I'm interested in conversations about and I want to talk about
Know exactly what you want?
Show search

Notification

Error

Salvage Radiation - ‘Tips’

User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 21:17

Hi

i had a radical prostatectomy in 2016. Regrettably I have a recurrence. Starting a 4 week course if radiotherapy soon at The Christie. Does anybody have any useful tips to help me through it?

Thanks

Bazzag

User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 23:44

Bazzag, find out where the nearest toilet is to the treatment room and find a back up toilet in case the first one is occupied. I never had an accident.  I was told in an emergency I could use a urine bottle in the treatment room, I had a urine bottle in a carry bag but never needed it. Useful to know where toilets are on the way home, and have the urine bottle in the car, and a cover plus towel for the seat, again never used. As a work colleague often said better to be looking at it than looking for it. I had 33 sessions and only got the urgency towards the end.

Make sure you get the correct amount of urine in the bladder, having said that I think guys are now scanned every day. My routine was,mini enema three hours before appointment time. Keep hydrated on treatment days. I would drink on the way to the hospital. On a arrival I checked they were running on time , emptied the bladder and then drank 5 or 6 hundred mls of water twenty minutes before being zapped.

Hope all goes well.

Edited by member 15 Aug 2024 at 23:46  | Reason: Spelling

User
Posted 16 Aug 2024 at 01:52

I had RT at the Christie, for me it was an empty bladder policy so I didn't have to worry about when and where to go. Others at Christie have had to have a specific amount of urine in the bladder. 

I have a motorbike so traveling to the hospital was ok. If you had to commute by any other means it would be less fun.

Dave

User
Posted 16 Aug 2024 at 07:18

Many thanks

 

User
Posted 16 Aug 2024 at 07:40

I had 4 weeks of salvage radiotherapy in 2022, doing a recce of your route home from the treatment centre is definitely a good idea. Supermarkets, pubs, anywhere likely to have a toilet. I had to make a pit stop a couple of times heading home from treatment. 

As my treatment progressed, I couldn't really trust a fart, so found it best to sit on the loo to let one go.

Also it may be worth keeping spare pants trousers and towel in the car, incase you have an accident. 

Good luck. 

Kev.

User
Posted 16 Aug 2024 at 07:58

Many thanks

 

User
Posted 16 Aug 2024 at 07:59

Thanks 

Sage advice 

 

User
Posted 18 Aug 2024 at 07:58
I completed 20 fractions of radiotherapy four weeks ago as, like yourself, my PSA indicated the cancer had returned. My hospital required the bladder to be (partially) full, and 45 minutes prior to treatment had to drink three cups of water. Initially this was okay but as time passed it became a strain to hold it. I reached an agreement with the radiotherapy staff that if the ultrasound showed my bladder was at the top end of the volume required I could pass some - not too difficult as I have full bladder control following my RARP in December 2022, and the relief was immense!

You’ll be guided by the hospital as to whether you need to use a mini enema in advance but you’ll find that your body will not need these. I used one only for the first treatment.

As Kev T says, don’t trust a fart - you’ll find that you pass mucus. Bowels can become loose and staff will advise if this becomes problematic. I was told to use Imodium which was a great help. This will improve when the treatment stops but took me a couple of weeks.

Keep hydrated: at least three litres a day. I switched to decaffeinated tea which counts towards this. I avoided alcohol and fizzy drinks as these can irritate the bladder. I opted to avoid foods that gave me wind although staff told me this wasn’t strictly necessary.

Know where there are toilets on your route home. Even though my journey was only 30 minutes there were times when I was taken relatively short.

It’s all a bit of a nuisance but is worth it. You’ll be fine!

User
Posted 18 Aug 2024 at 17:50

Hi
Many thanks for that detailed and very useful reply/information

Regards

Bazzag

User
Posted 20 Aug 2024 at 22:02
Check out my profile and there is a link to my daily diary of SRT (32 days) - might be useful if a little boring :)
 
Forum Jump  
©2024 Prostate Cancer UK