External Beam Radiation Therapy

Sheepguy said...
Yeah, well boys, that just shows that there is no treatment that is without drawbacks.

That's why I like to tell people that AS is the only treatment without SEs. (Which is not to say it is hassle-free...)

Sheepguy said...
On the other hand I could be killed trying to shear a 300 lb ram. LOL

That's certainly a risk that (as far as I know) no one else here faces!

I hit the radiation clinic every day at about 11 AM, after emptying myself out pretty much as usual. Tattoo markers, pee just before I got on the table, got the bar code ID card. The fatigue started part way through the 2 months treatments. The RO warned me about the radiation craps, intestinal cramping and hemorrhoid bleeding up front. The intestinal stuff and bleeding didn't start until a couple of months after treatment ended. It was 3 years before the gas blisters showed up and the cramping got bad. The RO gave me a prescription to take a 1 hour nap every afternoon. I was already taking a 1/2 hour nap daily, so just added another 1/2 hour. Am now down to 50 minutes, fatigue isn't as bad as it was.

I guess I'll chime in. You've received about as much info as you probably need. Everyone is different.Each case is unique on their own. For me it took awhile to get to my treatment as I first wanted RP. Was told that I wasn't a candidate for that. After surgery was out of the picture I was told that as a G9 guy the best treatment would be to throw the kitchen sink at it.
Was prepared and scheduled for that ( HT+IMRT+BRACHY). After my markers were placed there was concern that my urinary issues were too bad and to receive BRACHY post IMRT would more than likely cause much worse urinary issues and that I would be high risk of blockage problems and everything that goes with those SE'S . So by the end of all that , I was given the option for IMRT+HT which I took .

So as you can see there are many things that can alter and change with each individual .As with you and your crohns . I researched all SE's of the 3 treatment options. There are SE's for all as has been discussed already.

Treatment for cancer is not an easy thing. Whether you choose Surgery, AS , HT , BRACHY, Cyberknife, SBRT, or others,each come with different forms of SE's for everyone. No one person can tell you whats best or what SE's you will exactly have,or when they will appear.

Statistics can tell you the likely hood of symptoms that come with each. We can only really share our experiences.

There are some here that have great knowledge about PC. TA probably more than any. Follow their advise and listen to other's experience. Listen to your Drs and create a good treatment team. Ask questions and be your own advocate. If something doesn't make sense ask again.

Now that I've just repeated everything that most have already said my experience with IMRT 79gy 39 fractions was to me a long haul. 2 months 5 times a day can get tough. My biggest struggle was timing my bladder so as to be full during the treatment.This is to protect not only the bladder but also the small intestine.

At the start ,I believe I was over filling my bladder and that caused me great discomfort.. then after awhile I was under filling , so I would have to go back and wait which meant that someone else would then go in and I'd have to wait for them to finish. Then by that time I was again over full. WHAT A COMEDY!!. It was frustrating but I finally figured out that if I emptied my bladder an hr before,then right after slowly drink 16 oz. of water in about 15 min. It would work out pretty good.....unless they were running late or early. I got pretty good at releasing some if I had to wait but sometimes, x-ray Ray would be standing there at the door of the bathroom when I came out shaking his head " You just let some out didn't you"
All in all that was the toughest part. I started taking flomax about a 1/4 of the way through (which confirmed my urinary symptoms) and helped me realize I had made the correct choice about not going BRACHY. Toward the end, maybe with 2 weeks left I started taking Phenazopyridine for urinary pain. It turns your pee bright orange and stains everything but does help tremendously.
I finished Oct 26th in the morning(my treatments usually were at 4pm) so I could get in the car and drive 375 miles to Seattle for surgery the next morning on my duodenum(small intestine) to remove a tumor there.

Fatigue is part of my treatment and the IMRT made it worse. Urgency was an issue for a while but is not now. Bowel issues never changed ,except the time i ate fresh aspargrass one night and ended up getting caught to far from a rest room. Don't eat fresh veggies!

Today I'm about 2 months out from my last fraction. I feel much better strength wise than when going through Rt. HT is kinda kicking my butt, but nothing I can't live with. It is what it is.
I'm going to a MO to see about getting a chemo boost since I lost out on the BRACHY. I'm thinking it might also help with the intestinal adenomas I continue to have .

So there you have it.... some of my experience and opinion. Please feel free to contact me through email as there aren't many that only choose RT. I assume you are on HT also?

Good luck and God speed to you as you go through your treatment. You can do it, all in all it's not bad.


The Artistic One - Mark

Al, I know that my 5-session SBRT treatment is different than your 40-fraction IMRT, but if it helps any, I can tell you that my radiation did not cause me to "not do" anything that I normally would have done. I missed some hours of work, but did get to work every workday. I also went to the gym after work each day, but I did dial back the intensity to where it felt good. I still have to decrease my exercise intensity due to SE's of FlowMax (it affects my heart rate, which then messes with my pacemaker), but that is only temporary.

It seems that each radiation clinic uses different diet protocols. Many report that they were only told to stay away from foods that cause gas. Others followed no specific diet. You (and I) received some specific instructions. When I discussed my IBS with my RO's nurse, she freely told me to try any modifications to the instructions that I felt were appropriate - just to keep in mind that the objective for me was to eliminate intestinal gas. In my case, the CyberKnife machine would actually suspend treatment if it "saw" that my prostate was not in the position it was programmed to look for. This happened to me only once, and the tech had me move around, do a few situps, etc., to move the gas bubble along and out. He said "This is the only time that anyone is going to tell you to go ahead and let it rip!"

I definitely have not found my side effects to be scary so far. A bit unnerving maybe. Not even that embarrassing, as my office is right near the men's room, so nobody even noticed that I made some quick-time runs to the can. I did have some radiation proctitis, and some of the trumpet sound effects were truly spectacular - but I was the only audience member.

Try not to make yourself any more crazy than you usually are over this. You've done your homework and chosen a treatment plan. It was right for you before, it is right now. You will most certainly get through this, and from my experience, having a sense of humor makes it easier.

I actually have a model of the CyberKnife machine that I'm thinking of using on my desk as a paperweight. It would be a good contrast to the antique Navy telegrapher's key that I already have there.

I had to chuckle, Al. The restaurant scene is all too familiar to me. ;-))

One thing I've learned from another (in my case, more serious) medical condition is that once I've done my homework (and if you read my past posts, you'll see that I'm deep into it), made my choices and prepared my "plan" I just don't look back. Never. No value to it. I (and you, too) learned what I felt I needed to know, then made the best decisions I could within my ability to understand it all, and chose my treatment, my doctors, clinics, and all. Those choices are made, and now all I have to do is "work the plan." Be there, do what I must, and get on with my life. I'll still be here to stay current with new developments (one never knows the future in PCa), and to help where I can.

You'll be just a few months behind me, but you (and I) will be fine.

Good Luck Al !!!! The time is near and it will be so easy .....best advice from me is , don`t worry about a thing , till there IS something to worry about ....David

Wow, that's funny (though I'm sure it wasn't at the time). I doubt I could hold it for 40 minutes.

Thanks, David. It's 2:30 AM and I'm up. Today is the day!!

Yeah, the whole thing lasted five minutes. My main job is to stay perfectly still and let the machine do its work. The forty day thing to me is like a long term commitment but it's a necessary sacrifice to make.

Hello Al.....good ....your on your way ....for me the first few weeks went slow and I had a lot of questions and worries....then before I knew it the end was flying at me ....yes...be VERY still while on the slab( didn`t realize they could see every movement I made, got yelled at once ,LOL )........keep us posted on your journey !....~David