Five months into ADT, severe muscle pain has emerged. Since I have not had any pain for decades except from bicycle falls, I assume the pain is cancer related. Since the area of pain has moved once, from just beneath my shoulder on the back side to my upper arm, both on the left side, I assume it is not the cancer per se but a side-effect of the ADT. I have four suspected but not confirmed mets in the bones.
I am using Firmagon/degarelix. In one study, albeit a bit dated it´s from 2011 havn´t found anything newer, Leuprolide is found to give less body pain than Firmagon with a p-value of just 0.006.
rtihs.org/publications/comp...
However, I am very hesitant in switching to leuprolide since Firmagon appears to have other significant long-term benefits which is why I chose this therapy. If what is said e.g. in this study still holds, I will stay with Firmagon if the pain can be kept tolerable i.e. not preventing me from sleeping.
I have used pain medication with limited success. Paracetamol tablet and Voltaren gel (diklofenakdiettylamin) on the area of pain.
Any comments would be appreciated.