of the side effects that can be permanent so in hindsight John would definitely have had the short blast if it had been available.

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

User

Posted 06 Aug 2014 at 12:28

Hi Dave,

At onetime I had Casodex 150 and did have the sore, swollen boobs trouble with a few months

My oncologist prescribed Tamoxifen which helped a lot.

I stopped the Casodex after 6 or 7 months and luckily i wasn't left with lasting 'moob's.

George

B2PCa

User

Posted 24 Aug 2014 at 17:44

Thanks for the information

User

Posted 04 Sep 2014 at 14:10

Hi there.

Like Dave, I was on Zolodex only since April 2011 and initially PSA dropped from 79 on diagnosis to as low as 1.2. Gradually the PSA started to rise until it reached 7.2 in July 2014. Like Dave I went on Casodex 50mg eight weeks ago.

PSA result today is 0.4 which is the lowest its ever been and is AMAZING. The Zolodex already gave me the wobbly tummy and sore moobs and the casodex doesn't seem to have made these worse.

I 'm just interested to know if anyone else has had such a good first response to casodex and whether the low PSA will last

User

Posted 04 Sep 2014 at 22:34

Hi Dave,

Sorry to hear that you now need Casodex. I think that you'll find having the radiotherapy blast on your nipples will only effect the soreness, but not the swelling. I've been on Casodex now for more than 18 months and the size of my boobs has become so embarrassing that I'm booked in for a bilateral mastectomy. I also find that I get out of breath pretty quickly when doing anything physical, but I just ignore this and get on with ever it what I was doing. The putting on of weight that some people mention has never been an issue with me. I simply keep as fit as I can, but never cut back on the vino. My motto being life is too short for cheap wine.

I stopped taking the Casodex pills for a couple of months just to see what the effect would be on my man boobs, the effect was no change. However in those 2 months my PSA doubled, so I restarted straight away.

Cheers

Stu

Edited by member 04 Sep 2014 at 22:55 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 07 Sep 2014 at 18:46

Hi Stu

Thanks, of a sort, for this. At least it gives me some idea of what I might have to face though I hope you're the exception rather than the rule. Cheers

Dave

User

Posted 09 Sep 2014 at 15:02

Hi Dave

You sound as if you are in a similar situation to my dad. He has been on Zoladex for about 18 months, then PSA started to rise. He has also now been given Casodex 50mg as an extra treatment. He has only been taking it for a couple of weeks but so far, so good, with regards to side effects. He has some extra weight around his tummy and has a few hot flushes but being on Casodex has not made these any worse. FIngers crossed that you won't suffer the effects either.

Take care

Rachel

User

Posted 18 Dec 2014 at 12:30

Hello All,

I was thinking of swapping to casiodex from prostrap only to increase my energy and concentration. I dont 'have to' tho as I can cope on prostrap but because Im only 56 thought I could do with a energy boost but when I was told about/and have read about the man boob possibility and needing extra radiotherapy Im not at all sure I would be any better off?

Has any one any thoughts...would I notice that much of a difference?

Im currently waiting for my 6mnth PSA after having radiotherapy so Im at the very early stages of hormone treatment.

User

Posted 18 Dec 2014 at 12:45

I am not sure they are a direct swop. They have different functions in reducing testosterone. Prostap alternatives are zoladex and another whose name escapes me. Casodex seems to have a lot of side effects for people and I am currently awaiting second line treatment to add to prostap which would be casodex. Not looking forward to that given what I have read. You would need to discuss with onco or uro!

User

Posted 18 Dec 2014 at 14:43

HI Oakfern,

If you're doing OK on Prostap, then personally, I would say stick with it.
I have been in the same position as you.

Over the years, Zoladex did well for me, then after I'd taken a 'hormone holiday' for a few years and it became time to get back on treatment due to rising PSA, my onco asked what I'd like to have.
I opted for Casodesx 150 - and although it got my PSA right down to <0.1 quickly, I had to quit after seven months.

The side effects of very sore man-boobs, and having to take Tamoxifen to help the problem, put me right off it.

But worse was to come. Within weeks of stopping Casodex, my PSA rose at a speed I'd never seen before - from 0.1 to 12.0 in 12 weeks. At the same time, my testosterone went through the roof. I fully believe Casodex caused that spurt.

I then chose Prostap. which rescued me, getting PSA down fast, and then returned to my old faithful Zoladex.

Last November I took another break from HT and there was no sudden surge in PSA..
Over the past year it has just creeped up very slowly, and I hope to get perhaps another12 months or even more before it reaches 10.0 and I need to return to HT.

I know we are all different, but Casodex is certainly not for me, and I've seen very similar complaints about it from our friends here on the forums.

All the best,

George

B2PCa

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