Break from enzalutamide?

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My partner has been on enzalutamide for about 8 months. He had a spinal cord compression in October and has been unable to walk since - he was progressing in hospital, able to move his legs but with little muscle strength. He was discharged in November due to a covid outbreak, since when his physiotherapy has fallen from daily to once a week (if he's lucky). He has some exercises to do, and recommended to at least stand every day using the transfer aid, but is mostly too tired to attempt it. The oncology registrar today suggested they are considering a break from the enzalutamide, to increase his QOL, and that chemo would be an option if he were stronger. Does anyone have experience of taking a break from enzalutamide? Would it shorten his life expectancy? His PSA has risen from 8 to 25 since November - does this indicate the enzalutamide is no longer working? We don't know if his inability to increase his mobility is due to the spinal cord damage, the lack of physiotherapy or the fatigue from the enzalutamide and/or the cancer.

joeven over 3 years ago

Sorry what’s going on, I was on the same medication but had to stop due to to many side effects, plus my PSA was still rising while on this. Hoping for something else, I use a fog pedal machine place it on the floor same as a excersize bike but small you sit on your usual chair put your feet in the pedals and do it at your own pace, there pretty inexpensive and it may help.

stay safe

Joe

linopartner over 3 years ago in reply to joeven

Thanks, Joeven....I wonder if the enzalutamide is doing more harm than good, but today was the first suggestion of stopping it.

Partner of man with advanced prostate cancer.

joeven over 3 years ago in reply to linopartner

It is a very good medication, like all treatments comes side effects, trouble is it hits some worse than others and before it can cause serious harm, ( the harm being heart attack or a stroke ) its better to stop it, it’s weighing up the options, what’s best for that person.
Stay safe

Joe

Red Tea over 3 years ago

I fought hard to avoid being given enzalutamide after the effects that biclutamide had on me. I now have the prostap injection instead and whilst not perfect, it doesn't include the sleepy lazyiness that either otf the clutamides bring on as a side effect. It has also brought my PSA down from 41 to 3.7 perhaps aA break or even a switch to something else maybe the solution. I invested in a wii with the exercise games and the island games so it could be competative asnd whilst not for everyone if you were both to play even the hand eye co-ordination games it might get him interested and that hopefully may provide a spark. Good luck with this.

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Break from enzalutamide?