Why is RT not advised in diverticular disease?

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 10:09

Searched around but not found an answer.

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 14:03

I was offered RT or surgery with full knowledge of having diverticular disease, it was never mentioned as a problem, I chose surgery regardless.

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 14:11

It is worth asking the onco to explain why s/he has taken that view as it may be specific to you. The side effects of RT can be very similar to DD and could presumably make things worse. It may be because at your hospital, they like men to have a high fibre diet during RT whereas you may need a low fibre diet to manage symptoms. It could be that in your particular case, the sacs are very close to the prostate and they are worried about keeping the bowel out of the zapping range. Or it could just be that someone has made an assumption and actually, it would be fine for you to have RT.

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

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 17:49

When I had scans prior to RT, the Registrar asked me if I had seen a urologist about my diverticulem, to which I responded that I didn't know I had one. Regardless of the foregoing, I was given RT with no further reference to this.

Barry

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 18:13

Aren't people having RT normally told to have a low-fibre diet, Lyn? I certainly was.

Best wishes,

Chris

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 19:21

We were told to adjust to symptoms, which in 90% of cases means no fibre, and in a few % means more fibre.

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 19:26

I think it varies from hospital to hospital Chris which was why I said that it might be that at his hospital they like men to have high fibre. It was just a suggestion in a list of suggestions.

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

User

Posted 02 Oct 2019 at 19:30

I reckon less than half of men posting here are started off with an 'adjust to symptoms' approach. Many are given a diet sheet at their planning scan, usually just indicating a reduction or increase in fibre but some hospitals seem to have quite rigid guidelines :-/

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

User

Posted 07 Oct 2019 at 19:25

Lyn & Heenan, I would go along with both of your comments, thank you.

It's early days for me, and waiting on an OPD appointment with my Urologist, but my initial feelings are to put the prostate on active-surveillance, and in the meantime sort out the diverticular disease. Reason being that quality of life is important and the diverticular disease is a daily misery, and my partner continues to cook to suit my bowel.

When I first saw my surgeon for the DD he said low fibre diet (yes white toast!) and exercise as if you're going for the olympics.

As the prostate Ca is intracapsular, with no lymph node involvement, I want to get the bowel sorted first.

Thanks, you have both confirmed what I suspected.

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