I've just finished my RT after six and a half weeks. I had my prostate removed last year but the PSA hadn't gone down enough, hence the RT. I had 66 Gray over 33 sessions
My treatment was at Hereford hospital - they only have one machine in a unit which opened last year so I was very lucky Not to have to go to Cheltenham every day as had to be done before last year. So it was 10 miles each way rather than 35. I did have to go. 3 times to Cheltenham as the machine was not working in Hereford.
The radiotherapists were delightful with a lot of banter re England and Wales rugby with a bit of Irish thrown in! I did suffer on the Monday after England had lost and Wales and Ireland had won! There's a small circular waiting room and everybody was very friendly - either PC sufferers or ladies with breast cancer. I felt very happy to have finished today but sad to say goodbye to all my new friends
To the treatment itself- you don't feel anything and it's all over very quickly, although slightly longer on the odd day when they were taking scans. I got into a routine as my appointments were nearly all early morning. Get up, the usual bowl of porridge, skip the normal cup of tea, drive to Hereford to arrive 40 minutes before the appointment time and have 4 cups of water after emptying one's bladder. This meant a comfortably full bladder during the treatment and emptying straight afterwards. I did have 3 occasions when treatment was delayed and my bladder was over-full. The last time was at Cheltenham when there was a 35 minute delay with no prior warning. I had to get off the treatment bed half way through as I couldn't contain it. I had to go back to the waiting room, have 2 more cups of water and go back in 20 minutes later. This time I just managed to hold on!
Side effects - I haven't been tired and all I've had has been an irritable bowel which is pretty standard. I get a lot of wind and sometimes empty my bowels up to 6 times a day which can be quite uncomfortable but not the end of the world. They gave me review meetings every 2 weeks the last being today. I was advised to try peppermint oil capsules which are effective at suppressing wind and settling things down - I'll see how they go.
Next will be a PSA test in May when I go back to see the oncologist followed by the urologist in June
My experiences were pretty much shared by the other PC friends I met