hot flashes

I had a Lupron Shot on Dec. 19,2008 after about three weeks I get hot flashes several times a day. Anyone know how long this will continue to hapen,

MB, too bad about the hot flash stuff, my wife still goes through that several times a week, drives me nuts about the thermostat in the house! What kind of treatment plan(s) are you considering at this point?

Hope you feel some relief soon from that.

David in SC

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Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3

My dad also gets hot flashes due to the Lupron. I know there is medication that you can be prescribed, but I don't think they go away until you are off the Lupron. He manages them without meds, but the hot flashes are his biggest complain about HT...well...maybe second behind the loss of libido...

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Father's Age 62 (now 63)
Original Gleason 3+4=7, Post-Op Gleason- 4+3=7,
DaVinci Surgery Aug 31, 2007
Focally Positive Right Margin, One positive node. T3a N1 M0.
Bone Scan/CT Negative (Sept. 10, 2007)
Oct. 17 PSA 0.07
Nov. 13 PSA 0.05
Casodex adm. Nov 07, Lupron beg. Dec 03, 2007 2 yrs
Radiation March 03-April 22, 2008- 8 weeks 5x a week
July 2, 08 PSA <.02
Oct. 10, 08 PSA <.02
Praying for a cured dad.

Co-Moderator Prostate Cancer Forum

Hello MB,

Better get used to the hot flashes for as long as you are on the Lupron. I look at them as evidence that the drug is active and doing it's job. After a while you sort of adjust to them.

Take care,

Don

I use given Zoladex in 2, 3 month intervals....my hot flashes stooped about 9 months after the last shot...so I guess six months after the dose is considered effective.

Good luck!

I had them with a vengence for the entire 4 months of treatment and to a lesser degree for a couple months thereafter. I understand the treatment can be adjusted by administering another med, Casodex I think. Ask your Dr. there is no reason to suffer anymore side effects than necessary.

Are you planning a treatment other than the ADT?

Scott

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Diagnosed @ 48yo 04/07

No casodex does not stop the flashes, but there might be an additive drug that helps combat such.  There are a couple of drugs used to treat this info is found at www.yananow.net  (read up on hormone therapies within)

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Post Edited (zufus) : 2/13/2009 7:34:35 PM (GMT-7)

mb,
My hot flashes have been with me for almost two years. The others are correct, you get used to them. And about two weeks after each shot they intensify for about a month. Another side effect is fatigue. You have to fight through that one. It's noy intense, but noticable. A third one is depression. I started having it last year, but decided to counter it by being aware of it. Don't be afraid to admit any of these. Just be aware that HT can do these things, but that you don't have to let them bother you. Casodex also intensifies these effects. That little daily chemo drug is quite potent at doing so, and if you notice, about 45 minutes after taking it, the flashes are common.

In our home, we have one room that has a portable AC unit. Also a place that if the flashes are bothering me in bed, I can go to rest. We call it the cool room. The heater vents are blocked as well, so that in the winter it remains cooler than the rest of the house. Just an idea that has worked well for us. In any event, you will become accustomed to the SE's and will adjust to them. LOL I live in Las Vegas and when its 117 outside and everybodies sweltering, I have my own personal inside joke and welcome them to the club. And when we extreme the other way to 25 degrees, A hot flash comes in handy...

Tony

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Age 46 (44 when Dx)

I believe there are different time level shots. So depending on what shot you took and if the doctor is planning on harmone treatment continuing will be how long the flashes will continue. I had a 4 month shot, and although the flashes stopped roughly at about 4 and 1/2 months, the lack of libido continued for six months. Tony (above) really knows this by exprience as he has been on it for a much longer time. I know that I have a friend that really had a rough time with the hot flashes, but it really didn't bother me all that much. Most of the time I really didn't notice that much difference.

The blessing is that the shots will inhibit the continued growth, and perhaps shrink the cancer. Knowing that is a good feeling even though the side effects are annoying.

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RB
Age 61 (now 62)
Original data - pre-operation
PSA: 5.1
T1C clinical diagnosis, Needle biopsy - 10 cores, Gleason 7 = 3+4 in 1 core (40%), 7 cores Gleason 6 = 3+3 ranging from 5% to 12%
All scans negative
Lupron administered 4/9/2008 for 4 months (with idea I would undergo external beam radiation followed by seed implants - then I changed my mind).
Robotic DiVinci surgery - Dr. Fagin (Austin) May 19th
Post operative - pathology
pT2c NX MX
Gleason 3+4
Margins - negative
Extraprostatic extension - negative
seminal vesicle invasion - uninvolved
1st Post PSA <.04
2nd Post PSA <.01 10/30/2008

Main thing I want t express it the last Dr. I was seen by was upset by my description of the ADH. It was horrible, hot flashes, diahreaha, bouts of rage, and then depression. I would cry without reason. This last Dr. said there was no reason that I should be subjected to such and that modification of the meds would make it bearable. If ADT is what I have experienced, I will never subject mysef to it again.

Scott

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Diagnosed @ 48yo 04/07

Thanks all for sharing your experiences with hot flashes, so far this is the only side effect I am experiencing for now. I am set to go through the experience of inplanting the gold markers on Feb. 23, 2008, and still dealing with insurance for approval of Cyber knife treatment, if rejected I will go with IMRT.
Thanks for this sight it has provided a wealth of information for me.
MB

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Age 57

I was on Lupron for about 15 months and hot flashes all the time, when that quit working I started on Zoladex for 5 months now and have had only 3 or four hot flashes.

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Found out Jan. 07

I have only been on Lupron since 1/2/09 and also have hot flashes. I have found that at night, if I take ambian, I sleep right through the night with no difficulity. Without ambian, I wake often with hot flashes and constantly taking covers off or on with restless sleep. During the day I just get use to them. Hope this helps some. Bud

Have been on Ambien since 1999, when I began throat/chest radiation treatments for a previous bout of cancer. It was the only way I was ever able to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. My long time GP still feels its better to get the sleep on the Ambien, then to be miserable from the lack of it. Now that it is available as a generic, the cost isn't as bad. As far as Ambien withdrawal horror stories that are out there, I had to be off of it cold turkey for 2 months due to lack of insurance/money. Much to my amazement, nothing terrible happened, didn't sleep as well during that time, started taking a couple of OTC benedryl tablets instead, but I made it. Hope you do better, Bud.

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Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3

Thanks all, I have never been administered anything but the Luoron I do wake-up several times during the night and throw the covers off, I am worried about summer months, in the area where I live it is not unusual to have several weeks with 100 degrees plus temperatures.
I will cross that bridge when the time comes.



GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

THANKS FOR SHARING

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Age 57

I have to ask again,

With negative scans are you not considering a primary treatment other than ADT?

Scott

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Diagnosed @ 48yo 04/07

I bought a clip on fan and put it on my nightstand to blow air in my face. It works well for the nighttime hot flashes

if you don't have central air, you might consider putting in a single window unit in the smallest room you have and kind of make an artic refuge center for when you are having the hot flashes. I have been dealing with the wife and her hot flashes for years. when the house is cold, she says she is hot, and when it is hot, she says she is cold. lol. so i have an inkling what you men are going through with the hormones and hot flashes.

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Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3

I met with surgeon and an oncology Team at UCSF, I am considered a High risk patient with Gleason grade of 8, last PSA 12 looking at all considerations, I would have to go with radiation treatments regardless if I have surgery or not, so I would have to deal with side effects of surgery and radiation, so I concluded that if I can qualify for CK with homone treatments it will be less invasive, than having surgery and radiation.
MB

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Age 57