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Just had Brackytherapy done yesterday

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Posted 5/23/2020 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to say I had my seed implants done yesterday. It was a rough week to say the least. All the preop testing and of course the dreaded covid19 test. Hateful thing up your nose.

I of course had a reaction yet again from the anesthesia. No matter how many times I tell the anesthesia dr about how my bladder freezes up and wont work it seems there is no cure or help for this at all. I have been assured over and again things would be different but they never are. My next surgery no matter what-- I am going to ask to leave the catheter in for a day or two. I felt my bladder would burst waiting on them.

Needless to say I feel horrible today. Painful abdomen. Painful needle site where they put the seeds in. I think they put in 55 or so. No appetite. Worst burning of my life during urination. I hope to feel better soon.

Before I left someone brought the radiation register which confirmed I am a glow in the dark person now.

Thanks for listening. I hate cancer as well as everyone else here. I have been waiting three months to get this done. I just wish this horrible covid19 virus would go away now.

I want to say this was not a fun procedure at all.
Posted 5/23/2020 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
Well, you got through the main part Oceanfisher. It's going to take time to get all the way there. Hang on and heal up.
Posted 5/23/2020 11:05 PM (GMT 0)

Hello, OceanFisher58 ---

Here's to "healing up" ---- hoping each day is better!

Three step plan, for the weekend ahead, as follows:

1. Rest
2. Relax
3. REPEAT Steps #1 & #2 !

Here's hoping for calm waves & clear sailing ahead, OceanFisher58!

Wishing you rest & recovery,

CYCLONE - # Iowa State University
Posted 5/23/2020 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
Ocean hope it goes great for you. I had brachy years ago, and have had a good result, with near to zero sides. That corona jab sounds brutal. I'm sorry your experience was so rough. When I had a cath it hurt like **** due to some weird bend I have in the plumbing. When they put me out, for the seeds, they cashed me again, but I didn't feel a thing. I rather get my assed picked than being awake for a catheter. I once almost married a nurse, and she would tell me horror stories from the ER - guys with hard-ons that needed to be lanced to let the blood out.
Posted 5/23/2020 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the other side--thanks for reporting in. Brachy may not be as invasive as surgery, but it's still a serious procedure. I'm sure you'll get past this pretty quickly. I found that urispas helped with urination and so did sitz baths. Let us know how things go for you!
Posted 5/24/2020 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Guys for the comments so far. Yes I feel like my butt is on fire. It hurts to sit...ouch!!! I finally got a script for Uribel which I hope will help the burning. The whole cancer thing just seems like a horrible dream. I feel so bad for anyone going through cancer now. Any type of cancer is tough. Prostate or breast....or any type. I do get tired of people saying "Yeah but if you have to have cancer prostate cancer is the best to have" I say BS to that. Its a hard cancer to decide on a treatment plan. Its incredibly invasive also. I have had symptoms of BPH for years. Long before a diagnosis of cancer.

My last five years I have been dealing with the pain of degenerative disc disease. Surgery for that with spine hardware and pain everyday of my life. Finally getting into a pain management program was the best thing I ever did. People say horrible things to me like "Oh you're a drug addict" I could care less if I can get through a day with less pain. Besides that I have two more spine surgeries waiting for me.

Again thanks guys for the encouragement. Hopefully I can help someone else going through what we have.
Posted 5/24/2020 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
Forgot to say my BCBS of NC insurance would not pay for the spacer jell for my brackytherapy. Not only that I had to sign a paper saying my insurance would not pay the 3500.00 for the application of the jell. Isnt that crazy?? When I spoke to my dr right before surgery he had no idea what I was talking about. Now I have to find out form insurance company why they wont cover the jell cost. I paid the 495.00 out of pocket the day before surgery. Then at checkin for surgery I had to sign a paper saying I was responsible for the 3500.00 for the application of the jell. I am in shock to say the least. I am so over insurance companies and the BS they spew.

