Sore Saturday

After completing another week of radiation, its nice not to get zapped on the weekends.  But the further I have gone in this SRT, the harder the weekends are.  Been lots of pain today, ranging from penile pain, rectum area, stomach aches, etc.  Try to go a few places with youngest son, then we were going to eat out with the wife.   By the time we got home from just a couple of stops, that horrible wall of fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks.  While they were trying to figure out where to go eat, I had went to a back bedroom and simply crashed on the bed.  Wasn't able to go out.  Going to be tough on me trying to finish the SRT that is left, only 3 weeks, but it sounds like an eternity to me.  Just don't have the energy to get anything done anymore.

David in SC

Thank you, Jake, just needed to vent, just kind of crappy when even your weekends have to suck too

Get that rest that you body is telling you that you need. I know you are just at the end of your rope. I hope that these responces to you post give you just enought extention to that rope to get you throught next wk..... Even getting you through Monday...We will give you more rope on Monday night. know that we are with you each day of the journey...you are a dear friend to each of us. We still call you superman!!!:)

Get some quality down time get pampered and recover some engery...

You Friend
Jeff T

thanks, goodlife, yeah, I know the goal line is out there somewhere, too tired right now to look for it, lol.

thanks too, jeff, keep feeding me that rope till I make the end of the tunnel.

Michael, thanks as well. Just would have never thought almost a year out from surgery, to be dealing with all these side effects, pains, issues, and still wearing a catheter.

Bob, thanks, hoping tomorow will be less painful and aggervating, will have football and my grand kids in the afternoon to distract me.

Hi David,

My guess is the pain and fatigue is the body's way of trying to heal from radiation. Unfortunately, I believe it's common for the fatigue to increase as treatment continues. If it gets severe enough maybe you can ask the radiation oncologist if a treatment holiday here and there is possible.

Hang in there, at least there is light at the end of the tunnel now.

Dave do not want to seem trite but did your rad-onco doc advise of these possible side effects up front or emphasize your possible risks? I know some patients experience some high effects like the stomach related thing...I never experienced that nor any of the other issues you encountered except for the fatigue thing, which gets better and better after this is finalized.

Don't know what to make of the penile pain related, don't think I ever saw any other patient even from other forums, mention that one. I hope you can get this episode behind you, and the same for all the PCa brothers going through similar trials and tribulations...in their treatments and some of them have never mentioned such on this board. Other patients whom are witnessing your journey with this radiation should not believe these side effects are "typical", they are more of the exception, except fatigue which is very common and more towards every patient may encounter such at some juncture.

Dx-2002 (Feb-Mar)-total urinary blockage/emergency room, 46.6 bpsa 12/12 biopsies all 75-95% PCa, gleasons found 7,8,9's (x2-both sides), ct and bone scan clear (meaningless unfortunately). ADT3 (prior) then radiations: Neutron via Cyclotron(10-sessions) then Photon via IMRT (24 sessions or so), 2 machines in this rarer protocol, received max. exposure doseages)

David, vent any time you want ... there are lots of strong shoulders here (including mine!) to lean on.

When we met with the rad onc, she mentioned the fatigue thing and said it would most likely kick in somewhere around week 5. In your case, the higher dose coupled with your sensitivity to radiation is doing a number on your poor body big time. Your bladder (and all the other parts attached to it) are so traumatized and never had a chance to heal. Now, they are being bombarded with one of the most powerful forces on earth.

I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave over you to make the pain and fatigue disappear so that you could get through the final phase with ease. But, I don't, so all I can offer are words of encouragement and my continuing prayers (oops) for you and your wife, 'cause I know watching you go through this can't be easy for her.

Take care of yourself and rest as much as you can. We love you and want you strong and well.

