Radiotherapy - full bladder
Posted , 3 users are following.
Radiotherapy requies the patient to present a full bladder and hold for the full treatment session.
0 likes, 16 replies
Posted , 3 users are following.
Radiotherapy requies the patient to present a full bladder and hold for the full treatment session.
0 likes, 16 replies
We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.
georgeGG
Posted
I start radiotherapy on 30 October. I shall be very grateful for any tips I can try out in the few days I have left.
ken47739 georgeGG
Posted
for my radiotherapy sessions I had to arrive at the hospital at least an hour before the treatment. The plan was to arrive in the treatment room with a full bladder and empty rectum. So after arriving at the hospital I had to use suppositories and after going to the toilet drink a bottle of water. For me the system seemed to work reasonably OK. For a couple of treatments I was delayed when the radiotherapy machine was being serviced etc., when this happened we started the hour procedure again.
Surely if you discussed your problem with the Hospital they could give you morning appointments to fit your cycle. I found all of my radiologists kind and helpful, in fact they would stand outside the toilet and make sure it was free so I could go as soon as the treatment was finished. Whatever happens they will have been through much worse with other patients.
i must admit there is not much dignity in all of this, but keep thinking about the alternative.
i had a PSA result last week and thank goodness I am still zero, my testosterone is now normal, but I still get hot flushes through the night, hopefully they might eventually stop.
best wishes, will be thinking of you.
Keni
georgeGG ken47739
Posted
jessie51 georgeGG
Posted
Don't be worrying about a minor detail as this is, yes minor in the big picture. First off this is old hat to the staff and they would just give you a couple of cups of tea or a bottle of water to drink if there was insuffient fluid in the bladder to carry on. The hospital may keep you waiting when you get there, shedules appointment times and the machinery having a hick up , or even the fire alarm going off and the place having to be evacuated!! are all feasible reasons for you not hopping up to the table at the appointed time. Please don't worry, a bladder is soon topped up.
If you get so worried that having a full bladder and holding may make you 'wait to long' and maybe not get to the bathroom in time, not a worry, you could buy a pack of incontinence pants to wear on the appointed day, very easily hidden under clothes ..... not the whole pack lol, this suggestion may take away that worry, our bladders are very sensitive to our emotions and the little devils play up, I know !! lol. Always a way round tho, and nothing the staff have not dealt with before.
wishing you well, and good appointment.
Jessie.
georgeGG jessie51
Posted
What a fantastic picture, discretely wearing a pack of incontinence pads, jumbo ecconomy pack no doubt. No one would notice me shuffling along with crossed legs and the pack thumping up and down. But Jessie would there really be enough in the super size jumbo pack and I was really, really bursting?
Of course the thing to do is to try it. The experts are there and I am the novice. Thank you, Jessie.
jessie51 georgeGG
Posted
You will be just fine, your wonderful sense of humour will help you and the fellow patients around you, don't ever lose it.
One time I was there, all had been done and was free to go to the 'rest' room, well it had been a while and I was in hurry, said room was at the orther end of the corridor ( of course ) the nurse shouted down the crowded corrider Coming through, clear a path , kind of her lol ! as I flew past her she yelled after me, ' Your gown isn't closed down the back ' me an me pert derriere promptly got the attention of all those in that long crowded corridor .
Give the humour free reign !
Jessie.
georgeGG jessie51
Posted
jessie51 georgeGG
Posted
georgeGG jessie51
Posted
jessie51 georgeGG
Posted
I wish all of you Good Health for the future.
Kiss on the cheek George x
Warm regards
Jessie.
Dudley71081 georgeGG
Posted
Thar's good advice in them there posts and plenty of time between now and 30/10 for you to relax and find neutral, Buddy. ( As one of your mechanics I don't want you over-revving between now and then ! ).
Of Course it is perfectly natural to be a little anxious now but please, take my word for it: You will do just fine. Come the day, you will discover what a non-event it is sensorially. And your control WILL be far better than you currently imagine it might be.
If it does become absolutely necessary, passing just a little into the toilet or a pad will relieve the urgency. You won't have to download a bucketful. And bear in mind, you will be in the Rad room <10 minutes anyway.
i was given to understand that the full bladder/ empty bowel regimen is specifically to lessen the side -effects of the rt to surrounding tissues. the efficacy of the treatment upon the tumour will not be impaired. in 42 sessions i reckon i was at optimal status for about 38 of them and 75% - 85% for the other 4. but, i still got clobbered with rad proctitis and urethral strictures anyway. so i guess what i'm saying is do your best but don't over-stress it. you do your best and whatever eventuates you take it on the chin. you have to. when you are in there on a regular basis you will see, as i did, so many things that will confirm to you, how lucky you are.
hang in there george, you will be o.k.
best regards
dudley minutes="" anyway.="" i="" was="" given="" to="" understand="" that="" the="" full="" bladder/="" empty="" bowel="" regimen="" is="" specifically="" to="" lessen="" the="" side="" -effects="" of="" the="" rt="" to="" surrounding="" tissues.="" the="" efficacy="" of="" the="" treatment="" upon="" the="" tumour="" will="" not="" be="" impaired.="" in="" 42="" sessions="" i="" reckon="" i="" was="" at="" optimal="" status="" for="" about="" 38="" of="" them="" and="" 75%="" -="" 85%="" for="" the="" other="" 4.="" but,="" i="" still="" got="" clobbered="" with="" rad="" proctitis="" and="" urethral="" strictures="" anyway.="" so="" i="" guess="" what="" i'm="" saying="" is="" do="" your="" best="" but="" don't="" over-stress="" it.="" you="" do="" your="" best="" and="" whatever="" eventuates="" you="" take="" it="" on="" the="" chin.="" you="" have="" to.="" when="" you="" are="" in="" there="" on="" a="" regular="" basis="" you="" will="" see,="" as="" i="" did,="" so="" many="" things="" that="" will="" confirm="" to="" you,="" how="" lucky="" you="" are.="" hang in="" there="" george,="" you="" will="" be="" o.k.="" best="" regards="">10 minutes anyway.
i was given to understand that the full bladder/ empty bowel regimen is specifically to lessen the side -effects of the rt to surrounding tissues. the efficacy of the treatment upon the tumour will not be impaired. in 42 sessions i reckon i was at optimal status for about 38 of them and 75% - 85% for the other 4. but, i still got clobbered with rad proctitis and urethral strictures anyway. so i guess what i'm saying is do your best but don't over-stress it. you do your best and whatever eventuates you take it on the chin. you have to. when you are in there on a regular basis you will see, as i did, so many things that will confirm to you, how lucky you are.
hang in there george, you will be o.k.
best regards
dudley>
georgeGG Dudley71081
Posted
Thank you again for boosting me along.
georgeGG Dudley71081
Posted
I am very sorry that you have picked up the heavy end of the log of side effects. I hope these troublesome things are of the acute sort and will pass in a few weeks or months. In PCa the timescales are so drawn out. Accute to my mind indicates a mtter of a few days of intense trouble. But fir us, a stranger would be forgiven for thinking we have a chronic problem. So I hope they are the accue variety. One can hardly bear to think of the chronic variety, if we must we must. PCa calls for massive stores of fortitude and endurance. We should all be given character tests before being assigned to the rugged journey that is PCa.
So I must learn from your good sence and kindness and speak truth with love as I find opportunity. For I must comfort and encourage you as you have so ably ministered to me.
Your friend in PCa adversity
George
Dudley71081 georgeGG
Posted
georgeGG Dudley71081
Posted