Working a physical job with APC.

[simon13]

I was 52 when I was diagnosed with APC in November 2017 with a PSA 122 and Gleason 8. I started with an Eligard shot and yesterday began taking Zytiga and Prednisone. I have an appointment set up to meet with Radiation Oncologist to discuss radiation therapy. I have worked as a Lineman for 28 years and in very good physical condition and would like some feedback on people who work an outside physical job in all types of weather for a living and the effects they had during and after therapy. I want to stay active but I have an opportunity move out of Linework and into the Management side coming up soon. Any experiences would be appreciated.

[Dr_WHO]

Welcome to the group. Yes, hormonal therapy does throw you for a loop, but you should still be able to do your job. I am on both Lupron and Zytiga. I have felt fatigue, joint pain, fat gain and muscle loss. Yet last year I was still able to ride my bike 1000 miles, go on two scuba trips and walk the dogs six miles a day. There are a lot of men here that have run marathons and lift insane amounts of weight while on hormonal therapy. If they can do it, you should be able to, but it will take work on your part.

The key is to know going in what the loss of testosterone is going to do to you and work on overcoming it. The key is to keep exercising when you are not working on the line.

[Fauvemarin]

I sympathize with your concerns. I just turned 70 when I was diagnosed with APC last May. I am a long term runner (did three races this past year), typically run 5-6 days a week (2-6 miles per run) and hit the gym for strength training around 3 times a week. My course of therapy started with Eligard in August (3 month doses), followed by 6 weeks external radiation in Nov-Dec, and seed implants last month (jan). The first Eligard and the external radiation seemed to have no effect on my fitness. But my second dose of Eligard in early Dec knocked me for a loop (no side effects from the seeds). Continuing upper body joint pain, and nausea, coupled with fatigue (in the PM). Cannot sleep either (partly because of the joint pain and also because of he need to hit the toilet every hour during the night). None the less, I still go to the gym 2-3 times a week (but cannot run right now). I continue to do office work (heading down to Tampa for a meeting Wed), but would have a hard time right now working outside a lot.

Prognosis is as this second Eligard shot wears off that the stiffness and pain will slowly do away, but it might take some months. My hope is that by mid summer, I will be back running.

Welcome to the club!

[simon13 in reply to Fauvemarin]

I hope you will. Thank you for the reply, I am not going down without a fight. I plan on doing everything possible to keep this thing beat down!

[paulofaus]

Hi Simon, I am age 51, diagnosed age 49. I work in an office, but I've always been fairly active. I'm still working full-time, but doing physical stuff (mowing the lawn, gardening, moving the caravan etc.) has become really hard for me. Best of luck.

[cesanon]

Heavy radiation plus hormone therapy can take a lot out of you.

[pkafka]

Stay focused. Don't let the treatment beat you down. You are a young man and you might be on ADT for some time. With an opportunity to move into management you might want to strongly consider this option since you will want to and probably need to keep working. Yes? You did not mention anything about the pathology. With this high PSA, was the cancer all contained in the prostate or has it escaped? Any indication of metastasis? All this information will need to be put into the mix. Be well. Many of us have walked this path and you will do fine but it does take determination.

[simon13 in reply to pkafka]

Yes I did have lesions on several lymph nodes on my pelvis. My last CT scan showed they had shrank to half their size since my Eligard shot in December so that was sime good news.

[cesanon]

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[simon13]

Thanks!

[Shooter1]

Work for BNSF RR , Was conductor doing ground work, not possible for me any more. When healthy enough, I now work as engineer. More mental work, less physical work. Once I get aboard and in my seat I can run a good train, even the 16,000 ton 16,000 footers we are now seeing on the Transcon. YOU MAY HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR NEW NORMAL TO KEEP YOUR JOB. Good luck. Local management has worked with me, corporate management wants me gone.

Doug-AZ

[vancosta]

Many of us have a physical job and we are able to feel okay with it. Personally, I found my job on uk.jooble.org/jobs-amazon/R... and of course, it gets tough sometimes. However, I don't give up. I know that I will be paid for it at the end

[treedown]

I don't have a physical job but it is mentally demanding. I am 57 and had RT in Jan, Feb, Mar this year 2020. I rode my bike to all but 3 treatments rain or shine, or snow in some cases. I have been on Lupron, Zytiga/Pred since 10/19. I have stayed active and this year increased my activity and have seen fitness gains in endurance and speed. I lost over 40 pounds since dx and kept it off. All of my fitness is done outside, especially now that my gym has been closed for 8 months. I consider being outside a few hrs a day a requirement regardless of the weather. We are all different but if your SE's don't stop you and you love your physical job I would keep doing it as long as possible. This disease wants to take everything from us, keep doing what you love as long as you can. Just my opinion.

[Boywonder56]

I still work as a carpenter but only half as much as pre adt....and am 65 now so hanging up hammer soon....my regret is that they did not discuss with me how important actual physical exercise is when you go on ADT cuz I thought lifting s*** and banging nails and you know the stuff that comes with heavy construction work would keep me in shape but man it faded fast and now I wish I had the energy to run around the block good luck to you I think I checked that management position though