Does anyone have suggestions on how to mitigate the fatigue that comes with this drug? Everyday I walk two or three miles and work out with weights, TRX, and Pilates three times a week yet I feel like a slug. Any suggestions are welcomed.
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scooby0111
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You could discuss taking ritalin or modafinil which may help with the fatigue. The data available are not definitive. Ritalin helps a lot with my fatigue, in the other hand it may be a placebo effect.
The doctor has to see if there are other causes of fatigue, (anemia, arrhythmias, heart failure etc.), which could be treated.
I was walking 6 miles a day up until a week and a half ago but I've been so deflated by chemo and Lupron I stopped walking. Every day I say I'm going to start again but I can't muster the energy to do it. I tried something like Ritalin but couldn't tolerate it. It made me feel goofy.
Tango I have gratitude and respect for your frequent very helpful information as always. So this is a question and not an argument.
My pea brain would see myself fatigued from lack of T. The Ritalin would in my thoughts either not overcome the physical fatigue or if it did eventually there would be a big exhaustion from over doing things on Ritalin.
Just talk with your doctors and give it a chance. Ritalin increases dopamine in the brain improving energy. There are also the energizing antidepressants like Wellbutrin and Cymbalta which could help with chronic fatigue and depressive mood.
Accept it ! I experience a lot of fatigue from Xtandi . But I found that battling it ultimately costs more energy. So what I do , is set limits for myself and others. Wether others like it or not , too bad . I always make sure that I have the possibility to recharge ( sleep for a few hours) daily, depending on what time I get up or on what I have to do. It works out quite nicely for me . My wife , my family and friends have all accepted that I’m not the same guy I was before I got cancer. They know I got some energetic limitations and they deal with it.
Agreed. Pace oneself. Plan on rests during activity. Take everything slow.Don't walk so far from home that you can't make it back home lol.
Wife, son, and grand kids " let's walk that hiking path ".
Me " I will go with you but be aware I might turn around and head for the car after 15 minutes".
I also have difficulty with tasks or to do things. If too many I get a weird panic, butterflies in the stomach stress. Again I just learned to not take on more than one thing at a time. I get stressed if more is put on my shoulders.
For 15mos I just lived with it. Nothing reduced the fatigue until I dropped it.Exercise, whatever that means should help some. Fight it all you can and accept your results.
See my other comment about intensity. All advice about dialing down workouts, cutting back, stimulants, naps etc go completely against what I believe about this.
The more I do the better I feel and the better every single one of my health markers is.
I don’t worry about overtraining and neither should 99% of old guys. We’ve slowed down, it’s almost a non factor.
As far as I’m concerned, if you’re physically able you should do more, usually much more. And work harder. Get a trainer if you can at all afford it. Particularly if you are confused about what you can handle or lack motivation.
These are my opinions only, so no one gets excited.
I’m curious what your routine looks like specifically? My guess is your putting too much time into your training, but without knowing the exact number of minutes it is hard to say. I too struggle with fatigue and it took me some time to find that “Goldilocks” zone of strength training and cardio. If you don’t mind me suggesting, stick with the strength training 3 to 4 times a week, and then supplement 2 to 3 days of just walking. Listen to your body, and recognize that a training session should always “give” you something and not “take” something. Rest and recovery days are as important as strength training days. Pilates is fairly intense so maybe pull back on that for a couple or weeks and see how you feel. Strength training is the key as that is going to help prevent muscle and bone loss, so less cardio and just walk on your rest days. My humble opinion and what has worked for me.
I’m right there with ya, Lupron/Xtandi for 58 months solid. How old are you? Personally I’m jealous. I’m 56 and we walk 1 mile a day and recently gave up the gym because of back pain, until the RFA next month. You’re gonna be more tired on these drugs, but it sounds like you are in good shape. And if so maybe back off a bit and just do maintenance. 21 miles a week and Pilates is enough to make a younger healthy guy tired. Give yourself a break.
Can’t know what to suggest until we know what you’re doing, but my guess is not about too much time put in but more what’s actually happening.
Most guys, especially older, give cardio the bulk of our efforts. We might put in lifting time, but not the intensity needed. This is a mistake, particularly on ADT.
We need to be honest with ourselves about our level of effort when lifting. Most don’t put in nearly what it takes. Be kind to yourself, knowing that you’re at a nasty disadvantage, then get to work.
This effort is what beats the fatigue, and is vastly superior to stimulant drugs, which can also be dangerous.
Preventing the muscle wasting has to come first, and admittedly it’s tough to go as hard as we must. Xtandi can be especially nasty to bat down, but it has to be done.
Sherpa111 gives good advice on the point of putting more emphasis on lifting. Again, more intensity and focus is what I would add.
It’s not for everybody, but the payoff is exquisite.
Hopefully you’re taking it in the evening and not in the morning, it’s surprising how many MO’s fail to tell patients this. Perhaps you need to pace yourself a bit with your workouts as well. Also depending on your status you may want to ask about dialing back the dosage with your MO. Many guys do fine on less than the SOC dose of 4 caps or tabs. I dropped back to 2 caps a day after being on the full dose for about 4 years, this was under the recommendation of my MO. It was still effective at the lower dose, my PSA was undetectable for quite a while when my MO recommended that I do this. Lastly Ritalin has helped me quite a bit as well, not only with fatigue but with alertness and cognitive ability.
I have never experienced fatigue. I have always been high energy so I don't know if that makes a difference but here is my routine. Bed early get 8+ hours of sleep, workout lifting heavy Monday, Wednesday and Friday, light cardio on Tuesday and Thursday, I then take a fat burner daily which is green tea and other herbs as well as Acetyl Carnitine, when muscle building tons of protein when then break for a month eating well balanced 1000 calories a day. Oh and 15 minute nap at 10 and 2. Seems to work for me but everyone is different
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