This forum is for the discussion of anything to do with Prostate Cancer. There are only four rules:
No fundraisers, no commercials (although it is OK to recommend choices of treatment or medical people based on your personal research; invitations to participate in third-party surveys are also acceptable, provided there is no compensation to YANA);
No harvesting e-mail addresses for Spam;
No insults or flaming - be polite and respectful at all times and understand that there may be a variety of points of view, all of which may have some validity;
Opinions are OK, but please provide as much factual evidence as possible for any assertions that you are making
Failure to abide by these simple rules will result in the immediate and permanent suspension of your posting privileges.
Since this is an International Forum, please specify your location in your post.
How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Hi Guys(and the girls!) :)
I've noticed quite a lot of posts mentioning depression over the last few moths, and it got me thinking just why this hits us, and how common amongst us it is?
I guess I felt pretty low when I was very tired during hormone treatment and side effects of radiation, but I couldn't say I was clinically depressed.
What puzzles me is why I found myself on a real downer just at the time everyone (including me) imagined I'd feel on top of the world - I had ended all treatments and saw month after month of amazingly low PSA. The dreaded PSA 'surge' didn't happen.
Now, after a full year of no meds and good results I am struggling to regain any mental sharpness I used to possess. My concentration is poor and my zest for life isn't the same. Quite frankly I feel bad even admitting it to anyone.
I did talk to my oncologist about this, and he just remarked that he was surprised I hadn't suffered depression much earlier in my fight. He had been fully expecting it to happen.
I really do wonder if all that hormone treatment messes up our minds and bodies for a while, even long after treatment.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
George:
It's ironic that you posted this morning as I have been feeling the exact same way coping with the job and depression. I finished radiation (no hormones) this past August 7th and, since then my attitude has been slipping, no patience, etc. I took a week vacation to the shore and I felt great but it wasn't 2-3 days back and it was as if I never left town. Another thing is my blood pressure steadily climbing since the radiation, as a matter of fact going to call the "doc" today to see what he proposes.
I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has experienced this with radiation but no hormones.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Even better timing. I'm off ADT after radiation but my testosterone is still low. I've been feeling quite well and in high spirits. Last week I started to be a little short with people. I also started to cry again. I asked for help and I got it in spades. First I had some bloodwork to rule out a physical problem. Then I met with several mental health specialists to discuss my feelings. It seems that these mood swings are normal but you rarely hear about them. My docs certainly didn't warn me about most of the emotional side effects. Talking with a psychiatrist and two clinical social workers over the past few days has helped a lot. I recommend anyone going though this to seek out someone in this field before things get too bad. You might also want to have your loved ones with you during some of these sessions.
Re: Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Irritability and mood swings do seem to be quite common.
Hit me during the R/T having been on ADT for three months previous.
I suppose there was a bit of depression as well; coming to terms with a poor prognosis.
What changed things for me were; the loss of a good friend to cancer ( he went in a couple of months ) and this woke me up to the fact that I could still fight back. He could not.
Also, the positive comments from other P.Ca.sufferers helped a lot.
This spurred me into learning more, and I wonder if the depression is not helped by inactivity in the mind. If you can keep the mind busy, then the mood swings seem to reduce. So long as you don't get overtired.Maybe a new interest is called for. I resumed an old interest in classic cars & bought myself a classic bike. Although I have not much energy, it is an interest away from the usual.
Re: Re: Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Rob,
Fresh stimulation? I have noticed a major change in my personality. I have been interested in several new things since the treatments stopped. I still had an emotional episode. Fresh stimulation didn't prevent problems for me.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Aloha George,
I thought dealing with the ADT was rough. My last 3 month shot was early April. My hips still hurt. But I got to tell you, depression is very scary. It would be great if I never half to go there again. Had 2 very bad episodes before the prescription kicked in. The first scared my wife to the point of taking me to ER. The second, she retained her cool, and talked me out. I hope that the medical community improves to the point of offering all a sanity check as at least one of you was lucky enought to receive at the time of treatment.
Joe
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Guys I had 9 months of ADT prior to EBRT. For about 15 months my personality simply was not me. I understood the physiology of what chemical castration does, but I was nonetheless helpless to rectify my abnormal mental status quo. I am now 7 months post EBRT, and my old self is slowly returning.
