Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Both replies are uplifting, even if I do have a worse condition. I can't go a minute without dripping! Even after the bath I have to be careful while getting dry.
Years ago I would have been appalled at this, but the great thing about humans is that we accommodate to adversity and work round it if we can. So I don't mind who knows, and even if it means coping with something socislly awkward, it's just a mechanical issue, and not a moral failing.
Thanks both of you. I'm sure you'll agree that just knowing there are others in this silly boat is very helpful.
Years ago I would have been appalled at this, but the great thing about humans is that we accommodate to adversity and work round it if we can. So I don't mind who knows, and even if it means coping with something socislly awkward, it's just a mechanical issue, and not a moral failing.
Thanks both of you. I'm sure you'll agree that just knowing there are others in this silly boat is very helpful.
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
It's always good to know others suffer the same issues and can cope. You are coping remarkably well.
I too would have been appalled to suffer incontinence at any level, but I have learnt to cope. I usual find I'm fairly dry except when I have alcohol, when leaking is inevitable after the first toilet visit of a session of alcohol intake. A pattern has developed though; the bad days when I leak most usually follow the weekend when I have a bottle of wine (occasionally more!) on Friday and Saturday nights, sometimes Sundays too. Monday to Wednesday I leak a lot more than I do on Thursday and Friday. I'm often totally dry on the latter.
My daughter, who is a gynaecologist (similar mechanics, different exit design), has suggested that I go teetotal for a few months to see if not having the constant failure caused by drinking regularly has an overall positive effect. She has also suggested I lose around 30lbs in weight to ease the strain on the pelvic floor.
I'm going to go down that route and yesterday I ordered a Peleton bike to ensure I get daily exercise during the dark nights and winter weather. I'm also going on a strict diet as of Monday, as teetotal as I can muster until at least Christmas and we shall see what happens
Watch this space!
I too would have been appalled to suffer incontinence at any level, but I have learnt to cope. I usual find I'm fairly dry except when I have alcohol, when leaking is inevitable after the first toilet visit of a session of alcohol intake. A pattern has developed though; the bad days when I leak most usually follow the weekend when I have a bottle of wine (occasionally more!) on Friday and Saturday nights, sometimes Sundays too. Monday to Wednesday I leak a lot more than I do on Thursday and Friday. I'm often totally dry on the latter.
My daughter, who is a gynaecologist (similar mechanics, different exit design), has suggested that I go teetotal for a few months to see if not having the constant failure caused by drinking regularly has an overall positive effect. She has also suggested I lose around 30lbs in weight to ease the strain on the pelvic floor.
I'm going to go down that route and yesterday I ordered a Peleton bike to ensure I get daily exercise during the dark nights and winter weather. I'm also going on a strict diet as of Monday, as teetotal as I can muster until at least Christmas and we shall see what happens
Watch this space!
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Being an alcoholic who has not had ANY alcohol for over 18 years and has a BMI sub-20 I cannot comment on your proposed regime, but great that you remain so determined.
Overnight is my main problem - rarely get more than 2 hours uninterrupted sleep - and the first few hours after I get up - need the loo at least every 20 minutes. Restricts riding to solo and rules out a lot of holiday travel.
But relatively small beer (!) problems compared with many C patients.
Illness puts lots of things "in perspective"!
Overnight is my main problem - rarely get more than 2 hours uninterrupted sleep - and the first few hours after I get up - need the loo at least every 20 minutes. Restricts riding to solo and rules out a lot of holiday travel.
But relatively small beer (!) problems compared with many C patients.
Illness puts lots of things "in perspective"!
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
A sort of conclusion, just in case anyone in similar circumstances. First "review" (phone) yesterday. PSA 0.14, "very good". Hormone injections to continue, 1/4ly for 3 years. PSA levels to be taken every 6 months.
Urinary problems largely unchanged, but then not directly caused by the cancerous cells. I occasionally get up to 4 hours uninterrupted sleep.
