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Effects of HT

User
Posted 22 Jul 2019 at 14:55

Hi all  can anyone give me some advice on who to talk to about the effects of the HT.  My husband is suffering terribly with the idea of what he can't do and the HT appears to make him have irrational thoughts about what I might be doing, even though its utter nonsense.  Is there some counselling or therapy available to him or both of us that might help ?

User
Posted 22 Jul 2019 at 16:32
Macmillan offer counselling, both by phone and face-to-face. I’d give them a ring. I’d also give the PCUK nurses a ring. They aren’t counsellors, but they’re extremely helpful.

HT can be tough going (I’ve been on it myself for a little under a year now), but most of the side-effects should ease off gradually after it finishes. Has your husband had radiotherapy yet?

Best wishes,

Chris
User
Posted 22 Jul 2019 at 16:46

Last week, I ran a session at Mount Vernon hospital which was aimed at the situation you are in, where a group of men discuss their issues and workarounds, and I lead the discussion to ensure it covered off a predefined list of issues. There is some talk of running it again somewhere else.


Can you say which side effects your husband is hitting, which hormone drug, and how long he's been on it? People here can probably help with some of them. Reading between the lines, maybe loss of libido is a significant issue? Also, there are some things he should be doing which he probably doesn't know about, because the urologists who put you on the drug never mention them.


Like Chris said, some counselling might be good, if you can find some.

User
Posted 22 Jul 2019 at 17:41

Hi Chris.  He’s been on HT for over a year following chemo and radiotherapy.  Started last May   and it’s likely to be long term given stage 3b and we are in our mid 50s.   The irrational thoughts were not too bad during treatment probably because there was a focus.  Now it’s just HT and day to day living it seems like there is too much time to think.  He knows his thoughts are irrational but we need to find a fix if possible.  

User
Posted 22 Jul 2019 at 18:32

Macmillan do a course called HOPE (Help Overcoming Problems Effectively), which is aimed at people after radical cancer treatment, and the anti-climax of treatment finishing. Contact your local Macmillan nurse and ask where the nearest one runs. You need to be referred, but they can do that (or your GP). There are a couple of others too, Take Control, and Time & Space.


Also, I would suggest finding a local Prostate Cancer Support Group. There is an incomplete list here, but if you said roughly where you live, people might suggest other ones too.

 
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