Nearly 18 months on....

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Since I last posted, my mboobs have grown more, I've become less tolerant to the 'friendly' but hurtful comments from long-term friends, and have lost all confidence that my medical concerns will be addressed... by anyone, because I don't actually matter .

I'm having more, and more, 'hot flushes' daily - gone up from (average)16 daily to over 17 daily (not a big increase until you actually have to bear the difference)y. My complaints about hot flushes to my GP and medical team at the Marsden have resulted in "OH, it's early days and the figures will reduce over the next year or so..." But, they're INCREASING....

I'll bet that if they were suffering nearly 80% sleep depravation, they might think otherwise....'

My now (ex) partner, just believed I was being 'overdramatic' - but she didn't have to dry out the bed...or care for my emotional needs - she just found someone else.

 I'm (hopefully) having another blood test this month - unless someone at the clinic denies that it was ordered by my GP  (AGAIN).... My last blood test showed that my my testosterone level was still at 'castration level' ( 0.7)  but I'm told 'It will recover..." Why don't I believe them ? It's been nearly 30 months since I commenced HT and I ceased HT 8 months ago - BUT nothing has improved since then!!!!

The Marsden suggested that I undertake a course of  acupuncture to deal effectively with the 'hot flushes' - don't they care or realise the actual cost - I'm a pensioner, and I can't afford the minimum cost of £70-00 PER HOUR.

I GIVE UP 

  • Hi AndyK.

    Good afternoon I'm very sorry to hear about your current situation.

    Yes I can resonate with your symptoms from being on HT. I have also got mboobs and I also suffer with constant hot flushes. 

    I'm also very sorry to hear that you have lost confidence in family and friends but what I will say that you "MATTER" to everyone on this forum.

    Please please wait for other members to come along to offer you more "Help/Advice/Support "

    "We are all Here for YOU"

    "Please Please Don't Give UP"

    Prostate Worrier.

  • Hi  , sorry to hear that your flushes appear to be increasing.  I just wonder if anything is triggering this response?  In my case I have been on HT for 7 years and found that sudden changes in heat and/or alcohol tend to come before a flush.  I hope there are others out there who can give you an idea of how long they were before the HT started to leave their systems.  Best wishes, David

  • Medications are available for both hot flushes (Cyproterone, Medroxyprogesterone, or Megestrol), and for one of the two types of breast growth (Tamoxifen). Why on earth have they not offered you those? Many hospital Macmillan/Maggies information centres can arrange free acupuncture sessions (which can work for hot flushes).

    You can't take the hot flush medications if you're not on hormone therapy, because they are mild hormone therapy drugs themselves and might slow or prevent your Testosterone returning. You could take Tamoxifen until your Testosterone returns, but this is only for breast gland growth, and not breast fat growth.

    It takes a while for Testosterone to start returning - 9 months for me after 2 years on HT (measured from the point you would have had the next injection if you hadn't stopped). Once it starts returning, it usually does so very quickly, in 2-3 months. It's useful to have Testosterone level included with PSA tests while you are recovering from HT, so you know where you've got to. Also, if you still have your prostate, you expect your PSA to rise with about a 3 month lag behind your Testosterone recovering.

  • Andy62 & AndyK, I had acupuncture arranged by my local Maggie's in Newcastle, a charity called 'Coping with Cancer '.  I only ever had hot flushes in the evenings and in bed.  The acupuncture started working after about 3 sessions.

    They managed to get downgraded to 'Warm Flushes '.

    This local charity has now gone under, it's a shame, I had some good counselling sessions through then when I had finished my Radiotherapy treatment.

    It's 3 years now since my Radiotherapy ended, I had my testosterone levels checked last year, they reckoned my levels were 21.  My libido is back but nothing to go with it. 

    AndyK, hopefully there's a cancer charity in your area where you can access free acupuncture.

    Steve (SteveCam)