(I had two 3-month injections of Eligard; the Eligard stayed in my system a total of 9 months.)

When I was initially diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012, my wife was quite upset. She said she “couldn’t bear the thought of cancer being in me.” But, I’m the more pragmatic, logical (retired computer scientist) type, and was able to show her (based on the data), that there really wasn’t anything to worry about, many treatments were available, and that I would carefully evaluate and analyze all aspects of this situation and make a decision that was best for us.

In that process, much of my time has been spent maintaining normalcy for her and myself, and insulating her from the continuous grind - physical and mental - of test-after-test-after-test. (That effort exhibited itself a few weeks ago when I mentioned to my wife about it being the 5th anniversary since the end of my 28 proton radiation treatments. She replied “yeah” and went back to watching her TV show.(!) That was an appropriate response, given my purposeful efforts to maintain normalcy in our relationship during this time.)

During my hormone therapy, I asked my wife if she had noticed any emotional changes in me: moodiness, crankiness, aggressiveness, anger, etc. She said that she hadn’t noticed any. (But, she did joke that I started watching too much Hallmark Channel on TV!)

This diagnosis did not adversely affect my passion, enthusiasm, and motivation for life in any way. In fact, it motivated me to be more active, eat more healthily, stay occupied, and continue with all I had been doing. (When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I had recently been elected vice mayor of my city; later I would be elected mayor. Nothing around me changed with my diagnosis.)

The things you’re expressing that he’s going through are all due to low testosterone. Think about your own menopausal years. What it took you years to get to and through, he was put fully into in a few weeks. “Male menopause” is what it’s called. He’s feeling 15 years older practically overnight; yes, that might cause him to be emotionally flat, less connected, shorter tennis sessions, indifference, apathy, patience, hot flashes, fatigue, ….feelings in general. (Again, think menopause.)

His feelings aren’t likely to improve until the ADT is out of his system and his T levels return.

However, there is a solution….

We often hear about the physical benefits of exercise to minimize the physical side-effects of hormone therapy. But, there are also mental health benefits as well —> Exercise turns on many types of switches in the parts of the brain that puts us in a better mood. It reduces stress, anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, and more.

A short video with Drs. Sholz and Moyad talking about exercise and hormone therapy: https://m.youtube.com/watch

Incorporating a resistance-training exercise program is a necessary part of the routine to minimize the potential physical/mental side-effects of hormone therapy.

It will improve the situation for him (and you).
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