If you do not mind telling me, I am curious about how many of you on Zytiga/Abiraterone take a 5 mg dosage of Prednisone , and how many take some other dosage level.
I know most of your also getting Lupron injections and some are taking other medications along with the Zytiga/Abiraterone and the prednisone, but for the sake of this discussion lets stick to the Prednisone levels and how you are doing with those levels.
The MO I go to will not increase my prednisone level (I asked) as he says it will cause even higher blood pressure. Everything I read seems to tell me the opposite. Of course more prednisone is not a free lunch as it does most likely include other side effects or increases in side effects.
I do not plan (currently) on sharing any of this with the MO as the Cardiologist I go to has gotten my blood pressure to a reasonable level (notice I did not say good). I am just somewhat curious.
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I take 5 mg of prednisone. Thank you for reminding me that I need to keep a closer eye on my blood pressure now that I’m back Abiraterone/prednisone. I normally take a small dose of Lisinopril (5 mg/day) for minor hypertension. May need to up that while I’m on Abi.
Men who are hormone-sensitive routinely get 5 mg prednisone with their abiraterone. Men who are castration-resistant routinely get 10 mg prednisone with their abiraterone.
I have been on Zytiga and Lupron for 12 months now. I take 5mg of prednisone twice a day. My BP is pretty normal ( avarage 125/78 ) although I have been on Co-Exforge which is a diuretic for about 15 years. This probably keeps it in check.
I just completed my second year of Zytiga and 5 mg of Prednisone. My BP remained normal, but my glucose rose dramatically necessitating an increase of my Insulin dosing.
I had been on 10mg (5mg twice daily) for about a year (Zytiga) and while my lab numbers stayed fine, the skin on my arms (and somewhat my legs) was like "parchment paper). If you even looked at my arms the wrong way, they would open up and start bleeding. My legs not as severe but annoying. Carried band-aids in my wallet as a necessity. About a year in, discussed with oncologist and we dropped to 5mg a day. Much much improved arms, no signs of inadequate coverage (dizziness, etc), and stayed on that dosage until my "drug holiday" started Jan 2024. No issues weaning off (2.5 mg daily) for 3 weeks.
I was on 10mg for 3 years. Then 5mg for the past 3 years. When we cut the dose down it helped lower my glucose and HbA1c. Blood pressure was slightly high on both doses.
I started Orgovyx last December and Abiraterone last February. Prednisone was prescribed at 10 mg (5 mg twice a day). I am going to ask why I started out with the high dose. I do have hypertension which has been controlled for three years with Losartan 100 mg and Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg.
I am on Lupron, 1000mg abiraterone and 5mg prednisone. Seems to be fine but I am just starting. Interesting to hear everyone's input on SEs, etc. Was unaware of BP issue, so I'll pay attention to that more.
Q - what is the purpose of the prednisone? I had read it is to help with stomach damage from the abiraterone? Can anyone share more?
I have noticed an increase in reflux, in general, but mostly at night. Is this abiraterone related? I had 10 rounds of external radiation for some bone mets in my back and completed that. I did get some esophagitis as a result, but that has subsided. Reflux was definitely part of the esophagitis, but I am wondering why reflux has persisted. TIA.
Here is an article on prednisone and its effects. It can cause high blood pressure at high doses or over a long period. The authors claim a high dose is 40 mg/day or more.
I was on 5mg for three years along with my Lupron and abiraterone. Recent pylarify PSMA CT scan show no evidence of cancer, so I have stopped all my meds. So I guess now you consider me cancer-free and on active surveillance! <3
lol good point! I have to mind my words. I believe my oncologist said that there was ‘no detectable cancer’. Doesn’t mean it’s not there or is so tiny as to be undetectable. So I’m still doing the PSA every three months for now.
+1 for 5mg daily. My BP went up about 6 months after starting abi/pred. On Losartan since. I’m 3 years plus on prednizone now. Like westobutch123 described I have “prednizone skin”. Getting a bleeding cut is a regular occurrence. I discussed with MO who said we could try lowering prednisone dose but risked dropping my energy. I chose energy. The bleeding is just a little embarrassing.
Been on pred for about 13 months. 10 mg daily was dropped to 5 mg about 5 months in because I was complaining about sleep affects. My blood pressure crept over the past year from excellent to borderline worrisome. I dropped my cardio a bit, which may have been part of the cause, but I think the meds, including pred (maybe just pred) is the main culprit.
Interesting, I take the abi very early in the morning so i can have breakfast one hour later
Then take 5 mg pred with breakfast
My instructions are to takeAbi 2 hrs after and 1 hr b4 eating and to take the pred with food
I was shocked a year ago my first visit to oncologist he said I had lymph node cancer and would be on abi/ pred/ lupron the rest of my life as long as it worked
So far quarterly tests show PSA and T at .002
Last test showed potassium level below range so added a small amount of K vitamin
I also took the Prednisone with the Zytiga. There is no problem with that. They say to take the Prednisone with food later because for a lot of people, it will upset an empty stomach.
I have been on 5mg along with Lupron and Zytiga for most of 11+ years. I started taking BP meds about 3 months ago for high BP. I will ask my MO about moving it up to 10mg and see what she says
On Abi for 5+ years. Initially took 5 mg/day prednisone. BP running high after ~2 years so increased prednisone to 10 mg/day, which lowered BP slightly. MO and I not fond of long-term 10 mg/day prednisone, so started 5 mg/day prednisone + 50 mg/day eplerenone. This initially lowered BP a bit, but BP increased (to about 150/70) after about a year. So I stopped all prednisone and started 0.5 mg/day dexamethasone (and continued 50 mg/day eplerenone). BP has been averaging about 135/65 for 10 months with this combo.
Even though this is complicated, and my BP is still high, the good news is that Lupron + Abi has worked (starting from 111 PSA, 8 Gleason, and spine met) for over 5 years.
I take 750mg Abi when I first wake up, then an hour later the 5 mg Prednisone with breakfast. I've only been on this regimen for 3 months. BP seems unaffected so far, but for the first time in my life (age 71) I now have some insomnia.
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