Anyone had success regaining muscle strength with low testosterone?
I had Lupron and radiation treatment for Gleason 7 prostate cancer,
PSA is now <0.04. But my testosterone level is 157. Very very low. And my GP says that there's not much I can do to recover the level. I will be 78 soon.
I am seriously fatigued. I have lost muscle mass. My fitness level is very low. I get exhausted very very easily.
Has anyone had success regaining muscle strength and fitness with very low testosterone levels?
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I am 72 yrs old, an ex fitness trainer, who had Stage 4 Radical Prostatectomy 6+ yrs ago (2018). Sorry but, you will not garner any muscle size or increase strength. But let's look at the glass as 1/2 full. While your going thru the eradication process, concentrate on keeping what you have and maintaining stamina. I've weight trained 4 days a week since this started. I have been on orgovyx for almost 2+ yrs. I haven't surfed in about 4 yrs as the stamina needed for paddling has diminished.
I recommend concentrated free weight training (machines limit ones abilities) with very little rest between your set's (say 20-30 seconds). I have good days and not so good days but I'll be damned if this damn stuff drags me down.
Stay focused. Find our true north. And meditate (or in my case I pray to my Lord) daily.
If we want a miracle, let us be the miracle.
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4 Reactions@cliffordk, how are you doing? Have you started working out? What activities are you doing?
Yes, i have increased my work out efforts. 3 traing sessions/week, 2 yoga classes, 1 pilates class (maybe a second one), bike riding.
But the implanted testosterone pellets are not quite gone yet. I have just started Eligard. And will probably soon start Erleada. So the challenge has not yet started. I am trying to establish some good habits and routines.
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1 ReactionClassic lupron ae's yeah, nice ! They did not tell me about that when I started it all. If so I certainly would have sought out a more modern treatment, it does not pay to let a cancer doc in a one horse town treat you. I am stuck, into it for two years of lupron, radiation etc Undetectable psa for almost two years now, They want me to do a third year of lupron , am not so sure about that but you can always stop the shots , at least get them in 3 month intervals .
I am 77 and really do not care about libido , sex ,,ha ! I think life is must easier without it. But exercise is another story , I do gym 5 times a week, machines, some free weight and about 25 minutes on the stationary bikes . the cardio is important for me as a cyclist. As long as I can ride it is good. What can we do except keep up with our shadow.
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1 ReactionSolidwater, here's the thing. The Lupron stopped your testosterone from adding fuel to the cancer fire. Let's look at it this way. When your testosterone stopped it tends to curb the cancers appetite and the cancer slows to a crawl. Then the docs treat it. If your doctors are sure they have dealt with the cancer then ask them why is Lupron necessary any more?? My doc stopped my Lupron about a year ago and my cancer was a Gleason 10. If your psa is undetectable that's what it's all about. Look the doc straight in the eye and ask what-the-hell?? The decision is yours and yours alone. Ask the questions, what are the numbers, and get yes or no answers.
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1 Reactionthanks ! yes those explanations do read between the lines. I am puzzled why there has to be a third year of lupron. I cannot think of any reason to stretch it out What the lupron can do is provide a stable metric for the PSA, so we knew where it is all at. My opinion . Is that too simple because I can't think of a good reason to continue a third year of it. It is wearing me down, sapping my remaining strength . I appreciate your perception.
I had never worked out in a gym or at home with weights, full body exercises, core/balance, nothing, when I hired a personal trainer in April 22 a few months before I would be going on ADT (Orgovyx + Zytiga). I dropped 20 lbs before starting on ADT and even after I've been on it have continued to lose another 20. While I haven't added any muscle bulk there's no doubt I've become stronger. Lot of things I can do now 20 months into ADT that I could not when I started training. Not sure how that's possible without any T but it's very noticeable.
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1 ReactionCurrent thinking is intermittent Lupron therapy is as good (better?) than continuous. If you stop your Lupron now and follow your PSA, you can always start down the road. Also, intermittent therapy may help delay the cancer becoming castrate resistant.
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1 ReactionI found it interesting that high doses of testosterone kill castrate resistant Prostate Cancer.
To what do you attribute getting your testosterone high, post-Lupron treatments?