Re: Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Hi,
My husband (Fred), is one year post EBERT and HDR and 10 months post ADT (he elected not to get any more lupron shots after his second one). To date, the effects of the lupron are still present. It seems to me though, that as of late, his mood has been different. He has been crankier than usual. I wonder, could it be that even though it is not evident to us, that his testosterone is coming back and therefore so is aggressiveness? Just a thought. While going through the treatments, he grew very tired and it was then that I saw his emotional side changing also. More passive, more emotional and caring. This depletion (and then coming back), of testosterone....what is really known about this.
By the way....My husband found a renewness to life when he also bought an old classic to restore. I thank God for finding this and for giving him something to be excited about. It is a 1967 RS SS Camaro....Has been his dream to restore one...
Thanks,
Doreen
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
I was on ADT for 6 months ending April 22nd. Depressiion was a problem as it caused me to dwell on the lost of sexual function and the worry about whether it would even come back. I was assured that the testosterone should come back except in a few case involving much older men than me. However, that did not really help as one does not know in which statistical populations you fit. What I found to be the hardest was that things that would not affect me very much emotionally were now having a great impact. It seems that I had a huge amount of empathy for those involved in difficult situations to the point of upsetting me. This emotionally upset has continued for some time after I finished with the ADT. I am now 5 month post ADT but still experiencing the side effects. My testosterone level is starting to rise as I just had it tested last week and it has gone from <.69 to .92, (range is 5 to 28nmol/L) not much of an increase but it has started.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
George and All;
This stupid disease sucks. It sucks real bad. But the treatment is even worse. I have been on ADT for 18 months now and I have become androgen independent. That is a real bummer. The high point in my month is when I get my PSA reading. Hoping it will finally go down. It has not yet. Mine is up to 3.6 now and everything we have thrown at it does'nt work.
ADT wrecks your thought processes. Forget about sex. No urge left. and with the stress of seeing my PSA go up for the last 6 months, it gets a bit much.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Dear Steve,
It can 'suck' as you say, BUT you must never give up hope. The one thing that has stayed with me is utter determination to beat this damn illness.
My low moods are getting me angry with myself, yes - but it was also my anger which helped me fight so hard when the urologist 'wrote me off' back in April 2005.
I reckon that if I have managed to get from PSA 182 with T4 tumour down to my present PSA of 1.0 (after a year without meds) then I can also get through stress and depression.
Steve? I think life DOES give you a kicking at times, but we have to lift ourselves up and kick back like crazy!
It's easier said than done, I know. The first hurdle is getting the will to begin the fightback.
A very wise cancer fighter, a woman, once told me to listen to my body. If you feel tired, then rest up and let your body re-charge itself. It has a big fight on its hands and needs all your energy for that.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
Hi again folks,
It seems my post may have given the impression I got from PSA 182 down to 1.0 without meds. No way, but how I wish that was the case!
I was diagnosed early 2005 and began treatment of hormone therapy immediately, and also had 37 RT sessions.
I was on Zoladex(Lupron) for almost 2 years and then moved to Casodex 150 for 7 months. After seeing my PSA stable at <0.1 for over a year my onco agreed I could cease casodex in September 2007. So...I have just ended my first year med free.
Re: How common is our 'Low Mood' and 'Uncoping Stress'?
I understand what you mean.
My opeation (August this year)was successful in removing the cancer (at this stage anyhow). Yet whilst i felt great about this I got very depressed about the damage done to me. Wetting yourself and impotence. I lost my sense of self, my self esteem and value. I couldn't see how I could have value to someone. no doubt this was very important to me because earlier this year I started a new relationship with a wonderful lady and I started worrying that I could be all she wanted and needed. I live alone and instaed of talking about it I got into a downward spiral that drove me to break the relationship off. It was wrong as I cut away my support network.
I regretted it as soon as it was done.
i am now on medication which is helping and working on trying to rebuild.
My sense of self worth has started to return as I gain control on continence and i am hopeful of return of erectile function.
Depression is a very real side effect and one I believe is ignored by the medical professionals.
I felt guilty for being down whe everyone was saying how lucky I was (cancer removed).
