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Diagnosed with pc

User
Posted 31 Jan 2021 at 22:55

Hi , i was told mid nov .i had pc...started hormone treatment and getting radiotherapy in feb ..just had convo last week with oncology,  they graded me at 7 and t3a ..im on injections every 3 months from next week , and will get 4 weeks of radiotherapy...has anyone else got a diagnosis similar and what was your radiotherapy like , and other advice would be grateful on what to expect ..im 58 and my psa was 106 if that helps as well ..ty

User
Posted 31 Jan 2021 at 22:55

Hi , i was told mid nov .i had pc...started hormone treatment and getting radiotherapy in feb ..just had convo last week with oncology,  they graded me at 7 and t3a ..im on injections every 3 months from next week , and will get 4 weeks of radiotherapy...has anyone else got a diagnosis similar and what was your radiotherapy like , and other advice would be grateful on what to expect ..im 58 and my psa was 106 if that helps as well ..ty

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 10:47
Hi I had adjuvant RT following RP. I had four weeks of RT. The procedure itself is very quick and obviously painless. You will need to have clear bowels and a full bladder. They can prescribe an enema to take prior to your RT if req’d. Usually you will arrive early for your session and drink a specified amount of water to fill your bladder. The RT itself is over in a matter of minutes.

There is a chance you may suffer some side effects of RT but these are usually short lived. I was fortunate and didn’t really have any side effects.

Good luck

Bri

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 12:18
Side-effects are cumulative and generally peak a couple of weeks after treatment ends. I had some bladder irritation (cranberry juice helps with that) and increased frequency of peeing, which was rather tiring. It's also extremely common to pass green mucus from the back passage - the radiation makes the bowel produce extra lubrication - and this can result in unanticipated "wet farts" for a few months, so that's something to be careful about. For me the bladder side-effects wore off within weeks, although the bowel issues took longer - probably the best part of a year. I'm now two years after treatment and the only side-effect I still have is that I'm taking Tamsulosin to aid with "flow". Radiation makes the prostate swell up - generally permanently - so if you do get flow issues ask to be prescribed Tamsulosin. It works wonders.

All in all, I found RT not too bad an experience at all. HT generally causes far more side-effects than RT.

Best wishes,

Chris

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User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 10:47
Hi I had adjuvant RT following RP. I had four weeks of RT. The procedure itself is very quick and obviously painless. You will need to have clear bowels and a full bladder. They can prescribe an enema to take prior to your RT if req’d. Usually you will arrive early for your session and drink a specified amount of water to fill your bladder. The RT itself is over in a matter of minutes.

There is a chance you may suffer some side effects of RT but these are usually short lived. I was fortunate and didn’t really have any side effects.

Good luck

Bri

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 12:18
Side-effects are cumulative and generally peak a couple of weeks after treatment ends. I had some bladder irritation (cranberry juice helps with that) and increased frequency of peeing, which was rather tiring. It's also extremely common to pass green mucus from the back passage - the radiation makes the bowel produce extra lubrication - and this can result in unanticipated "wet farts" for a few months, so that's something to be careful about. For me the bladder side-effects wore off within weeks, although the bowel issues took longer - probably the best part of a year. I'm now two years after treatment and the only side-effect I still have is that I'm taking Tamsulosin to aid with "flow". Radiation makes the prostate swell up - generally permanently - so if you do get flow issues ask to be prescribed Tamsulosin. It works wonders.

All in all, I found RT not too bad an experience at all. HT generally causes far more side-effects than RT.

Best wishes,

Chris

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 14:13

Wet farts 😅😅😅😅 may wear double layers lol thanks for the info 

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 14:13

Thanks bri for the info 

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 16:06
The radio therapy might be a bit daunting, but actually it isn't. The machines which do the job ('linac', or linear accelerator) look a bit like a scanner. You lie on the table, and the radiologists leave the room after they have moved you around into the righr position. You will have 3 small tattoos which are used to locate you properly. Don't worry - there is a camera on you all the time, so if you have any problems, help is at hand. The machine does an initial scan to make sure all is as it needs to be. If it is, the actual treatment only takes a couple of minutes. The machine will rotate around you, stopping and starting, so that the beam hits your cancer from different angles. It is completely painless.. Once it is over, the technicians come back in and help you off the table. You can go home (usually via the toilet to empty your bladder, which has to be full before treatment can start!). The side effects vary, and don't usually start until a couple of weeks into the treatment. Actually they peak a couple of weeks after your final go in the machine, then gradualy get better. Apart from fatigue, I needed to be careful with my bowels (sudden urge to go!) and the very common 'mucous farts', but there is treatment available for those.

