Ldr brachytherapy newbie

User

Posted 27 Feb 2025 at 17:55

Hi all

I eventually plucked up the courage to post after lurking on this site for many months.

A quick overview and story.

I'm 51, had my bloods done on January, psa4.2, bloods redone in February psa5.4 ugh, doc sends me to the rapid prostate clinic appointment in April, dre and checkover the urologist says nothing sinister but we'll send you for a Mri anyway.

Mri in June and I'm told 4 weeks for the results, the phonecall comes and I'm told I'm pirads 5 and I'll need a biopsy to rule out cancer, my life imploded, it felt like the beach scene in saving private ryan. Biopsy in August and I get the results on October to say I'm Gleeson 3+4 but they're happy that's slow growing ( sorry I don't have any other data).

The urologist said .most men your age get the prostate out, I wasn't very keen on a prostatectomy having researched the potential post op struggles that some have so i talked to an oncologist and he referred me on to his colleague that does brachytherapy.

I met the brachytherapy oncologist in January, I asked him what he'd do (knowing the answer) and he said he'd have it out but that's my opinion he said ,no choice is wrong here.

Anyway long story short I had the brachytherapy yesterday and as Paul on here said pain / discomfort wise it's much the same as the biopsy, so far so good in the peeing department no problems there, and hopefully everything carries on well from here.

Thanks very much to all members on here , ye really give hope and help to us lurkers until we get the courage to post, if anyone has any questions feel free to shoot.

Thanks again.

Bryan

Edited by member 27 Feb 2025 at 20:10 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 27 Feb 2025 at 17:55

Hi all

I eventually plucked up the courage to post after lurking on this site for many months.

A quick overview and story.

I met the brachytherapy oncologist in January, I asked him what he'd do (knowing the answer) and he said he'd have it out but that's my opinion he said ,no choice is wrong here.

Thanks very much to all members on here , ye really give hope and help to us lurkers until we get the courage to post, if anyone has any questions feel free to shoot.

Thanks again.

Bryan

Edited by member 27 Feb 2025 at 20:10 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 27 Feb 2025 at 19:57

Good job Bryan, hard part done now! (It wasn't that hard was it! 💪)

Glad everything's working 'normally' so far, I'm sure that will continue but any concerns reach out to the medics or ask on here if you have any niggles.

Great to see another BT thread and journey on the forums, there aren't huge numbers of them compared to RP experiences so it's really good to see more information disseminated first hand to help others who might come afterwards with their decisions.

Keep us updated with your progress, hope it all goes as well for you as for the overwhelming majority of people who choose to have Brachy 👍

Cheers, Paul

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User

Posted 27 Feb 2025 at 19:57

User

Posted 27 Feb 2025 at 20:57

Thanks Paul.

You were spot on about the procedure, my blood pressure went bonkers 160/109 at first, I have a very overactive mind and as calm as I thought I was the hamster in the head was running flat out, it settled down after a while and I was good to go.

There must have been a team of 10 people in the theatre when I was wheeled in, all very nice, professional and calming, a bit of gas then the injection and boom I'm awake in recovery, wheeled back down in about 30mins to my bed.

I had to wait to pass 100ml of fluids, which at one stage seemed like it was never going to happen , but the missus got me to stand up to get dressed and the magic happened, 300ml I got out so I was well happy.

They sent me home with a weeks supply of antibiotics and a repeat prescription of tamsulosin hydrochloride which is great for the flow so far.

Thanks for all your encouragement along the way, you were a massive help, I hope to be posting here in 10 years time helping people out like you are, and raising awareness of the Ldr route that seems to get swept under the carpet.

Cheers

Bryan

Edited by member 27 Feb 2025 at 21:02 | Reason: Typo

User

Posted 28 Feb 2025 at 10:00

I think the GA and general stress of everything is what messes with your ability to urinate immediately afterwards rather than the procedure itself.

After my first biopsy under GA, I was almost admitted overnight because I just couldn't pass enough despite drinking gallons of fluids. As soon as the consultant signed me off and I was discharged, I was pi**ing like a racehorse for the rest of the night! 🤣

Second biopsy under LA and no problem as soon as the procedure was finished.

