Lupron shots

I had ONE -- 6 month shot and it took 14 months to recover testosterone - We are not all the same so "recovery" can vary. The combination of Lupron and Radiation resulted in remission for me -

Just an FYI -- for me Lupron was the least fun The actual radiation foe me was basically a non-event -

I agree with in that radiation was a non event for me as well. I think I would like to have explored using SpaceOAR to reduce possibility of proctitis and not need to manage how full my bladder was for each session, but otherwise very few issues.
The ADT was the most difficult part for me as well. Needing to produce daily erections to maintain erectile health was a bit of a grind, but the real challenge for me was the overwhelming emotions. It was otherwise a personal growth experience, I feel, as these symptoms parallel what women experience with menopause.

So how long does it last? That will vary quite a bit from individual to individual. On July 27, 2020 my testosterone was <12 ng/dl (medically castrate). My final "one month" Lupron injection was August 4, 2020 and on November 2, 2020 my testosterone was 359.0. It has since varied between 200s and 300s.


But that is not the whole story of recovery. I seem to be going through a second "puberty" as late as 11 months after the August 4 injection. I would love to talk to an endocrinologist to understand what our systems are doing as we recover from ADT.

I have been sexually active the entire time, with and without libido. Fatigue, emotions and sensitive breasts continued through the "puberty".



Guy B. Meredith, moderator.

Hi . Sorry you have had so many issues with the hormone therapy. Depending on the nature of your cancer, you may be o.k. to proceed with radiation without further Lupron shots. This article looks at treatment of favorable intermediate risk patients with and without androgen deprivation therapy: https://ro-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13014-019-1298-9. They find that for those in this category, who are 70 and younger, short term ADT should be considered. However, considering that you already had a Lupron shot it may be worth a discussion on whether you would need more. I write this not knowing particulars of your diagnosis and, for your protection, we cannot give medical advice over the internet. Everyone's situation is different and your particular circumstances will dictate the recommendations. Of course, the overall decision on how to move forward is your own. Wishing you the best and please feel free to keep us posted on how you are doing. Richard (ProstateCancer.net Team)