hot flashes

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

3rd Biopsy 9/8 Positive 7 of 7 cores pos, 40-90%, Gleason 7

Open RP surgery 11/14/8, Right nerves saved, 4 days hospital, staples out 11/24/8, 5th cath out on 1/19/9

Post-surgery Pathlogy Report:Gleason 3+4=7, pT2c, 42 grm, tumor 20%, Contained in capsular, clear margins, clear lymph nodes 

First PSA Post Surgery   2/9 .05

 

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

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Diagnosed 04/10/08 Age 58 at the time

Gleason 4 + 3

DRE palpable tumor on left side

100% of 12 cores positive for PCa range 35% to 85%

Bone scan clear and chest x ray clear

CT scan shows potential lymph node involvement in pelvic region

Started Casodex on May 2 and stopped on June 1, 2008

Lupron injection on May 15 and every four months for next two years

Started IMRT/IGRT on July 10, 2008. 45 treatments scheduled

First 25 to be full pelvic for a total dose of 45 Gray to lymph nodes.

Last 20 to prostate only. Total dose to prostate 81 Gray.

Completed IMRT/IGRT 09/11/08.

PSA 02/08 21.5 at diagnosis

PSA 07/08 .82 after 8 wks of hormones

PSA 10/08 .642 one month after completion of IMRT, 6 months hormone

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

focal, low volume tumor gleason 6

RRP 07/30/07 robotic

Persistance of PSA

IMRT 11/07-01/08

Emerg, cysto obstructed bladder 01/08

Persistance of PSA

08/08 learned Dr. left significant amount of prostate

12/08 PCA3 negative

12/08 saturation biopsy 36 cores 24 having normal prostate tissue

12/08 referred whole to med malprac attorney

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)

Pre-op PSA was 19.8 : Surgery at The City of Hope on February 15, 2007

Geason 4+3=7, Stage pT3b, N0, Mx

Positive Margins (PM), Extra Prostatic Extension (EPE) : Bilateral Seminal vesicle invasion (SVI)

HT began in May, '07 with Lupron and Casodex 50mg (2 Year ADT)

IMRT radiation for 38 Treatments ending August 3, '07

Current PSA (January 13, 2009): <0.1

My Journal is at Tony's Blog  

My InfoLink page is at Tony's Prostate Cancer InfoLink Page

STAY POSITIVE!

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

---

Diagnosed @ 48yo 04/07

focal, low volume tumor gleason 6

RRP 07/30/07 robotic

Persistance of PSA

IMRT 11/07-01/08

Emerg, cysto obstructed bladder 01/08

Persistance of PSA

08/08 learned Dr. left significant amount of prostate

12/08 PCA3 negative

12/08 saturation biopsy 36 cores 24 having normal prostate tissue

12/08 referred whole to med malprac attorney

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

g\8

psa 116

The doc said chemo or radiation was not an option.

Started Lupron to shrink it before surgery, did not work.

Radical prostentechomy Sept. 5.

Couldn't get it all, it was outside the sack and into lower lymph nodes.

Cathader removed about 3 months.

Incontinont for about 3 months

Peranial rectal absesses w/ drains for about 4 months <MRSA>

Continued Lupron until Oct. 08 <psa.04 to .06>.

Started losing weight. <194 to 170>

Now trying Zoladex, next shot in Dec. 18, then we will see what the PSA is, before deciding on future treatments.

Now in the T4 stage

Side effects:

Lupron=memory, tired all the time, joints and muscle aches, hot flashes.

Zoladex=memory, tired after doing something, left back rib cage is tender when inhaling, all joints and muscles below the waist ache, the worst is the left hip.

Went to the doc's today 12-18-08, stopped Zoladex today waitin on blood work to come back.

Blood work came back .07. now back on Zoladex for three months then we will see what happens.

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

3rd Biopsy 9/8 Positive 7 of 7 cores pos, 40-90%, Gleason 7

Open RP surgery 11/14/8, Right nerves saved, 4 days hospital, staples out 11/24/8, 5th cath out on 1/19/9

Post-surgery Pathlogy Report:Gleason 3+4=7, pT2c, 42 grm, tumor 20%, Contained in capsular, clear margins, clear lymph nodes 

First PSA Post Surgery   2/9 .05

 

I have to ask again,

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

Scott

---

Diagnosed @ 48yo 04/07

focal, low volume tumor gleason 6

RRP 07/30/07 robotic

Persistance of PSA

IMRT 11/07-01/08

Emerg, cysto obstructed bladder 01/08

Persistance of PSA

08/08 learned Dr. left significant amount of prostate

12/08 PCA3 negative

12/08 saturation biopsy 36 cores 24 having normal prostate tissue

12/08 referred whole to med malprac attorney

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

3rd Biopsy 9/8 Positive 7 of 7 cores pos, 40-90%, Gleason 7

Open RP surgery 11/14/8, Right nerves saved, 4 days hospital, staples out 11/24/8, 5th cath out on 1/19/9

Post-surgery Pathlogy Report:Gleason 3+4=7, pT2c, 42 grm, tumor 20%, Contained in capsular, clear margins, clear lymph nodes 

First PSA Post Surgery   2/9 .05