Radiation seed implants

Hi Walter,

Welcome to this forum, though sorry it is due to PCa that brings you here and for your kidney problem.

It has to be acknowledged that there are risks with any treatment given individually or in combination with another(s). I was not aware that Tamsulosin posed a high risk of kidney problems - I have been taking it for the best part of 30 years without apparent problem but would be interested to learn more about the class action you refer to and any link you are able to provide. Many men are on Tamsulosin and I am sure like me they would like to learn more about substantive concerns over this drug.

It seems from what you are saying that you chose to have Brachytherapy (seeds) because robotic surgery was not available at the time but you could possibly have had open Prostatectomy where success overall is little different to Robotic surgery and in some cases better, although recovery time is shorter with the latter. The kidney damage aside, how successful was your Bracytherapy? We don't know your diagnosis and histology but you may have needed a form of RT even if you had have had a Prostatectomy . It would be helpful if you posted details of your diagnosis under your Profile.

Edited by member 28 Apr 2019 at 14:53  | Reason: Not specified

30% of people in their 70's have stage-3 CKD (raising to 35% in their 80's). It needs monitoring to check there's no resolvable cause and it's not getting worse, but it generally has no symptoms. It corresponds to 50% kidney function, or having just one kidney, which is not normally an issue.

No drug has ever been invented which doesn't have side effects in some people. All the PCa treatments available have significant side effects. You don't know at the outset which side effects you will get from which treatments which is part of the treatment choice gamble, but you can be reasonably sure what happens with no treatment. Treatment is generally a case of swapping some severe symptoms or outcomes for less severe symptoms or outcomes, and sadly not a case of restoring you to the state of never having had the problem in the first case.

You survived PCa for a long time so far with your treatment choice - many people here would wish they were that fortunate. It could have been that if you'd had a prostatectomy, some micro mets would have been left behind and you might not be around today, whereas the brachy zapped them. I would not assume you made the wrong choice, but you do need to be realistic about side effects of all treatments.