[for woman] have you ever taken lupron?

[dakine]

have any women here ever been prescribed and taken lupron shots? this is a drug.. a very heavy one.. that is prescribed to woman that doctors suspect of having endometriosis. I am especially curious if there are woman out there that have taken this drug and have had negative side effects from it.

it is my understanding that lupron was originally developed to fight prostate cancer in men, so if there are men that have experience with this drug I'd love to hear about it. but I am way more concerned about lupron's potential side effects on woman, and if there are any in our community that are suffering them. the doctor and her nurses all say that they have prescribed/administered this drug over and over again with no negative effects. but, when searching the web one finds a world of examples of people being given this drug with horrible and life long side effects that are way worse than the problem being treated. I am trying to find out why there is such a discrepancy between what the doctor says and what I find on the net. any feedback, here or via my email address, would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[birdmove]

I know this is an old thread. I'm a 63 year old dude that was recently diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Mine is way to enlarged for removal or radiation or anything other than Lupron to try to shrink it. They gave me 2 weeks worth of a pill, and after the first week, I got a shot of Lupron. After about 4 days, I started feeling run down. Some joint pain. Weakness, lack of stamina. This morning, I noticed I had cotton mouth. Whats next? I don't know. But, in my case, I have no choice it seems. If they can shrink this thing down enough, maybe then I can have a more traditional procedure. I have to fly to Oahu (through Kaiser Permanente) for a second MRI to see if it is shrinking. I believe I get the shot every three months.

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[PaulW]

Best of luck, Jon!

[birdmove]

Thank you, Paul.

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[TomK]

Best of luck, Jon, you'll get through this! Remember, I'm sure everyone here will give you their support, so keep us up to date with how things go. If you need anything, just let us know.

[Kenney]

Dakine, Birdmove. Best wishes for good results with your treatment. Feel better...

[Durian Fiend]

quote:

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Originally posted by birdmove
But, in my case, I have no choice it seems.

---

There's always a choice. By advanced, do you mean the cancer has spread elsewhere, or what? I've heard that for older guys with indolent prostate cancer, a viable option is simply watchful waiting, and to not take the hormone suppressing drugs. Hopefully your doctor is willing to discuss options with you, if any. Best wishes.

[birdmove]

Thanks, Kenny. Durian, He said my bones look clear. Prostate cancer likes to expand into ones bones. My dad died of it, and it had gone into his bones and lungs. Since it has expanded into my bladder, removal isn't an option. Radiation too, as it too big and would likely do significant damage in other areas. Hence the plan of shrinking it. As I said, cancer was found in every one of the 12 biopsy samples. That in itself is rather unusual. He found one lymph node that looks suspicious. It may have gone into that, or it may be infected on it's own. He said, if the Lupron shrinks that lymph node, assume it's cancerous. If not, than it's inflamed or something on it's own.
I'm sure there may be other meds similiar to Lupron with similar side effects. I think the hope is, if we can shrink this thing down, then other options open up for me.



Jon in Keaau/HPP

[Chunkster]

Lupron is a testosterone blocker, and prostate cancer generally needs testosterone to grow, so this drug is frequently used for it. I had not heard of its use for endometriosis before now. My dad was on Lupron for about 15 years, and the only side effect he seemed to have was some joint soreness that he described as far less bothersome than the osteoarthritis he also had. FWIW, my dad ended up passing away from smoking induced lung cancer, and not prostate cancer. Hope this helps, and I wish you both well with your prognoses.

[Kapoho Joe]

Get well soon Jon!