Now I am in real debt and will have to figure all this out later. Another thing I hate is they will NOT give me the rate they give medicare patients. Sucks if you ask me.
Posted 5/24/2020 10:59 AM (GMT 0)
"My last five years I have been dealing with the pain of degenerative disc disease. Surgery for that with spine hardware and pain everyday of my life. Finally getting into a pain management program was the best thing I ever did. People say horrible things to me like 'Oh you're a drug addict' I could care less if I can get through a day with less pain. Besides that I have two more spine surgeries waiting for me."

My wife has the same back problems, had surgery - which made it worse - and is now on pain meds. The opiates allowed her to live a less painful life, then they were cut ("opiate" crisis, you know, millions die from cigarettes but that's okay, people in pain, who never abused the meds, suffer) The way she's treated sometimes, the stigma, is something else.
Posted 5/24/2020 11:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hang in there buddy. There are caring drs out there for your wife. The media and our government turn the opiate crisis towards the ones who need meds to just be able to get out of bed. I struggle for three hours first thing everyday till my meds kick in. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. Please tell your wife to find a good pain management dr. Without the meds I would not make it. I am so sorry for your wife. Where do you live Buddy? I live in NC and can recommend a great pain management dr. I really am sorry for those who have died from drug addiction. Life is certainly hard.
Posted 5/24/2020 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Ocean, appreciate it - she had a good doc but they've still reduced the meds.
Posted 5/25/2020 5:51 AM (GMT 0)
I can relate in near real time as I had my HDR Brachy on April 21 and I'm on EBRT treatments now that will conclude on the 29th. Doing the triple play due to Grade 5, Gleason 9. I suffered the first few days with stinging painful urination and then I went to peeing up to 15-20 times a day and several times at night. The urge is still there but luckily I told my RO I was going a lot and I was prescribed oxybutynin chloride and now I am only going about half as much as before. It helps....just a tip.
Posted 5/25/2020 11:10 AM (GMT 0)
Ocean, I hope you are feeling better today. Soon this will all be a distant memory!

Jim
Posted 5/25/2020 11:15 AM (GMT 0)
Ocean how are you doing? If I remember, the soreness started to ease after a few days, and the burning eased as well.
Posted 5/25/2020 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
It has been three days since surgery and my urine flow is definitely slower. I have pain that feels like bladder pain but I am not sure. I am taking uribel, Toradol, and flowmax to help me get through this. Honestly I feel like garbage. I told my wife I am beginning to regret having this done. Now I wish I had had the beam radiation instead. I know this is just the pain and discomfort talking. The burning during urination is better thankfully.

My bladder has always been wacky. Every morning I take bentyl to help calm it down. I have noticed the anti spasmotic meds help my bladder. I wish now I had my bladder scoped before all this cancer started but I kept putting it off.

Thanks everyone for the kind words and caring. Cancer is such a hateful thing. It breaks my heart when I hear people have cancer. I have two people in my life right now who have cancer. One has thyroid cancer and the other has oral cancer on her tongue and colon cancer. Life is just way to short and painful.
Posted 5/25/2020 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
When I had ldr brachy I put a cold pack down there on and off for 4 days. Helped like you would not believe.
Posted 5/25/2020 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
I think you'll get past this shortly. I had two sessions of HDR brachy--not LDR brachy--and I had a lot of burning and soreness the first few days after the first session. (For whatever reason, I breezed through the second one.)

