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Delayed bowel problem/side effect

User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 01:42

Hi. Just to update anyone interested. I have/had a 3+4=7 PC and had my EBRT treatment last June/July (2020). Apart from getting Chronic Sciatica (unrelated) which still hasn't gone 8 months later! I've been mostly fine. The strange issues concerning urination continue, that is I either pee for many minutes, taking ages to finish or I can go really quick and finish normally. This takes the form of everything from my own internal firehose (max pressure which nearly blasts a hole in the back of the toilet) or it goes in drips and drabs for ages. But I don't really see any of that as a problem. I have really bad indigestion now, causing intense chest pains whenever I eat (not heart related) and I may soon need a gastroscopy (camera down the throat). A more urgent issue was my bowel problems. Since I was a child, I have seemingly been constipated. But since the treatment last year, I have had the most chronic constipation imaginable! On any normal day, I will have a 50 gram bowl of All Bran for breakfast, followed in the evening by one (or two) Senokot tablets and 15 ml of Lactulose. I sometimes have 200 ml of prune juice too! I had been passing blood and this had become more frequent, although I now seem to have gotten on top of the problem, yet still pass some blood occasionally (every other day). So last week, suspecting Bowel Cancer, my doctor sent me for a colonoscopy (camera up the other end). This shows that, due to the treatment, I have a red patch that looks a bit like freckles only bigger and with skin missing. No bowel cancer, but this was caused by Radiation Proctitis (They even gave me some nice pictures of it to take home, sweet!). So that's probably going to be here for life. One tip, if any of you have this procedure, DON'T accept the gas and air (Entonox), as this doesn't control any of the pain at all! It's like being drunk, but with intense pain. Take the sedation instead, you may thank me for it. Ouch!

User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 18:37

Ross, I was given numerous versions of the proton pump inhibitors for over three years, within five minutes of seeing the gastroenterology doctor I was having an ultrasound scan and they found sludge and stones in the gallbladder. In order to ease the discomfort I used to sleep sitting up. The discomfort was just to the side of the breast bone. As my earlier comment rich food, like M&S quiche would trigger the pain.


I got sent for a camera down the throat by a junior GP, the senior GP was so incensed by his actions an elevated PSA got missed for three years. I didn't even know what a PSA test was. 


I had the bowel clearing drink, got an empty bowel and a sore bum to prove it, then five minutes before the procedure it was cancelled because they hadn't swabbed me for a hospital bug. 


Hope you get sorted.


Thanks Chris.

User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 20:37
"Quote I take all sorts of Rennies and Gaviscon, which cost me a fortune,"

I get Peptac (the cheaper version of Gaviscon) on prescription, might be worth asking the GP.

John

Gleason 6 = 3+3 PSA 8.8 P. volume 48 cc Left Cores 3/3, Volume = 20% PSA 10.8 Feb '19 PSA 1.2


Jan '20 PSA 0.3 July '20 0.1 Jan. 21 < 0.1 Dec 21 <0.01 June '22 <0.01 April '23  <0.01

User
Posted 12 May 2021 at 13:07

Hi Ross, I had salvage radiotherapy in March/April 2017. I have had bowel issues ever since. I have had two colonoscopies since. Diagnosed with radiation proctitis in 2018. 
I’ve always taken the sedation for colonoscopies, best in my view too.
My problem with the proctitis is some leakage and I go to the toilet at least three times each day, no constipation!


All the best.

Ido4

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User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 07:10
I have had Colitis for years, although thankfully mild, and have had a few colonoscopies; never needed sedation and no real pain. Did you tell them you were experiencing pain?
User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 07:58
Your symptoms seem unusual, Ross. The most common side-effect for the bowels of EBRT is to increase the amount of mucus produced by the lining of the colon. This is the lubricant which makes things flow easily, so constipation is just not going to ever happen for most men after RT. Has anyone explained why it's happening to you?

Best wishes,

Chris
User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 08:54

Ross, I had some very similar problems after salvage RT. Had the constipation issues, blood and colonoscopy investigations for suspected bowel cancer. No history of previous constipation  Additional tip, dab, don't wipe after drinking the bowel clearing prep. 


Could the chest pain be gallbladder issues, I cut out creamy rich foods and avoided surgery.


Osteoarthritis in the hips, there was some history before PCa.


The RT severely damaged my bladder and I have a catheter for life.


Apart from the bladder problems everything settled down after a few years and now 4 years on and apart from the usual age related aches and pains things are fairly okay. Still have PCa.


Thanks Chris


 

User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 14:13

Wow. Such amazing and quick replies! Thanks guys.


