Hormone Therapy Or ?

[Pkhughes]

Good morning all, it looks like some type of hormone therapy is in my future due to rising psa. A little background I had the prostate removed first then radiation and chemo. It has spread through the back and spine and the left leg. I'm just curious with the side effects of hormone therapy would it be better to have my little friends removed? Is that the same thing as hormone therapy? What have you all done and what would you change? Thanks and God Bless

[Jimhoy]

A little more info like age.... for the learned here...... not so much me anymore!!!

Castration is castration.

Surgical or chemical.

Your question is permanent or reversible, respectively!!

You can always start ADT and move to surgery if it doesn’t work out!!!

I can not go back on ADT after being on it for 20mo’s, due to horrendous allergies to Eligard!!

My choices have been made for me should / when I need to go back on!!

Jc

[MateoBeach in reply to Jimhoy]

I'm allergic to eligard too. Current ADT regimen was one shot of degarelix (just 120 mg) to get started and then estradiol patches as per the patch study protocol. Soooo much nicer!

[Jimhoy in reply to MateoBeach]

I’m out for now.... monitoring!! Nothing but test every 6mo’s for now!!!

Talked about what if and ruled out e-patches due to past cardio issues and risk of blood clots!!! Hope I never need anything again but pretty sure I know what’s what!!!

Good luck with patches!! All I’ve read seams to relieve alot of issues!!

Jc

[AlanMeyer]

If by little friends you mean your testicles, my choice would be to keep them. Physical castration is irreversible. Drugs are not. If the drugs don't work or give you bad side effects, physical castration is still an option.

Although it is likely that you'll be on ADT for the rest of your life, who knows, maybe just a few years from now someone will invent a cure and your friends will become active again. I know that's wishful thinking but it's not impossible that some treatment doesn't cure you but puts you into a significant remission, or that you'll be able to try bipolar androgen therapy (on and off testosterone.) There are men now who are lucky enough to have those possibilities. Having testicles isn't required to get testosterone into your body, but, well, maybe they'll still help. Besides that, the idea of physical castrations seems a bit nasty to me. Your mileage may vary.

If there are other considerations, like lack of insurance, that's another matter.

Best of luck.

Alan

[tallguy2]

I am surprised that you haven't been on ADT ("hormone therapy") from the time that it was discovered that the PCa had spread beyond your prostate. You need to get going with this treatment, which, as others have said, is likely going to be a lifelong journey.

Going on ADT causes a man to instantly go through menopause. And it continues. There are meds out there to help with the almost certain hot flashes and sweats. ADT can decrease energy level so please stay physically active.

Best wishes!

[Soccermom28 in reply to tallguy2]

You forgot to mention an instant love of Hallmark Movies which isn’t a bad thing. 😉

[SeosamhM in reply to Soccermom28]

Grade A, Soccermom28! ....mind, I prefer Lifetime myself......

[Soccermom28 in reply to SeosamhM]

Hallmark movies ALL end HAPPY! You might like it! 😏

[2dee]

For me ADT made my little friends useless. Everything pretty much useless. It's just a side effect of the chemical castration. Nothing to worry about.

Worry about spending time with friends and family. Or what you plan to do this time next year. You are done populating the earth.

2Dee

[monte1111]

This has made me feel useless. By the way, Turner Classics. There is never a happy ending.

[Hidden]

Your choice...... however, I am surprised that you have not been on ADT since Radiation and Chemotherapy...... ADT is Standard of Care for metastasis. And Chemotherapy with Lupron/Eligard is recommended in todays’ World..... I was in a Chemotherapy and Hormone Therapy clinical trial.

GD

[j-o-h-n]

This is your first post since you joined in March of this year.. Are you in the government's witness protection program? All Kidding aside tell us more about yourself: Age, Location, Psa/Gleason scores, Treatment center(s), Doctor's name(s). All info is voluntary but it helps us help you and helps us too. Thank you,

As far as removing your family jewels, I was thinking of removing one and see how I was doing and later on removing the other. So I discussed that approach with "da boss" and she had the usual response "what are you f.n. crazy?". So I decided to keep them both and go with the meds and if I wanted to remove them I could do so in the future. So once they're gone they're gone and no more singing in the barbershop quartet....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 12/11/2019 7:36 PM EST

[Murph256 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Well, you could alway sing soprano in the barbershop quartet.

[j-o-h-n in reply to Murph256]

geez never thought of that.... thanks.

btw what has 16 balls and sings?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 12/12/2019 5:14 PM EST

[addicted2cycling]

I went the castration route, IMMEDIATELY, and have no regrets BUT with me having the boys gone my bicycling life is sooo much better and that's a major part of my QOL requirement for remaining an air breathing human biped. My unique doc also has me on Testosterone injections, got one earlier today, that makes a difference and if things go south instead of introducing drugs I'll go cold turkey first and see what happens.

[nycrunner]

Hi

One option you may not have considered is PEMF Therapy.

Log on to YouTube and Bill Doyle TED address for an insight.

There are a number of other videos on the same subject.

I bought a PEMF Device in July from E Pulse Magnetics in LA.

The device is not promoted as a cure for PC due to liability issues.

It is however said to be helpful in addressing PAIN.

My PET Scan report this week inter alia commented that "there is subtle evidence of healing sclerosis".

I use it 4 time a day for 30 minutes at a time around at 4 hour intervals.

Could be worth your considering.

Good luck

Dave

[Break60]

Try Estradiol patches. They drop testosterone to castrate levels without the side effects except gynecomastia.

[Hirsch]

You know that castration..chemical or via orchiectomy takes care of the testosterone from your testes..

Your adrenal glands produce some ..

That is why abiraterone is such an effective drug since it blocks the production from adrenals and tumor sites

You have done so much therapy. Good luck. I hope you have or will consult an oncologist at some point