Fatigue Prior to Treatment

M,

Welcome to the board. Cancer can cause fatigue but I would think such to occur when the cancer is wide spread showing higher PSA. Something else is causing the fatigue. You are dealing with the unknown, so it could be an underlining feeling due to stress. We all experience such anxiety after been diagnosed and during the decision period, "What's the next best step?"

In any case, you should try to be the fitness possible for the surgery as this is not a walk in the park but a major surgery. You should get an overall health check up. Surgeons play it at easy but many things can happen. I do not think that your 30lbs overweight would cause a problem for the surgery but an heart issue would. Surely you can always postpone the surgery with no prejudice to your cancer condition and treatment. Better safe than sorry.

Best wishes and luck.

VG

Very unlikely that your fatigue has anything to do with your prostate. And yes, do get a physical. I will go way out on a limb here, but low thyroid activity (hypothyroidism) can lead to fatigue.

Diet, booze, weight, sleep apnoea, not enough sleep, not enough exercise, stress, Low T, late middle age, nagging missus, tough job, stroppy teenagers ....

Plenty of stuff to look at and work on before cancer comes into the picture.

Trust me on this - I've got all of the above

Swingshiftworker said:

Unlikely effect of PCa . . .

Anything is possible but I think it unlikely that your fatigue and depression stems from prostate cancer.

Generally, men w/a Gleason 6 level of prostate cancer (which is the lowest level) are asymptomatic and have no idea that they have cancer because there are no obviously physical effects caused by it.

So, as suggested above, please consult your physician, get a full phsyical work up and develop a plan to eat better, exercise and reduce your weight which should resolve the fatigue problem BUT depression is an entirely different matter.  For that, you may wish to consult w/a counselor or therapist. 

Good luck!

Was that for him, or for me? My PCa was G8 and locally advanced... reason enough to be depressed (though I do not believe I was).

Mulhaley said:

That's it

Does sound like me.  No teens in the house anymore, thankfully. 

So what are your plans to fix them?

RobLee said:

depression is an entirely different matter

Was that for him, or for me? My PCa was G8 and locally advanced... reason enough to be depressed (though I do not believe I was).

Rob,

I was run over by a car at age 30, but was functional again within about two years.  I was in an appointment with my Lymphma N.P. one day in my lifetime followup program, which monitors patient 'wellness'.   She said I seemed a bit down, and I quipped, "I was depressed, then I got cancer."

She laughed out loud, which made me feeel good -- the fact that she got it, and was able to overcome all the PC rules of how to think in society, and actually have a sense of humor.  Bless her, for she is a rarity.

Rationally, contracting a disease that is potentially fatal, and that will cause lifetime difficulty, struggle, and worry is damn sufficient reason for a person to get depressed.  I know the gung-ho, Semper fi mentality here is critical and necessary. But being depressed with cancer seems very understandable and not a cause of shame or reason to be viewed as weak.  I do not view myself as weak, and neither is any other PCa patient who becomes depressed.  Not you, not anyone. To be fully clear: I agree with the thrust of your post.

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

"Reasonable"

Rob,

I was run over by a car at age 30, but was functional again within about two years.  I was in an appointment with my Lymphma N.P. one day in my lifetime followup program, which monitors patient 'wellness'.   She said I seemed a bit down, and I quipped, "I was depressed, then I got cancer."

She laughed out loud, which made me feeel good -- the fact that she got it, and was able to overcome all the PC rules of how to think in society, and actually have a sense of humor.  Bless her, for she is a rarity.

Rationally, contracting a disease that is potentially fatal, and that will cause lifetime difficulty, struggle, and worry is damn sufficient reason for a person to get depressed.  I know the gung-ho, Semper fi mentality here is critical and necessary. But being depressed with cancer seems very understandable and not a cause of shame or reason to be viewed as weak.  I do not view myself as weak, and neither is any other PCa patient who becomes depressed.  Not you, not anyone. To be fully clear: I agree with the thrust of your post.

Thanks, Max... that was a good anecdote. I certainly could have used an experience like that back when I was "down".  I was unsure whether or not Swingshift's suggestion to seeking profesisonal counseling was intended in response to my mention of depression a few posts up (http://csn.cancer.org/comment/1575279#comment-1575279) in which I mentioned "No fatigue, but lowered endurance yes, and even some depression".

At the time I had rising PSA and uro symptoms but negative biopsy and DRE. My wife would tell me "you're depressed", as though what I had could be treated by a pill... this even though I have never been diagnosed or treated for any psych or emotional problems. I do remember being somewhat moody and suspect that eventhough I had not yet been diagnosed with PCa, looking back I think there must have been some chemical reaction working on me. Once I was diagnosed - over a year later, then all the pieces fell into place and I could finally get treatment.

So while I am willing to accept that some may become depressed upon learning that they have cancer, I also suspect that simply having cancer, though yet unknown, might release some chemical into the body that could affect one's mood, as well as possibly cause fatigue and lowered endurance.