u/JimHaselmaier

ADT is/has caused me to experience something I never would have guessed possible.

For the last 5-6 years I've gotten deeply into long range, precision rifle shooting. 600 & 1,000 yards. It has been such a fascinating sport: Optimizing ammo. Learning how to read wind. Having the satisfaction of changing an aim pont because of a wind change and having the bullet make it to the center of the target. It has been incredibly challenging and rewarding. I shot in competitions - which were a blast.

Normally over the winter you do various things at your loading bench to get ready for the upcoming season. There are lots of little things that need to be done before the matches start being held.

I have felt.....absolutely NO interest in doing it. I haven't just fiddled around at my bench for 6 months. As the weather has warmed I totally forgot this is the point one starts going out and practicing.

Today I accompanied my shooting buddy for his first practice session of the season. I wanted to see if there was a spark of interest - maybe brought about by being in the environment. I thought the car ride would be fun (it was). But when we got there - all I could think was that I was relieved I didn't bring my gear. When my friend was done we got in the truck and he said "What do you think?". I said "I think it's over.".

What I'm most stunned at is that something I got so much satisfaction out of.....something I used to look forward to.......is now gone. I'm grateful my brain is giving me clear signals. I know there's no way I could do it. I just can't believe it.

No testosterone messes us up SO BAD!

I’ve commented in a bazillion posts how ADT side effects tend to get worse with time. Yet it took a couple whacks across the head recently to realize what that can really mean. (I’ve been on ADT for 18 months. And will be for the rest of my life.(

1. Anemia
   I’ve had a bad few months: A couple of bad colds. Inability to get to the gym due to extreme fatigue. Blood tests showed low RBC and WBC. WBC inched back up. RBC had not. Doc basically said “Welcome to the next level of ADT fatigue.” I feel a bit better. But it sounds like RBC will never fully return.

2. Muscle Loss
   I finally got back with my trainer on Friday. Two days later I’m just DESTROYED. Two hour nap this afternoon. In bed at 8:30. I guess with anemia it takes the muscles even longer to recover. Spent long times interacting with Claude (AI) and learn, even with consistent and rigorous exercise (including weightlifting), we’re not stopping muscle loss, were just slowing it down. It’s like being in a boat with a leak: The faster one bails the more the demise of the boat will be slowed. But even with great bailing the water is coming in faster than can be bailed. So great bailing just lengthens the time the boat is afloat….but it will keep getting worse.

This has hit pretty hard. Can anyone else relay stories about being on these damn drugs for a fairly long amount of time and how their side effects progressed?