Peter51 I seem to have a very low pain threshold. There's no way I thought I could get through this without sedation, but when they said that Entonox would help me be awake and aware quicker, I thought that sounded good. But to me, the whole process was pain from end to end, (no pun intended). They also said "if you feel any pain, just say and we'll give you some sedation". Wrong! They said they couldn't do that during the procedure. I'm not a coward really, but will definitely go for the sedation next time.


Cheshire Chris I had the mucus during and just after the RT. Boy did I! But about a fortnight after it finished, all the mucus went away. Although I still occasionally have accidents, which involve a bit of mucus. But no, no one has ever explained anything about constipation to me, or why it's bothered me my whole life. Just that RT seems to have increased it! And I certainly didn't need that. I will ask my doctor about it.


colwickchris I have had Osteoarthritis since about 2008 and get loads of pain with it, in just about anything that can get it! Before the PCa I had a feeling like my pelvis is actually broken, obviously it isn't, but getting the Sciatica has increased that feeling and I also feel like my left knee is broken too! In order to walk, I wear a knee brace, use a crutch and also have to tightly squeeze the muscles around the knee in order to stop me falling over! My leg also gives way often, which the crutch helps me to not fall down with.


The bowel clearing prep stuff is awful and I hope to never drink that stuff again. But it worked, oh boy did it work!


Sorry to hear that you still have PCa. I'm lucky I suppose that I still have a PSA of less than 0.1 and should have for the full three years of HT. I've still got 22 months of that to go, so that's good and I hope the RT has worked, only time will tell, but the sex life is dead at the moment. It's like being a child again, with no feelings of arousal ever. The doc has offered me the little blue pill option, but I'm told that won't help the lack of arousal. My fiance is great though and is quite happy to wait for me to recover that part of my life.


I'll look into the gallbladder thing, I used to take Ranitidine, but of course it's been cancelled now, so that was my only option. I had been on 30mg day of Lansoprazole (a Proton Pump Inhibitor), which worked a treat and was better than the other tablet. I took it for a year before I began vomiting every day for three weeks! As it had worked for so long, I couldn't believe that it was the cause of my problem, but I stopped it and that stopped the vomiting. I had never felt so ill. But now that's over, my only alternative has been banned and the other two options (similar to Ranitidine) are unavailable in this country! I take all sorts of Rennies and Gaviscon, which cost me a fortune, so hope that the forthcoming Gastroscopy will find out what the problem is. Could be gallbladder or ulcer I suppose?


Thanks again all of you!

User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 18:37

Ross, I was given numerous versions of the proton pump inhibitors for over three years, within five minutes of seeing the gastroenterology doctor I was having an ultrasound scan and they found sludge and stones in the gallbladder. In order to ease the discomfort I used to sleep sitting up. The discomfort was just to the side of the breast bone. As my earlier comment rich food, like M&S quiche would trigger the pain.


I got sent for a camera down the throat by a junior GP, the senior GP was so incensed by his actions an elevated PSA got missed for three years. I didn't even know what a PSA test was. 


I had the bowel clearing drink, got an empty bowel and a sore bum to prove it, then five minutes before the procedure it was cancelled because they hadn't swabbed me for a hospital bug. 


Hope you get sorted.


Thanks Chris.

User
Posted 11 May 2021 at 20:37
"Quote I take all sorts of Rennies and Gaviscon, which cost me a fortune,"

I get Peptac (the cheaper version of Gaviscon) on prescription, might be worth asking the GP.

John

Gleason 6 = 3+3 PSA 8.8 P. volume 48 cc Left Cores 3/3, Volume = 20% PSA 10.8 Feb '19 PSA 1.2


Jan '20 PSA 0.3 July '20 0.1 Jan. 21 < 0.1 Dec 21 <0.01 June '22 <0.01 April '23  <0.01

User
Posted 12 May 2021 at 13:07

Hi Ross, I had salvage radiotherapy in March/April 2017. I have had bowel issues ever since. I have had two colonoscopies since. Diagnosed with radiation proctitis in 2018. 
I’ve always taken the sedation for colonoscopies, best in my view too.
My problem with the proctitis is some leakage and I go to the toilet at least three times each day, no constipation!


All the best.

Ido4

User
Posted 12 May 2021 at 23:38
I have to wonder whether you had some problem before the RT. I was told that RT was not an option for me because of the colitis, but I've had constipation for years, but then when I get a colitis attack it goes the other way. Constipation is not unusual for colitis sufferers.

These days I take one senokot tablet and that pretty much always gets me moving, but not as loose as lactulose. I'd prefer not to take anything, but I know that constipation for several days can trigger an attack. I've been walking for 40+ minutes at least 5 days a week this past 14 months and that has defintely helped. It sounds like this isn't an option for you, but exercise is good for constipation, so if there is something you can do I would advise it.
 
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