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Radiation advice please....

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Posted 9/11/2012 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
Ok guys. I start radiation tomorrow and although I've read many posts about SE's I was wondering if the majority of guys not already retired worked during radiation, especially toward the end of treatments. I support my son who is in school, my wife passed 3 years ago at age 52 for breast cancer. I have to work to keep my medical benefits and pay bills. Other than the fatigue and bowel SE's what other things should I look forward to? Lastly, I'm on Lupron and Casodex and the plan is 37 treatments of IGRT Tomo-therapy .

Thank you one and all, and May your individual journeys be fruitful and your sails directed toward long life.
Posted 9/11/2012 10:24 PM (GMT 0)

PaxNova,

I worked all the way through 42 sessions. I did the very early morning sessions. The only constraint for me: no business travel for that period.

SC

Posted 9/11/2012 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Pax,

My day-to-day journey is linked in my signature.

The first few days were "wet", since it took some time to get the water / time factors right. The car seats got shampooed a couple of times, and the electric motor replaced once.

Next SEs were urinary (my incontinence had not cleared, and got worse - it has improved, but never quite back to what it was before RT), bowel (developed looser bowels that I would like midway through, but that links to radiation damage to scars and 'roids from colo-rectal surgery a few years before), and fatigue Once I had put in a full day and done the RT, I could be dead asleep on the couch at 7pm and wake up there the next morning. That has improved some, but fatigue stays with me still.

But I did put in an 8 hour day most every day, and never felt like I just couldn't make it through. I did start taking naps when needed.

I live alone, so had to deal with all the issues of cooking and cleaning, and made myself eat stable meals - that is a must. Keep your diet balanced to keep your bowels as predictable as possible.

Posted 9/11/2012 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
PaxNova,

Although I was retired when I went through treatment, I worked out every day and generally felt fine (other than the usual urinary frequency SEs). I believe that had I been employed, I could have continued working without problem.

I have a friend who under went IMRT at age 71 and he continued to work every day (small business owner of a very successful business).

Assuming that you are otherwise able to work every day at present, I would think you should be able to continue to do so. Best of luck with your treatments!

Steve
Posted 9/11/2012 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
My work was a couple of hours online, break for RT mid-morning, back to work. I do a lot of phone and online work, but also customer training. That was a little iffy, but I managed.
Posted 9/11/2012 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
I worked every day up until the very last week. Fatigue hit me hard then and I had to take a couple of days off. I selected to have very early morning appointments so I could have the treatments on the way to the office.

One of the few times in my life that I got to work early every day for 6 six weeks. ;)

All the best,
Andrew
Posted 9/11/2012 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
I worked everyday. I did the radiation at 6:00pm on the way home. Never any fatigue, some increased urgency and frequency of bowel and urinary. Keep some Immodium D handy (though I never needed it). Don't ignore the ugre to go!!!!

Tips. Full bladder and empty bowel. Keep up your exercice routine. Cut back the red meat and dairy and eggs....increase the fish, vegetables, and fruits. All good for you and improves your energy. Stop the antioxidants and multi-vitamins....many top docs say these help your cancer to be more radiation resistant.
I was on Flomax to help the urinary taken in a pill called Jalyn (Flomax and Avodart). Ask your docs about it.

If something doesn't feel right talk to the rad onc immediately. Properly done you will not feel the radiation. Meet with your doc every week and be clear with your questions, conceerns and any side effects. Treat your technicians great...your success is in their hands. Make sure they truly know how much you appreciate their best professional services.

I too was on HT and had two HDR brachytherapy sessions during the IMRT. You will do well.
Posted 9/11/2012 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
Pax,

I had hemorrhoids and loose BMs half way through and my stress incontinence returned. I never experienced any fatigue and worked throughout all my treatments. I treated myself to a new bike and even went for a few rides.

