Hello. This is probably my first post of many. We are waiting on a diagnosis of possible Alzheimer's from our local memory clinic just waiting on a brain scan for my 74 year old Dad. My Dad also has prostate cancer and he is being treated with hormone injections alone every 6 months. They didn't want to give him any chemotherapy because of his vulnerable state due to his memory problems. However my question is, his memory gets much worse after his hormone injection. Am I imagining this or does anybody have any personal experience of a similar problem. I don't know who to discuss it with as there are no other treatment options available to him. He lives alone and he is very anxious all the time. Thank you.
Dementia and prostate cancer
- Thread starter Gilly-Bean
- Start date
Can I just ask what injection he is having if you don't mind saying. My OH is having injections for prostate cancer every three months and immediately afterwards it is like he is menopausal. I can imagine that your dad's memory is worse afterwards - my OH has a few issues with this himself which gradually improve.
Hi. Thank you for your reply. He is on Decapeptyl. It's given to him every 6 months. This is only his second one. It has lowered his PSA from 72 down to 0.0 something. But his dementia seems much worse. I'm just not sure if it's related. I don't live with him so I don't see any other side effects, but I do think his mood is low.
Ex husband had this treatment for a long time and he complained constantly about how it affected him. For a few days after having the injection, he would tuck himself away for a few days because he knew he would be unbelievably irritable with others. He had menopausal like symptoms too and found it to be generally unpleasant for a while.
In the last couple of years of his life, he was showing signs of having some form of dementia though nobody pushed him to have testing because he would never have believed it. But he was pretty difficult to deal with and he finally died of lung cancer.
In the last couple of years of his life, he was showing signs of having some form of dementia though nobody pushed him to have testing because he would never have believed it. But he was pretty difficult to deal with and he finally died of lung cancer.
My husband had hormone injections but I don’t remember him having problems with the injections but he was on them for quite a few years And unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the drug.
@Gilly-Bean maybe ask for a different hormone injection. My husband doesn’t have dementia and is a lot younger than your husband but he does have prostate cancer and is on a different hormone therapy called Zoladex, every 3 months. He hasn’t had any issues with memory or confusion during the 20 months he’s been on this treatment. I would get in touch with his oncologist or specialist cancer nurse for advice.
@Gilly-Bean
When my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer over 20 years ago Radiotherapy was initially tried unsuccessfully and since then he has been on hormone treatment (currently Zolodex every 3 months). He has never reported any significant side effects (except loss of body hair). My Dad has recently been referred to the memory clinic (at the age of 86) and we are expecting a diagnosis next month. Having looked on the internet (see link below) it would seem that hormone treatment can affect thinking and memory. Now that I know this I will be more alert to any changes in this area following treatment.
www.cancerresearchuk.org
When my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer over 20 years ago Radiotherapy was initially tried unsuccessfully and since then he has been on hormone treatment (currently Zolodex every 3 months). He has never reported any significant side effects (except loss of body hair). My Dad has recently been referred to the memory clinic (at the age of 86) and we are expecting a diagnosis next month. Having looked on the internet (see link below) it would seem that hormone treatment can affect thinking and memory. Now that I know this I will be more alert to any changes in this area following treatment.
Thinking and memory
Low levels of sex hormones caused by hormone therapy can lead to memory changes, difficulty thinking and problems with concentration.
Thank you everyone. I will definitely consider speaking to his oncologist when he is next due his injection. It's so difficult when they live alone.
I know this theard is a couple of years old but has anyone else had any experience of this? My dad finished his hormone injections for postrate cancer back in June but since then his memory has completely deteriorated. He is a complete different man. He can't remember were the fridge is or where the cups are kept. We keep on hoping he turns a corner but this treatment has definitely triggered something or accelerated his memory loss. We are now at a loss what to do next.
I have a friend who is currently being treated for prostate cancer with hormone injections and he talks freely about his hot flushes and night sweats.
I am not sure that you can blame the treatment or lack of it for your dad’s memory problems. It may have just been coincidence that this happened.
It's just a bit strange that a fit and healthy man deteriorates so quickly since having treatment for postrate cancer. Has your friend finished his treatment?
I'm sure everyone's experience is different but I'm trying to see if anyone has similar experience as my dad but thanks for you input. Also having seeing a friend go though treatment is completely different as to seeing a family member unless you see them all the time.
My dad's treatment has been a success so far. So nothing to do with lack of treatment either but after the treatment my dad is the shadow of himself a year ago.
I'm sure everyone's experience is different but I'm trying to see if anyone has similar experience as my dad but thanks for you input. Also having seeing a friend go though treatment is completely different as to seeing a family member unless you see them all the time.
My dad's treatment has been a success so far. So nothing to do with lack of treatment either but after the treatment my dad is the shadow of himself a year ago.
My next door neighbour aged 80 has had two
hormone injections for prostate cancer and I’ve noticed a significant decline in his memory and overall cognitive functioning since then. Obviously the medical profession will downplay this and insist his deterioration is all age related. Prior to the treatment starting he was running his own business but now gets into a muddle about very straightforward things. Prostate cancer is often over treated especially among older people. It can be very slow growing and may never be a problem in a persons lifetime. Watchful surveillance might be a better option but I imagine is rarely considered. On the other hand the treatments are quite brutal and in many cases life changing.
hormone injections for prostate cancer and I’ve noticed a significant decline in his memory and overall cognitive functioning since then. Obviously the medical profession will downplay this and insist his deterioration is all age related. Prior to the treatment starting he was running his own business but now gets into a muddle about very straightforward things. Prostate cancer is often over treated especially among older people. It can be very slow growing and may never be a problem in a persons lifetime. Watchful surveillance might be a better option but I imagine is rarely considered. On the other hand the treatments are quite brutal and in many cases life changing.
Last edited:
Thanks @Firecatcher. This is very much like my dad. I do wonder if this was the best course of treatment for him especially at this age. Even the side effects of radiotherapy has caused him to lose a significant amount of weight.
It's hard to say @canary my dad has always been a quiet man but always independent and never needed or wanted any help. Now he can't put on a T-shirt or thinks the T-shirt is his trousers. It's so heartbreaking. If it is dementia it's not even been a slow process. It's pretty much hit him like a tone of bricks. We keep hoping he turns a corner and we see a bit of my dad again.
It's hard to say @canary my dad has always been a quiet man but always independent and never needed or wanted any help. Now he can't put on a T-shirt or thinks the T-shirt is his trousers. It's so heartbreaking. If it is dementia it's not even been a slow process. It's pretty much hit him like a tone of bricks. We keep hoping he turns a corner and we see a bit of my dad again.
My husband had Zoladex injections for prostate cancer in 2016 and began to have memory problems shortly after. He received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease at the beginning of 2020.I asked the oncologist if there was a known link, but he said not. Whatever the cause, we are over three years down the line since diagnosis and he is deteriorating slowly.
