@surftohealth88
Thanks for asking, Mrs. Surf. I started both RT and the patch last Wednesday. Definitely had some ups and downs (pressure in head, some nausea, stomach ache, fatigue). I couldn't tell if the cause was the RT or the patch, but after talking with my RO today, it's clear it's the patch. The good news is I biked 15 miles yesterday and felt good. Today, I jumped on my bike as soon as I got done with RT. I wasn't feeling good to start but after a few minutes of biking I felt a lot better (14 miles today). Personal testimony supporting the benefits of exercise 🙂
In other news I got a "second opinion" last Friday at MSK. The doctor didn't think there were enough long-term data to support the patch (he did support 2 years of Zytiga). However, today my RO pointed out that the PATCH trial (which showed similar performance between the patch and "regular" ADT) was based on the same data set as the STAMPEDE trial, which is one of the studies the MSK doctor relied on to support 2 years of Zytiga. My RO and I agreed many doctors are simply risk averse to trying new things 🙂
Finally, advice on prep for the RT each day: it will take some trial and error to get the bladder and rectum right for treatment. This is expected and there are times I had to get off the table and drink more water and return for treatment. Also, you can drink too much water. Once I had to get off the table and "tap the keg" (sorry for the teenage boy humor) and then return for treatment (told you I was an overachiever).
All the best to your husband and I hope the RT starts soon so you can get that behind you.