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Prostrate radiation, Painful Burning

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Roger2Dodger
Roger2Dodger

Prostrate Radiation, Painful Burning

I have had 10 treatments Of EBRT,

My Concern:

It is beginning to be very painful while urinating with a burning sensation, and the pain lingers afterwards . At first it was tolerable, now the pain is beginning to be an issue with me...(very painful) and it feels like my bladder never empties, along with pain in my penis and groin area. My frequency of urination has increased from 1 times during night time sleep to two. After I get up at night to urinate, the pain is so intense, and want go away it keeps me awake.

I did mentioned this to my Doctor, and was told to take Ibuprofen. I am very allergic to aspirin, so ibuprofen is not for me. I do take tamsulosin once a day, but I don't think this helps to relieve my issue. I knew this would probably be a side effect, but was told by others who had radiation it was tolerable, but with me it has become a painful issue. I don't want to come across and sound like a wuss, but this is begining to be untolerable.

Any comments or suggestion on how to deal with this wouild be appreciated.

 

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • glamour
    glamour Roger2Dodger

    Posted

    Hi Roger,

    ​I had similar problems which began in my sixth week of radiation and lasted until about three weeks after my radiation treatment was completed. All in all about five weeks. My doctor prescribed Zapain, which was a mixture principally of paracetamol and codeine. It worked for me when my discomfort was at its worst. Because of the codeine it is necessary to keep your bowels in good moving condition [plenty of fruit and olive oil on your salad] as codeine tends to make you constipated and that is a no no! Your lower regions have been effectively microwaved, it will improve, keep your chin up.

    cheers

    ​G

  • dennis25600
    dennis25600 Roger2Dodger

    Posted

    I too had this very painful burning sensation, like a hot sword going through the tip of my penis. And I found myself up several times at night to pee. I found out from my family doctor that most likely I had an infection from the radiation and so he prescribed me Ciprofloxin HCL 500 MG and I took 1 tablet twice daily. The pain was reduced substantially after just 2 days. Ibuprofen and cranberry juice just doesnt do it and neither did the tea connaction made up of ginger, turmeric, pepper, honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract and vanilla extract that I read on here. But this medication does.  I would recommend it to anyone who has the symptoms in this discussion.  As to peeing up during the night i take plenty of water during the day and/or cranberry juice or whatever to not be dehydrated  ( if you want to drink coffee it will make you feel like you have to pee so for every cup of coffee take about 3 cups of water after) during the day. But after 8 pm I don’t drink any fluids. You will find yourself sleeping much better and waking up not as often, if at all, until morning.
  • sand88734
    sand88734 Roger2Dodger

    Posted

    I had high dose 5 radiation treatments with cyberknife almost two years ago. My 2nd treatment was started too soon before I could finish drinking first bottle of water. And that’s when the whole problem started. I should not have reported before scheduled time. My symptoms have improved a bit but still far from being healed. 

    I get burning cutting pain in Penis when Semenal fluids released. Similar but to a very less degree pain while urinating.

      Initially it was coupled with premature  ejacuclation as well. Nothing reported in blood, urine, etc tests. Visual inspection using cystoscope  Camera inserted in the penis revealed perfectly healed prostate.

     I was given antibiotics after biopsies and gold seed markers insertion and that lead to healing back then.  But no antibiotics were given after cyberknife. Per oncologist, I may have to live the pain rest of my life. Urologist has no clue as well. 

    Anyone felt better after such high powered radiation therapy. I voted against low intensity nuclear radiation seeds (baracatherapy) due to Expected radiation related stops at borders & airports for about 2 years. Also, oncologist guaranteed  me 100% ED after baracatherapy as I am diabetic as well.

    Perhaps, I should have opted to do nothing with my prostate.

    • charles61038
      charles61038 sand88734

      Posted

      Sorry you are having the burning pain after the cyberknife treatment. I considered that treatment before I opted for Brachytherapy. I had that procedure done just over 2 years ago. I have no erectile dysfunction as your doctor told you that you would have. I had some side effects as most treatments have, but they were tolerable and got less and less as time passed. I guess the worst I had was during the first 3 to 6 months after the treatment. I had urgency with urination at times, and sometimes frequent urination, especially at night. Then there were times when I would get up at night to urinate and I couldn't empty my bladder totally. So I would have to walk around the house for a few minutes until I could go again and finish. I was put on Flomax and Avodart in the beginning to help with urination. After several months, I was taken off both of those medications. I chose the Brachytherapy over the Cyberknife mainly because the Brachytherapy was a one time treatment as an outpatient. A 45 minute procedure... an hour in recover, pee a couple of times, then you can go home. I also liked the fact that it was low dose radiation which meant less chance of burning surrounding tissues i.e. bladder and colon. I did feel burning in my urethra on and off, but ibuprofen helped with any discomfort. At this point in time (2 plus years), it is like nothing happened - my urologist and the oncologist told me that after 8 months to a year, I would be back to where I was before the whole thing started. I did have an issue during the time I was taking the Flomax and Avodart. When I would ejaculate, nothing came out... I could feel the sensation, but nothing would come out. My urologist told me this was retro-ejaculation... where the ejaculate went into the bladder instead of out. But after I stopped the Flomax and Avodart, the ejaculation was back, but at a lower volume - the urologist said probably some of it goes back to the bladder. The sensations andfeelings are good though, so that is good. I also had a bout with prostatitus a couple of times during this whole ordeal. I wonder if you are experiencing that with your discomfort. I understand diagnosing prostatitus is difficult, and doesn't show up in a urine sample test, so the doctor usually will just prescribe antibiotics based on your symptoms - for me, he prescribed cyprofoxin 500mg... and it worked. Prostatisus can be very uncomfortable. Perhaps you might ask your doctor about it as a possibility. I don't think a doctor should just tell you that you might have to live with that... something can be done. Maybe even a second opinion from another doctor?

  • Pawpaw77
    Pawpaw77 Roger2Dodger

    Posted

    Hi folks. I had stage 3 prostate cancer. They inserted gold seeds in my prostate to draw radiation to prostate. I had 41 radiation treatment. After about 25 treatments I had severe burning in my rectum, left testicle, and especially my penis.(Like hot glass being inserted in my penis). Tested for urinary track infection but came back negative. The doctor stopped treatments for three weeks but then finished them. All my pain went away after about 2 weeks. I helped my daughter move an pain returned. I'm on fentynl patches, percosets and uristat 3 times daily. It helps but by no means stops the pain. Urologist and regular doctor says it may be permanent nerve damage. Oncologist not much help. Now on alot of meds for constipation, gabapentin for nerve damage, tamsulosin to pee. It helps some. Sleeping pills, nerve pills an blood pressure pills also. All have side effects. 2 years ago I was on 1 medication an going strong. Now I'm mostly homebound. Radiation has destroyed my life along with the Lupron injections every 90 days. There seems to be no test or cure. Cancer may be gone but the after effects are horrible. No one is a pus because you hurt an suffer. I have a feeling that this is more common than reported. I had to do alot of searching to just find this forum. It seems to be ignored an kept hidden in the websites and oncologist just play dumb. I'm sure I'm not alone in this from the post I've read here. Good luck to you all. If someone finds a cure, please let me know.

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