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Radiation Cystitis (burning) Help!

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Posted 11/6/2015 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
I've only had 5 treatments of IMRT(Vmat) and have developed a burning in the urinary tract and rectum. It's not an infection. Has any one ever experienced this? Any medication to help or do I stop everything? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks
Posted 11/6/2015 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Have you talked to the RO about this? There are medications they can prescribe to help. For the rectum you'll want to get the suppositories and for the other side, lots of water and maybe some ibuprofen. But I am not a doctor and can only guess what is needed.

Complain long and loud. The RO and staff should be helping you on this.

Andrew
Posted 11/6/2015 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
As a radiation-as-primary-treatment guy myself, I also developed some radiation cystitis, but in my case that didn't happen until some time after I had completed the 45 IMRT sessions I had been schedule for.

InTheShop is absolutely right, you need to bring this to the attention of your RO as soon as possible.

Also, and surely this is the case, but the question needs to be asked: you are drinking enough water before each of your treatments to extend the size of your bladder, aren't you? There is a long-tern poster here on this forum who has told us that his RO did not require him to do this, and he suffered severe and permanent damage because of this. And he also complained of burning issues early in his treatment, as you are doing.

But do consult with your RO about this.
Posted 11/6/2015 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not an expert here, but to have these symptoms after only five treatments seems unusual. I don't have any solution to offer you, but I would certainly ask your RO and please report back since I think the answer could be helpful for other guys here. Good luck and hope this can be easily dealt with!
Posted 11/7/2015 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
You may be one of those super-sensitive individuals who can't take radiation. Sometimes this is due to a rare mutation in a gene called ATM. Don't have any more treatments before you've discussed this possibility with your RO.

- Allen
Posted 11/7/2015 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your comments guys- I drink tons of water and have a full bladder each time. I'll see my RO on Tues.- In the meantime just Ibuprofen and more water.
Posted 11/7/2015 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with others. Tell your RO! This is not acceptable.
Bob
Posted 11/7/2015 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
...yes, but it is pretty common, especially with the newer fewer higher dose RT. It took a while for that to happen to me, but it did after maybe 20 or so treatments. Also got the radiation craps, cramping and my hemorrhoids bled much more than usual. The bleeding has backed off as has the major pain but the radiation craps are still with me daily, even after more than 2 years. RO warned me of these side effects though. Aspirin, vaporized cannabis and the occasional shot or 2 of Captain Morgan fixes most of it for me. :-)
Posted 11/9/2015 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery on February of this year and because the cancer was worse than the doctors thought to begin with and some of the cells escaped out of the prostate, I had to have 41 of the radiation treatments. The radiation cystitis (burning)started towards the end of my treatment with the final treatment being on September 17. Well, the rectum burning has started again and if any others of you have had this happen, it is not pleasant, like pushing out needles. Now that the pain has returned, I am a little worried. I go back to UNC cancer hospital for a PSA follow up on December 9 then a month later I go back to the RO for some kind of follow up as well. Any help or advice on the follow ups. If the cancer isn't gone, what's next? anything?
Posted 11/9/2015 4:15 AM (GMT 0)
i have passed through a similar time. severe burning started about a week into radiation and continued throughout the treatment. my RO gave me medicine but no affect. a friend recommended soda( 7 up) plus some milk added to it 3/4 times a day. it worked for me and the burning reduced. with me the urinary SE almost finished about 2 weeks after completion of imrt. and as the veterans have suggested, lots of water. i despise the stuff(water) after drinking tons of it during the treatment!!!!
my uro recommended lots of fruits like melon and water melon too. i followed his advice. i was lucky and didnt have many rectum related problems which may not have been due to the fruits.
your ro may be the best bet but as i said, it worked for me.
good luck.
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