Lupron and Fatigue: What Users Say

• Mr ...
• October 26, 2016

For Prostate Cancer "Diagnosed with stage 4 PC in my right hip. PSA for years was between 2.0 to 3.5. Went from 3.5 to 29 in one year! I encourage all with a PSA of over 3.0 to get a bone density test! Started Lupron 30-day shot on July 5th, 2016. First 3 months went from 29 to 3, so heading in the right direction. Bone pain reduced after the first shot by more than 75%. Hot flashes around the clock, roughly 10 to 12 a day with an intensity level of about a 5 or 6. Very annoying but tolerable. Miscellaneous aches and pains in joints and muscles. Occasional fogginess and definitely wake up too much to pee. I'm trying Flomax now, I hope to see some improvement. Fatigue is real! I can't tell if this is harder on my family than me! So far, so good. God bless to ALL!"

• Len...
• July 13, 2016

For Prostate Cancer "Eight months into Lupron plus Casodex, and I am refusing the next three-month shot. PSA went from 5.7 to 0.2 to 0.1, and I am just finishing up nine weeks of radiation. GL scores were mostly 9's, but no metastatic found. To say a less common side effect is loss of libido is just plain BS. About a month after the first shot, I was done with sex. The doctor said once the testosterone is gone, that's normal. Little aches and pains linger, my testicles shrink, I lost all hair under my arms and it's slow-growing elsewhere. Sometimes I seem to be in a fog mentally. Hot flashes like you wouldn't believe until they offered me other meds, which help somewhat. I put on five pounds of blubber below the belly. Lack of energy as well. It works, but I think doctors keep you on it too long for stage 1 or 2 cancers."

• Nis...
• August 5, 2016

For Prostate Cancer "Diagnosed Stage 4 prostate cancer-July 2012-PSA=8. Radical prostatectomy-October 2012-PSA=0.6. Forty days of radiation-April 2013-PSA=0.1. PSA=0.3-Jan 2015. PSA=1.0-March 2015. First Lupron injection-April 2015-PSA=0.1. Second Lupron injection-Oct 2015-PSA=0.1. Third Lupron injection-April 2016-PSA=0.1. Fourth Lupron injection-Oct 2016-PSA=???. Lupron injections accompanied by daily tablets of Bicalutamide. Side effects: penis shrinkage (afraid it will soon disappear), libido absent, hot flashes, some insomnia, increased neuropathy, some itching, inflammation in hands, extreme fatigue. All side effects manageable-beats being dead-and has allowed me time to tie up loose ends and who knows-I may have years ahead!"

• Anonymous
• April 10, 2011

For Uterine Fibroids "Side effects experienced from 3-month shot: hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, cognitive 'fuzziness', decreased memory. I experienced a significant temporary reduction in fibroid size/abdomen size (pre-surgery)."

• Jen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 20, 2016

For Endometriosis "I've been on Lupron for 8 months now. I have very, very painful endo that has put me in the ER at least 50 times in the last 5 years. I tried the depo shot and continuous use of the NuvaRing before this. Nothing has worked, except Lupron. I do suffer hot flashes and a bit of fatigue/joint pain around the time that would be my cycle. The first cycle on the injection was still hell, the second, I could still work! :) My doctor wants me on it for a while, as I'm only 23, and she doesn't want to jump to a hysterectomy just yet. I'm scared to go beyond the recommended year of Lupron, but so far, so good, and it's the only thing that's given my life back. I hope that if you try it, it works for you. Though, we are all different."

• pos...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 6, 2016

For Endometriosis "I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis after my first laparoscopy in June 2015. Following my first surgery, I started Lupron injections in hopes of slowing the endo growth. I had three rounds of Lupron causing terrible side effects, which included, but were not limited to: fatigue, night sweats, mood swings, joint pain, severe abdominal pain, lack of sex drive, natural lubrication, and anxiety. In December 2015, my second laparoscopy and six months of Lupron left me with stage 3 endometriosis. The doctor wanted to continue with six more months of Lupron and another surgery. I declined such an offer. I am very unhappy with how this drug affected my life. My body will never be the same after Lupron. Don't take this drug."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2020

"I was given Lupron depo for my endometriosis. My husband and I had been having issues having a baby. I was supposed to have 3 shots total. After the first shot, it wrecked me. It messed with my bowels, my period was more painful than ever, body pain, insomnia, and extreme fatigue, one night I had to call 911. My skin was burning from the inside out, and my heart started racing to the point where I could barely breathe, and my heart was palpitating. I refused the next 2 shots. Since then, I've continued to have bone and joint pain, fuzziness, I can't retain thoughts or remember simple words. My teeth became really sensitive. It caused nothing but hardship."

• Mik...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 9, 2024

For Prostate Cancer "Given all the things that testosterone regulates in the male body, none of the side effects are unexpected. My blood work indicates that it’s working. The hot flashes, weight gain, fatigue, and mild vertigo (among other side effects) subsided in a few months, just in time for the next every-four-month injection."

• MsF...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 11, 2025

"I've only been taking this medicine for 7 months, so it might be too soon for me to tell if it's working. I guess if the cancer doesn't come back, then it's doing its job. I have noticed the relentless fatigue I'm experiencing."

• Eag...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 28, 2024

For Prostate Cancer "The 7 months of treatment I am on, along with 9 weeks of radiation, appears to be working well. My PSA (with stage 3 prostate cancer) went from 7+ to 0.05. That said, I am fighting brain fog, fatigue, slight weight gain, loss of sexual interest, nearly chronic dry cough, general itching, and joint and muscle pain. Looking forward to the product wearing off starting around 6 weeks from now. Strongly recommend resistance exercise, it helps a great deal!"

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 15, 2024

For Prostate Cancer "I have been on Lupron for 16 (of scheduled 18 months) to help suppress the return of prostate cancer. So far, the cancer is resolved. The side effects for me have been tiredness, mild depression, leg weakness and mild leg pain, mental fog, weakened memory, diminished thought clarity, significant muscle reduction, and lack of energy. Also, occasional diarrhea. Use was probably effective as cancer has not returned."

• Bil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 30, 2024

For Prostate Cancer "I was diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer. I opted for complete removal of the prostate and follow-up treatment of ADT and radiation treatment. My first injection was June 2023, and the second was January 2024. PSA test every three months since the first injection, and PSA was 0.00. I experienced many of the normal side effects from the Lupron injections, the worst has been the fatigue, joint pain, sweats, and hot flashes. It has been almost a year since my last injection. I still have some lingering side effects, with the worst and most often the sweats and hot flashes."