I finished my radiotherapy 15 months ago. Today, I had a telephone consultation and was told that my PSA is now 0.05 (it was 0.04 six months ago). Virtually the same (allowing for testing error). My onco team is very pleased and will ask for another PSA test in August.

I still have some side effects from the hormone therapy, but they too are reducing. The 4 weeks (4x 5 days per week) are a bit of a faff, but you can plan around them. I opted for treatments early in the day, so I was usually home by 10:00. Hope yours go as smoothly as mine did.

Hermit

User
Posted 01 Feb 2021 at 16:21

Thanks buddy for all that , i guess i am well armed with knowledge to over come my  fear lol 

User
Posted 02 Feb 2021 at 10:39
Yes all good info , I would like to add , wear loose fitting clothes boxers , joggers , slip on shoes . And I used a dressing gown. You will need to pee very urgently after treatment . Also take a pee bottle with you for trip home , and get a toilet card from this site or Macmillan cancer care . I ended up with AWR 700 mls of urine trapped after the 4week and had to have catheter fitted for 2wks . The side effects of HT was more than RT but completely bearable , muscle loss seemed a bit bizarre but all part of it , but hey it’s 2yrs past and psa checks every 6 months it’s rising slowly now 0.14 but within acceptable band , the oncologist said it will rise as long as it’s gradual and magic figure is 2! I found the whole treatment plan rather interesting and you build up a relationship with the fellow patients who you see every day !!! I only had one red card when my bowels were to full but managed to empty them and continue on same day . Had two yellows when I had too much gas inside me , so try and eat the right food 😂 , no coffee also . Ref ht try and keep John Thomas in action the saying is use it or lose it 😂 luckily I only had 3injection from start to finish and tablets . Still good luck and no sweat you will get thru it ok !
User
Posted 02 Feb 2021 at 10:46

Brilliant malcolm..all this info is fantastic mate , ive saved all the posts on my files to read over and over if i come up against any problems ...i shall follow all your instructions lol 😉

User
Posted 03 Feb 2021 at 19:48
Good idea keeping notes and jolting down questions , if you got a local Macmillan centre near you or in hospital use them they are very very helpful , don’t get tempted to read dr google too much , all you need is this site and NHS to get info . As you can see plenty of support on here .
User
Posted 03 Feb 2021 at 19:48
Good idea keeping notes and jolting down questions , if you got a local Macmillan centre near you or in hospital use them they are very very helpful , don’t get tempted to read dr google too much , all you need is this site and NHS to get info . As you can see plenty of support on here .
User
Posted 03 Feb 2021 at 19:49
Sorry double post 😂
User
Posted 03 Feb 2021 at 22:22

I stay well clear of dr google ..lol there is a McMillan center near me , i must make use of it for sure

User
Posted 04 Feb 2021 at 18:19
Good call pop,in and see them , they have all the info and support , I remember it well I went into the centre in Southampton hospital , guy greeted me , they certainly know how to approached and talk to you in fact he said ‘oh prostrate cancer I had that 6 yrs ago’ !!!!! It certainly broke the ice and gives you a boost !!!!!
User
Posted 04 Feb 2021 at 21:13

Cheers malcolm will be doing that for sure ty

 

User
Posted 07 Feb 2021 at 16:29

Done what you said mate , and got a toilet card !!!!!! Lol i found that amusing , got a phone consultation on fri , starting radiotherapy in start of march , i asked about my psa ( which was 103 in late nov) told me its dropped to 2.6 and my gleason score was 4-3, so i hope they do get started in march so i can get it over asap ..thanks again bud

User
Posted 07 Feb 2021 at 21:04
No sweat , sounds a plan ! You will be surprised how quick the 4 wks goes , I liked my appointments to be mid day ( I was retired ) I found my body ‘ functions ‘ liked that time . At my hospital Southampton , they gave you reduced parking charges during the treatment . Ref you psa , yes the HT certainly brings the psa down . If I think of anything else I will post , I am sure you will be ok , so many of us have been thru the process , god bless the nhs !
User
Posted 07 Feb 2021 at 21:26

We are lucky we have them .... i shall ask if i can get the radiotherapy around mid day thats if they can facilitate me ..thanks again bud

 
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