I hope you have a speedy recovery, Dave
Sorry to hear all that. A good buddy had the proton therapy at Mass General. He is not a bicyclist/athlete, but has had good results. He is 5 years out from his procedure. Assuming you are around 70, I would have to say if you are still on your bike, you are still ahead of the game compared to most sedentary folks. Take care, Dave
To wrap up this thread, I had a prostatectomy 8 weeks ago. FTP prior to surgery was 234 (3.2 Watts/Kg). Did absolutely nothing for 3 weeks, then got back on the trainer. I just went back to where I should have been on my TR program (Gravel Race, low volume) but dropped the power by 10-25% the first week and then slowly built back. On the sixth week post surgery did a local 35 mile gravel race (not much gravel, but fun) and beat my goals.
The last two weeks felt like I was close to full power and today did a ramp test. Tested at 233FTP - close enough as far as I’m concerned to say I’m back to full power. Legs and lungs are there, stomach still not perfect, but darn close.
Your results may vary, but Trainer Road is an incredible tool for fitness and judging fitness. Thanks to all!
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I was treated for PCa in 2016 using HIFU, high intensity frequency ultrasound. All was good post-procedure until September. My PSA took a big jump that indicates a biochemical recurrence. I’m going in for a retest this week, since I did a 2.5 hour ride 48-hours before the last draw. Staying off the bike for at least 4 days and hope it’s an anomaly. 
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5 years ago, I had a ‘high’ PSA test. My doc went berserk. 'You need surgery! You need chemo! You need radiation!. I did some research to back up a hunch, and turns out that the PSA test doesn’t actually test for ‘cancer’. It tests for a ‘happy prostate’. If you do certain activities, you basically piss off your prostate, and the PSA test will show it. How else would a prostate react to being tossed in lycra, and bounced around for a couple of hours. It has every right to be pissed.
However, if you walk this road, you need to realize that it caries a risk.
My PSA has been ‘high’ on occasion because I refuse to stop riding pre-test. ( I know) So then have a high test, and then stop riding for a week (or more) and do the ‘diagnostic PSA’, and it’s safely normal.
So ‘high’ was in the 5 range (from memory, that’s high, but really ‘just’ high. Well, now it was 7. So I stopped riding and have been spending the time wishing my second test comes back ‘normal’. I did ride a couple brutal rides the days before, and rode the rotisserie mower, which is a painful experience, so I imagine (hope) it was just a really mad prostate. I mean, I’d be pissed too.
So over a week off, can’t wait to get ‘back in the saddle again’, and just hoping I can avoid the ‘trans-rectal ultrasound’. (It sounds so incredibly pleasant. I hope they use general for that experience)
I had a doc, over a decade ago, who said that there are two kinds of prostate problem. One, you’ll be dead by christmas, and the the second will kill you if you live long enough. Hah hah, but true. Thank ford I’m too old for the former, but…
If you have a borderline high PSA test, take a week off (do weights, and maybe walking on a treadmill) and consider it ‘recovery’, and do the diagnostic test and see what happens.
The side effects of the surgery is no joke. ED, and worse… Urinary incontinence is very common. But if it stays up, get the anal probe, and maybe an MRI.
Digital prostate exams are WORTHLESS! They only ‘feel’ a small fraction of the prostate, and unless it jumps out and screams “I’M SICK!!!”, they will likely miss anything there (if there is anything there).
This is ‘pre-treatment’ and is hoping to avoid more people being treated for something that is likely somewhat common among cyclists.
Ride safe, ride smart. (Me? I’m hoping the test comes back ‘good’… I mean, eventually it’ll kill me. That is certain. I’m just hoping it’s when I’m in my late eighties, with a 30 year old wife to take care of me 
)
((Heck yeah, I’m concerned, but…))
UPDATE: Went from 7.1, to 7.0 after 10 days off. Not the result I was hoping for. Now contemplating the future, and what incredibly obnoxious tests I’ll be submitted to. I refuse to do surgery, and chemo. At least that is what the defiant and cracking voice in my head says today. He’ll see.
Every day means a new experience. To new experiences…
So an update.
My PSA went to 5. The local urologist said that I needed an MRI, and the insurance company said they would pay for it. It showed I had a gigantic prostate, and some adenocarcinoma. Oh great. I was scheduled for a biopsy, and they went in and got 18 ‘punches’, three of which showed signs of adenocarcinoma, and 2 showing ‘nerve involvement’. I was then scheduled for a PET scan, and used a new galium isotope. Odd thing was I had the scan scheduled for the next week Monday, and got a call late Thursday the week before offering me a Wednesday spot for the surgery.
It was a ‘multi-port procedure’, after telling me I was getting single port, but this worked out better for the surgeon as he could handle the gigantic prostate (three times normal size, without any symptoms. Didn’t need a catheter at all).
Got the scan, showed clean, and between that previous Friday, and up to Tuesday, got all of the lab tests for the surgeon. That was interesting. (The surgery was happening at a hospital about 2 hours away, so lucky the hospitals shared the same patient data system)
The morning of, all went as well as could be expected. I ended up spending the night as I was a late spot on the schedule. I was released with a foley catheter, and an abdominal binder, and no pain meds. Didn’t actually ever need anything more than Tylenol.
I went through experimenting with the catheter, how full could I fill it. I was told to drink a lot. The day came to remove the catheter, and I actually pulled it. (My surgeon was mildly impressed) Immediately I had incontinence issues, as expected after having a hose installed for a month. I was having odd pains and such. (Got a La-Z-Boy and was able to sleep in that very well. I’d recommend that for sure. We have Ekornos, but it’s too low and not as comfortable. I built a 2x4 frame for the chair base to sit in, and the height increase was perfect. (I took two 2x4’s and cut one square for the exact bottom of the chair, and another cut to screw to those to provide a lip to keep the base from moving)
Post catheter removal, I’ve been using the Depend both day and night, but now have progressed to the Depend ‘Shields’ for outings. I have small leaks during exertion, and at random moments (which have dropped their frequency)
People talking about exhaustion, yeah, had that too. Was surprised how tired I felt. Some days, wrung out, and yet others were much more active.
