Clutching at straws?

[Dastardly]

I have been taking sage daily for the past 2 years in order to combat hot flushes. I am coming to the end of my current supply and will probably not buy anymore. I have been taking them for so long that I can't remember how it felt without them, but I don't feel confident that they are doing any good. Has anybody got any suggestions for an alternative?

Also, more than 2 years after my last chemo, I am still getting some bad neuropathy in both feet - mainly on the sole and instep. I would say that around 35% of each foot feels numb. I have read that vitamin B12 may help alleviate some of the pain/numbness. Has anybody had a result with B12? It has also been suggested I try acupuncture. I have no experience of this, but am willing to give it a try if it might help.

I would just like to improve my QOL really.

[Tall_Allen]

You can try acupuncture for hot flashes. Some guys have relief with estrogen patches, Megace patches, or venlafaxine.

[Dastardly in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks Tall_Allen. As ever, some good advice. I'm leaning towards acupuncture, so I'll give it a go and see what happens.

[Shooter1]

Combo of Megace and black cohosh root wiped out my hot flashes. Unfortunately Megace also affected my driving...I live with hot flashes but think black cohosh root helps.Neuropathy i also live with, Gabapentin kills the pain but not the numbness. Venlafaxine works great for some.. not me!!

[Dastardly in reply to Shooter1]

Thanks Shooter 1I looked up both Megace and Venlafaxine and decided that the possible side effects, in my case at least, almost certainly outweigh the benefits. If my hot flushes get a lot worse, I may well change my mind but, until then, I think I'll stick to something a little gentler.

Many thanks

[Muffin2019]

Hot flashes do bother me especially when it is hot outside, usually about 10 to 15 a day but learned to live with them, always something worse to have happen to me.

[Dastardly in reply to Muffin2019]

Hi Muffin2019I probably have something like half of the hot flushes you have. Maybe I should just stay low key on this. I am a little concerned about pumping too many drugs into me unless it is really necessary.

Take care.

[Saydeebugz]

My husband found great relief w/Black Cohosh. When they intensified we switched him to Amberen (found in Walgreens in the menopause section), it's a natural blend and it's dosed thru out the day (2-3 times a day), worked well to relieve hot flashes, moodiness, irritability etc..

[Dastardly in reply to Saydeebugz]

Hi SaydeebugzI have not heard of Black Cohosh, but I looked in up and it sounds quite useful, so it's worthy of further investigation.

Many thanks

[addicted2cycling in reply to Dastardly]

Femmetrinol -- works for women, I used Midol but would have tried Femmetrinol had I known about it with these ingredients >>>

Black Cohosh, Wild Yam, Damiana, Chasteberry, L-Theanine, Quercetin,

Turmeric, Magnolia, Melatonin, Valerian, GABA, Motherwort

[Dastardly in reply to addicted2cycling]

Hi addicted2cycling.Thanks for that. I have had a number of suggestions for what to take to alleviate the hot flushes. I must confess, I am a little bit wary of using products that were originally designed for women. ADT takes away all the things that make you a man, and I have no wish to lose any more of the little maleness I have left. Also, I have Osteopenia of the lumbar spine which I need to keep an eye on. Anyway, I will have words with my Onco to see what he thinks.

Many thanks

[addicted2cycling in reply to Dastardly]

Dastardly wrote --- " ... ADT takes away all the things that make you a man, and I have no wish to lose any more of the little maleness I have left ... "

Hear-ya LOUD and CLEAR. Actually, my trial using MIDOL began decades before I had my PCa dx (5+5) and the immediate ORCHIECTOMY instead of the urologist's suggestion of ADT, so that's why I JUMPED on to the use of it once again.

First usages were to overcome issues related to massive work stress loads and 15 hour work days. CALMED things down without trying the drugs my PCP was suggesting so it just seemed logical to try it for the castration issues.

Good LUCK.

[Saydeebugz in reply to Dastardly]

🤣 My husband was ALL Male (before and after treatment). As I noted, when the Black Cohosh wasn't enough, to stomp out hot flashes, we moved him to Amberen (which worked very well) and he actually was MORE himself because of the mulit-symptom relief he got...

