I had Radiotherapy in 2017 and I would say more or less back to normal, u have to give it a bit of time.
I didn't have Hormone therapy though.
In your OHs case once RT has finished hopefully the Hormone therapy would finish soon after and then should get back to normal, probably take an bit longer because of the hormone therapy.
If everything goes according to plan you'll come out of it ok, really.
Thank you x we are meant to be getting married in August 2020 and treatment doesn’t finish till may so was rather hoping all would be back to normal by then x
Of course if it's that small and contained there is the question as to why hormone therapy is included in treatment but that is a discussion for another day.
Depending on how long you are on the hormone treatment really. I was only on for 9 months but the side effects lasted about another year gradually getting less and less.
Most people want to get "successfully" treated.for prostate or any other cancer and return to "normal". Normal.meaning how they were before.
It would be unrealistic and falsely reassuring to say that ever happens.
Firstly, having any treatment for prostate cancer has irreversible physical consequences. The mainstream treatments aimed at eradicating the disease ( where it can be), i.e. Radiotherapy or Surgery, have permanent effects.
The effects of hormone therapy may be reversed when it's discontinued, but it isn't aimed at eradicating the disease, so if used temporarily, may be used in conjunction with RT or surgery.
Secondly, there are psychological consequences.of having cancer which are likely to remain permanently. .Cancer is life changing both physically and psychologically.
On the positive side, many "survivors" of cancer, meaning they are apparently cancer free on completing treatment, find a "new normal".
This includes finding ways of reducing the physical.consequences.of treatment, ( in the case of RT and surgery. possible incontinence and/or erectile dysfunction mainly)
or adapting to these physical changes and their consequences.
There are also.psychological strategies for dealing with.fears and anxiety, relationships etc.
Many people feel let down after treatment, they may feel abandoned, unsupported or not able to move on.
There is lots of help available with these and organisations like Macmillan that can help, if you ASK.
Things will never get back to how they were before, but there's hope that new things can take their place.
Having just re-read your post and your profile, I am a bit clearer about what you're asking. i.e. more specifically erectile dysfunction.
Prostate cancer can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED) in itself. The exact nature of it depends to some extent on whether the ED occurred before or after diagnosis. ED can be physiological, psychological or a bit of both. A man's perception of his erectile function is affected by being given the diagnosis.
A simple way of telling the difference is that with purely physiological ED, men have no erections whatsoever, at any time.
With psychological ED, men may not have any erections whilst conscious, but despite this still have erections when dreaming (which is normal) and on first waking. This does not require him being aroused.
I'm not clear what treatment he may be having that finishes in May. If the cancer is contained in the prostate then unless the Gleason score is 9 or 10, the usual choices are Radiotherapy (RT) or Surgery. Since the time between choosing the treatment and when the treatment is started is supposed to be no longer than 62 days, I imagine he's not going to have surgery.
If he's going to have RT, then I still don't see why that shouldn't be completed before May.
It seems to be suggested that he's having Hormone Therapy (HT). If the cancer is "early" this is the description given to it being contained in the gland itself. In which case, HT will only be given if the Gleason score is 9 or 10.
However HT will not eradicate the cancer, only slow it down. Therefore, even if your fiancé is having HT, it will only be temporary until other treatments are carried out. To have HT ONLY for "early" cancer is very strange! HT on its own is a treatment usually reserved for more "advanced" cancer, but in that case it may be permanent, not temporary.
HT has two main consequences, it may induce physiological ED, but more significantly it will lead to a loss of libido, i.e. your fiancé may not be interested and may not get aroused. In which case, tablets i.e. PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil or tadalafil) will have no effect. They will not work without arousal.
If he is on HT, once it's stopped, then his libido may return to normal. That's the good news.
However, if he has surgery or RT, these both have a significant effect on ED. Surgery has a more significant and more immediate effect. RT has a lesser effect, but not so immediate, it can take a couple of years for the effect to occur.
Prostate Cancer UK have some very useful information on how to minimise and deal with ED following treatment for "early" prostate cancer.
I'm sorry that you're having to deal with this at this particular phase of your life.
I had surgery for my "early" prostate cancer, without HT, and have subsequently happily remarried, 4 years in the coming May.
My fiance is currently taking a course of testerone reducing tabs only 28 tabs in total and he’s had one dose of hormone injections and has to have 5 more one each month and he has got to have 20 sessions of radiotherapy starting in March.
He started getting erection problems before cancer was diagnosed. We went to our gp and he sent my fiancé for blood tests which showed a higher than normal psa level so he then had a mri scan and a biopsy. Cancer is contained in the prostate and has been caught very early. The gp gives him sindefil to help. I guess we both want to know if the Ed will go after treatment or if he will have to take tabs for Ed forever.
There are different types of injections, they can be monthly or three monthly. I assume post RT the consultant will evaluate how successful the RT is then decide next steps. If successful and No more hormone therapy required then there are many factors to ED but can be possible.
whilst on hormone therapy ED is a sign that hormone therapy is working at the cancer is being held at bay. Relax enjoy each other’s company accept the positive message. Tabs require arousal which will not happen on hormone therapy (personal experience- even pump doesn’t work for me). Indeed I do not think about sex at all.
Hopefully for you this will be temporary and you can look forward to trying to help with rehabilitation on completing RT. Enjoy the closeness, being close is still enjoyable and reaffirms your love, not the same I know, enjoy the next few months, help your partner get as fit as possible preparing physically and mentally for March.
