Fitness levels and RT side effects

User

Posted 15 Apr 2021 at 19:35

Hi,

I am aged 59 and was diagnosed with Gleason 3+3 and 3+4 in October 2020.

I decided to go down the Radiotherpay route, and decided to get myself as fit as possible before the treatment started in the hope that being fit would help with the side-effects. I had previously been reasonably fit (running/golf) and over a 4 month period managed to exercise 4 or 5 times a week (Exercise Bike and one or two 5 mile runs per week, plus light weights). During the Hormone treatment, this was at times not as easy as I am used to, but by the time the treatment started, I was the fittest I had been for 4 or 5 years (last half marathon).

I had no idea what to expect regarding side effects of RT, but today was session 19 out of 20 and I have experienced zero fatigue /tiredness just some bladder/peeing issues.

During the RT, I did also stooped working (zero stress), reduce my caffeine intake, give up alcohol, be well hydrated and eat a good diet.

Tomorrow is my last session and I am looking forward to normality.

Of course, exercise isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I am convinced that the path I followed definitely helped me get through this with only minimal issues.

I feel blessed that my PC was diagnosed early, and despite Covid my route through this has been really smooth. I also am incredibly impressed by the Radiotherpay service where I have been going, thank you NHS my treatment has been first class.

User

Posted 15 Apr 2021 at 20:23

Great post

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

User

Posted 16 Apr 2021 at 00:08

Nic82, I'm a cyclist so quite fit, and likewise, no fatigue during external beam radiotherapy.

I had a blood test before and after the external beam radiotherapy, and what was noticeable was that my hemoglobin dropped by 8%. Since I had a good level to start with (probably due to cycling), the 8% drop didn't take me outside the normal range.

After the external beam radiotherapy I had an operation where I lost 10% of my blood, so my hemoglobin was now down about 18%, and below normal range, and then I did feel tired.

So I suspect the radiotherapy fatigue might be due to reduction in hemoglobin caused by the radiation, but if you exercise sufficiently to have a good VO2max and hemoglobin level, then you probably aren't going to drop low enough to cause fatigue and may even stay inside the normal range, as I did, and maybe you did too.

User

Posted 16 Apr 2021 at 11:06

Cheers Andy, hope all is fine with you now, and you can look forward to many happy miles on your Bike in the future.

User

Posted 16 Apr 2021 at 11:16

I am convinced being fit does help reduce effects of RT and forced myself to achieve walking targets throughout RT. Actually, I found the HT that preceded it most fatiguing, although I continued to play Short Tennis prior to the RT but needed to reduce the number of games I could play within a session. I think I could still have played during RT had this been available where I stayed, although perhaps with slightly fewer games.

Unless one has some personal reason why exercise should not be done or should be very limited, I think most people could benefit to some extent as the OP did. Well done.

Barry

User

Posted 16 Apr 2021 at 17:38

Thanks Barry. I agree, HT was by far the worst part of the treatment. I was always a "morning" person (and would run first thing), but on the HT it was only late afternoon when I could do a workout. I would advise anyone about to go down this route, to work at building up their fitness levels if they are able to....

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