[jastf]

I used sage extract pills with a reasonably good result until change of formulation lessened effect drastically. Now using estrogen patches with so far promising minimisation of hot flushes. At present using 0.025 twice a week with possible increase option.

[Dastardly in reply to jastf]

Hi jastfI note your comment about the sage extract pills, and I think mine must have had a formula change as well because my flushes do seem to have got more intense of late. Estrogen patches seem quite an attractive alternative and I shall certainly be looking into them.

Many thanks

[jastf]

Hi. Note that you are in UK and may find resistance to E2 patches from oncologist/urologist. To convince mine I referred mine to.. erc.bioscientifica.com/view... of info. maybe too much...relevant to E2 towards the end.

All the best

[Dastardly in reply to jastf]

Thanks for the link which was very interesting. Certainly food for thought and worth following through if my symptoms get any worseCheers

[lcfcpolo in reply to jastf]

Thanks for posting the link. UK here also, although I have recurring DVTs for which I am on Apixaban, a anti coagulant, for life. I have very little input from my Oncologist but I will ask about E2. Do you get any extra checks? To be honest I would love to have my Oncologist give me an hour to review everything, history etc. Instead I met him once for 15 minutes at the end of July 2020. Just a few calls since. Sorry for venting.

[Dastardly in reply to lcfcpolo]

I know what you mean about consultation with your Onco. I had my phone call this morning and it lasted about 8 minutes. My only current treatment is Zoladex, so there really wasn't much to talk about. Still, I suppose no news is good news. I hope.

[jastf in reply to lcfcpolo]

Yep...good old NHS!! Discuss first stage treatments, brief pointer on side effects, and leave you to find out the rest yourself. Lots of advice and info on here. Perhaps too much sometimes.I am on intermittent Lupron 3 months on 3 off. PSA and estradiol (E2) plus liver function checked every 3 months. Yet to convince consultant to check testosterone as well.

I use patches from about 2 weeks after injection and 2 to 4 weeks into off time.

All the best

[Dastardly in reply to jastf]

I had a telephone appointment yesterday and asked my Onco why we don't check testosterone levels regularly as they do in USA. He said that as my PSA rose, he would be checking the doubling time and, if that reach a level that caused concern, he would check the level of testosterone. I have risen from undetectable in April 2020 to 0.25 in July 2021. I am on 3 monthly implants of Zoladex at the moment and have been for coming up to 2.5 years. Take care

[Hidden]

Dastardly: I have hot flashes from LUPON injections. I've been taking 15 mg. of Meloxicam every couple of days. It works.

[MateoBeach]

Estradiol patches.

[bean1008]

I had to stop venlafaxine after just three days…my blood pressure went from 130 to 155 and my oncologist said to stop taking it. Still looking for that magic pill…looks like I might be browsing the menopause section at my drugstore!

[monte1111]

Alcohol. Do not exceed recommended doses.

[j-o-h-n]

Gabapentin for your neuropathy.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 09/08/2021 7:24 PM DST

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

Hi j-o-h-nMy neuropathy is numbness rather than pain, so it looks like I have permanent damage to the nerves in my feet (chemo finished October 2019). Not sure that Gabapentin would be suitable for that. Certainly my Onco has made no mention of any drug treatment for me, and he is well aware of my condition. Clutching at straws again, I am going to try vitamin B12 to see if that makes any difference, or maybe try a course of acupuncture. Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Cheers

[Jimbo59 in reply to Dastardly]

Hi, I have had pretty constant numbness in left foot focused on big toe and ball. Started about 3 years after aRT in 2015. Doc in UK has prescribed amitriptyline for this. Not sure if it made much difference but it did help my sleep. Interested how the acupuncture goes. My Dughter in law is trained in this...

[Dastardly in reply to Jimbo59]

Hi Jimbo59I have made an appointment for a session of acupuncture later this month. I will let you know if it makes any difference. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

Take care.

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

Sorry but I was in a hurry and forgot to mention: Duloxetine (Cymbalta) Hcl Dr Caps 30mg once a day (for leg/nerve pain) and my Neurologist recommended increasing my B12. As you would say Cheers.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 09/09/2021 9:04 AM DST

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

Thanks for the update j-o-h-n. Much appreciated.