Hormone Therapy and skin rashes/eczema

I haven't heard of this. Sometimes acne can pop up or change a bit when starting hormone therapy, but it often makes it better.

Hi Harry - Sorry to hear of your issues. I have been on Decapeptyl for 15 months. For about the last 6 month I have had terrible itchy skin. The GP isn't too helpful  I have been prescribed Epaderm Ointment and AproDerm Cream but both are not too helpful although they do help with the itching, I am also on Fexofenadine Tablets which again I am not sure what if anything they do to help.

I have found "Childs Farm" moisturiser to be really good - after a good scratch - I know I: I know I should leave it alone but you try it when it itches.

I hope this helps - the itching isn't as bad as it was - but it's still f**king annoying!!

Kind Regards - Brian.

Make sure you are taking the fexofenadine tablets at the correct time - My son takes them and I think I am right in saying they should be taken before a meal - check on the pack leaflet and take accordingly.  Childs Farm seems to be one of the best moisturisers out for people with itchy skin too so think you have found the correct things to use but even my son has found they don't work all the time.  It might pay you to be careful with soaps so choose perfume and colour free.  Hope you get some relief because I know how darned annoying it can be.

Cheers Andy62, I had the itchy skin whilst on the therapy which was annoying, but this is on a whole new level.

Millibob, thanks for the response, i found that Sanex 0% moisturising shower gel was best for the initial itching when I was on the decapeptyl. Just rinse the shower down afterwards because if it dries it becomes like ice. Will try and get some Childs farm moisturiser for when the prescribed cream has , hopefully, done its job.

I have been on decapeptyl for 7 months and finished radiotherapy 4 months ago. I have developed skin rash/eczema and am using a steroid ointment. I have never had eczema before although I have had hay fever/mild asthma and rhinitis for years. I suppose I was predisposed to it but I'm sure that the decapeptyl has caused it. My PC stage is T3a so I might be on it for up to 3 years but the itching is driving me mad and am hoping that I can stop the hormone deprivation therapy sooner. I thought at first it was due to a statin I'd just started but your post and others leads me to think it is the ADT. My last dose was the 6-monthly one and I wonder if the bigger dose causes a bigger reaction.

Hello Barry11 

A warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Prostate community.

It was the decapeptyl that did it for me - like you I am a T3aNoMo on 3 years HT/RT. The itching drove me bonkers at first and it took some while to work out which was the best cream for it.

The GP prescribed AproDerm cream which I used at night for long term relief mixed in with Child's farm moisturiser  during the day and it finally worked but it took some time. I have had my last HT injection (I was on 6 monthly ones for 3 years) but I still to this day moisturise. 

I never though about trying reduced doses - it may work.

I hope you get it sorted, let us know how you get on.

Best wishes - Brian.

It might be that you're allergic to Decapeptyl. You could ask if it's worth trying an alternative, which in the UK would be Zoladex, Prostap/Staladex, or Relugolix (newly available on the NHS - a daily tablet). These all do the same job as Decapeptyl in switching off Testosterone produced by the Testicles, but they're different drugs.

Dear Brian

Thank you so much for your reply - it makes me feel I'm on the right track to understand this - I'm also T3aN0M0. I have an appointment (phone) with the consultant in 2 weeks time so can discuss. It seems to be a fairly rare response to the HT but there are references to it online. I'm having my first PSA test after the initial random test which picked up the PC almost a year ago.

Best wishes

Barry

Many thanks Andy - I have an appointment in 2 weeks time and will raise it with the consultant

Barry