Has anyone used SpaceOAR gel?

I think things may have changed in recent months.

My hospital, Mount Vernon, had been doing SpaceOAR privately when I started my treatment 4 months ago. The NHS gave them 30 or 60 (I forget) SpaceOAR's to try out on the NHS. The NHS had some hundreds from the manufacturer to try out, and distributed them to the key prostate oncology centres and Mount Vernon used several of theirs with HDR brachytherapy (I was considered, but unsuitable for other reasons).

I haven't followed this since then, but these free ones were used to get many more oncologists trained up on using it, ready for NHS roll-out.

I'll try to remember to ask what the current state is at the Mount Vernon support group meeting on Wednesday.

Best wishes,

Chris

Hi Bryan, best of luck with your RT. Like Chris, I found my RT relatively plain sailing. I finished 9 months ago and came off the Bical about a month later. Like you, I didn’t feel unwell but was having lots done to me! All I can say is I feel even better now. 

I'm encouraged by what you have said - having a bit of difficulty getting a hospital to do the Gold Markers and SpaceOAR under GA so may have to go to London - and continue with my RT in Basingstoke.  I haven't got medical insurance so I suppose it will cost a few thousand ! Seeing my Onco next week so will see what she says ! All the best to you. R.

Had my first face-to-face follow up of the year with my oncologist on 24th Nov 2020. Been a bit busy with other “life” stuff since then, so hadn’t got around to posting. Which is probably a good sign in itself. This time last year I would have straight on the forum after every little thing. But a little over two years since first meeting said onco life has assumed a sort of normality in terms of PCa; albeit with an overlay of lockdowns, tiers, hand hygiene, face masks, etc. I consider myself very “lucky” now that I went through my treatment at the beginning of 2019, the thought of all those extra trips and encounters in the same months of 2020 with all the unknowns of the COVID-19 situation is not something I would wish to have to deal with, but I know I would have got through it somehow. As I am sure anyone facing the same situation as I did now will. 

In a new “first”, I found myself feeling really faint after the blood draw for the PSA & Testosterone was done. How many times have I had blood drawn over the last couple of years? I’ve lost count! Never had a problem before, but this time the phlebotomist had to recline the chair and give me a drink of water before I felt normal again and was able to leave. Not sure if I was dehydrated or stressed by other stuff going on (we are currently moving house... to Ireland) or both, I just hope it’s not going to become the norm for me.

Anyway, the all important results were good; PSA 0.15, so back down very slightly from 4 months previous and Testosterone level is also up again, backed up by...

The ED situation has also improved, the little fella is slow to rise, but he gets there on his own with no chemical assistance from time to time now, even standing proudly to attention in the small hours of the morning now and again. 

So as the onco said, things are generally “on the up” 😂

Edited by member 19 Dec 2020 at 11:34  | Reason: Nothing important 🙄

No testosterone number as the GP wasn't convinced of the need.

Expecting a referral to a suitable local specialist here in Ireland for follow up in due course, but frankly no rush as I am generally well and not on any medication.

GP surgery in the UK have not responded to any requests for my records to be sent over. When I phoned them back in March you would have thought that nobody had ever moved from the UK to Ireland before. Good job I have copies of all the clinic letters etc. and a more or less functioning memory!

I would suggest that SpaceOar may not be a great idea. I say this based on advice from my oncologist,  who had something to do with its development. His advice was not to use it and in addition, that there could be complications with the device failing or not being inserted in exactly the right place. Essentially, you're balancing up the risks associated with the SpaceOar against the possible gains.

This advice was specific to my case and might not apply to others.

One of the issues for protection of the bowel with RT can be making sure your bladder is full enough when you receive the treatment, if your situation requires a full bladder for RT. I found it difficult to get right every time but it's very important. It's equally important that the team who give radiotherapy should not give you RT without being certain that your bladder is full enough.

Edited by member 18 Oct 2021 at 02:17  | Reason: Not specified

I could be wrong here and it might also depend on the type of radiotherapy but I was told by several radiologists, during treatment, that the full bladder was protection for the bowel.

ps Lyn, thanks for suggesting corrections.

Edited by member 17 Oct 2021 at 23:51  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks for the extra data. I'll see if I can get something more specific from the people who treated me. At the time I just followed the advice and looked forward to the whole thing being over but I've read much of what you've said here and elsewhere and it's clearly very well informed.

"Location" where I was concerned used gold seeds plus three small tatts, one on each hip and one centrally above the prostate. On each treatment I was initially put in position using the tatts aligned by laser with re-positioning by the nurses. After that a preliminary scan was used to bring locate the prostate [plus affected gland] to a specific position with accuracy of closer than a millimetre. The "bed" was shifted mechanically in small increments in any direction as required, by remote control.  The basis for "location" was that each day would have different settings.

I have no idea how this ties in with the full bladder business but it looks as though there could be quite different approaches to treatment in different countries.

The LINAC waiting room was occupied by many of us desperately attempting to maintain a full bladder. If the bladder wasn't considered full enough we were ejected, given some water to drink and required to wait for 30 minutes or so. If there was any sort of delay [quite common] things got difficult :-)

Edited again 19th Oct.

Jules

Edited by member 19 Oct 2021 at 05:44  | Reason: Not specified

Hi there - quick update, My Oncologist was very happy with the SpaceOar placement and even showed me a scan he had loaded onto his iPhone !. Procedure was done under light general anaesthetic and was pretty painless - much less unpleasant compated to the Biopsy as someone else stated earlier. 

 I've now down 3 out of 5 MRI Guided SBRT sessions here in Hong Kong. Biggest pain is the rectal ballon (fun - not !) and having exactly 100Ml of urine in my bladder otherwise you and in and out of the LINAC until they are completely happy with how much bladder, the balloon, etc. You can even pair up your phone to the machine and they give you a pair of headphones (presumably plastic) to listen to your music, etc during treatment. 

I was wondering where exactly my Oncologist was until I was in his office post-treatment and saw a big screen with an MRI cross-section of a patient on it (all in colour). He then got a phone call and gave the go-ahead for them to start the radiation plan, all from the comfort of his office.. I also got to take a look at the colour coded charts with my plan where I could see exactly which parts of my body were being radiated, how much radiation, etc. The big lesion I have on one side of my prostate was bright red, etc.

So far, have not really felt major side effects, just feeling a little óff' immediately afterwards, have played some tennis, gone for a cycle in the days when I am not being treated. Am now 7 weeks into ADT too so that could also be having a minor effect..

So I guess time will tell just how effective SBRT is. Just 5 sessions at least is fantastic at least. This particular MRI guided thingy seems quite space age although of course they still spend a good 5 minutes lining up my felt tip crosses (no tattoos here) before putting me into the microwave itself :) 

2 more sessions to go, hopefully all goes well. 

Edited by member 30 Nov 2021 at 14:19  | Reason: Not specified