Weight and energy: asked and answered

July 10, 2017

Hi, Tracy.
I had the shock of my life a few days ago (my recent life, anyway) when I got on the scales and was approaching 220, the weight I endured a few years ago before I took off 35 pounds. That led me to have an e-mail exchange with my oncology PA:

Asked:

 It's been 90 days. I'm still having hot flashes and night sweats, and I understand that this is probably normal. I am trying to drink lots of fluids, because once the hot flashes pass their greatest intensity I end up drenched with sweat.
I have two questions:
1. Does the treatment I had contribute to weight gain? I'm finding I am moving toward my greatest weight, and I'm not sure whether this is due to lack of discipline, or whether  this is naturally due to the effect of the hormone blockers, radiation, etc.
2. Is there a good strategy for regaining stamina? A little while ago I went on two short hikes (3 miles, 500-foot elevation gain) two days in a row, and my energy level was low. I had to stop a lot and rest, and then plod along slowly. But a week later I went on the same hike and had all sorts of vim and vigor. I'm wondering whether it was because I took a 30-minute nap in my car and then chugged a Mountain Dew (sugar and caffeine) before heading out. Based on that experience I'm tring to stress my body with a hike that takes a bit of work, and then rest 2-3 days to allow it to recover before challenging it again. Do you have any thoughts on this?

Answered:

Hello there. I hope you are enjoying your summer despite the hot flashes. 

1. Weight gain can occur with lupron injections (reported <13%). It usually occurs when men take it for a longer period of time but I have seen it. You may need to see how many calories you are taking in and how many you are burning. I am not an expert in calculating any of this. If you write down everything you eat and the amounts you can often see that you might be taking in more that you thought.

2. The testosterone blocking effect is leaving your body but it can take time for you to continue to recover your stamina. I am glad to hear you are hiking. I think it is important to do a little exercise every day. The nap and then the caffeine in the Mountain Dew most likely did fuel you short term for your hike. On the days where you are not hiking, walk 1-2 miles per day to keep your body moving. It does not have to be strenuous, just keep moving daily. Some days hikes go well and others not as well. Don't give up. Listen to your body and slow down if you need to. You are out there and that is good. 

That's all she wrote

Having read this after an afternoon of hiking at Flaming Geyser State Park, I said screw it and had a mug of whole milk and two pieces of Jessie's Key Lime Pie -- with meringue.
Love,

Dad

90-day energy report

June 30, 2017
Hi, Tracy.
It's been 90 days since my radiation treatments and the taking of hormone blockers. I'm still having hot flashes and night sweats, and they can occur several times a day. But I seem to be getting strength and stamina back -- intermittently. And I'm also having a problem keeping weight off.

A week ago I hiked Twin Falls. The elevation gain was only a few hundred feet and I hiked only about 3 miles. But I had to stop several times due to fatigue. Then the following day, Saturday, I hiked it again, and again I was quite tired. As a measure of my stamina, when I was in shape, I could sustain a heart rate of 148 beats per minute. On those two hikes, the best I could do was 128, and only for short periods. This is the same speed limit I reported here June 12.

But almost a week later, I visited the Twin Falls again, this time hiking 5 miles and reaching greater elevation. And throughout most of the last I had great energy. (I also had a 30-minute nap in the car just before hiking, and a 16-ounce can of Mountain Dew, giving me a sugar and caffeine shot.) There were a couple hot flashes, but only a couple. And that night I went to a dance class without taking a nap first.

That was yesterday. Today I rested at the condo and had a long nap, but at the dance tonight I found my legs tired and my energy level poor.

My emerging theory is that I need to exercise to keep from back sliding as well to improve my condition, but I also need a lot of rest afterward to let my body recover from the stress it hasn't endured for some time.

I also need to eat more moderately. I am closing in on 215 pounds, five below my maximum weight. More than 10 years ago I took off 35 pounds from that top weight, and lately I've been putting it back on. I want to return to 185 pounds if possible, and that will be my goal for the summer.

Love,
Dad