Is exercise with ADT the Secret Sauce?

Good resources and well said. My hope with this post is to encourage those that aren't exercising to consider it. We can do ADT or ADT can do us. And yes, there are probably exceptions on both sides. I choose to keep going. Spoke with a friend today whose sister found the dreaded lump and had both removed and kept on living her best life. Went to the park to ride yesterday and ended up riding with a Vet friend that has a spine injury and rides a 3-wheel electric assist bicycle on the trails. Another this morning that has a heart implant device and we made arraignments to get out and ride. We don't need to look far to find inspiration from those with other maladies.

well, blinding flash of the obvious, yes.

There are the known and well understood benefits of exercise to our overall health. Less so, exercise and its impact on the side effects of prostate cancer treatment. Still, my medical team says the exercise is better than anything they can do to mitigate the side effects.

I have changed nothing while on treatment with regards to exercise, go to the gym, ride my bike outside, ski, hike in the mountains, do my won yard work, walk the dog...Nothing extreme, in moderation, all things I like to do though no disagreement about the value of Yoga, Pilates...just not my thing!

This offers some possible explanations.

Kevin

On Abiraterone 1000 mg a day 5 mg Prednisone a day and a Lupron shot
every 3 month. After 45 Radiation treatments and Hormone therapy
I lost 20 Lbs. and weak and tired.
It took 6 weeks to recover from the radiation , I started eating again and
went back to my workout routine of lifting weights and doing resistance
Machine, I gained my weight back and regained my strength, I continue to
work out not a strong as I was and I still get tired out, but PSA is .10
Testosterone is 13, feeling good expect for the Hot Flashes. I would say a person needs to workout and lift weights.
.

Way to gut through all that!

Since my last post about the "benefits" of exercise it seems exercise hasn't helped me at all. My pre-ADT DEXA scan was fine. My scan results yesterday showed both osteoporosis and osteopenia with a 25% fracture risk and my testosterone has flat out stopped recovering. Am trying REALLY hard to not "fall back into the pit." The only plus is my PSA now .04 five months post-ADT and nine months post radiation. One step forward but two steps back.

How long were you on ADT if you don't mind sharing? Does exercise help your overall frame of mind? Any benefit?

I was on ADT for six months and it was strongly implied that because I was on Orgovyx and younger there was very little chance of permanent SE’s. I’m starting to think this whole prostate cancer treatment M.O. is to dangle carrots in front of patients (“just hang in there a few more months and things may improve” “we still don’t know if you’ll recover” etc.). I think if they were more realistic fewer of us would choose these highly toxic treatments. I still would have done radiation but wish I never touched ADT.

Exercise DOES keep my hip pain at bay. When I wake up it’s a 4 to 5 but after exercise it drops to a 1 or 2 and occasionally even disappears.

Well, that is something. I can hear your frustration and battle it myself. Gl 9 grade 5 t2 with Cribaform. I'll have it for life. Wrestled with the whole thing and finally got to the point that I want to hang around for as long as there is some quality of life. Right now even with ADT life is pretty darn good and I am still active. Best wishes on your journey.

I’m really envious of people who can find peace with really difficult things. I try, and feel like I’m making progress, but then just feel like I slip backwards. I think it’s a character defect. The bad feelings will pass when I’m distracted or doing something but then they come back again. But I am at least trudging onward.

Are you by chance a friend of Bill? I have experienced many highs and lows while on ADT and a new low while on radiation with its combined side effects. My wife mentioned that she had never seen me like this. I have tried denial, being really busy, exercise, home maintenance projects and spending time with family and friends. I would say some of, "all of the above" is what seems to be working today. I treat today as if it is all I have and try to make the most of it. One thing I do know is I can't do this by myself, and you are right it is a trudge.