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Urinary Function after Brachytherapy

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Posted 2/26/2013 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
I had treatment 5 days ago and it's going really well.

I was able to urinate before I left the hospital. it burned and it had blood. But I knew the sooner I could use the plumbing, the better. (Not to be overly graphic, but there can be no secrets here: the first pee produced a lump of partially coagulated blood and I have to think that moving that out is better than letting it set and possibly block the pipes. It was slow and a healthy trickle is how I'd describe it, but it felt SOOO good when it was done, and not because of the cessation of dicomfort but because of the feeling of having an empty bladder and knowing I can do it again.

My advice is to deal with the pain and burning the first time(s) because once you get flowing you are getting back to normal.It sounds like Flomax is very helpful to many. (Thank you Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals for creating it. Now generic and made by drug factories instead of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, but still changing lives for the better.)

Please forgive my digression.

For me, it was a few days of slow streams and increased frequency, but no waking in the night and flow was improving to the point of nearly normal. No blood and no discomfort.

Today, the stream slowed quite a bit. No pain and no blood since the first day.

Did any of you brothers or wives experience an onset of urinary problems shortly after the procedure after regaining normal function? I'm going to give my Uro a call tomorrow, but I would appreciate anything anybody has to say on the subject.

PS - Doc says sex is OK if both are willing and as long as I use a condom. I am fine with that. It's been about 30 years since I used a condom. I can only say that in my case, there is NO loss of libido, but I am thinking there may be little or only temporary loss of function. My radiologist told me that libido is unaffected. This radiation does not treat your brain, it just fries an organ.  

I am lucky to have a loving wife and let's just say I have done my job to evaluate the functionality. Blood, yes, so maybe think about clearing that before you expose any 3rd parties. Just a suggestion.

But for me, thank God, no pain, and I am sorry that others have not been as fortunate. I am just thinking that resuming ALL the functions ASAP improves the outcome. I'd welcome any comments.

So dear wives, let him have whatever works as long as it does no harm. It's not covered by Social Security, but it is male therapy and it might make for a better marriage in the long term. 

 

Posted 2/26/2013 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Glad to see this. I am being "seeded" next Tuesday and welcome reading about your relief.
Posted 2/27/2013 10:55 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like you are doing great so far CT.

The slowing of the flow is a common side effect but flomax should help. You will most likely see an increase of the urinary symptoms as the ‘seeds’ get hot. My suggestion would be to make sure you drink plenty of fluids, keep flushing everything through. When Jeff’s urinary symptoms were at their worst he did up his flomax to 2 per day as suggested by his consultant – but from memory it was only for a very short time then things settled back down again.

Have to agree, we found it very strange going back to condoms. We were told to use them for a month(?) which we did. You will most likely experience reduced ejaculate too – again nothing to worry about, common side effect.

Don’t rush things, give your body time to heal.

and to Buddy, good luck next Tuesday, you'll do just fine.

Susan
x
Posted 2/28/2013 3:24 AM (GMT 0)
Tomorrow marks the first week since I had brachytherapy.

I couldn't be more pleased (except if I never got the darn cancer).

I am drinking a lot of water and urinary flow is only about 80%, but I can empty and no pain. Slight urgency with urinary and bowels, but I can walk- not run - to empty.

No urinary leakage. Period.

No bleeding after minor spotting post-op.

Diminishing blood in semen.

No change in sexual interest.

Have not needed Flomax but will take without hesitation if needed.

Out and about. Driving, shopping, chasing badly behaved dogs but also taking it easy.

LOTS of unusual senastions. Some uncomfortable and some not so bad, but all unfamiliar and none really painful. An occasional mild ache in the groin that passes and may be associated with the need to void. It's a process of discovery. 

I'd rather not have cancer, but if I must have it, I prefer Brachytherapy.

Good luck, amigos.

 

Posted 2/28/2013 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
On the whole, it sounds like your well on your way to recovery.

Here's hoping that before you know it, it's all just a bad memory and you're living life to the max.

All the best,
Andrew
Posted 2/28/2013 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
CT Ump - congrats on getting through to the other side, I am also a major Brachy fan. Had my treatment on 9/21/12 and experienced some of what you are going through. Never saw any blood, nor pain or any kind of real urgency as you've mentioned though, but I do understand that is common and very short term. I also had a great pee right after implant, and that evening got up once and had another good flow. I was started on Rapaflo, a newer alpha blocker to Flomax, 1 x / day and that was helpful. Three months later I dropped it to every other day and things continue to go extremely well. I did try stopping completely a week or so ago and noticed a slow-down in flow, so went back to the every other day and immediately got back to normal.

