Urine bright red - ages after treatment. Anyone else had this problem?

Hello all,

My husband had High Dose Brachytherapy, followed by 6 weeks of external beam radiation in May/June last year.  Although he has had some ups and downs, this past month has been a difficult one with what we thought was a urinary infection.  Lots of problems with urgency and frequency.  He has been on anti-biotics however, later pathology suggested that there was no infection present.

Yesterday he came in from the toilet and told me that he had peed blood.  Fairly bright red.  Of course this scared us quite a bit.  Went to the doctor and we have a referral to see specialist on Monday.  Dr. mentioned that there is such a thing as Radiation Cystitis and this is not uncommon.

Anyone else who had radiation experience similar things?  and if so, what happened?

thank you in anticipation of some help.

yes, it happened to me, 3 years after RT. They performed a cystoscopy on me, bascially inserting a catheter with a camera through Mr. johnson to get a look at the uretha. You watch it all on a TV as they do it. They found a number of damaged areas which were bleeding. basically there is nothing you can do about it except watch for infection if it goes on long enough. For me it comes and goes, but I least I dont freak out anymore

This sounds so much like my situation! 42 treatments IMRT, 2.5 years ago, five months ago all the problems started, burning and blood in urine, bladder spasms, they thought kidney stones which it was not, on a cystiscope the found tumors and a badly damaged bladder and everything tied to it. After surgery and months of pain they have me in hyperbaric chamber for 80 hours, 2 hours per day. My thought is careless tecs giving the radiation as with the new systems they are suposed to hit the mark withing millimeters. Again I would never choose that route. Stats were G7 stage 2. One hyberbaric chamber treatment left tomarrow and they will do another cystiscope to see how it has healed. Had ED but Viagra worked well, now after hyperbaric no ED or burning when unrinating or ejaculating. Only side effect now is must urinate every 1/2 hour and am on Vesicare which pretty much takes care of it. They will do a cystascope on you and see what he inside of your bladder is like and take a sample to see if cancer, mine ws not cancer in the tumor they removed. The systascope sounds worse than it is not bad at all. Hang in there we will pray for you! The last 2 months have had 7 kidney or bladder stones, don't know if caused byany of this! Good luck!

yes i have the same thing started in dec 12
22/03/2013 had a Cystoscopy and a ct scan
Results Radiation Cystitis
treatment you can get Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment

I also had HDR brachy and IMRT...I'm fine, although I'm only a month or two completed, so I guess I know what might have to look forward to.

Although Yaamba is posting about her husband that had brachy and external radiation, it sounds like some of the people that are experiencing this has external radiation only.