I found this recent study very interesting.
urotoday.com/video-lectures...
I am 5 months into 24 months of ADT (Lupron) coupled with Radiation therapy. I am going to see how my numbers look at the 12 month mark and have a hard think about this evolving landscape.
I wonder if there are others here further along and how their testosterone recovered once stopping ADT?
I am post RT and ADT ,44 rounds of radiation to prostate and pelvic nodes (no other treatment stage 4 with lymph node involment no further spread). Finished 2yrs of ADT Dec 2022. Since I have had one PSA test the end of FEB 2023 <.04 and plan to test every three months. I did have some continence (frequent urination) issues associated with the radiation it is slowly improving for me. The ADT played hell with my body, weight gain, loss of muscle mass (after yr 1 on ADT) and some breast tenderness. It is a tough journey for anyone. Wish you well. My PSA history:
Before ADT/RT PSA 9.9
Post RT/2 months ADT PSA - .5 4/2021
11/21 PSA- .19
5/22 PSA -.08
11/22 .04
2/23 <.04
Your profile says your testosterone was 4.5 on 1/5, a little less than 2 weeks before your first Lupron shot on 1/17. Is that a typo?
No, units are ng/ml.
Yes I should have realized that.
Mine returned to baseline of 650-700 ng/dl within 6 months after 18 months Lupron. Cardiovascular and weight bearing exercise assist in T recovery more than many realize.
I was on 26 months of ADT + apalutimide, at three months post treatment my T was 280, at 6 months 905. Was I fortunate? Did all of the resistance training help? Age? Who knows but I was way more concerned about slaying the beast than T recovery.
All good info here! Completed my 18 months ADT March 1, 2023. Curious to see where I am with T in June. Also had 24 EBRT sessions and Brachy. Hot flashes were a pain. I tried to exercise as much as I could and still gained 8 lbs that I'm in process of losing. I was doing pretty good until I had a knee meniscus tear that put a dent in things. Had that cleaned up and am on the rise. Libido was in the toilet and still climbing out - viagra helped a bit.
I'm fairly active - climb, mt bike, backcountry ski. But I got a trainer once a week for lifting. Helped keep muscle mass and a good distraction. All in all - ADT was a pain, but not horrible. Hoping I recover T ok.
66 yo. Gleason 4/5. No lymph nodes involved, no mets.
As a few of you have noted, I am hopeful that being younger and active helps in the recovery. Being 60 - hiking, riding, lifting etc. will hopefully work in my favor.
So far both the ADT and RT have been tolerable but will be happy when its just the ADT side effects I'm dealing with. Onward!
I got mine back to over 400 in about 30 days after stopping Orgovyx. I think it takes much longer with the agonist injections.
At age 60, I quit 12 months into a 24-month sentence, and my T recovered on bout 5 months.
Age 70 now, 42 sessions of IMRT and 24 months nasty old Lupron ended December 2020, but of course it stays in your system for some while longer. At that time, (December 2020) testosterone was 18.7 ng/dl. On 6/21 it tested at 140, on 12/21 it was 234 and it rose to 366 by 6/22, my last test. You can feel the difference as it rises.
Alright, Alright I'll test-mine and you test-your-own...................
j-o-h-n <===<<< Senior management is about to spike my spikes....
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Tuesday 04/18/2023 6:38 PM DST
My testosterone recovered but it took almost a year post-treatment. With that came a return of muscle, the end of hot flashes, and an overall sense of well-being. But I have erectile problems (I get them but they are rather weak and don't last long) and my orgasms are completely dry and will never return, I am told. This is after two years of ADT and 40 radiation treatments for a GL9 disease. Overall, it's a reasonable price to pay to slow down the cancer but one should go in with eyes open.
similar path as me. Did u try viagra post treatment?
Yes, I tried Viagra. It barely worked. I haven't tried a double dose yet, but that's in my future. So is a combination of Viagra and Cialis. My oncologist tells me that the dry orgasms are unavoidable given my treatment regimen. Medication won't remedy that, but the right dose and drug combination might give me more reliable erections. Nobody told me about this issue ahead of time, though if they had, I would have gone this route anyway. Staying alive is job #1. (Also, I meant to say in my previous post that ejaculations won't return. Orgasms have. They are just different.)
If your testosterone hasn't recovered, you should consider testosterone supplementation, cream, gel. Any compounding pharmacy can make them for you. They will know which doctors prescribe TRT.
testosterone boosters after ADT?
How Long After ADT Does It Take For Testosterone to Recover?