I still have stress incontinence, wear one pad a day and usually just have a few dribbles. Interestingly I trained for a century ride this summer and my incontinence is much improved, even after six years.

Ken
Posted 9/11/2012 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
I worked every day. I scheduled my radiation sessions in the late afternoon and went home afterwards. Experienced fatigue and bowel issues. Went to bed early most nights, but no problem getting up the next morning and going to work.
Posted 9/12/2012 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you one and all for the input. Gonna heed all this advice. Thanks for the good wishes. Bless you all. Jimmy
Posted 9/12/2012 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Can't add much more. I had mine scheduled for two p.m. Lunch at 12.00, quick nap until 1:30. Drove 20 minutes to a facility that only does prostate RT. Drank lots of water on the way, walked in at !:50, on the table at 2:00, out the door by 2:15 and then back to work until 5:00. Fatigue set in at about 4 weeks along with some manageable bowel issues but finished before the Christmas holiday stuff and took the last week of December off. RT started 9 mos. after DaVinci. So far, so good. PSa of .1 and hoping it stays there. Hope you do as well as I have. Still get a little tired in the mid-afternoon but just yawn and work through it. Drink lots of water and keep up any exercise routine you have.
Bob
Posted 9/12/2012 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
My advice would be to forget about what you have heard about side effects. You will begin to imagine you are tired, or some other side effect.

Just take it as it comes.

I didn't change my diet except as recommended by RT techs. Low fibre, no nuts, etc. made sure I drank my water 45 minutes before hand. Had no problems holding it. Did not take any medication, had no problems. Bowels looser, a little burning when urinating, but worked every day, no problem.
Posted 9/12/2012 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
PaxNova,
I worked every day during my treatment. I had my treatments at 9:00 AM and went right to work. The last 2 weeks I had fatigue toward the end of the day, usually 10 hour days but overall the SE were not bad at all. Good luck with yours and make sure the bladder is full for your treatment and all will go well.

Ken
Posted 9/12/2012 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
I worked full-time, but at home, throughout my SRT. I could have gone to the office with little problem other than the need to wear a pad after about week 5 due to urinary urgency/stress incontinence--mostly for the first 30 seconds or so when I'd first stand up from a chair.

I had my daily radiation sessions scheduled for 8:00 a.m. so I was usually able to be at my desk by 9:00 or 9:30. Fortunately, for me, I was in a line of work (strategizing and writing bids and proposals) that permitted -- in fact required -- frequent work at home due to frequent need for long days and late nights as deadlines neared, and having to synch my availability with people in other time-zones, etc. So I was already set up at home to connect to company computer networks, conference calls, etc.

But I'm pretty sure that even if I wasn't able to work at home I'd have been able to go to the office every day, though it would have entailed a lot of extra driving. Other than the temporary urinary problem, I experienced no other side effects -- I had no unusual fatigue. Though now that I'm retired from a high-stress job, I think I might not have recognized the difference between fatigue and normal at the time.
Posted 9/12/2012 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
My treatment with tomotherapy over 5yrs ago was without problems. Worked every day, had treatments at 6:30 AM in office by 8, no one in office ever knew I was getting treatments. More reaction to the hormone therapy than the radiation, became a little more emotional. However over 5yrs later, last week I was told my PSA was 106 and appear to have bone mets on my spine, at least. Going in for a PET and CT Thursday. At the time of my original treatment had a PSA of 21 and a gleason of 7. Was "assured" they "got it all" with a PSA of under 1 for over a year. Not sure if it was the wrong treatment vs surgery, botched treatment of just the luck of the draw. Will see a Medical Oncologist next week to discuss the next step in my life's journey
Posted 9/15/2012 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Pax Nova,
I also worked through 37 treatments. The fatigue really didn't get to me until around the 4th week. The weekends were a very pleasant break. I did take the last two fridays of the treatment off of work. But on the other hand, I rode my bicycle 50 miles two days after the last treatment. All in all not too bad.
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