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Posted 3/5/2011 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
For those who have had SRT, I have a question.

It looks like I will be doing about 8 weeks worth, starting on March 22, roughly.

I have contracted again to grade AP Calculus tests. This will occur 6/8-6/15 in KC. Basically, I fly down there and I am busy grading for 7-8 days. They will be booking/covering my flight, of course.

I would like to do this as it has always been a very enjoyable experience, but I am wondering if I should back out. I need to have my mind clear and have good mental acuity to do this. I am concerned about fatigue and other side effects. I would hate to have them set up my flight and then I cancel, although I am sure it happens. Any thoughts?

Mel

Posted 3/5/2011 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,  I didn't have any fatigue problems during or after SRT.  In fact I was a little on the hyper side and increased my gym workout levels a good bit during SRT and am still maintaining a high activity level.  If you are in reasonably good shape you shouldn't have any problems.

Carlos

Posted 3/5/2011 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
 

Mel,

I also did not have any problems with fatigue during my SRT sessions, continued to played tennis 5 days a week. 

Jerry1 

Posted 3/5/2011 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,

I did not suffer (as best I can tell, and no issues at work :-) ) from any loss of mental function. I was still working a full day, with a shift to allow for the sessions.

What I saw was fatigue. I got to the point at the end where I had to take a nap at noon if I wanted to be awake at 7pm. My usual 11-midnight bedtime became 9pm at the latest.

It wasn't that I would be overly tired. I just simply dropped in my tracks. I'd sit down for a minute and wake up two hours later.

I've heard others who had the same impact, and yet others who did not suffer fatigue at all (talking to the others that I waited with each day). The odds are that yours won't be as bad as mine, but you won't know until about half way through, maybe later.

Posted 3/5/2011 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
I just finished up 2 weeks ago. The last week or so I felt tired in the afternoon, but there was no major problem or anything.. in fact, I almost enjoyed the fact I was tired and could take a nap if I wanted.

So I certainly wouldn't consider it a debilitating ordeal, at least not for me. You likely wont have "A" moment where all of a sudden you dont feel good, or are exhausted.

GO FOR IT!

Good luck.
Posted 3/5/2011 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
Mel.
SRT seems to effect different people to different degrees.

Fatigue for me was more physical than mental. When I was half way through my RT I had to stop walking from the train station to the hospital and back each day and catch the bus (about a mile each way), but I never needed an afternoon nap, and was still able to do things that required concentration. Biggest problem I had was the increase in urgency and frequency for both pee and BMs.

Now, if you were planning to go down to run a marathon every day for a week in June, then I'd suggest that you might find it hard, but as the limit approaches June I'd guess your mental ability will tend towards infinity.

Alf
Posted 3/5/2011 4:01 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,

No way anyone can really answer this clearly. Fatigue is so different person to person. It hit me hard and fast, and I am still in physical therapy 15 months after srt ended (but other complications in my case). Be kind of hard for you know how you are going to feel in June. You may feel good as new, or as dead as a doorknob. Your know your body best.

David
Posted 3/5/2011 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Meil,
There are preventive steps. While most of the guys who do ART or SRT only experience slight side effects, there are cases that it can be more pronounced. I was on the table at 7:00am, home bt 8:00. Then I grabbed a water bottle and walked 3 miles. I never noticed my slight fatigue until after I was done with the therapy and started feeling more energy.

If the walking didn't help fight off fatigue ~ it good for me anyway...

Tony
Posted 3/5/2011 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
I just finished 40 SRT treatments (Varian RapidArc) 72Gy, and it pretty much a non event..Urinary frequency and urgency increased a little (it's now subsiding) and a little minor rectal irritation..These two side-effects had no impact on my activity.

In Denver where I was treated, there is a surplus of Linac's (Linear accelerators, treatment machines) available and since this is a VERY high profit service, (each of my 40 fifteen minute treatments was billed at around $2400) they will go to some length to accommodate YOUR work schedule..It's YOUR MONEY, you tell them when you would like to be treated. If they can not accommodate you, perhaps another treatment center or hospital can...