I was a bit leaky afterwards and I had external beam with my brachy as a combo treatment so that took longer to resolve. But long-term (even medium term), everything has gone well. Hang in there!
Posted 5/27/2020 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
Ocean: Welcome BrachyBrother! As soon as you can, "WALK". Walk the aches and pains off, walk the urges off, and walk yourself back to normal. One more thing, read the label carefully for flomax usage. I was able to walk off all the post BT hardships but had some real issues with flomax. Here's to your healing process. My 2014 BT 81 seeds are just a memory and yours will soon be the same. "WALK"!
Posted 5/28/2020 10:43 AM (GMT 0)
Ocean how are you doing? Any relief?
Posted 5/28/2020 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Over the past two days I have had a lessoning of pain. Thankfully. Taking the uribel and Toradol has helped with spasming and burning. The early morning is always the worst time of the day for me. I awaken and take a ton of meds and sit with the heating pad for a few hours each morning. I told my wife as soon as the seed implants settle down I am going to get scoped to see why my bladder is always hurting. My urologist said they place everyone like me in a category called "Painful Bladder Syndrome".

I spend so much time running from one dr to the next. I will gladly do it for any relief I get

Thanks again to everyone
Posted 5/29/2020 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hang in there you will start feeling better pretty quickly. I had LDR Brachy 2 years ago as mono therapy. Had 102 seeds and was pretty sore for the first few days. I concur with one of the other responders, get out and start walking and it will help dramatically.. I am a little younger just turned 59 and it good shape and regular runner.Had to limit running longer distances for about 6 months but increased my walking. Now back at full strength and back to long runs. I was on Flowmax for a month or so but did not like the way it made me feel.. I did have urgency for several months but slowly dissipated. At the 2 year mark I feel like my old self.. I have upcoming PSA next week at 2 year mark. My PSA went from 4.58 to 1.47 at six months, 1.21 one year, .89 at 18 months. Hoping it continues to downward trend.I had similar biopsy Gleason cores as you. . Not sure why there are not many Brachy advocates on this board so far it has been a good decision for me. Best of luck
Posted 5/29/2020 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hello 83Dawg and welcome. Nice to have you with us and I hope you will stick around. There are a few of us on this site who have had LDR Brachy but many have come and gone. I agree that it's a fine option for many. But, some time ago one of our members posted some financial numbers on the various protocols. It was shown that LDR Brachy is not as profitable for the docs or the facilities so the "incentive" to recommend this is not as strong as some of the other options.

In any case most of us have done very well with this option including me; I'm now 12 years out. Fully cured and no SE's except reduced ejac. Hope the same for all Brachy brothers.

Jim
Posted 6/1/2020 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Tudpock for the warm welcome.. I have been lurking for quite a while but never set up an account.. I also read your journey - thanks for including.. Sound like so far we are having a similar experience.. PSA on Thursday of this week just hoping it continues downward trend.. Best wishes to you and thanks for moderating board!

Post Edited (83Dawg) : 6/1/2020 9:05:47 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/1/2020 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I also had LDR, back in 2013, so far, so good. The only side effect is reduced ejaculate, but I have to say, it isn't reduced that much to be honest. Weird, or maybe I forgot what is was like.

Ocean hope you've gotten over the pain.
Posted 6/1/2020 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone,
My overall pain is much reduced. I still get occasional burning if I don't keep up with my meds. Uribel, bentyl and Toradol.

My mental health is also getting better. I had to wait three months because of covid19. Its a serious mental headache going through all this. Trying to figure out the best treatment made me crazy. Now I have to dig myself out from the financial burden this disease has placed on me. BCBS of NC refuses to pay for the spacer jell and its application. That leaves me with a four thousand dollar bill to pay. Plus whatever my twenty percent of the total surgery will be. I get so tired of calling the insurance company and fighting to get things covered. They say the spacer jell is not medically necessary. All my drs told me to get the jell implanted so I did. I guess I will have to set up a payment plan for all this.

Thanks everyone
Posted 6/3/2020 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Had LDR in March '17 and there was a lot less pain than I expected. Was given 90+ seeds and the worst part was the nurse snatching the catheter out the day after the procedure. I was prepared with ice packs but never had to use them (although I did take some ibuprofen). Lots of urgency for awhile, but time eliminated that. Greatly reduced ejaculate and the occasional blue pill. Otherwise, happy with the LDR results so far. Good Luck. Hope your recovery goes well.
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