Using Firmagon?

[JPnSD]

When did your hot flashes start? How bad/frequent were they? What brought them on? Just got through my first 5 days...and the pain and swelling from dual initial injections is finally abating...wondering what comes next and how bad? I know each person is unique...just trying to have realistic expectations....and ready to start my physical training again. Robust 67, 5, 10" and 195...hoping to maintain what I can.

[Tall_Allen]

Anticipating suffering means that you are feeling it that much more. I hope you deal learn to deal with problems as they arise. I practice mindfulness to help me do that. More successful some days than others.

[JRPnSD in reply to Tall_Allen]

I do best when I have a realistic expectation. We each need to cope with this journey in our own way. I hope to get to the same place you are on this journey...and be able to look back at most of this in the past tense. Thanks for the feedback.

[Tall_Allen in reply to JRPnSD]

Expected suffering is suffering. Why suffer more than you have to? Suggest you try mindfulness - it may change the way you think about how you do best.

[JPnSD in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks.

[Stevana]

Dear J.P.

My experience with my first Firmagon shot was very similar to yours. I had a pretty severe shot-site reaction, redness, swelling and unable to bend at the waste without pain for several days. However, I’ve learned how to avoid this by instructing the nurses on how to properly administer the shot. The instructions, which are rarely read, indicate the shot should go in at the fattiest part of the abdomen at a 45 degree angle and, most importantly, push the drug in over a minimum 60 second period, or more. The slower the better. I swear using this method will almost completely eliminate the after-shot discomfort you’re experiencing. I had my seventh shot last Thursday and had little to no pain the next day. Only a little redness and sensitivity to touch. After a few days that went away.

Hope this helps.

[OldChappy in reply to Stevana]

I agree totally with this. This has been my experience.

[JPnSD in reply to Stevana]

Thank you. I really appreciate the 1st hand feedback. Safe journey.

[shipoo]

I’ve been on Firmagon for about two years. I get some redness and pain at the injection site almost every time. These symptoms usually last about five to seven days. My hot flashes began shortly after treatment started. Would have hot flashes several times a day, each lasting a short time. Eventually the frequency dropped to once or twice a week. These were never very severe and more a nuisance than anything else. Occasionally they have been followed by a feeling of being cold, but again nothing severe.

For me they just occurred without any precipitating factor.

[JPnSD in reply to shipoo]

Thank you!

[GeorgesCalvez]

I did nineteen months on Firmagon, the early injections were the worst, they got quite a lot less painful as time went on. I read the instructions on the website and I used to insist that it was done exactly right each time, it makes quite a bit of difference.

Strangely I did not have that many hot flushes, only a few each night. The insomnia was the worst and I used to listen to the radio for hours. They took a couple of weeks to come on, it was not a no flushes one day, flushes the next. Rather I found that I would fall asleep and then after a couple of hours wake up quite sweaty. It was a temperature control thing, I would be cold so I would wrap myself in the duvet, then I would be too warm.

I did not put on much weight, the worst thing was that I lost stamina, I was still strong but anything repetitive and I would have to rest.

Just over a year since my last injection and my testosterone is back in the normal range, I have gained stamina and the last annoying side effect which was stiff legs in the night has disappeared, so far my PSA remains below the limit of detection, fingers crossed!

[JPnSD in reply to GeorgesCalvez]

Great news on your PSA and T! Best wishes.

[Pianodude]

I started getting hot flashes and sweats within a week. They get pretty intense. My MO just started me on Effexor to try to lessen them. We will see.

[2dee]

Lupron and hot flashes since Jun 2018. Wear layers I can easily add or remove, keep overhead and vertical floor fans going most of the time and just change direction helps ME.

2Dee

[Break60 in reply to 2dee]

When I was a n Lupron I used one .1 mg estradiol patch changed twice weekly which stopped the hot flashes. Years later I stopped using an lhrh agonist and switched to three estradiol patches to remove all the side effects of ADT. Except gynecomastia.

[j-o-h-n]

It's like when you accidently bang your finger.... That hurts like a son of a bitch and suddenly you forget all your other pain....(it's called shit happens)...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 10/24/2020 1:50 PM DST

[Tkwham]

The fatty section for the Firmagon is correct, but you’ll still have a minor reaction. I did this with ADT and the hot flashes got worse as Testosterone went down and down. At the worst point it was about 12 episodes a night—maddening. Once off ADT and Firmagon, my Testosterone slowly, but naturally rose and the hot flashes vanished. At Hampton Proton they experimented with electrical shots to the ear lob as you slept, but to my knowledge that never worked.