How has ADT affected your enthusiasm & motivation for life?

Posted by scary1 @scary1, 3 days ago

My 61 year old husband (I'm 55) has been on ADT - Nubeqa and Orgovyx - for over three months and will likely take both for two years for high-risk prostate cancer (Gleason 9, cribriform, visibly contained within the prostate per scans), and I'm trying to better understand what other couples have experienced.
For those of you who have been on ADT, how has it affected your passion, enthusiasm, and motivation for life? My question isn’t about libido, but more about hobbies, excitement about future plans, ambition, or simply enjoying everyday conversations and activities.
Did you feel emotionally flat and less connected with loved ones and life? If so, did those feelings improve over time or after ADT ended?
My husband and I are a team for life; we still play (shorter) tennis sessions (we’ve played together for 30 years). We still laugh, but I sense an indifference and apathy that I’ve never experienced before. He's also less patient. Of course, this is to be expected, but I guess I’m asking: how did you feel differently toward your significant other? Clearly, testosterone is there for a reason, hence all the “low T” ads.
My husband says other than hot flashes and fatigue, he feels almost normal, but I see a difference. I don't want to make this about me, and I know this medical journey won't fracture us, but it’s also hard feeling our relationship off-kilter.
Thank you.

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Profile picture for chippydoo @chippydoo

I felt somewhat Eeyore like as ADT wore on. I had to push myself to get out of my chair to exercise and usually felt better for a few hours afterwards. My biggest challenges were post radiation problems.

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@chippydoo
Thanks for the check-in. My husband seems to gravitate to his favorite chair lately. Maybe the World Cup is also playing a role. His tone is also sometimes snappier than normal.
How many sessions of radiation did you have? My husband had the five SBRT blasts and seems fine so far (three weeks out from treatment).

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I had 25 sessions of EBRT radiation plus ADT. ADT wasn't horrible but I did ease up on physical activity intentionally lowering my heart rate during exercise and shortening my mountain bike trail riding milage. Emotionally flatter than normal. Everything seemed to require more mental effort to get going but was always rewarded by feeling better afterwards. I found that radiation side effects worsened over time and peaked for me around 12 months and sought additional medical assistance which has worked out well for me. It sounds like you are all in on this journey and couldn't be happier for the both of you.

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