I'm interested in conversations about and I want to talk about

Know exactly what you want?

Show search

Notification

Error

Perfect Solution for my Hot Flushes !

Email this conversation Print this conversation

User

Posted 01 Sep 2014 at 21:41

Hi All,

Think I've just discovered the perfect solution to my HT Hot Flush Side Effects. I've just done the Ice Bucket Challenge which I've done jointly for Motor Neurone Disease and Prostate Cancer UK. My much loved father-in-law died of Motor Neurone Disease and of course, I've got PCa so I thought it was only fair I should contribute to both as both diseases have touched our lives.

Has anyone else done the challenge yet? It's not as bad as you think and there's a real sense of achievement when you've done it. Great fun too. Also you get chance to nominate three people to do it too.

Has anyone got a solution to being very emotional that works as well? I covered a Cancer Research UK Relay For Life (I'm a press photographer) at the weekend and I was in pieces most of the time. I just found myself crying, especially reading the messages about family members that people, taking part, had written on bags that lined the course. Anything I see on TV relating to cancer I tend to be the same, it only takes a few seconds before I am affected. Are other people the same?

Would be interested to hear if anyone else suffers in the same way.

Steve

User

Posted 01 Sep 2014 at 22:36

Hi Steve. Same symptoms as you. Hot flushes but the worst is the emotional change. Can't say goodby to anyone without tears streaming down my face and tears flow freely at anything sad. Most embarrassing, but nothing I can do about it Trevor

User

Posted 01 Sep 2014 at 23:22

Hi Steve

Welcome to my world.

Roy

User

Posted 02 Sep 2014 at 00:35

Hi Roy, Trevor and Steve,

I am not on HT, and hope never to be, but, I have found the last year that I have been uncharacteristically, for me, emotional. No hot flushes, just weepy. The time since my op has been very difficult. I currently live with my partner who, when I found I had a problem, I said goodbye to. She has found it impossible to support me as I try to regain EF, due to the fact that early on I leaked a bit of wee in her mouth which as she said " I was not thrilled with that". Hence since then no sexual encouragement from her for me at all. Nothing. In fact one morning when I was hoping to achieve something and it took a while she said as she went downstairs to go and play on her computer "Call me if something happens and I will come back up (stairs)".

This also made me weepy. Can not think why? PMSL http://community.prostatecanceruk.org/editors/tiny_mce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif

Actually, PMS a lot of the time anyway laughing or not, but not as much as I used to. I feel quite are that with a willing and supportive partner I could be having intercourse again now and achieving orgasm. But hey we have to play the hand we are dealt.

The point of this post is that I am not sure how much the HT affects our emotions and how much the fact that we are dealing with a life threatening illness? I remember one afternoon last year listening to Chris Le Doux, This Cowboys Hat on the radio. Reduced me to tears, and then when I Googled him ,found he died of Cancer, reduced me to more tears. My current partner says don't listen to the music.

http://community.prostatecanceruk.org/editors/tiny_mce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif She does not understand that the emotional fragility is there regardless. Does anyone?

Anyway, I wish you well through it all and hope that you find a way of coping.

Dave

User

Posted 02 Sep 2014 at 00:42

Hi Trevor,

I agree it can be embarrassing when you find yourself crying so much, especially when you do it in public. Fortunately when I was doing the Cancer Research UK job at the weekend I wasn't the only one, many people were there because their lives had been touched by cancer. Only problem was, I did find myself telling quite a few people that I had been recently diagnosed which is not really what I intended to do, I was there to do a job, but it did help to talk though. Perhaps the bucket of iced water would be a solution for this side effect too because it would be a reminder to pull myself together!

Keep in touch.

Steve

User

Posted 02 Sep 2014 at 00:51

Hi Roy,

It looks likes I'm stuck with it as long as I'm on hormones.

I was really curious when I read that you're living in Nottinghamshire. Whereabouts?

The reason I ask is because I was born in Newark and lived there until I moved to Reading in my early twenties.

Funny, I noticed there are a few people on this site from the county, must have been something in the water that caused our cancer.

Keep in touch.

Steve

User

Posted 02 Sep 2014 at 01:29

Dave, yes some of us do understand and my heart aches for you that you have had such a response from someone close to you. As as far as emotional responses go, my husband has always been capable of a few tears so we saw no difference on the HT except that he became very low. There is nothing to be ashamed of in crying although I suspect that it is as much about being diagnosed with a life threatening illness as about the hormones.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 02 Sep 2014 at 04:49

Hi Dave,

Sorry you have had a difficult time with your emotions too but you're probably right that it may not just be the treatment we're on. I think that what we're going through would be enough to make anyone despair at times.

I have only fairly recently been diagnosed (June) and still trying to come to terms with the idea that something has entered my life which might actually end it. I'm scared about my future because I've never faced anything like this before. I'm starting radiotherapy in October which might cure it but I've been told that even if it does, there's a high risk that it might come back again. That's enough to make me feel like crying.

I, like you, find myself listening to sad music which can cause me to cry but in some ways, I enjoy listening to it. I find in some strange way, it comforts me. I am a huge fan of John Denver and some of his music was very sad. My wife says I shouldn't listen to it if it upsets me but I feel sometimes she's afraid herself that she might get upset. She's reluctant to know too much about what may happen to me because she's frightened she's going to loose me.

I'm really lucky to have such a lovely wife. I very often need a cuddle if I'm feeling down and it helps that she cares so much. I think that's the support we all need. I'm sorry you haven't always had that in your relationship, you have to try and let the person know that's what you need. I think from what I've seenduring my short time as part of this community, you'll always find support here. In some ways we all part of a big family here, other people in the outside worldmay not fully understand what we're going through and how we feel but you know people here will.

I was interested to read that you came to Reading (my home for over 35 years) to have your surgery done by "Robbie The Robot" as he's know to the local population. I photographed "Robbie" when he was first installed and marvelled at the technology as the surgeon showed how he could slice up a tiny piece of cake to show the delicate capabilities of the equipment. When I first heard I had cancer, I thought that I would be having my prostate removed by"Robbie" to cure me, sadly this wasn't to be as the disease had progressed too far for that to be an option. Still, I hopethey treated you very well at the Royal Berks Hospital,our family have always been very happy with the care we've received there.

Anyway, hope everything continues to go well for you with your treatment. We'll beat this.

Keep in touch,

Steve

Edited by member 19 Oct 2014 at 14:32 | Reason: Not specified

Email this conversation Print this conversation

Join the online community now.

Click through to become a member and gain access to support, information and real time replies.