Hair Loss and weakness

Hello JonnyT  A warm welcome to the online Prostate Community - we aren't a bad bunch!!

I am a Gleason 9 T3aN0M0 and have been on Hormone Therapy for 28 months - I have had every side effect HT throws at you: Loss of Body hair, Hot Sweats, I have a pair of "moobs", I had very itchy skin, I have put on weight, I can cry for England, I have erectile dysfunction, My penis and testicles have shrunk and I have lost muscle mass and physical strength. To cap it all after 28 months I have now had a bit of "brain fog" and to be honest I have had a couple of mood swings.

HOWEVER

If I remember I am on a "curative pathway" and only have another 8 months to go - it's a small price to pay.

JonnyT said:

Is this normal?

The answer to the question is YES.

I hope this helps - I don't know how long you are on HT for but not everyone gets all the side effects.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi JonnyT and welcome to the forum, hair loss and fatigue are perfectly normal but nearly always temporary. The hair loss will be due to RT and the fatigue is mostly down to HT. good news your tumour has been caught before it could spread and treatment has been relatively quick. Regarding your fatigue the way through it to regain your strength is exercise, you won't be able to do much at first but keep going and four fitness will improve, best wishes with your treatment.

Eddie

I didn't mention all the other issues but I have the full set as well. Thanks for replying and putting my mind at rest.

Hi JonnyT 

It's almost three years since my last HT injection and over five since the end of RT. Yes, I had all of the same side effects especially the fatigue from RT.

From being a very active 71 year old I felt more like 90 after the RT finished. However, my friends from the rowing club formed a rota and made me go for a walk every day. At first we only managed a few hundred yards but were soo walking several miles. After a few months I was almost back to full fitness and was competing in regattas again.

By the end of my HT in June 2021 my weight was up to 86kg and I was also diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Over the last two years I have built up my exercise routines and also eating more carefully. Last weekend I weighed in at 76.5kg so now have a BMI <25! My HbA1C is down to 44 so my diabetes is also in remission.

I will be 77 this year and walk at least 30 miles every week, swim a mile twice a week and go coastal rowing as often as the wind and tides allow. The mood swings are gone but there's still a bit of brain fog occasionally and my "dangly bits" are back to the size they were prior to the HT! The only thing that is left is the "moobs" which haven't gone away.

I hope that helps you to see that there's light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a train coming in the opposite direction.

Hello JonnyT. Welcome to this forum. My husband has been on HT for 18 months and had RT. He has lost loads of hair - head and body! He’s also gained a ‘midriff bulge’ and lost a lot of strength. He’s been trying to fight through it all but, combined with other health issues, his mental health is really suffering now. We are hoping that his PSA test this week will be a good result and that the oncologist will tell him to stop having the ht at the review in May. 

it sounds gloomy but it’s only this last month that things have got on top of him. Until now he has been in a good place - a couple of really nice holidays, enjoying family life and hobbies as usual etc. most importantly - he’s still here!!!!

I hope all goes well for you!

This is  not unusual and is why I determined to keep on exercising (especially resistance training)  through out my treatment to avoid as much muscle loss as possible during my HT.  I am convinced the exercising also helped with the weight gain, mood swings and fatigue too.  I only put on about 5-6lbs during my time on HT (amazingly all that settled around the middle) and fatigue was minimal - If I sat down too long after lunch I would drift off and would also snooze at night watching TV.  My hair actually started to thicken up and another man I know had the same we were both on prostap - for a while it was nice to have thicker hair but once the HT was over it eventually went back to as it was before - shame! I don't know that I ever really noticed any mood swings - maybe I should ask my wife that ;)

Worriedwife said:

it sounds gloomy but it’s only this last month that things have got on top of him.

That's me down to  a "T".  27 months fine and then a "crap" two weeks  - I hope I am over it now!!

I do hope he's able to stop the HT - here's to a low PSA.

Best wishes - Brian.