Just past halfway through salvage IMRT – status report

Hey Melvin, I started treatment yesterday. It is a 39 treatment plan. I went into the session feeling great, but about two hours later my stomach started to feel off. Not sick to the point of throwing up, just unsettled. As the night went on I was not hungry and felt tired. I slept all night but woke up feeling drained, muscles tired, and my stomach still not right. I cannot really explain it other than feeling off and a little loopy. Not my normal self. Even my biceps feel tired and sore. I usually exercise every morning but skipped today to rest.
My doctor thinks my body is reacting to the stress of ADT and radiation therapy. I guess I have been holding it in for too long. I am not very good at expressing myself emotionally, so she said my body is reacting to everything and that I just need to push through the first few treatments.
Did you experience anything like this when you started?

@tj1967 Sorry to hear that you’re getting hit so abruptly. I had some mild nausea in the first couple of weeks that went away eventually. No muscle pain though--that sounds like the ADT, which I didn’t do. I just came back from seeing my PCP and I mentioned to him that doing ADT along with the RT could be a really kicker. So, I think your doc might be right. Yeah, just ride it out and hope things settle out. And if they don’t, don’t be shy about telling your medical team. Btw, I kept a journal of my whole experience. Writing down everything that was going with me, and around me, really helped a lot, especially when having to discuss things with medical professionals or even friends and family. There is a tremendous psychological component to all this that can heap on unexpectedly. Just recognizing the anxiety, and accepting it, can take a load off. Anyway, I hope things settle down.

How long have you been on ADT and what are you taking? Maybe post this as a new topic. Lots of guys here can fill you in on that better than I can.

@melvinw I have been on Orgovyx for about five or six weeks now. I don't think what I felt is related to the medication. I think it was the weight of everything hitting me at once. Lying there while the machine moves around you, knowing it is blasting your insides but you cannot feel a thing, is surreal. I did my second treatment today and again it was no big deal. I think the stress of this whole process just wore me out. I am going to get some sleep tonight and get back to the treadmill and weights tomorrow. Your original post was extremely helpful and motivating. Thank you. Two down, thirty seven to go!

@tj1967 Exercise is so key in all this. Even on the days when I lacked motivation, I'd push myself to at least go for a short walk and do a bit of resistance training. Always made me feel better. Thirty nine treatments is definitely going to be a slog. Beware the doldrums. when you are far into it but can’t see the light at the end. But you know, now that I am done, it’s almost like it didn’t happen. Just feels good to get back to some semblance of a normal life. Keep us posted on how things are going.

@melvinw ADT with IMRT can and WILL kick your ass. I fought thru it all the way with diet/exercise and discipline. But when it was over??
THAT was when I felt it the most, letting myself go like a balloon ready to burst having all the air let out.
It sucks, it’s a miserable slog but you’ll get thru it like the rest of us have…
Phil

Very good point and reminder that the end of treatment is definitely not the end of dealing with the effects of treatment. I allowed myself a bit of a holiday for a few days after ending IMRT, but am ramping back up to a more disciplined approach to diet and exercise. As a friend’s gramps used to say (who also had PCa), “Keep moving if you don’t want them to throw dirt on you”.

@heavyphil thanks Phil and Melvin. appreciate you!