Riding after prostate cancer radiotherapy treatment

[Rusty Nails]

I have recently had to undergo radiotherapy for prostate cancer, with the last session eight weeks ago. The docs say it went well but I won't be told the results until early September. As well as the RT the treatment consists of hormone therapy to reduce testosterone levels. This is important to help fight the cancer but it does come with side effects, the one that is relevant to this post is muscle loss and fatigue, as well as the dreaded hot flushes, and I am told these effects are temporary.

I am interested to find out if other cyclists on here who may have gone through this can give me some info on timescales in their cases. I have tried riding a couple of times in the past two weeks but, tbh, I have been knackered after a three mile ride, whereas three months ago I was doing three rides of around 25 miles a week. It's not just cycling as I have the same effects if I go out walking.

I am 78 and hope to get back to riding the same level as before the treatment asap and hope I am not being too optimistic as the current levels of fatigue and stamina and lack of cycling are really making me feel very low.

 

[Ian H]

A friend who is just about 70 had a prostatectomy in March. He's been back on the bike for several months (sooner than the doctor advised) and is now lamping up the hills on clubruns with the younger folk. Of course he might not be typical.

 

[Rusty Nails]

A friend who is just about 70 had a prostatectomy in March. He's been back on the bike for several months (sooner than the doctor advised) and is now lamping up the hills on clubruns with the younger folk. Of course he might not be typical.

Thanks for the reply. Do you know if his treatment involved hormone therapy as that is the main cause of the fatigue/muscle loss?

If I get back to riding up hills I'll be happy as I wasn't much good at lamping up them before the treatment.

 

[Ian H]

Last time I spoke to him he was waiting for the initial post op appointment to see whether he was in the clear. So presumably they'd start him on further treatment, if required, at that point.