Radiotherapy
Tips and advice for any bladder or bowel side effects of treatment
Tips and advice for any sexual side effects of treatment
Use it or lose it ! I used a vacuum pump daily to maintain the blood vessels and keep my penis healthy and functional. I also tried to masturbate as regularly as I could. You don’t always feel like it but it is a bit like going to the gym ! My sex life longer term has, as a result, not suffered although the dry orgasms took some getting used to.
Tips and advice for any physical side effects of treatment
Try to watch your diet and eat the right things. Do as much as you can to maintain a degree of fitness even though you lack energy. After the treatment, fight your way back to your usual weight, use the gym to get muscle strength back and energy. It took me more than a year to do this. Don’t give up or give in.
Tips and advice for any mental and emotional side effects of treatment
Try not to get ratty with those around you who love you and who are supporting you. Accept that these changes are largely your body trying to deal with changes and love yourself a bit too. Keep telling yourself that these are temporary changes and you will fight your way back to being yourself again. Don’t despair and don’t give in.
How this treatment impacted my life the most
For a long time I felt physically and emotionally compromised by some very real chemical changes happening inside of me. Certainly, my sense of myself, self esteem etc. was affected and the biggest areas of challenge were around my sex drive , my masculinity and my physical fitness which I had always previously taken for granted. I did however connect with a deeper spirituality and found much comfort and personal growth in prayer, inner contemplation and meditation.
If I had to do it all over again, would I choose the same treatment?
Yes
Why did I give this answer?
Because for me ( due to my urinary issues and requirements for self catheterisation) surgery was not an option ). There is no treatment that isn’t going to result in unpleasant side effects. I underestimated how significant the treatment would be in terms of the physical and mental side effects but the good news is that it works ( or did for me ) and you can recover and have good quality of life again.