First Post and Seeking Advice

Hello DancerT and a warm welcome to the Online Prostate Community.

I can't answer your question myself but understand a full recovery from Chemotherapy can take anything from six to twelve months. I am sure other Community members will be along with advice but can I point you towards:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/after-treatment

There is also the online Chemotherapy forum where you may get some answers - the link to this is below:

Chemotherapy forum 

I hope this helps and can answer some of your questions.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hello DancerT.

A very warm welcome from me. Boy has your partner been through the mill and all credit to the both of you for getting through the chemotherapy. My husband also completed his course in October and is still suffering from fatigue, although part of this I think is down to his age. Brian is right when he says that the effects of chemotherapy can continue for 6 - I2 months but can I make a couple of suggestions.

Firstly, when was his last blood test. It may be an Idea to check for anaemia in particular as this can be a side effect of the hormone therapy or it could be the bloods still getting back into balance after the chemo.

Secondly keep an eye on temperature in case he has picked up a bug, he is still immunocompromised.

Thirdly it sounds as if he has developed oedema in his legs. My husband has this problem which is caused by the lymph fluid from killing the cancer building up there as it has nowhere else to go, particularly if the pelvic lymph nodes were removed during the prostatectomy or zapped by radiotherapy. The treatment is to keep the legs elevated as much as possible but also to massage them with something like Vaseline and aloe vera twice a day. If really bad then you can get support stockings but would need to be measured for them. Your doctor could also arrange for physiotherapy to help, although my husband sees an osteopath who has a more holistic approach. There is also diuretics. The exercise is good for keeping things moving.

Fourthly, do you have a Maggie's support group near you - they might be able to signpost you to additional help.

Please come back if you have any questions.

DancerT,  I think the words from the others are all relevant and great advice.  I would just add that D should listen to his body.  I found it difficult to separate the side effects from RT, HT and Chemo, they all hit you in different ways and each person reacts differently.  My suggestion would be to keep a diary of what activity and what problems he has.  Perhaps have a really quiet day and see if that makes any difference.  I know that if I push too hard I will feel it later, but each of us as I said are different and age is against me.

I wish you both luck in your journey, please don’t hesitate to ask anything.  Best wishes, David.

Thank you and all the things you have suggested I have noted and will try. 

We don't live near a Maggie's unfortunately, but we do have a local Cancer Support Centre, which is very similar to Maggie's. I used to work for them and often visited Maggie's in the course of my work. Now on the other side of the fence! The local centre are giving him Reflex which helps.

Hi Dancer T

As all have said, chemo can take a while to leave the body, it affects different people in different ways. lots of liquid water or pomegranate juice can help, when I had mine I could just about walk up and downstairs, has anyone in his urology team mentioned about the leg swelling or your doctor ? I did things slowly after I finished but I was blasted with radiotherapy five six weeks later, after this I just gradually started moving more freely, I never gained the mobility I had before, but better than the other alternative. 
I know saying this is not all what he wants to hear, things take time being positive gets you there sooner, fighting is all we can do.

Stay safe

Joe