Hi. Meant to mention when I was posting other questions, did any of you start losing muscle before you actually had any surgery or treatment for your cancer.
Can't say that I noticed. I've definitely lost muscle since being diagnosed, mainly because I couldn't work out like I used to, but didn't notice before hand.
I'd like to start the gym again at some point but a bit worried about over doing it as I get a bit addicted to the weights.
I did lose a bit of weight in the 6 months before my diagnosis, about 7 lb ( age in your profile suggests lbs not kilos).
Always tall and skinny I guess it was muscle loss because never carried much fat. Lost a fair bit more in hospital after removal of bladder, prostate and lymph nodes. Had no appetite and the hospital food wasn’t the best. Only put a bit back on since but nett result is I’m walking around quite happily about a stone lighter than I had always been. Anybody on here know how much a bladder and rather enlarged prostate might weigh ?? Just curious.
I didn't notice any loss. After RC, I lost a fair bit of weight and strength. When I'd recovered sufficiently, I made an effort to rebuild fitness and probably ended up fitter than before surgery.
I suspect the amount of tissue removed is relatively insignificant as far as weight is concerned. Didn't seem to leave a gap, either! My surgeon was very careful to join the edges of the incision up neatly, but my abdomen goes all crinkly when I contract the muscles.
I think they took away part of my flabby stomach over the bladder as that side seems flatter now, probably wanted to make sure there was no spread. My op was done robotically so no big incision.But mainly I lost weight and fitness from the chemo.
Sadly I have replaced the weight since - and then took too long to restart Pilates. I was very fit from that and gym (several times a week) before diagnosis. After the cystectomy I was worried about having a hernia as everyone tells you to be careful. (What they don't say of course is that a stoma is the equivalent of a hernia - hole in the muscle.) And I haven't gone back to the gym as I've been told not to lift much weight because of another thing they found from the CTs, which is something I have to live with.
After the op I found walking was harder and I didn't get back as much fitness early on. (Being told I had a heart problem as well didn't help but have recently had some wonderful medication that seems to have got rid of it (fingers crossed) and my energy levels are much better now.
So I have been pushing myself a bit and can feel my core becoming stronger and the pelvic floor is working better so I'm just going for it. Still stiff from my Monday's one-to-one with a very good new Pilates teacher - ex ballet dancer - they're the toughest!
It's such a buzz to feel myself improving, though at this rate it will take 12 months or probably more before I shall be anywhere near what I used to be.
