I cannot remember much about the effects of the hormone tablets because I have had other treatments since then.
Yes
I can only assume it was effective, given the amount of time that has passed since I had it.
The main thing I can remember was the need to keep a full bladder for my radiotherapy treatment. I therefore got to know all the places where I could stop for a pee during my drive to the hospital, which could be an hour.
Yes
Bearing in mind it was over 17 years ago when I had this treatment and I still feel well, especially as I has a high Gleeson score which I was told could mean a fast spread of the disease.
I was warned that there might be this side-effect and it should pass although there was no guarantee. Unfortunately that proved not to be the case and the problem persisted.
As mentioned before, the pain when try to pee was a side-effect I had to accept for a while.
Only the points raised above. It was over 12 years ago now and I cannot remember a great deal.
Yes
I was given the opportunity to have this treatment as part of a trial and It therefore made me feel optimistic that it was available to me on top of what I had already experienced. I can only assume it had a beneficial effect due to the fact that I am still able to enjoy life 12 years later..
It is a matter of coming to terms with this problem and accepting it if it occurs. There are other sources of help if required.
I initially had quite few side effects when starting this hormone therapy and was therefore given the option of intermittent treatment, i.e having the hormones for a few months then a rest from it for a period before resuming if PSA rises again. I was told that this might help reduce the side-effects. I tried this for a while but there seemed to be no clear guidance as to which of the two options was the better. After a while, as my worse side -effects (hot flushes etc) had just about disappeared I opted to remain on the continual treatment and now have injections every 12 weeks.
I have accepted this as a necessary treatment to help stave off further problems with prostate cancer. I have to ensure that I plan my injections in advance (every 12 weeks) so it can mean making sure that I am not away when they are due.
Yes
I am happy with this treatment to date although my PSA has started to rise a little over recent months whereby the injections are now backed up with Bicaludamide tablets on a daily basis. I was told at the outset that hormonal treatment would lose their effectiveness over time but I am happy that it has worked for me so far.
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