To Lupron or not to Lupron

I saw the cancer doc a week or two ago for my quarterly check up. PSAs are still low. Cancer undetectable. Lupron, the treatment that seems to be working for me, is a hormone suppressant. It keeps my body from producing any androgens. No testosterone for me. The technical name for this treatment is chemical castration. I am eunuch, castrati, spado.

The side effects are totally gnarly. Loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, atrophy of the penis, urinary dysfunction, hot flashes, breast growth and tenderness, bone density loss, cognition and memory decline, loss of muscle strength, joint aches and pains, fatigue, weight gain, depression and emotional distress, loss of body hair.

I have all of these symptoms. Every single one. These are the side effects of an effective cancer treatment. My cancer is undetectable, but I have all these other issues.

I have a choice. I can stop the Lupron. I can refuse the treatment. My cancer doc doesn’t recommend it. If I stop the treatment, my cancer is likely to come back.