Salvage Radiation Effects: Howdy Floks... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

20,783 members25,890 posts

Salvage Radiation Effects

CPOG profile image
CPOG
15 Replies

Howdy Floks,

I’m new to this forum and to this whole journey. It looks like the next possible step for me could be salvage radiation therapy. While there is a lot of information about the after effects of this treatment, I can’t seem to find answers as to how one feels during the treatments. Can anyone on this forum tell me about this?

Written by
CPOG profile image
CPOG
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
15 Replies
5_plus_4 profile image
5_plus_4

I did 37 days of adjuvant RT after my RALP. The radiation treatment is painless (except for the tattoos they mark you with.) After 2 weeks I started feeling the fatigue, which has now lasted 5 months. There also is the chance of developing bladder cancer or a form of leukemia about 4-5 years after RT. But my PSA has remained <0.1 for 10 months.

Good luck!

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen in reply to 5_plus_4

The risk, if it exists at all, is very small:

pcnrv.blogspot.com/2016/08/...

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

There should be no sensation during each treatment. Make sure you exercise.

Hawk56 profile image
Hawk56

I had 39 IMRTs in Mar 16 after BCR from surgery in Mar 14. 70.2Gya. I personally experienced no side affects, I worked every day, exercised, played basketball, lifted weights, rode my bike, swam..., drank coffee and alcohol, ate normally, other than not being able to travel, nothing. The most difficult difficult part for me was timing the drinking of the water before treatment each day to fill the bladder so it lifted out of the way for treatment.

That's not to say my experience will be yours. Your medical team should advise you of diet they recommend and you should have a meeting each week with your radiologist and the head nurse to discuss any symptoms you do experience so they can deal with it. Mine was on Friday of each week.

Kevin

During my SRT, along with HMT, did experience some fatigue.

Eighteen months after SRT started to see blood in urine when straining to have a bowel movement. Stool softener has helped me cut this way down.

Urologist says it is most probably from radiation.

Bob

dirtfisher profile image
dirtfisher

Check out PROTON Radiation treatments, instead of PHOTON radiation. I had 39 treatments with only side effect being a little fatigue in my hips. After 3 years, PSA is still 0.12 PHOTON goes on through you like a bullet and PROTON doesn't go past the cancer. Just concentrates on the cancer cells.

RGD115 profile image
RGD115 in reply to dirtfisher

I also had proton treatment PSA 0.1 since treatment 2years ago glad l went to Prague

Emak1 profile image
Emak1

I did 40 treatments. IMRT. Last 3 weeks had minor proctitis. Some rectal bleeding and burning. Lasted another 3 weeks post treatment and that was it. Have not had an issue in 6 months. Keep hydrated

bitittle profile image
bitittle

If you want more of my personal history with PCA go to my profile. In short 2.5 yrs after my prostatectomy my psa rose to 0.183 and it was time to radiate the prostate bed. I elected not to have ADT with the salvage radiation. No sensation at all during the 38 consecutive treatments. I ran 25+ miles per week and ran every morning prior to my radiation treatment. The exercise was key to help reduce the amount of fatigue. I had to modify my plant based diet due to temporary intestinal distress which disappeared 3 months after the last radiation treatment. The good news is 2.5 years later my psa is undetectable. Good luck!

EricE profile image
EricE

I'm starting salvage radiation on the 7th of this month. Yeah, those tattoos hurt and the technician refused to give me a full tramp-stamp. Good to know the process is most likely painless and hopefully not too hard to tolerate.

EricE profile image
EricE in reply to EricE

Oh yeah, anybody know how likely it is that the bladder will be damaged during radiation. Mine is much better but probably still healing; however the radiologist feels I'm out of time to wait for more bladder healing. Radiation starts next week. Will I end up back in diapers. I'd expect this is highly variable.

Rindav profile image
Rindav in reply to EricE

39 treatments here, all very fast and totally painless. About 11/2 years after last treatment, blood show up in my urine. I went on a water drinking binge and no blood was visible within 3 days. Urologist scoped the bladder, told me about 10% of treated PCa guys end up a bit overcooked and that I was one of the "lucky 10%" He said nothing could be done, would probably happen and may get worse... no help. That night, I stumbled onto a website and found I had been lately consuming a lot of some foods that can be bothersome to someone with bladder cystitis:

ichelp.org/living-with-ic/i...

Almost a full year since, no more issues whatsoever!

"Will I end back up in diapers", I was told to expect roughly the same level of control

at the end of radiation as I had at the beginning, but not to expect much if any improvement from then on. I was about 95% before treatment, around 95% now.

EricE profile image
EricE in reply to Rindav

That is also what I've been told and I'm at about 95% now. I'm excited to get started and will be excited when it is over. Good luck CPOG!

How is it going? My dad is on 15 of 28 and is having issues. Think its proctitis but doctor didnt blink an eye... shouldnt they be concerned or try to help prescribe something?

TEBozo profile image
TEBozo

Tired. Must push through it with cardio and resistance training.

You may also like...

Post-Salvage Radiation GI side effects?

what others may have experienced after salvage radiation therapy when it comes to their...

Long term side effects from salvage radiation after radical prostatectomy

Hi folks, I'm considering salvage radiation (~34 treatments) after a prostatectomy where the PSA...

Salvage radiation worries

with salvage radiation? I am a healthy 67 year old with good genes but have real anxiety about...

Salvage Radiation Therapy Question

39 radiation treatments following biochemical recurrence after prostatectomy. Had 24th treatment...

PSA after salvage radiation

that his radiation failed but does not seem concerned. But we are bummed that the salvage radiation...