Mine rose after I started an alternative treatment two years ago. But I took a two week break, it corrected and fell to low levels. I do take things like serrapeptose, alpha lipoic acid, milk thistle, which some say helps (I rotate in and out of them).
I doubt it's Lupron, which I've been on for three plus years, but anything is possible.
If my memory serves other members have had success after brief periods off zytiga. If not you can always add one of the "mides" as a replacement if you want to stick with more than just Lupron. I know of at least one member doing Erleada instead of Zytiga.
I currently take SAM-e, baby aspirin, milk thistle, mineral sup. and a probiotic. I have been experimenting with melatonin searching for a tolerable dose.
Those all seem innocuous or possibly liver-protective.
A few months after I started Zytiga my liver enzymes increased to the normal range UL. I was also experiencing fatigue and high blood pressure. My MO cut my Zytiga dose from 1000 mg to 250 mg. Everything went back to normal. I've bumped it up since then and nothing much has happened.
Sometimes the liver has that initial reaction, and when one lays off the Zytiga it calms down. Then some guys find that ramping back up slowly allows the liver to accommodate the higher dose.
I have been on Zytiga for 6 months, enzymes only started to rise a month ago , one month after I changed from Eligard to Lupron Depot. Are you aware of any data on Lupron vs. Eligard and liver reactions?
I'm not aware of any - it's the same medicine - leuprolide - in both. But liver reaction to Zytiga is common. Try stopping for a few weeks to see if that is the problem.
What Tall Allen says occurred with me. I was on 1000mg zytiga with 5mg prednisone. Worked great. Then the liver enzymes skyrocketed. I quit zytiga until the enzymes got into the normal range, then resumed at half a dose (500mg.). Enzymes shot up again. So I'm currently on Xtandi.
When did you start milk thistle? I took it for two months and my liver enzymes also went crazy, I stopped and in 3 weeks everything was more or less normal. I know it suppose to be good for liver, but in my case it wasn't...
HelloI read that you have started Lu-177 treatment. I am about to start it later this month. How has it been going and do you still take any other meds while being treated?
I have been taking Milk Thistle for 5 months just after starting Zytiga because my enzymes were on the high end of normal and it brought them back down.
That dosing has the same effect on the body…it is just that Abi is better absorbed with food so you can take less. Shouldn’t have a different effect on the liver unfortunately
I thoug but t I would mention I stopped Zytiga for a short time due to WBC issue and started up on 750 mg daily. My results are in my profile. May not be a option for you or your Dr but thought I would throw it out there.
I just wrote this in the "Rising Liver Enzymes" post. My numbers also started rising at about the 6 month mark. Here is what I wrote: Your numbers can go up to 5 times normal. When mine reached that point I stopped Zytiga until numbers went back to normal. (off about 7 weeks) Then restarted at 1/2 dose. Numbers ok so went to 3/4 dose in about August 2018. Been there since and at <0.01 the whole time.
Well, the liver has the capability of healing itself if allowed to. Depends on the damage you have though. Have you ever considered coffee enemas? They allow your liver to dump toxins. Maybe you could discuss that with you medical team.
IMO you should seriously look into this. Coffee enemas are cheap and you can do them at home they’re easy to do.If you read any of the work by Nickolas Gonzales, he explains why he considers them essential as part of his protocols. I’ve done these for a long time and never had any side effects, just benefits.
If you get chemo, for example, you can get toxicity from the tumors. This is called tumor lysis. It’s potentially quite a serious issue. An enema will remove the dead cells. People always laugh at enemas. There is nothing to lose on you trying. Be warned though, if you try them, you need to open your bowels before you do it! I’d consider lying down in a bath. If you have unintended release, and trust me here, this is very easily done when you start out, it will get pretty messy very quickly! Just make sure you hydrate before and after. I add some salts or fasting salts to hydrate.
But like I said before I would suggest you discuss this with your medical team.
Do you drink any alcohol? My husband switched to NA beer while on Zytiga. Also pushed fluids. Those things, along with the brief break, May well be enough to get it under control.
He loves Heineken 00. He loves taste testing them.
We loved going to wine dinners and have several wine refrigerators. It’s been an adjustment! Now that we see his liver is doing ok handling meds, he does have an occasional cocktail or wine. 1-2 a month.
The exact same thing happened to me three years ago. It was all from the Zytiga, so after about six weeks of trying smaller doses, switched to Xtandi and all was well on that for almost 2 1/2 years.
I had the same problem. When I stopped Abiraterone it went away. We restarted at 750 mg and my liver tests are much better. Almost normal at 52. My testosterone levels are still unmeasurable. .
Age 78, I started 1000 mg in Jan 2018, stopped 3 months later, restarted 1 month later at 750 mg, stopped 3 Months later and restarted 500mg. It took 13 months to settle in. At the time there was talk about 250mg with high fat breakfast but I didn't want to do anymore experimenting. Been on 500mg since Feb 2019. Good luck.
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