So also had my first follow-up. He hugged me, said I was cancer free, and we have a followup in three months. He wants to ‘snake’ my urethra to check on the sutures, and just check for how things are healing. Like I said above, I have had some odd pains. Like stabbing pain in that general area that will pop to 11, and disappear. Other times I have had an achy feeling.
I rode last weekend, outside, and had pretty bad reactions to the rough asphalt. I used a Terry mens heavily padded seat, and thought it would help. There were just too many sudden pops I guess. I used a shield in my bibs and that worked perfectly, not that leaking would be that observable with the sweat. I also wore an elastic binder too.
Wondering what to do for some shock absorbing in the seat area. I was able to ‘open it up’ and push 600+ watts doing a few zoomies, but those seat shocks got to me. Started sitting off center so my hip absorbed the shock.
Even on the Neo Smart, the pressure is noticeable. I guess that will get better over time.
So pre-op, we looked at the various options. Radiation was mentioned, and the many side effects. My local urologist warned that radiation can ‘burn’ tissue and cause issues that might end up requiring surgery anyway. The operation surgeon went through some other options, but none of them sounded like perfect options. I watched a video of a single port operation, and thought that even though it was brutal, it was probably the best way to get that prostate out of me. Now, post-op, I can second guess everything (I had an existing anterior surgical hernia from navel to sternum already, and the single port would mean the access point would be below the navel, so the multi port procedure meant he had to go in above my navel, so only time will tell how long that hernia survives. I’ll be having to wear a binder for. life I guess, and need a ‘weight belt’ for any heavy lifting of any kind.
The future…
My next followup will be a snaking of the urethra, and my first post-op PSA test. Hoping it’s zero! (I’ve thought of getting a PSA test in July, just in case. If the test is negative, I have to do them every 6 months for the first 2 months and then yearly afterward. If a test starts creeping upward, I will have to go through another galium PET scan, and this time they will carefully scan the image, and compare it to the first one. (Need that healthy glow)
So for now, I’m surviving. Wondering what’s next, but not out loud. For 63, I’m not on any prescription meds for anything, and aside from the hip replacement, and botched liver surgery, am doing quite well. The surgeon said that I was the ‘perfect kind of patient’ as I had no interstitial fat around my abdomen and organs. So I guess this lab rat addiction to riding and training paid off. I have to say that it has helped keep me off the pharma-train, and out of hospitals in general. I mean aside from muscle aches and such occasionally.
Yes do your bladder training. Do kegel exercises. Yes, buy the jumbo box of Depend diapers, and be glad you are likely cancer free. (I had some ‘fat jeans’ from when I was carrying an extra 50 pounds, and they have come in handy)
Good luck. Keep a sense of humour. Pack some gels for the post-op recovery. (Yeah, seriously) I was on a liquid diet for the first 20 hours post-op, and a gel came in handy. I hate Jello, and that was the extent of what I could legally ‘eat’. I asked if I ordered pizza, what room do I tell them, and the nurse on at the time said ‘Oh, you’re in G20. But make sure you order enough for all of us, as you aren’t going to get any of it!’. We laughed. I finally was cleared for ‘soft food’ late in the morning, and got a ‘turkey sandwich’, no cheese or lettuce, and NO whole grain bread! (Didn’t get that last restriction, but whatever) I’m wrapping around to the beginning, don’t want to skip anything useful.
Good luck on your journey…
Oh, ‘effects on cycling’. I just hope I can continue to ride like a lab rat. All in good time…
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If you have a round seatpost, I’d look into a suspension seatpost.
Keep on recovering!! 
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Great news 
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But do they provide enough support and cushioning the jolts. My wife said I need a ‘fat lady seat’. Thanks… Nice… 
I can’t answer that question for you….it will be entirely based on your discomfort.
I can only tell you that I have run a suspension seatpost on any rigid frame I ride off-road for decades. Hardtail, CX and now gravel. Some can be pretty plush, some can be pretty firm. I would probably look at the ones that have a parallelogram design vs. a telescoping post, as they tend to be a bit more plush. I think you can swap out the elastomers on the Cane Creek unit, as well, to get a softer ride. Redshift Sports also has a similar design.
Look at the Romin Evo Mirror saddle, has a lot of dampening and a huge cutout for the prostate, I switched to it because I’ve been dealing with some prostatitis the last few weeks and feels much better!
Robcow - Congratulations. I just had my 4 year check up with my urologist - cancer free (PSA undetectable). I’m 63 also. Have an uncle who went with the radioactive seed and radiation therapy 10 years ago - it came back and he’s dealing with that at 83. I’m happy with my treatment, doing my best to keep muscle on my legs as I really do feel the post-60 decrease in muscle (or ability to put on muscle). I have a tough time keeping focused on TR workouts, but it definitely keeps the muscle on and builds on it as opposed to outdoor riding since I live in a flat area.
What little incontinence issues I had have become almost non existent. I used the “shields” as well for several months and after a year I stopped even putting them in my bag (I travel for a living). Haven’t need them. Good luck on your journey - keep on biking!
Feel reassured after finding this thread.
I’m 52, normally ride 5,000 miles a year.
Psa 4.6.
Had biopsy 2 days ago and still tender.
MRI showed something small.
I await results, but no matter what look forward to riding as much z1 / z2 as body will allow.
When do you get the biopsy results? Fingers crossed for good news.
Keep the faith. Plenty of support here on the board if you need it.