Just had Bracchytherapy - need some help

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User

Posted 07 Aug 2014 at 20:04

Hello I'm posting this for my Dad ,

He had Bracchytherapy yesterday and was released from hospital this afternoon , after he was able to wee properly. Since he's got home he's felt awful , full of wind , has the sensation of needing to go to the loo but only a small amount comes out . Doesn't want anything to eat , feels very uncomfortable etc . I've just phoned the hospital and they say this is normal , but can anyone whose had the same treatment give any advice as to what may help him feel better ?

Sorry to ask but I'm not sure what to do for the best to help him and it's horrible to see him suffer :-(

Thanks all ,

Sarah .

User

Posted 08 Aug 2014 at 01:29

Just a quick update for anyone who may have read my earlier post . My Dad was in an awful lot of pain by 9pm , so after phoning the hospital he was discharged from and being told to hold for 30 mins whilst the dr was bleeped I decided to take him to our local a A & E . Didn't start well the nurse had never heard of Braccytherapy so did not prioritise his case , after 40 mins in the waiting room and me persistently asking the receptionist to please get a dr to see him he was seen .

The Dr acted quickly and said he thought it was retained urine , so straight away put in a 3 way catheter - apparently this is what he should have had straight after surgery so that clots could pass . Anyway the first one filled up instantly , as did the second 10 minutes later and the third was half full when I left of an awful lot of clots ( sorry to be graphic). He is still in a lot of pain but is feeling better now that the pressure has eased . The surgical dr was very surprised by the amount of blood considering this is 36hrs after the op . My dad had been saying that the catheter in the hospital he had the procedure at was not "in right" so perhaps that's why this problem occured. Our local a & e have kept him in over night , given him pain relief and will flush through his bowel regularly .

I just needed to vent as I'm upset at how much he's suffered over the past few days and I feel disappointed that he was sent home in this condition .
If anyone else feels something similar be sure to go to your hospital ASAP , I wish I'd taken him earlier but you don't know how it's supposed to be after the procedure .

User

Posted 08 Aug 2014 at 06:51

Urine retention is a risk of high dose brachy but if he was able to wee normally at the hospital there was no reason for them to think he might need a catheter. If the man can't wee at the hospital, he would usually be sent home with a catheter for a few days. Hope he feels more comfortable soon.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 08 Aug 2014 at 10:36

Hi Sarah. Sorry to hear what your dad has been through. Hope he feels better today.

Although Brachytherapy has been around for a number of years, it is still in its relative infancy compared to other treatments, because fewer men seem to take or be eligible for this option.

Our own GP didn't seem to know much about it when we saw him so nurses at A & E are not likely to understand either.

At least he has had some help now. I was going to suggest that if necessary he took something for constipation but see now that the hospital is also sorting him out in that department.

Keep asking here if you have any questions.

Best Wishes to all

Sandra

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 25 Sep 2014 at 16:03

Hi,had brachy (LDR),November 11th 2013.Came out of hospital owent home and suffered the most awful incontinence.Phoned Hospital who

who said for me to come back in.Stayed in cancer ward overnight and was discharged home next day.Still could not wee apart from incontinence and going through 3 pairs of pj`s.This was Tuesday day after implants.Hung on until Friday,phoned Urology at Salisbury who said come in straight away.They drained off via catheter over a litre of urine.Was on a catheter for 2 and a half months and then self catheterised for another one and a half months.It was a long haul and felt like there was no end to it.Went back to work and it burnt like crazy every time I went for a wee,made more difficult as my job is a Petrol tanker Driver!It has gradually got better and my waterworks is basically back to normal,praise be!!The upshot of all this is my psa is below 0.03 and has been on the last 3 visits to the Oncologist.

I would recommend Brachy because it will not affect your life as much as radical surgery.I had Hormone treatment for an enlarged prostate before,so willie shrunk and gonads became peanuts!!But all is back to normal now,only thing is erectile dysfunction which can be treated.

If the option is offered go for it.Worth all the hassle.Contact me if you want to chat about it.

User

Posted 26 Sep 2014 at 16:54

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

If the option is offered go for it.Worth all the hassle.Contact me if you want to chat about it.

Not necessarily,I had radical and have not regretted it one bit,I may be a lucky one everything works as it should.Any discomfort after a op is short lived in the overall context of things.

User

Posted 12 Oct 2014 at 11:15

Had Brachytherapy a year ago. PSA 9.7 at my 1st 6mth check up it had gone down to 2.1. At my check up last week it was down to 1.3. All I can say is the treatment is working for me and have had no probs.

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