I went back to work commuting in the City after five weeks, which was the minimum recommended. This was too soon! The combination of fatigue and incontinence made working very difficult, and as these were invisible after effects I don't think they were fully recognised by work colleagues.
I became much more anxious as a person after treatment, especially as by PSA levels did not reduce to the levels expected and hence residual disease was suspected. I felt quite vulnerable for a long time after treatment.
I think my self esteem went through the floor after surgery. I had been cycling around 200 miles per week as a club cyclist, and was generally very fit and active with no symptoms. The surgery stopped me in my tracks for quite a while after.
Yes
Removal of the primary source has proved successful in the long run.
The radiotherapy treatment was quite tough as I had 32 sessions. I had retired a couple of months in advance and this was a great decision as I was able to focus fully on the treatment. Working during the treatment would have been very difficult due to the severity of my bowel movements.
Yes
The salvage radiotherapy destroyed the cancer cells within the local lymph nodes, and I am now cancer free after five years.
Don't believe that the hormone therapy had any effect on my physically, though it had an instant effect on my libido. I had the treatment in parallel with salvage radiotherapy, so in many ways it's difficult to separate the effects, especially as my previous surgery in 2016 had caused after effects as well. It was all getting very complicated at this stage!
I had a lot of hot sweats and flushing during the first 18 months or so of a two year treatment to early 2020. This seemed to be accompanied by a level of 'brain fog' and anxiety. My impression is that these effects cannot be avoided as the change to hormone levels is quite profound. I think it's best to recognise and accept these rather than try to fight them. Talking helps as well, although this can be an uncomfortable subject to share.
I was still working for the first few months of this treatment before retiring early in order to focus on the salvage radiotherapy. This was very difficult as I felt quite tired all the time due to my interrupted sleep patterns. I found it very difficult to concentrate on anything.
Yes
I think it gave the radiotherapy a better chance of success, and after completing the two year treatment I returned to my old self quite quickly.
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