Age 64, stage 4A, on abiterarone since settember last year, up to a few weeks ago side effects not been to bad, tried to keep fit and active, but in the last few weeks my leg strength has diminished significantly, can hardly walk a few hundred yard without needing to stop, this is worrying, beginning to feel as though I am not far of needing a wheelchair, anyone else been in this position
Muscle loss is an issue with any hormone therapy, and I think it's even more severe with the added fatigue of Abiraterone. Are you doing any resistance training? I found it essential to keeping any muscle on, going to the gym and lifting to failure. Just walking wasn't sufficient.
Thanks. L1m, t's probably related, unfortunately I had an accident 6 weeks ago, whick meant I couldn't go, will get back to the gym next week, and back on the weights, I was going on average once a week prior to that, how often do you go, going to aim for twice a week if I can fit it in
Sorry to hear of your accident. If you can get to the gym twice a week it's well worth the effort. I found big compound exercises like squats and deadlifts work best, if you haven't done these before it may be worth getting a personal trainer to ensure correct technique.
Forgot to answer your question! I go twice a week, one of which with a personal trainer, I spend about an hour in the gym and I usually feel my legs two days after. I do swimming and cycling on the non gym days, but until I added the gym to my routine my muscles were wasting away, as with HT I couldn't push as hard a before on my cardio sessions.
Been on abiraterone for 5 years and yes had loss of strength in my legs and upper body. I have been going to pure gym twice per week and use weights for my legs and upper body and over time it does work. Have also found recently that a couple of paracetamol helps as well.
I used to be a gym monkey and they are great but I’ve found purchasing a set of dumbbells and training 15 minutes daily at home is more consistent and manageable.
Search You Tube for an overall or specific body part workout and do it EVERY day. You’ll find it easier to actually do as opposed to finding the will power to go to a gym.
I have had a hard time on hormone therapy, despite, initially going to the gym I have an extraordinary lot of muscle to the point lifting 10kg is hard, my doctor says that the hormone treatment is almost certainly the case but advised me not to stop it, 2 years on my fitness is coming back, I do lift weights, have a rowing machine and walk a lot but nothing has really helped. I'm now afraid to use my motorcycle because of my general weakness.My wife is my best friend and does everything possible to help me.
I think one of problems is my age, I'm just coming up to my 78th birthday which for my family is an amazing achievement, out of a family of 9 I'm the longest living left, my youngest sister is the only one left alive who's health is not so great, she's 62yo. I have a PSA test every 3 months which so far comes back as negligible, less than one percent.
My mental health is so much better than when first diagnosed with PC, my fitness back then included running, hill walking, my life's dream, riding a motorcycle which I've done since a school boy of 13 on a 350 matchless in a farmers field.
I have no regrets really as life has been good for me, bringing up a family of four boys who are all doing well in their chosen careers, 2 grandsons who we occasionally see.
Being diagnosed with prostate cancer changed my life and dreams out of all context, before that my health has been really good, PC shattered what dreams I had left.
Our Dalmatian takes me for walks now which is really enjoyable, our small dog tags along just for fun, hoping to see the Dalmatian, Ted, pull me over in a muddy field.
A long post but it helps, sometimes, especially so just now, our weather has been near continuous rain for 6 weeks but today the sun is actually shining, which will bring the midges out to feed on us
Update, I am still having issues with strength and walking unfortunately, told to stop taking abiterarone a couple of weeks ago, see oncologist next week, has anyone got experience of being offered an alternative, cos at the moment I am thinking I am not that far off being in a wheelchair