Sephie and John

Bob, I just have the 2, and none others in sight, but have one of each variety. They are quite enough at times, aged 4 and 7

squirm, I could take a break anytime I wish, but all they do is tack it on the end and keep extending you out. I went through this 10 years ago, and despite my griping and moaning, I am determined to stick to the schedule and fight my way through this ordeal

Billy, ouch, that must have hurt for sure. Welding is a skill I never was able to learn, always blamed it on being left handed, lol. Hope that heals fast for you.

zufas, i have tried to stress during these daily srt journals, that some of what i am expericning is not not normal or expected. I am in close tune to my body and how it feels and only try to describe in words exactly what I am feeling. Yes, I knew all the expected side effects ahead of time, no real surprises here, and yes, some people are very hyper to radiation, I was in the past, am now. That's why when I was dx originally with PC, I was brave about having a major surgery, but afraid to got through RT again. My dr and I talked much about that.

yeah bill, looking forward to my Patroiots splattering the Dolphins up in New England

sephie, your verbage shows me you have a pretty good understand of my situation, very good, right on target. the toxcity builds up during the week, thus I feel worse at the weekends, and one tries to re-coup their energy for the next week. Due to my sensitivity to RT in general, and the general weakness I was feeling prior, due to all the other complications and SE, I got hit right away with radiation related fatituge on top of the fatigue I was feeling prior.

As a general statement, is RT or SRT going to be rough for you? Probably not. Do all men here report with total honestly and candor about side effects, pain, fatigue, probably not, knowing my own sex as well as I do.

I write what I feel. If I were trying to blow smoke up someone, I would simply said, oh, no problem, piece of cake. It that were true, be great, but it isn't with me, so I feel it would be a bad service to our friends here, both new and old.

Like I tell my dear wife when I feel overcome somtimes with this entire PC nightmare, I am doing the best I can. There is just nothing normal about PC based on my journey, the men that have the easier time, I am thankful and grateful that they get a break along the way.

But it's not normal to have rapid PSA velocity both pre and post treatment, its not normal to still be on a tenth catheter almost a year after surgery, its not normal to be kicked out of the zero club after only being in it for one test, and its not normal to get slammed so hard by SRT, but, this is my journey, and I am trying to make the best out of a very ugly thing. It will take a lot of future unearned zeros to convince me that the beast of PC has been slayed in me. I am not sure the fight is over yet.

I do appreciate every kind word and piece of advice, all of you are a vital part of my own personal support network. Most of those around me in r/l (not counting family) are oblivious to all of this and of the day to day sufferning and pain. Can't expect them to, they dont know me or my story. So when I am pushing a cart at the grocery story, and the catheter is pulling on my stomach, and a wall of fatigue hits me, or worse, as recently happened, a major spasm hits me full force and I am leaning into a shelf to keep from falling down, those around me just look and think I am so weirdo or crazy old man.

Honestly doing the best I can.

David in SC

David,

I hope that this morning finds you rested, in less pain, and in a great deal more comfort.

Declare today a GFMPH (Good for My Prostate Health) day in your house. Let those that love you take care of your needs. Kick back, enjoy the games and the snacks, doze off when you need to, and recoup your strength for Monday.

Monday begins the last three weeks. In military speak, you are a short timer now. Just 15 and counting.

Hang in Brother,

Sonny

So David, remember your response to him and the look on his face.

At the end of Day 15, you can use that same line and see the looks on the techs faces. They still have to come in there to work day after day and YOU DON"T. You will PCa and radiation free. They still have to deal with it vicariously day to day.

I don't wish anything bad on them, but it will be time for you to be a little selfish and wish for nothing but good luck for yourself from that day forward.

Enjoy your day today, short-timer,

Sonny

Have them ship it UPS to worriedguy and goodlife. If I remember correctly, those guys love to "blow things up", from leftover PCa treatment and recovery stages of life.

Sonny

Thank you too, Hero, so v ery glad that your recovery is doing so well. I relish on every tidbit of good news, every new zero report, every improvement in a brother's incontinence and/or ED. As far as I am concerned, we are in this thing together. We have different strengths and weaknesses, different thresholds for pain, difference aspects of both hope and gloom, so together, we can make our way through the snarls in our PC journeys.

David in SC

Way to go Patriots