Back on hormone therapy (Bicalutamide)

angusP2 1 month ago

5 replies
131 subscribers
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Hi all,

My saga with metastates of prostate cancer 4.5 years after prostatectomy is continuing.

I had a meeting with my oncologist this morning. My wife came with me. The oncologist, who is a lovely lady and someone I trust, showed us the PET scans from last December and from earlier this month side by side so we could see that the areas treated in March (cryoablation to the lower spine) and in April (SABR radiotherapy to 6th and 9th ribs) have disappeared - hurrah for that. However she also showed us on the most recent scan that there is a new area that needs treatment on the top of the hip bone on the left near the coccyx. She will schedule another round of SABR radiotherapy to treat that. The plan is to have all that done before September when we are due to go away on holiday. At the same time she wants me to take Bicalutamide tablets for six months to treat the cancer systemically. She hopes the combined therapy will have long lasting benefits.

Four years ago I had one month of Bicalutamide tablets followed by six months of Prostap injections. I really didn't enjoy the side effects from the Prostap (hot flushes and night sweats and so on) so I hope I don't have similar now - I have heard mixed reports.

So wish me luck, folks!

Angus

johnam 1 month ago

Hi Angus , best wishes from us both . My OH had 3 weeks of Bicalutamide and on week 2 had his first Prostap on 25th June . He has had no adverse effects so far but we keep waiting .regards

Liz & OH

Millibob 1 month ago

Hello Angus (angusP2)

Well the good news is there's a plan in place and you have a team you can trust - so you can move forward. I wish you well with the HT and SABR.

My HT hot flushes were quite bad but I knocked them on the head by taking Sage Tablets (but the don't work for everyone). I know you will let us know how it goes.

If you are planning a holiday this forum may be of use - just click on the link and it will take you there:

Travel insurance forum for cancer patients .

Have a great holiday.

Best wishes - Brian.

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mstev2 1 month ago

I wish you well with this, and hope that you get something that works for you before you holiday.

David2017 1 month ago

Hi Angus (angusP2 ), my oncologist (also a lovely lady I trust) did her utmost to arrange things around my holiday plans. Her view was that a holiday would be better for me and any delay wasn’t a problem. We are all different so reaction to any drugs is very personal. Good luck with the Bicalutamide and hope you get your holiday as arranged. Best wishes, David

Worriedwife 1 month ago

Hello Angus - why are all oncologists such lovely people!!!! My husband's is male but still a really nice guy!

Anyway- sorry to hear about your ongoing problems but, in some ways, I feel really reassured for both you and us! It's good to hear that radiotherapy to secondaries can continue to kick this darned disease into the long grass and I really hope the next session is just as successful!

I hope you get on ok with the HT and that it will only be for a short time. Like you, my husband did not get on well with the 18 Mts of HT he endured. He only had a few sweats but he visibly aged 10 years in those 18 months. He finished in May and since then he has been going from strength to strength. If he has achieved the intended cure then the last 2 years of worry and, then, treatment, will have been worthwhile. If not.... well, there's other steps to take but the one thing I dread for him is the HT side effects. I am wondering if there is any milage in changing the actual HT drug as I understand some work in different ways. He was on decapaeptyl.

Good luck!

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