My Consultant (he phoned in person!) said that it would be last time we spoke, all gone so well that passing me on to GP (and that does worry me).
So, annoying symptoms remain, but combination of hormone treatment and ert, warranted by Gleason score of 9, appears to being "successful". Will know when not when spreads elsewhere!
For now I can live with the risk of being busted for weeing by the roadside on my continuing daily rides!
I judged my Consultant sound and am glad I followed his proposed course of treatment.
Urinary problems largely unchanged, but then not directly caused by the cancerous cells. I occasionally get up to 4 hours uninterrupted sleep.
My Consultant (he phoned in person!) said that it would be last time we spoke, all gone so well that passing me on to GP (and that does worry me).
So, annoying symptoms remain, but combination of hormone treatment and ert, warranted by Gleason score of 9, appears to being "successful". Will know when not when spreads elsewhere!
For now I can live with the risk of being busted for weeing by the roadside on my continuing daily rides!
I judged my Consultant sound and am glad I followed his proposed course of treatment.
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Thanks for the update.
Good to hear that you're out every day.
Jonathan
Good to hear that you're out every day.
Jonathan
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
I had my RT sessions during March 2020 following diagnosis with a Gleason score of 7 (3+4). My HT continued for a further 6 months after RT & in April this year my psa was 0.7 It was unchanged at 0.7 in September. I mentioned to my consultant that this figure seemed high to me compared to other men at a similar stage. His reply was that no 2 men are the same & we all have different size prostates. He also discharged me to the hospital’s remote monitoring service. I’m not bothered by this as the consultant service has been remote as a result of the pandemic. If I have any problems or major concerns I will shout from the rooftop! I usually get up once in the night for a wee but this mainly due to my disturbed sleep pattern, I have no issues during the day. Good luck to you (& to me too!)
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
"Good luck to you (& to me too!)"
Reciprocated! My next hormone injection next week, I do seem to get very mild hot flush side effects for the first few days thereafter, but I can live with that!
Reciprocated! My next hormone injection next week, I do seem to get very mild hot flush side effects for the first few days thereafter, but I can live with that!
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
dj, It's good to hear that you have made major strides forward after being in such a bad place only a few months ago. Well done and long may it continue.
I've personally made a slow and steady improvement. I didn't completely quit alcohol but I've seriously curtailed it and over the past 8 weeks I've lost 11lbs in weight. It's been extremely difficult to do as I now take Bisoprolol which appears to have slowed everything down by about 20%, despite my being on only a tiny dose. I've done about 45 minutes a day on the Peloton, churning out an average (now) of about 150 watts, up from 120 when I first got it 5 weeks ago so I'm feeling pretty good
I've kept a gant chart to record my continence progress. I'm not obsessed but it's a scientific way of tracking it. For the last month or so I've been more or less dry apart from the odd day and even if I do drink alcohol I'm not immediately leaking so it's good. I was told it could take anything up to a year to achieve full continence and I'm now 38 weeks or 73% down that road so I'm well pleased!
I've personally made a slow and steady improvement. I didn't completely quit alcohol but I've seriously curtailed it and over the past 8 weeks I've lost 11lbs in weight. It's been extremely difficult to do as I now take Bisoprolol which appears to have slowed everything down by about 20%, despite my being on only a tiny dose. I've done about 45 minutes a day on the Peloton, churning out an average (now) of about 150 watts, up from 120 when I first got it 5 weeks ago so I'm feeling pretty good
I've kept a gant chart to record my continence progress. I'm not obsessed but it's a scientific way of tracking it. For the last month or so I've been more or less dry apart from the odd day and even if I do drink alcohol I'm not immediately leaking so it's good. I was told it could take anything up to a year to achieve full continence and I'm now 38 weeks or 73% down that road so I'm well pleased!
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
@saudidave, well done on the alcohol/weight issue. (Even after approaching 19 years dry, Xmas is a danger zone for me.)
