Symptoms, Side Effects, and Winter

‘tis the season, fa la la la la, la la la la

It has now been six glorious months since I started my Lupron shots—and I’ve already complained a time or two about side effects—sorry.

So I contacted my friends John and Merle, fellow prostate cancer survivors, who have been enjoying Lupron for a year or more to check out their views. Our experiences and reactions have been as similar as if we were conjoined triplets (not a pretty fantasy).

Here are some of our rules and truisms of reality:

1.    When it’s winter you should always try to keep warm—extra layers of clothing, extra blankets, and a couple extra degrees on the thermostat, until...

2.    The hot flashes flash. Then, take off the extra layers, take off the extra blankets, and step out into the cold (if possible) and take a few deep cool breaths. It’ll help your body cool down. Once cooler, repeat steps one and two indefinitely.

3.    The trick is remembering when to do which and vice versa—really not so hard if you happen to be awake and alert (not always guaranteed). And finally...

4.    Repeat this short mantra to yourself; “The worse the side effect the more effective the medication must be.” Everybody nod in unison, close your eyes, click your heels together three times, and truly believe that this is true.

axman