Of course, if they have patients waiting on line, that won't work...
Posted 3/5/2011 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
Fairwind --- business was "slow" at my radiation clinic too which meant they filled the earlier slots first and closed as early as possible every day.  they're not going to have six staffers hanging around because you want your appointment and hour after the last one scheduled.

they made an exception a couple of times when my wife wanted to be present but they didn't like doing it.

ed

 

Posted 3/5/2011 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Fairwind:

As you probably recall, that's the equipment I'll be using.

We don't have that many facilities here, plus this is the only one with this latest equipment. This hospital is the main medical center for all of Mid-Michigan. It has a very good reputation. It is a 10 minute maximum drive from my house or my work.

I know they TRY and accomodate you. We shall see. My schedule really dictates a late afternoon SRT session. I have heard that most folks want the morning sessions, so I might be in luck

Mel

Posted 3/5/2011 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Speaking of schedule, my clinic offered a choice of time slots, and preferred that I chose just one time - makes everybody else's schedule easier.
Mine was a set time, and I remember very few changes.
Once, the guy before me was late, so they offered to start early, but since my water bomb hadn't had enough time, we skipped that.

Another day there was a computer outage, and I had to either go much later, or skip a day.

And a few times they were seeing new clients, and things unexpectedly took longer. But overall, I think only 5 or 6 sessions were off-schedule, and most of those only 10-15 minutes.

I had allowed a two hour window in my work schedule to allow for slippage, weather, etc., and only went totally off one day.
Posted 3/5/2011 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
Fatigue was not an issue for me. We went to Disneyland immediately after treatments ended, and I was full steam ahead. I did have to use the facilities more often than usual, though, due to radiation proctitis.
Posted 3/5/2011 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, they definitely want to schedule me the same time every day.

My problem is my teaching schedule varies quite a bit each day.

But I am free after 4:00 PM each day, or at 8:00-8:45 AM, which I hate (I am NOT a morning person!)

Mel

Posted 3/6/2011 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Mel,

You will do fine. I suffered no fatigue, only slightly increased urinary and bowel activity, but no problems....just increased frequency and urgency. This set in at week three and ended about two weeks after the last treatment. I also had two high dose radiation treatments. They gave me more side effects as they were physically intrusive.

My scheduling worked well as I had the last time of the day at 5:45 on my way home from work. My center was very busy and they posted a wish list and did what they could do to fullfill. Remember that people are ending and starting nearly every day, so if you don't get your preferred time at first, you may get it soon enough.

You should be done in time for your Kansas City trip and should be free of side effects by then. As Tony said, pick up the physical activity as much as possible. I found that cutting back on caffine and animal fats helped considerably for both energy and lessening of the side effects.
Posted 3/6/2011 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Fairwind,

    Where did you go in Denver?  I'm from Greeley, and I fear that SRT is in my future.  I had inquired about doing proton therapy in either Loma Linda or Jacksonville because of the reduced risk of side effects,  but that is 2 months away from home.  My employer is ok with me working form wherever, but I would rather stay close to home if the side effects are not too terrible and are not permanent.

                    Thanks,

                              Paul

Posted 3/6/2011 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
Mel

I have 11 sessions left on the Varian machine and have noticed no side effects at all. Other than they make you drink decaf coffee instead of regular. I arrive at 8:25 am, change, on the table at 8:30, off at 8:35, change back and out the door.

I have lost 10 pounds because I actually seem to have more energy so am working some fat off. I'm working from home in a 2 story house and go and down the stairs at least 20 times a day. And drinking lots of water.
Posted 3/6/2011 4:00 AM (GMT 0)
I had my treatments done at St. Antony's Central, but that hospital is closing and moving to Green Mountain, just west of the Federal Center..Their two top radiation oncologists quit and opened their own treatment centers with the latest equipment.. My R-doc is a partner in this new operation called Red Rocks Radiation Oncology Center..If impressive surroundings could cure cancer, this would be the only place to go..It's on Indiana St. just off west 6th avenue. A First Class operation..But if your insurance will cover it, enjoy the ride..My doctors name is Kevin S. a workaholic, aggressive, with a somewhat poor bedside manner who knows exactly what he can do and what he can't do and is not afraid to tell you exactly what to expect...He is very proud of his new facility and he worked very hard to get there..He was the Director of Radiation Oncology at St Anthony's and that's how I connected with him..They have the newest $8M Varian RapidArc machine..

