HT Accumulative effects

User

Posted 16 Jul 2015 at 21:07

Hi again!

Sorry for yet another question!!

Pete wonders if any one out there could comment on whether the symptoms of the HT accunulate and get worse over time, or do they pretty much stay the same throughout?

In particular the fatigue..is it likely Pete will gradually become more and more tired? He is pretty exhausted at times already since starting Prostap in April, and feels the hot flushes are getting more frequent. Will these symptoms carry on intensifying?

Thanks in advance. :-)

'Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up'

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 08:40

I've been having Prostap injections sine January 2013, I started having hot flushes and tiredness often. I still have hot flushes but less frequently but some days I feel more tired than others and don't have the energy to do all that I want. Having said that the better days are in the majority.

Arthur

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 09:38

Big decision so keep asking the questions, someone should have the experience of whatever.

Intensity varies greatly between guys, for me:

Fatigue: first 12 months very low energy but then started to improve. After 6 months could do considerably more albeit at a steady pace. The key was finally accepting the days of rush and then rest had to be replaced by that steady pace

Hot flushes: pretty much steady.

Ray

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 10:30

Hi Ali

my OH feels pretty weak and tired on them, 3years in, loss of strength main thing like not being able to get up from crouching position easily, and lack of strength in terms of gripping bottle tops etc.

Hot flushes vary, he tries to get bedroom cold at night then has a blanket close by to grab if needed.

In saying that, he thinks some of this may be caused by statins, so he is taking a month off those now to see.

ATB

Alison x

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 12:02

I started a thread on this page so won't repeat it all. On the fatigue front it seems quite consistent but peeked with the double whammy of RT, by the time I got home I was fit for no more than hours of mind numbing TV. I'm over that now but I certainly don't have the energy I did.

I'm lucky not to have many hot flushes, it's mostly limited to night sweats but not serious and resolved simply by choosing a limb to hang out from under the duvet,

The mood swings (dives) have been and are still the main problem, uncontrollable weeping. Mostly I cope by not going out unless I have to. Hopefully I've had my last injection of Decapeptyl end of June but won't know that till a Sept appt with the Onco who has been very supportive. It's hard for someone who normally isn't going to die with a laugh still in me, if I have to I'll have the last of the 4 injections we first discussed at the outset but if this crappy illness isn't resolved by then it'll have to be dealt with by a HT free method. I have other health issues & wouldn't want my last years, looking far more negatively than merited, to be spent weeping.

I'd caution against taking me too seriously though, we all know that we don't all get the same side effects nor to the same degree. just as the side effects vary so does the coping mechanisms we develope and I think this too will affect how the symptoms accumulate.

Good luck to your OH and of course to you.

Mike

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 13:26

There is also the option to put ice cubes in an empty "Hot" water bottle with a little water.

IT's lovely and cool if your feet get overheated or you can move it around the bed.

There are cooling pillows aimed at menopausal women (Chillow is one) but Amazon have many items to aid overheating.

When you get too cold throw them out of the bed !!

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 17:41

Hello
I've been on Prostap injections since early Jan 2015 and enzalutamide plus abiraterone since mid Jan 2015.
I stated with psa of 235 , it's now down to .016.
I'm getting hot flushes about every hour some worse than other - I've just spent 5 weeks in France and I really suffered, I just couldn't stop my sweating.
Now I'm back home in Yorkshire it's much better.
I don't sleep well but have found best to keep bedroom cool as poss and I sleep just with dressing gown over me. Sleep seems to be getting better.

On the energy front I can measure how it's going because I run. I'm trying to keep up with my running but am getting slower. Legs are much heavier and this morning my arms were very heavy. I think though I can get through this with more effort. I do set targets like my next major event is the GNR in September

I also have pains like a cramp in my stomach and my bowel motions are a bit irregular.
I'm trying different diets to improve things.

If I sit down to relax I get more hot flushes and I fall asleep so I'm trying to keep active Until bedtime.
I do keep telling myself that things could be worse.

Everyone is different but I hope this helps. Good luck
Don't forget no no pain no gain at least it all keeps the PCs at bay.

User

Posted 17 Jul 2015 at 20:49

Thanks again, everyone, for so many replies. It really is true that ever guy seems to experience things in slightly different ways, but I know that when I show them to Pete he will be very encouraged. It's just such a comfort to have such a supportive online community- you seem to find out more than the medics can telly you sometimes, as most of them have probably not been through it.
I just want to wish you all the best, and send our love to you all xx

'Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up'

User

Posted 18 Jul 2015 at 11:51

Hello to everyone - something said by Healey has prompted this post - heavy legs - since about March this year it is something my OH has had problems with and not one of the consultants can come up with an answer. He has been on Zoladex since 2010 and is now on Dexamethasone - could it be a side effect from this. Regards Val

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