RT = Radiation Trots ... anyone else?

I just passed the halfway mark in my ART one year post op, and have been having unexplained bowel issues ever since the second week. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Just before treatment #8, I felt like I had gas and remembered to "never trust a fart". Fortunately I was on the throne because it was a surge of diarrhea. It had been 20 hours since my last meal, other then my usual breakfast, which is the same every day.

Since then it's been a couple days normal and a couple days loose bowels, week after week. Consistency varies. Good news is only three more weeks of this, but what I've read is the coming weeks are typically the worst part. Not all that bad compared to what I've been thru already, but curious why this is rarely ever mentioned. Can't wait to get back to normal.

I had the same issues.

My GP had a prescription med that regulated things a bit better. Don't recall the name, but ask the docs. They need to know what is going on in order to be of any help.

I wound up with the same issue after SBRT, which was only 5 days. It started 2 days after my treatment ended and lasted for about 1 1/2 - 2 weeks. The docs recommended a low fat, low fibre diet. And in the words of Tall Allen, "never trust a fart". Pay close attention to those rumblings.

I had a delayed reaction to SRT. RARP on9-15-2016 started 33 sessions of IMRT on 5-30-2017 and had two separate bouts of diarrhea both were due to diet, bacon was bad for me also and greasy foods, one or two doses of Imodium A-D took care of the problem. My bigger problem started within days of last treatment bowel movements became irregular had a weird color and varied in consistency about 8th day bowel movements started to become painful RO said to try preparation H and Hydrocortisone cream did not help at all. 10th day had 7 bowel movements last 2 rated a 7-8 on pain scale during and for half hour afterwards and almost drove 75 miles to ER on a Saturday. Got hold of the RO's RN Monday she said to try Domeboro powder as a soak and Aquaphor as a salve, this did work. She also said there wasn't much else to try maybe 10% have this side effect and it could last weeks or even two months. Things did improve fairly quick but was unable to sit in a farm tractor for over a month. I also agree with never trust a fart. Treatment instructions also included avoiding fresh fruits and vegetables. Do contact your RO or especially the RN they sometimes know more about how to handle the side effects than the Dr.

I had to be within running distance of a toilet during RT, just to feel safe. Before RT I fully trusted my farts, less so since.😐

I went through SRT and had a few episodes of diarrhea during treatment.
Also, had frequent "Radiation Craps" that resolved after a few months after radiation stopped.
Still have 2-3 bowel movements per day where prior to radiation normally had only one.
Have been on HT, currently Firmagon, for about 13 months.

Best wishes for a complete recovery!

Bobby Mac