Hormone Therapy Side Effects REALLY NEED ADVICE

[HarryBelafonte]

I am trying to decide between proton beam therapy + hormone therapy or a prostatectomy without hormone therapy. I have a successful TITAN COLOPLAST IMPLANT that works great en neither procedure will affect it.

I need some advice from those who have had the hormones. I am a young 67 year old with a fiance 12 years younger. I'm thinking that after hormone therapy I will not be a young 67 anymore. Without a prostate in a penile implant I can remain in better shape for a longer period of time.

I need help from someone

[Quincy]

I haven't had hormone therapy, but I came really, really close. So I can't give you any first hand information. I can, however tell you my thoughts about your decision.

I had HDR brachytherapy done 7 years ago. I had the option for radiation or removal and I chose radiation. If I had it to do over again, I think I would choose prostatectomy. The HDR treatment I had was relatively easy to do and worked well. I'm happy with the result, which is I'm cancer-free. But the radiation affects more than just the prostate, it also irradiates surrounding tissues. When I got my implant, 5 months ago, my doctor said that the implant was a little harder to do because the tissues of my penis had been fried and were not as soft and pliable as normal. The base of my penis is therefore a little thicker. Not a problem, and no issue for you since you already have an implant, but knowing that the tissues in my body are fried, even as far away as the base of my dick make me wonder whether surgery would have been better.

I know proton therapy is supposed to be fairly specific, but so was HDR brachy. Ask you doc if there are problems with radiation of parts outside the prostate. I didn't want to do surgery and be cut into and then have recovery, but looking back, I think it might have been better. It seemed the chances for worse ED were stronger with surgical removal, but since you have an implant, that's not an issue, either.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Quincy.

[Cajun Jeff]

Well Im an open surgery OCa guy. With you already impkanted the major side effect of limp dick is out of the pic. Fir me recovery was easy but left me limp.

I am 10 years cancer free.

Best of luck with the decsion process.

Lipton therapy will wipe out your libido completely and you impkant eill b useless.

[OhioGuy]

I have been doing testosterone pellet therapy for three years. It is the best thing I have ever done. From a mood, energy, libido, erection, body hair, muscle gains, fat burning, self confidence and overall health it is the best thing I have ever done. Wish I had done it sooner. Truely life changing in many many positive ways for me

[bldoink]

I have been doing testosterone pellet therapy for three years. It is the best thing I have ever done. From a mood, energy, libido, erection, body hair, muscle gains, fat burning, self confidence and overall health it is the best thing I have ever done. Wish I had done it sooner. Truely life changing in many many positive ways for me

Apples/Oranges
The hormone therapy he's talking about is kinda the opposite of what you're referring to.

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Harry,

I wish I could give advice. I had a robotic radical prostatectomy resulting in total ED. I didn't have ED prior to surgery. Fortunately injections work for me. IIRC, my Urologist told me something along the lines of: "You can get radiation after a prostatectomy if needed but if you get radiation first the reverse isn't possible." I don't know why that would be the case and I never confirmed that through other sources. My father had radiation instead of a prostatectomy. He had a number of issues later on from being fried by the radiation but that was probably too many years ago to have relevance today. I'm sure they've gotten much better at it as far as collateral damage. As far as the hormone therapy goes I didn't think that was permanent if the cure was successful but I really don't know. He pretty much ended up on permanent hormone therapy as his cancer returned.

I sure wish you the best and I pray you and your doctors receive the necessary knowledge and wisdom to make the correct decisions for your successful recovery and healing.

[HarryBelafonte]

I am meeting with my urologist on Friday to confirm that with surgery I will not need any hormone therapy. I thought that proton beam was the way to go until the hormone therapy was introduced and now I am willing to go undergo surgery to avoid the hormone therapy that I believe will be at least two years. I'm a very fit 67 years old and take a great bit of pride in my physical condition and do not want to deteriorate as I believe hormone therapy will cause me to do. Since I have the implant I do not have to worry about ED.

[bldoink]

If you decide to go the surgery route ask the Doc about starting keegle exercises early. Incontinence is also a possible surgery side effect. You will start out with at least some incontinence. How quickly and fully you recover from the incontinence varies a lot. Being fit will probably increase your odds of a favorable outcome in that department. Keegle exercises will be part of your recovery. Most recover pretty well in that area.

[Quincy]

When I had my brush with hormone therapy, they told me it would essentially make me like a menopausal woman. Breasts would grow and be tender, I'd have hot flashes, etc. I'm not sure the hormone therapy they were discussing is what you are looking at. At the time, they thought my radiation therapy had failed and the cancer had come back. They said the hormone therapy was essentially my last option and gave me a 2.5 year "sell by" date. That was 6 years ago. For me, my cancer got better and it turns out the radiation hadn't failed after all so I never had to do the hormones.

I'd check to really understand the side effects. Best wishes!