My exercise regime is more related to my need to keep COPD at bay for as long as possible, which I measure by simple "miles" - at present a race to hit my target to have averaged 500 a month over the year. My ERT knocked a hole in that but I should just about make it.
Great that you have persevered in the face of early major set backs and disappointments - your determination is pretty remarkable. Respect and best wishes for continuing improvements.
My exercise regime is more related to my need to keep COPD at bay for as long as possible, which I measure by simple "miles" - at present a race to hit my target to have averaged 500 a month over the year. My ERT knocked a hole in that but I should just about make it.
Great that you have persevered in the face of early major set backs and disappointments - your determination is pretty remarkable. Respect and best wishes for continuing improvements.
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
@dj, your determination far out weighs mine. 19 years without a drink? I once did 16 weeks in 1982 when working in Saudi but cracked on the plane home when we left Saudi airspace and the drinks trolley came round. Other than that there was a month around 1990 and 7 weeks in March/April of this year when I was recovering from a radical prostatectomy, an emergency laparotomy 36 hours later, followed by 48 hours in a medically induced coma. Other than that it's the occasional two weeks here and there but usually one!
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Began with a simple choice - stop or die, SOON. I know from previous failed attempts that 1 gin today would be a bottle within a week or 2. It's the fear of having to go through quitting again that keeps me sober.
At least 2 doctors and a few nurses have said "just 1 or 2 drinks won't hurt now..." Alcoholics know different!
And yes I still want a drink, no longer 24 hours a day, but whenever I feel challenged - like facing C treatment!
At least 2 doctors and a few nurses have said "just 1 or 2 drinks won't hurt now..." Alcoholics know different!
And yes I still want a drink, no longer 24 hours a day, but whenever I feel challenged - like facing C treatment!
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Update:
Prior to my op my PSA reading was over 10 and 3 months after the OP it was 0.1. It's now 9 months after the op and it's <0.1
The cancer is gone and I need no further treatment, so it's the best Xmas present I can imagine.
All the best to everyone for Xmas and the New Year
Prior to my op my PSA reading was over 10 and 3 months after the OP it was 0.1. It's now 9 months after the op and it's <0.1
The cancer is gone and I need no further treatment, so it's the best Xmas present I can imagine.
All the best to everyone for Xmas and the New Year
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Best wishes for a good Christmas etc to go with the good news!saudidave wrote: ↑23 Dec 2021, 5:57pm Update:
Prior to my op my PSA reading was over 10 and 3 months after the OP it was 0.1. It's now 9 months after the op and it's <0.1
The cancer is gone and I need no further treatment, so it's the best Xmas present I can imagine.
All the best to everyone for Xmas and the New Year
(My psa topped at 18, 0.14 at 4 months after radiotherapy. I hope my trajectory follows yours!)
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
djnotts wrote: ↑23 Dec 2021, 7:21pmBest wishes for a good Christmas etc to go with the good news!saudidave wrote: ↑23 Dec 2021, 5:57pm Update:
Prior to my op my PSA reading was over 10 and 3 months after the OP it was 0.01. It's now 9 months after the op and it's <0.01
The cancer is gone and I need no further treatment, so it's the best Xmas present I can imagine.
All the best to everyone for Xmas and the New Year
(My psa topped at 18, 0.14 at 4 months after radiotherapy. I hope my trajectory follows yours!)
Re: Cycling after Prostatectomy or brachytherapy
Well, I finished the year on 6,117 miles, nearly 90% real, OTR, rest stationary, mostly dictated by fitting exercise around hospital treatment etc. Only 26 inactive days (post-biopsy and on holiday!).
Far from record breaking, but not too shabby and pleasing enough for me given age and all the circumstances.
Luck and determination the key!
Far from record breaking, but not too shabby and pleasing enough for me given age and all the circumstances.
Luck and determination the key!