After Brachy and another GA, it seemed to take ages again but once started, there was no stopping🤣🤣

User

Posted 01 Mar 2025 at 09:36

Yeah the mind is a powerful machine, my BP was 130/85 after the procedure so back to normal levels when I relaxed, the main pain I'm having is me legs and arse, I can only put it down to being in the stirrups for over an hour.

Otherwise I'm going very well, blood gone from the pee, flow is spot on, pain in the perineum nearly gone, I'm pretty tired but enjoying the 30 min naps on the couch.

Onwards and upwards and fingers crossed for the future.

User

Posted 01 Mar 2025 at 10:27

Yeah, I reckon I was pretty roughly manhandled into position for my first biopsy because on one side, hamstring, adducter and lower back were awful for literally weeks afterwards. Was OK after the BT so maybe they were nicer to me that time 🤷‍♂️

Back passage was always 'tender' after both biopsies and BT but I realised why when I saw the ultrasound probe at my 2nd biopsy!! Size of your thumb they said.....my arse!😂

User

Posted 01 Mar 2025 at 10:56

Yeah i saw the ultrasound probe when they were doing the imaging to see if I was a suitable candidate for brachy and it was larger than I thought it would be, but I was fairly used to unwanted entries at that stage 😁😁😁.

The small of me back, arse and legs are in shocking condition today, they must have pulled some shapes outa me.

User

Posted 01 Mar 2025 at 11:20

Get throwing back the Ibuprofen Bryan, hopefully it will take the edge off! 💊💊

Maybe future advice for BT'ers should be a few hours of yoga and pilates pre procedure to make sure you're limbered up and supple enough to be manipulated into position! 😀

🧘‍♂️🧎‍♂️ 🧘‍♂️🧎‍♂️🧘‍♂️🧎‍♂️

User

Posted 01 Mar 2025 at 11:41

That would be very good advice Paul, it certainly would help post procedure. Yep I think I'll have to succumb to taking a few pain killers, I suppose in the grand scheme of things it's very good that's my only complaint 🙂🙂

Edited by member 01 Mar 2025 at 11:45 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 04 Mar 2025 at 19:59

Day 6 post brachytherapy procedure.

Pee flow seems to have declined a good bit, I'm thinking this because the radiation is starting to hit the prostate and the urethra nearly a week on, it's not bad but a slight inconvenience.

User

Posted 05 Mar 2025 at 17:56

Hey Bryan,

Sounds about right. I noticed reduced flow and a bit more urgency for a few months. I remember being a bit frustrated at the151st Open at Royal Liverpool because I had to keep visiting the toilets scattered around the course but usually without much end result and then by the time I'd made it back to my friends, the urgency had already started again......rinse and repeat!

That was exactly two months post procedure and whilst a bit annoying, I didn't find it the end of the world and it didn't stop me getting on as normal (just with more frequent loo stops!). It definitely improves a lot though as the radiation effects wear off and I can't tell any difference pre and post procedure now and probably didn't after about 6 months.

I did stay on the Alfusozin for those 6 months or maybe a bit longer and did notice a difference if I missed a tablet but again, the need for them disappears over time - use them whilst you need them though definitely,

My consultant also sent me home with another tablet 'Mirabegron' which he told me to take *if* I needed it or had problems peeing. I didn't so I never took them but if you feel as though you're overly struggling, don't hesitate to get in touch with the consultant/nurse specialist for advice as they might give you something else to help.

User

Posted 05 Mar 2025 at 21:05

Thanks Paul.

As I said its just an inconvenience, I'm back at work the last two days and all is going grand, I tipped down for a few pints over the weekend with no adverse effects at all so that was another plus.

I'm getting a CT scan on the 23rd of this month and then a chat with my oncologist, I'm presuming just to see the placement of the seeds is ok.

I'd say you had some step count at the open, it's a long haul going round the course nevermind zig-zagging over and back to the Jack's!

Thanks for sharing your experience again.

Bryan.

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