Recently diagnosed

[BillyVolt]

I have recently been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer , waiting chemotherapy

[Derf4223]

If you aren't already exercising a lot, its immensely important to start. Aerobics, cardio and resistance training / lifting. Its also important to get your bone density checked as PCA treatments cause accelerated bone density loss and muscle loss. There is lots of info here on healthunlocked about both topics. I hope you are working with an oncology team / clinic -- both radiation and medical.

[Tall_Allen]

Welcome! Let us know how it goes.

[BillyVolt in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you

My friend that recommended this group said you are very well informed

Looking forward to advice as I'm getting ready to start chemo in a few days

[Shams_Vjean in reply to BillyVolt]

Sounds like you’re maybe getting started with triplet therapy, which your profile seems to indicates you’re likely an excellent candidate for. Best of luck on the journey!

[MarkBC]

One bit of advice I don't see often. Before my first infusion, I drank a lot of water thinking that it would be a good thing to do. The infusion adds fluid to your body too. The result was that I needed to pee during the infusion and needed to drag all the equipment with me to the toilet every time. For future infusions I waited until afterward to drink lots of fluids to flush the chemicals out of my body.

Good luck. Chemo really knocked my cancer back.

[hbrixn]

Do a 3 to 5 days water only fast before, the chemo. The healthy cells, close lower metabolism but the cancer cells do not. Makes the chemo more effective and saves, a lot oh healthy cells. Much less side effects, no hair loss etc. Did it myself 4 years ago (stage 4 Gleason 9), and still feels healthy and fit, 77 years old.

[Bangkok]

Don't jump in until you check your options. I was diagnosed 4 years ago and have never had chemo but chose to get Lute -177 and IMRT. I'm a former marathon runner so had no problem staying fit for the treatments. Read my posts . My best advice is to stay positive.

[SteveTheJ]

You don't necessarily need chemotherapy right off the bat; who told you that you do need it, and why? Ask a lot of questions, be skeptical. If you need it, so be it but I've gone 3 years so far (gleason 8 FWIW) without it and AFAIK I'm in remission.

I see someone going on about exercise; get advice about that too. If you were a burly, weight-pounding muscle maniac before cancer, you'll be that afterward and good for you. But if you were a couch potato before cancer, starting a vigorous workout regimen could get yourself hurt.

Consult a qualified physical therapist (not a personal trainer) and build up a litany of exercises that you'll do. It's kind of boring to me (not being a burly weight-thumping muscle maniac) but it does help.

[chips1942]

Ask your doctor about Neulasta to help keep your WBCs in range.

[ron_bucher]

Consult with the best prostate oncologist your money can find, and use every tool available in the toolkit since you are very young to have advanced prostate cancer.