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Difficult passing urine

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User
Posted 15 Jun 2015 at 22:03

Hi all,

OH nearly at the end of his 7 and a half week radiotherapy treatment. He has done really well and continued to work with tiredness being a daily issue. He has 4 sessions to go - phew, but over the last week or so passing urine has become increasingly difficult. He has been on Tamsulosin for the last 5 weeks which helped initially, but now really only has an effect for a short time and definitely not giving 24 hour relief. He has had his flow rate tested and told it is 'acceptable' and has no infection. He has to push really hard to pass urine and it hurts, being internally 'sore'. His bladder is never emptied and he has to get up about 6 times a night, adding to the exhaustion he feels.

I know all of the above is 'to be expected' but just wanted to know do things improve after the radiotherapy has finished, and an idea of how long it takes for things to feel a bit more 'normal'? After everything this year has thrown at us we have our long anticipated summer holiday approaching in 6 weeks time and I am worried that this may still be a big issue.

I would be really interested to hear others experiences with this difficulty. Many thanks,

Miss x

User
Posted 17 Jun 2015 at 20:13

My other half has suffered really badly after brachytherapy. He has had severe burning on peeing for months, urgency and nights the record was 9 times getting up. He kept feeling in the night that he couldn't go, he said it felt like it was leaving his bladder then getting stuck. Tamsulosin was upped to twice a day, with not a lot of difference.

What he drinks makes a huge difference, caffeine upsets him,so all caffeine has been cut out as has alcohol.

For some reason fruit

juice particularly cranberry makes it much worse (apparently cranberry treats infection, but there is no infection) we have found spicy foods upset his waterworks too. He is on low dose antibiotics as he has prostatitis, also anti inflammatories. All this was helping a bit but still nights were bad, then the consultant (after much nagging for help) gave mirabegron. This has made a huge difference. He is sleeping all night again (apart from when I gave him the last of the cranberry juice, he had 3 bad nights) the flow has nearly returned to normal and the feeling of not emptying bladder has gone.

He has gone from no medication (or symptoms) pre treatment, to 7 lots of tablets twice a day. But he is slowly getting better, so please do ask for help. It has taken us several phone calls to get help. He had the brachy beginning of Jan. So we thought he'd be back to normal by now.

I hope you get some help, all the best.

Edited by member 17 Jun 2015 at 20:54  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 18 Jun 2015 at 10:27

You are right. lots of cranberry drinks are loaded with sugar. I bought a make called Biona available in some independent health food shops. It's an organic one, expesive, but only pure juice. It's very dry to drink on it's own but makes a lovely drink diluted with sparking or still water !

 

Fiona.

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 08:48

Miss
Frequency varies between guys. Some recovering quite quickly, mostly within a few months. Whilst others like I even with Meds are long term (10 yrs at least 3 times a night in my case).As regards forthcoming holiday it could well continue throughout. Hopefully recovery will be in quick in your OH case

Good luck

Ray

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 09:06
Hi Miss,

I was much the same as your OH. It does get better after RT but how quickly I suppose varies from person to person.

Good luck, hope it gets better by your holiday.

Steve x

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 12:31

It worries me when people are told something or other is 'acceptable '. Is there swelling around the prostate area due to the RT. Doesnt seem good your husband is having to strain as I would imagine this in itself will irritate the area. If you are concerned it pays to sometimes be a bit assertive over treatment and its consequences, you are clearly concerned about this. Also, ask for much clearer advice as to how your husband is supposed to manage his discomfort if the Tamulosin isnt very helpful ? As the other posts say, these things can take along time but it helps to have some reasurance along the way !

 

Fiona.

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 19:38

Apologies for short reply but rushing. Is he drinking cranberry juice, has he cut out all caffeine and alcohol?

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

User
Posted 17 Jun 2015 at 21:56

Hi all,
Thanks so much for all your helpful and varied replies, all very useful to read. Just to update you, my OH has been caffeine free since diagnosis and has had nothing alcoholic to drink for the last 2 months throughout his radiotherapy (2 sessions left to go!). We have not tried cranberry juice as it contains sugar which we are doing our best to avoid. He has now been given a prescription for MISTPOTCIT which he has be told tastes awful but may help relieve the pain, so he will be picking that up tomorrow.
When his radiotherapy ends we have been told that he will go back 6 weeks later to find out what his PSA is, and that hopefully things will improve after a couple of weeks of his radiotherapy ending, as the prostate begins to settle down?
So that's where we are at the moment!
Thanks for all your support,
Miss x

User
Posted 19 Jun 2015 at 02:54

Yes, it needs to be proper cranberry juice rather than the cheaper 'from concentrate' ones. It is believed to soothe irritation in the bowel not just infection. 