Since the cost to me was the same, I wanted to be treated on the latest, most accurate equipment. TUCC, The Urology Center of Colorado did not have that equipment so I moved to St. Anthony's which had the latest Varian Trilogy Novalis RapidArc machine..(what a mouthful). This machine puts the full prescribed dose on the intended target while greatly reducing the exposure to healthy tissue.. My only side effects have been increased urinary urgency and frequency (started at about the half way point) and towards the end, a little rectal irritation, nothing major..My treatment ended about 3 weeks ago and the symptoms are fading away, the rectal irritation gone and the urinary frequency slowly returning to normal...

I just thought of something..My R-docs partner, Dr Gardner, much better bed-side manner, just as aggressive, works out of a new treatment center in Thornton, much closer to you if you must commute from Greeley..I believe his shop also has the new Varian Linac..
Posted 3/6/2011 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Fairwind. I will definitely check out Dr. Gardner.
Paul
Posted 3/7/2011 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,

As with most things PCa related, outcomes, reactions, etc. vary greatly as you have seen and see here.

I finished RT on Jan 15th. I did have some mild fatigue during the latter half of the treatments and like others enjoyed the afternoon naps. I also had issues with increased urgency for a while following the RT.

Your questions about your trip had me go back and look at my post treatment scheduling.

You should finish treatment about May 22 and leave for your trip about two weeks later. I finished treatment about Jan 15th and from Feb 1st through March 31 I umpired 51 high school and college softball games. So I guess you could say that I did not suffer any fatigue after the treatment.

The urgency issues were a non issue, but I still took precautions with pads, just in case.

I know that you exercise regularly and eat healthy, so my non-medical, educated guess would be that the trip will be a non-issue. Why don't you take this one off your worry list before it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Hey you know me and my mantra "Every Day is A Bonus", so look at the trip as a change of pace, change of scenery, and a part of your life you enjoy. The key is and will always be "Living Life" and putting up with PCa is just part of it.

Best of luck brother,

Sonny
Posted 3/7/2011 2:26 PM (GMT 0)

Mel:

I stated in an earlier post that I took some time off from my position after the completion of radiation.  It was more a mental break than a physical need caused by the radiation.  I too believe in exercise, a healthy living and eating lifestyle.  It had been such an intense term at school (I was an adminstrator)and hence I chose to give myself a break.  The first thing I did was plan a trip in January and again another in March.  Both of these vacations helped refresh my mental state and were extremely uplifting. I returned to work in March with the same vigor that I always had. Of course the radiation caused some fatigue and naps helped,  usually just before dinner and then I went to my gym in the evening. All through my treatment I faithfully attended the gym even if my workouts might have been somewhat less in intensity.

The point of my previous post was not to convey that the RT "did me in". Many factors contributed to this, of which R. therapy played a minor role.  It was to show you that if you feel you need to take time off from your work schedule, then your employer will be more than understanding.  Mine were very supportive of whatever I chose to do. So you should be fine to travel following RT based on my experience.

I did not have urgency issues other than holding a full bladder of two bottles of water through the 15 minute R treatment.  Extreme temporary urgency barely got me to the washroom the moment I got off of the table.  Washrooms are conveniently placed right outside the treatment rooms.  Loose BM's continued for about a year or less for me but they were not necessarily out of my control.  One thing is, is that you will scout out where washrooms are wherever you happen to be during and following treatments.  No big deal though when you consider the benefits of the treatment.  Unfortunately mine failed and I am now on HT which is certainly controlling my Pca.

Posted 3/8/2011 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
Mel, I had no fatigue until the latter end of my treatment, even then, a 1 hour afternoon nap got me through ok, but if I had something to do, I managed to do it ok, the treatment brought about a change in my BM, which still affects me to this day, everyone is different, but I am sure you will be ok.

Best Regards Mal.
Posted 3/8/2011 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Mal:

I sent you an email question

Mel

Posted 3/8/2011 5:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi mate, just replied.

Mal.
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