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Advanced end stage radiotherapy

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User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 18:06

Hello

Sadly the Abiraterone for my dad has not worked as he has further cancer spread in lymph nodes and is to be stopped no further treatment offered apart from 4 days radiotherapy to help with pain.

i just wondered if anybody could tell us how long approx the effects of end stage radiotherapy would work for? Weeks or hopefully months? I think it’s just a one-off?

apart from this 4 day radiotherapy there is nothing else for my dad so assume this is the start of the end though how long who knows!

thanks

anne

xx

User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 18:45
Sorry to hear of your situation. I recently had 3 times 8gray doses of palliative radiotherapy to my spine and ribs to deal with metastasis. Strangely I wasn’t in that much pain when I was advised to have it. Eight weeks on I have suffered various side effects but now find myself in quite severe pain in my lower back. No one is forthcoming as to whether this is flare or further advancement. Sorry I can’t help further but send love and strength. X
User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 18:55

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Sorry to hear of your situation. I recently had 3 times 8gray doses of palliative radiotherapy to my spine and ribs to deal with metastasis. Strangely I wasn’t in that much pain when I was advised to have it. Eight weeks on I have suffered various side effects but now find myself in quite severe pain in my lower back. No one is forthcoming as to whether this is flare or further advancement. Sorry I can’t help further but send love and strength. X

hi Chris

thank you so much for your reply and sorry to hear you have this horrid disease.

can I ask please over what period did you have the radiotherapy treatment ? I think my dad is getting 4 days and has to stay in a local cancer hospice for this. As my dad can hardly walk assume this is palliative radiotherapy ...obviously the consultant appointment today was via phone with my mum and dad so difficult to push to exact details as this is very hard for my mum.

hope your pain can be kept under control.

best wishes & thank you

anne

xx

 

User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 19:36
So sorry. I guess technically your dad is way on from me obviously but it was still termed palliative to me as I’m on no other treatment. I had upper spine then went away for a week. On return I had lower spine then right ribs in 2 days. So three days in total. Upper spine gave swallowing pains and soreness. Lower spine gave gastric issues which they helped with anti sickness pills. Right ribs gave quite severe breathing issues which prevail. As I said I wasn’t really in pain before but had a lot of spread. I guess they were trying to nip it in the bud. Late symptoms have produced sore skin and rashes and breathing issues. I think I may need the next three doses soon unless it is tumour flare— the radiotherapy can anger the cancer temporarily before it calms again. Best of luck
User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 19:52

Thank you Chris and best of health & luck to you.

fingers crossed my dad gets a few more months+...he knows himself without any doctors report that he’s dying but just wants to enjoy a little time in his garden...in his own words “he’s led a full and long (84) life”.

xx

User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 20:18
That’s fantastic he feels that way and has that attitude about it all. 84 is fantastic after all. If he feels he has had a full life then that says it all. I think many people have experienced not a lot at all at that age. Not through their own fault but maybe circumstances !! My tender age is 53 at the moment but I’ve lived twice the experiences of all four of my parents ( remarried ). They haven’t lived anywhere near what I have , nor have all my siblings. Stay strong and be there for him if you can xx
User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 20:35
Palliative RT just means that is is being given to reduce pain or improve quality of life rather than to treat the cancer.

How long your dad will have depends more on others things like where the spread is and how much pain relief he needs. The RT will not extend his life. Generally speaking, men don't die of the actual prostate cancer - either the major organs start to fail (because of mets or lymphodema) or the man succumbs to an infection like pneumonia or, more commonly, the pain relief has to be increased and increased until the person sleeps most of the time and eventually slips away.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 20:44

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Palliative RT just means that is is being given to reduce pain or improve quality of life rather than to treat the cancer.

How long your dad will have depends more on others things like where the spread is and how much pain relief he needs. The RT will not extend his life. Generally speaking, men don't die of the actual prostate cancer - either the major organs start to fail (because of mets or lymphodema) or the man succumbs to an infection like pneumonia or, more commonly, the pain relief has to be increased and increased until the person sleeps most of the time and eventually slips away.

Hi Lyn

thank you for your reply. Yes they have made it clear it’s just to help with pain but I wondered how long do the radiotherapy effects last?

my dad does have bad lymphodema in one leg due to its his pelvic lymph nodes which are effected - would that affect his major organs?

Until this year my dad was extremely health and fit with no other medical conditions which I think is helping.

i guess we just have to make the best of good days and enjoy the time left but it’s so so hard to watch your parent fading away! 😂

best wishes 

anne

xx

User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 20:49

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
That’s fantastic he feels that way and has that attitude about it all. 84 is fantastic after all. If he feels he has had a full life then that says it all. I think many people have experienced not a lot at all at that age. Not through their own fault but maybe circumstances !! My tender age is 53 at the moment but I’ve lived twice the experiences of all four of my parents ( remarried ). They haven’t lived anywhere near what I have , nor have all my siblings. Stay strong and be there for him if you can xx

it does help! He already decided the year before he got ill, he was not wanting to go abroad on holiday again, given up golf ...all by choice, as he has been everywhere he wants and done everything!... it’s just really hard for us to watch him become so ill, and worse still watch our mum struggle, so sad, anxious about now and the future 😂😂😂

My dad is a real inspiration to us, even when very ill, he is always asking about us, our lives and has a positive attitude...

I am glad Chris you have and are enjoying life as much as possible...I know after this I will be doing my best to enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life!

xx

User
Posted 30 Nov 2020 at 20:50
I think she actually realised this in her first post Lyn if you read it again !
 
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