As Susan mentioned as the seeds get "hot" you may experience a change in flow - so you may want to think about getting going on Flomax now. For me the seeds seemed to really get going the first few weeks, right up until their (Iodine 125 seeds) half life at 60 days post implant. I also experienced what you are calling "unusual senastions", but again that's just the seeds doing their thing, kicking some cancer cell ass!

As I look back now thus far on my journey I sometimes wake up and wonder if this has all just been a bad nightmare, or do I really have PCa? Of course the answer is yes, I have cancer - but for now I am ecstatic - so I would simply say to you, don't feel bad, about feeling good! At the same time I would humbly ask you to pray for the brothers that are not doing as well - and to stay out here to help the newbies that will unfortunately be following us down this path.

Continued best to you, and thanks for your posts as they will indeed help others that will join us.
Posted 2/28/2013 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Wow. What a nice sentiment, and thank you.
I do wish our brothers well. And their spouses, partners and loved ones.
I am fortunate, but we are all fortunate that we live in an age where PCa can be detected and cured.
I hope to run in to you somewhere out on the road and we can have a decaf coffee and share our details! In the meantime, thank you for sharing.
Posted 2/28/2013 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
CT, I'm so glad things are going well and hopefully this will be an uneventful adventure from here on. Like Yoop, especially since it has been over 4 years since I had my brachy, it hardly seems like I had PCa. In fact the only time I think about it is when I drop in here to check on my buds, get educated by reading JT's posts and see if I can help any new members.

As Susan and Yoop said, the seeds are likely to get a little hotter in the coming days so watch out for flow issues. I'm not one for taking meds without reason -- in fact I take zero meds today for any reason -- but I did take the Flomax as a precautionary measure. One of my biggest fears was waking up in the night and having to go to the ER for a catheter. So, you may want to consider the precautionary advantages of Flomax as I think it is prescribed more often than not for us brachy guys.

All the best as you continue to get back to normal,

Jm
Posted 3/1/2013 4:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks very much for your advice. I'll think it over and I really do appreciate that you and others are willing to be so generous with your support, advice and guidance along the path. It's very helpful to have a guide when entering unknown (but not entirely uncharted) territory.
We live in a lovely and peacful town in the gentle hills of NW CT. Love it here. But the nearest hospital (and an excellent one) is a 30 minute drive (assuming no snow or ice). And I had not considered the scenario you present........
I have Flomax (generic) in the medicine chest. I know it is not a quick-acting med, and that it takes a few days to realize the benefits. I am not obsessed about avoiding another well-proven med, but I just am not feeling like I need it (and I could be wrong). I take several other meds and so the idea of another one doesn't scare me, but I really don't need any more unless they are really necessary.
So thank you again for sharing your experience and advice.

The question I now have is: if a guy has had no significant urinary issues, even after a week. What is the probability that an acute condition would develop that would require catheterization?
I'll ask in a new thread and maybe more of us will learn from the sharing of our sage guides.
I'll also call my Uro tomorrow.

And good for you!! 66 and no meds! And no cancer. And everything in working order.
Thank you for the vision of my goal.
Posted 3/1/2013 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
CT, of course you should get the med advice from your doc...not me or other internet yahoos here. So, just take my comments as advice as to what concerns you should raise with your docs...especially since you have other meds with which the Flomax might interact. Personally, I wouldn't even take an over the counter supplement without discussing it first with a physician. It was not the first week that was concerning to me...it was the combined action of the seeds doing their job over the first few months.

Anyway, good luck and keep us up to date.

Jim
Posted 3/1/2013 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
CT, I had the same concerns as Tud, about waking up and having to find my way to an ER and catheter-land - and freaking out about it! Fortunately that never happened. I too am adverse to putting any unnecessary drugs in this body, but if something is absolutely needed then I accept. Years ago my family Dr gave me the analogy - "I know you don't want to take unnecessary meds, but using your albuteral inhaler will do no damage to your body compared to not taking it occassionally and putting that strain on your heart and lungs." That kind of cinched it for me and my outlook!

Also as far as Flomax taking effect - when taken with food it kicks in around 4-8 hours, so it actually is a quick-acting med.

As to your question about the potential for developing an acute situation with continency - again, everyone is different and everyone responds to treatment differently, so I'm not sure there are any real statistics out there on that. Wouldn't hurt to start another thread as there may be others with more knowledge than I! I would again remind you that the seeds will be getting hotter in the coming days and weeks, and when they do as they are killing the cancer cells they are beating on the prostate gland so there is still a slight chance that you will see some minor issues - slower flow, urgency - although so far, so good - right?!

Continued best to you - things are going great and no reason to think otherwise, just be open and as a fitness trainer once told me "Listen to your body!"
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