Side effects from radiation therapy
Posted , 8 users are following.
After just 9 treatments I have suffered from extreme pain when urinating, difficulty starting and stopping, getting up every hour or more at night and irregular bowels. The urologist gave me Vesicare, which had no effect other than dry mouth. I skipped treatment # 10 and 11 and the problems have lessened considerably. I'm afraid of starting back with the remaining 35 treatments. Don't think I could withstand the pain and lack of sleep. I am 66 and have a Gleason of 6 and no bone or lympth incursion. Any advice?
2 likes, 23 replies
carl05115 david58851
Posted
david58851 carl05115
Posted
Dudley71081 david58851
Posted
I had read your Posts and appreciated your position and then left the site thinking that you were in the good hands advice-wise, of George, Carl and Alfie. And I am not dissuaded from that opinion.
But later in the day a red warning light switched on and began to grow stronger. The significance of you stopping EBRT at session nine and still having a further 35 scheduled ( which you will probably not attend ), impacted on me. That's 44 in all.
The usual on average is around 35-37. If they scheduled you for 44, then there must be an aspect of your Cancer which they know but of which, so far, you seem to be in ignorance,
Why do I say this ? Well, my vital statistics were PSA 10, Gleason 7 ( 4+3 ), T2b. And a Mini-TURP ... And I got given 42 EBRT's 28 at one level of radiation and inclusive of seminal vesicles . Then 14 at a higher dosage aimed specifically at the tumour. When they had finished, I was told that if the cancer came back, I "could not have anymore EBRT to the prostate". But, that they were holding 2-3 sessions back for possible metastasis elsewhere in the body, later on.
So for you to have been scheduled for 44 sessions straight off, it would seem prudent to enquire of your Ocologist, exactly what they were aiming to do, at what strength(s) and why. Irrespective of whether you go ahead with further treatment or not, I believe you need to make any decision, both fully informed and made aware of risks and alternatives.
I was given 42 sessions because they considered I had " a significant amount of disease " and that it was a "moderately aggressive Prostate Cancer ". Also that if I did not have treatment, which was a course I was contemplating, I would be dead inside 5 years with my last two being a form of hell on Earth. Their words,
So how come you should be getting 44 and that you are abandoning the treatment anyway? Are you being wise ? Don't you need to ask a few more questions ?
With Kind Regards,
Dudley
david58851
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Dudley71081 david58851
Posted
glamour david58851
Posted
I had similar characteristics in the last 3 weeks of my treatment and the first 3 weeks after treatment was complete. for about 6 weeks life was very uncomfortable but it gradually eased with the help of some pain killers.
Like yours the soft tissue arouind my bladder and lower bowel had been microwaved which dmages the tissue leaving scars. I believe your pain will ease, mine did.
My advice would be drink plenty of water and keep your bowels loose with plenty of fruit. It worked for me.
If you do not complete your treatment the chance is your cancer will get worse, so you must return and complete it. My pain killer was called Zapain I "think". whatever it was it contained codiene which makes you constipated so you must have water and fruit.
You must be brave. Your life depends on it.
Very Best Wishes
supercargo david58851
Posted
I completed my 37 sessions of RT 17 months ago.
Recently, due to bleeding when cleaning the rear end, I had an Colonoscopy which found Radiation Proctopathy. More and inconvenience than a problem.
supercargo david58851
Posted
I completed my RT 17 months ago.
Due bleeding when cleaning my rear end, I had a Colonoscop,y which shows Radiation Proctopathy