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Posted 6/17/2018 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
I've been coming here for a bit now with a lot of help and support , and my urinary problems just don't seam to go away , long story short , have had Brachytherapy and am now in my Radiation phase 18 sessions of 25 done ..

I just have had the weakest of streams and low output . and am stressed beyond , Has anyone else had issues with frequency , weak stream and low output some times I stand at the toilet and get a couple of drips and weak stream and then im done,

Im taking Flomax 2x a day for it but now sure how much it is helping . I know peeing a little is better than not at all but its getting really frustrating and doing my head in .as I am a worry wort

I try not to drink to much water so im not constantly going , but am I correct to assume if I don't drink a lot I wont get a lot volume ?? kinda double edge sword


If you have had similar experiences please share I cant be the only onw who is or has dealt with this issue.. any help appreciated.,

John

Age 64 Diagnosed Aug 2017
Gleason 4+3 =7 biopsy 11-17 , PSA13 , Brachytherapy 1-31-18 88seeds PSA10, PSA 4-10 3.21

Boost EBRT Started May 22, 2018 25 sessions .. 10 to go

Post Edited (JohnMorales) : 6/17/2018 8:32:39 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/17/2018 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
I do have a reduced stream, but not nearly as much as you. It's remedied with just one Rapaflo every few days. Also, I found Rapaflo worked better than Flomax...maybe you could try that or one of the other drugs that can help with this.
Posted 6/17/2018 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
Has your uro done a cystoscopy to see what is going on? After I had surgery there was some scarring at the bladder neck that caused a couple of instances of retention. That led to painful trips to the ER. The solution was a dilation procedure. They knocked me out and inserted progressively larger tubes up there to stretch out the bladder neck. Problem solved. It might work for you.
Posted 6/17/2018 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Fiddlecanoe. I have an extremely large prostate when they did the cystoscopy you could see the Prostate pushing into the bladder so im sure the radiation and the Brachy have casue some issues , Im just hoping that it goes away … as I said im a worry wort ready and think to much so if I don't drink enough water im assuming its obvious Im not going to pee a lot , I meet the oncologist tomorrow and will talk again , maybe its me over reacting but it sucks to stand there and just dribble … but if I have nothing to pee I guess that is what happens … I assume

thanks' for stopping by
Posted 6/17/2018 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
yes I had the same treatment and same issues. it gets better. urinary frequency will persist for longer but it gets better.
Posted 6/17/2018 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
You're on the home stretch; this part and a few weeks afterwards are usually the worst it will ever be. Urinary issues are the downside of brachy boost therapy. I also found that one Rapaflo worked better than 2 Flomax. Everyone's different. There are about a dozen different alpha-blockers you can try to find the one that works best for you. Ask your Uro if he has samples. You may also find that naproxen twice a day helps relieve the urethritis. Sometimes, the radiation triggers bladder spasms and an anti-spasmotic (like Vesicare, Toviaz, Myrbetriq, etc.) may be helpful. If there is pain while urinating, try pyridium (available OTC...careful - it stains everything).

You have to fill up your bladder before each treatment, but other than that, limiting fluid intake, especially caffeine beverages, soda, fruit juices and alcohol may help. No fluids in the evening.
Posted 6/18/2018 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
Allen , I want to take a moment to thank you , as you know I have been here since I was diagnosed last aug contently looking for answers to my mostly urinary issues, I want to thank you for always indulging me and my moments of insecurity and worry, this is been very difficult for me to deal with

So thank you so much , I have 8 more sessions or EBRT to do and complete on June 29th …. the 1st two weeks or so were manageable and I was hopeful but the past few days im back to post brachy days. of urges and having to go about every 30 - 45 min … from something to nothing , I take ibuprofen which seams to work for me 2x a day 800mg ill see if they have the rapiflo at the VA last time I asked him he tild me there were the same .

My greatest fear is obstruction which I had after brachy so any time I stand over the toilet and get a drip drip and noting , I think of the worse .. and not so much as I try not to drink after 7Pm so maybe there is not much to come out … I have faith that I will be ok .. its just the getting there that's the hard part … ill see the Uro tomorrow I get treated at the Va here in NJ and cant say enough about the staff and there attention and education to us. but it doesn't make the issues go away.

But having people like you around to help , listen to some of us moan and give support is as important to me , I go to the us too Prostate support group and the sad part is once epopel get past all of this they dont come back , I will talk a page form your book and come back often to help those who are like i am now in need of answers and support and just someone to listen to .

anyway thansk again Allen for unknowingly being there for many of us .

John

Age 64 Diagnosed Aug 2017
Gleason 4+3 =7 biopsy 11-17 , PSA13 , Brachytherapy 1-31-18 88seeds PSA10, PSA 4-10 3.21

Boost EBRT Started May 22, 2018 25 sessions .. 8 to go
Posted 6/18/2018 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
Nice of you to say, John. It's true that rapaflo and flomax are both "alpha blockers," but everyone reacts differently to the various drugs in that class. For Michael-T and I, Rapaflo worked better; for you, maybe not. My Uro gave me a sample that the drug company left him. When it worked, I found a coupon online for a free month, and that was all I needed.

You are right to be fearful of urinary retention - as you know, it can be dangerous. Keep us updated on your progress.
Posted 6/18/2018 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
Sometimes the bladder can be empty and you not know it. The scarring from my surgery (or could be a nerve or something else unrelated) gives me the urge to go ... when I try...nothing comes out. Or just a little bit. An hr later I’m in there again dribbling ....rinse repeat and it can make it hard to know if the bladder is empty or not. Your uro will have you “go” and then ultrasound your bladder to see if it’s true retention or not. That’s scarring from surgery....ymmv...with radiation... I don’t know...
Posted 6/18/2018 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks' guys , Island time / Allen , at least im not the only one getting up to dribble , the other issue is dealing with the urges and when you have to really go or just getting a sensation .how do you deal with urgency feelings do you always go when you feel a tingle ?? Interesting facrt for me as of late I get up to pee about 2 or 3 go to the toilet and pretty much dribble like a Leakey faucet.

But if I walk down stairs to m office in the basement I can pee some my out put is usually 50 - 100 cc when its going good … this morning I went dowen after two attempts upstairs and got 200ml hip hip horary .. anyway is it possible that the bladder is partially asleep when I 1st wake up and this is why it takes me a bit to get It going .. ???
john

Post Edited (JohnMorales) : 6/18/2018 5:04:08 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/20/2018 7:32 PM (GMT 0)

Hello!

I finished up nine weeks of radiation in May, John.

I noticed, as time went by, that I dealt with more urgency. So, no matter where I went, I made sure to keep a bathroom location on my radar.

I didn't experience any flow issues, but urgency was a side effect for me.

Now that a few weeks have gone by, the urgency issue has faded away, day by day.

Stay connected to your doctors, John. Keep describing your symptoms, and here's hoping they can help you.

Handshake of support, from "one brother to another brother" -
Cyclone - Iowa State University
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