Non standard Firmagon dosing effectiv... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Non standard Firmagon dosing effective for 3 months from single injection.

MateoBeach profile image
12 Replies

My ongoing one-person trial of non-standard dosing for Firmagon (degarelix) for ADT continues: I'm now 3 months out from a single injection of 120Mg. in abdomen fat. (Not the usual starting dose of 240 mg.) as short term adjuvant ADT for RT to pelvic nodes.

Total testosterone level is still castrate at 11 ng/dl. Free T 0.09. PSA continues to drop towards a nadir. (Starting at .25, now at .11, two months post IMRT to pelvis.)

It appears Firmagon can be used effectively for ADT at less frequent dosing intervals than standard for ADT. The initial dose half-life of degarelix is 40 days due to slow release of drug from depot in fat tissue.

I will update this with the 4 month post-injection results in February 2020.

If someone wants to try this and has a flexible MO, then just be sure to monitor T levels to confirm your own efficacy.

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MateoBeach
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12 Replies

My first shot was firmagon . I did me some good . Then I was switched to eleguard then lupron . I like that your taking control of yourself. Buenas Suerte !

dbrooks_h profile image
dbrooks_h in reply to

How was the eleguard compared to de lupron. I am going to have testosterone checked before my next shot, may not need it. I was off ADT completely 6 years and not one leg hair came back. I am sick of hearing yes ma'am and no ma'am when talking to people on phone who don't know me. Where could I get answer on how long to wait between injections. Asta la vista!

TEBozo profile image
TEBozo in reply to dbrooks_h

The belly shot was very uncomfortable and I switched to monthly Lupron shots. 7 more months of shots and Zytiga/prednisolone ahead. 11 months of shots and 6 months of Zytiga/prednisolone behind me. RT (Jan 4 2019)then IMRT(July 2019) now ADT to the max-Firmagon shot March 2019. PSMA Gallium PET scan mapped out prostate bed for IMRT. 3 of 14 LN removed were positive.

in reply to dbrooks_h

Several men here are taking vacations. Nalakrats is knowledgeable on this subject . For me post orchiectomy I’d need to inject because I won’t produce t anymore . I’d like to say Asta la vista to it all but I’m in for the long hall ..that might be a yr or two . Nobody knows..Not the drs for sure ... That’s up to the fickled beast that lies within us all.. peace ✌️

dbrooks_h profile image
dbrooks_h in reply to

Peace to you, we all need it...

in reply to dbrooks_h

Peace of mind is half of the battle.. take care dbrooks_h , Be well.😎

in reply to dbrooks_h

I could tell no difference between one monthly shot of firmagon then on to eleguard then immediate on to lupron for the long hall . I stopped lupron shots 9-17 so 3 yrs with only pills. 🧐

in reply to dbrooks_h

I only had a one month firmagon shot. Then eliguard tri-monthly once ten on Lupron . I think they were all the same to me . 🕊

GP24 profile image
GP24

This is similar to the testosterone‐guided ADT which was tested in this trial:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

However, in this trial they restarted ADT when testosterone got above 50 ng/dl which I would consider too high. It should be below 20 ng/dl.

It takes a long time for testosterone to recover after a Degarelix injection. This study reports a median of seven months:

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

The side effects are caused by the low testosterone, so you just save money with this scheme. You do not avoid side effects, except at the injection site.

GeorgesCalvez profile image
GeorgesCalvez

I believe that they used degarelix at a rate of 120mg every three months on a trial with sex offenders.

From your experience that seems to be enough to achieve castrate levels.

I have done nineteen months on the stuff and i have been off it now for three months. Some of the effects are beginning to lessen, my blood pressure is back in the normal range for instance, but I still have legs pains and the odd hot flush so I doubt my testosterone has returned yet.

I am planning on a testosterone test at the six month mark.

in reply to GeorgesCalvez

Good luck !

Milk It! Haha 😂

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