Stephen,
We were told not to change diet initially. If you start to get loose bowels (which almost everyone did), then you cut down on fibre. A few people have the opposite problem, constipation, and may need to add fibre.
For low fibre,
avoid fruit except peeled apples, peeled pairs, and bananas;
avoid veg except peeled potatoes;
avoid brown flour, brown bread, brown pasta;
avoid bran Including breakfast cereals containing it. (Corn Flakes is one of the lowest fibre cereals.)
Don't do this all in one go in case you get constipated, scale up as necessary.
Skin around the X-ray entry/exit area needs special care. This is a band around your body from your naval down to your penis, and includes your arse crack. Use plain soap when washing, not scented. Don't use any other skincare products without getting permission from the radiotherapists. (Products with metals such as zinc are ruled out.) Don't rub the area - wash using hands, not flannel, and dab dry gently. Don't soak for a prolonged time (no long baths or swims). Do use sun tan when out in the sun, even under a T-shirt (which let UV through) for a year. Check any folds of skin for any infection, and ask radiotherapists for medication to apply if that happens. I didn'r have any problems with skin. Pubes in the X-ray entry/exit area fell out a couple of weeks after treatment, but regrew afterwards.
Stay well hydrated, so you are washing plenty of water (well diluted urine) through your bladder.
Get working on your pelvic floor exercises. Alcohol, fizzy drinks, caffeine, and concentrated urine (dehydration) might cause bladder spasms (urgency to go before your bladder has filled up). Cranberry juice may be beneficial in reducing chance of urinary infections (beware of sugar content - there are low sugar types), although too much of this and many other juices can make urine more acidic (I drunk it very well diluted).
This is what I remember from my session. They also told us not to ride a bicycle. I'd already bought a noseless saddle, and they said that was fine. My onco thought the not riding a bike was OTT.
Good luck.
Edited by member 12 Jul 2020 at 23:25
| Reason: Not specified