Edited by member 19 Jun 2015 at 02:55  | Reason: Not specified

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

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User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 08:48

Miss
Frequency varies between guys. Some recovering quite quickly, mostly within a few months. Whilst others like I even with Meds are long term (10 yrs at least 3 times a night in my case).As regards forthcoming holiday it could well continue throughout. Hopefully recovery will be in quick in your OH case

Good luck

Ray

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 09:06
Hi Miss,

I was much the same as your OH. It does get better after RT but how quickly I suppose varies from person to person.

Good luck, hope it gets better by your holiday.

Steve x

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 12:31

It worries me when people are told something or other is 'acceptable '. Is there swelling around the prostate area due to the RT. Doesnt seem good your husband is having to strain as I would imagine this in itself will irritate the area. If you are concerned it pays to sometimes be a bit assertive over treatment and its consequences, you are clearly concerned about this. Also, ask for much clearer advice as to how your husband is supposed to manage his discomfort if the Tamulosin isnt very helpful ? As the other posts say, these things can take along time but it helps to have some reasurance along the way !

 

Fiona.

User
Posted 16 Jun 2015 at 19:38

Apologies for short reply but rushing. Is he drinking cranberry juice, has he cut out all caffeine and alcohol?

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

User
Posted 17 Jun 2015 at 20:13

My other half has suffered really badly after brachytherapy. He has had severe burning on peeing for months, urgency and nights the record was 9 times getting up. He kept feeling in the night that he couldn't go, he said it felt like it was leaving his bladder then getting stuck. Tamsulosin was upped to twice a day, with not a lot of difference.

What he drinks makes a huge difference, caffeine upsets him,so all caffeine has been cut out as has alcohol.

For some reason fruit

juice particularly cranberry makes it much worse (apparently cranberry treats infection, but there is no infection) we have found spicy foods upset his waterworks too. He is on low dose antibiotics as he has prostatitis, also anti inflammatories. All this was helping a bit but still nights were bad, then the consultant (after much nagging for help) gave mirabegron. This has made a huge difference. He is sleeping all night again (apart from when I gave him the last of the cranberry juice, he had 3 bad nights) the flow has nearly returned to normal and the feeling of not emptying bladder has gone.

He has gone from no medication (or symptoms) pre treatment, to 7 lots of tablets twice a day. But he is slowly getting better, so please do ask for help. It has taken us several phone calls to get help. He had the brachy beginning of Jan. So we thought he'd be back to normal by now.

I hope you get some help, all the best.

Edited by member 17 Jun 2015 at 20:54  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 17 Jun 2015 at 21:56

Hi all,
Thanks so much for all your helpful and varied replies, all very useful to read. Just to update you, my OH has been caffeine free since diagnosis and has had nothing alcoholic to drink for the last 2 months throughout his radiotherapy (2 sessions left to go!). We have not tried cranberry juice as it contains sugar which we are doing our best to avoid. He has now been given a prescription for MISTPOTCIT which he has be told tastes awful but may help relieve the pain, so he will be picking that up tomorrow.
When his radiotherapy ends we have been told that he will go back 6 weeks later to find out what his PSA is, and that hopefully things will improve after a couple of weeks of his radiotherapy ending, as the prostate begins to settle down?
So that's where we are at the moment!
Thanks for all your support,
Miss x

User
Posted 18 Jun 2015 at 10:27

You are right. lots of cranberry drinks are loaded with sugar. I bought a make called Biona available in some independent health food shops. It's an organic one, expesive, but only pure juice. It's very dry to drink on it's own but makes a lovely drink diluted with sparking or still water !

 

Fiona.

User
Posted 19 Jun 2015 at 02:54

Yes, it needs to be proper cranberry juice rather than the cheaper 'from concentrate' ones. It is believed to soothe irritation in the bowel not just infection. 

Edited by member 19 Jun 2015 at 02:55  | Reason: Not specified

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

 
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