Pelvic Radiation

[nuc1111]

Gentleman,

I'm scheduled for pelvic radiation because of bladder and lymph node involvement--4 weeks /5 times a week---Could you share your experience if you have had similar treatment? Thanks.

Ed

[6357axbz]

I had RT (28 IMRT sessions) to my prostate, and 28 sessions a year or so later to my para-aortic lymph node string. It’s a breeze. No significant SEs.

[nuc1111 in reply to 6357axbz]

Thank you very much for sharing-Ed

[marc_andersun]

I had 20 sessions over 4 weeks, 5500 Cgy total with Kaiser Interstate Portland; radiation to prostate and seminal vesicles. If they are doing the prostate they’ll want your bladder full during the procedure; I drank 22 oz of water about 45 to 60 minutes before. You want to avoid eating gassy foods as you can have an air bubble of gas in the colon that presses on the prostate (moving it) . Towards the end of it, I was really worn out, I suppose due to the mild anemia it caused. Also my urination got much more difficult towards the end; if that happens you’ll want to avoid bladder/urethra irritating foods. But I felt mostly recovered a month later! Oh, and 3 years later it's nearly impossible to hold a full bladder.

[nuc1111 in reply to marc_andersun]

Thank you--Ed

[listen_ocean]

I am having 26 session IMRT to the prostate and pelvis bones. Nocturia, slow urine flow and an overly active bladder are the most obvious SE for me. The RO has prescribed FlowMax and Ibuprofen which have reduced the symptoms.

[nuc1111 in reply to listen_ocean]

Thank you--Ed

[DFL208]

I went to my radiation appointments and then did work for my job the rest of the day. I never experienced any discomfort. The only real side effect was that I lost all of my progress on continence I had accomplished after RT and had to pretty much start all over again.

[rosatt1]

I had no problem with 39 sessions of radiation painless with only problem having to have a full bladder.

[Hawk56]

I did 25 IMRT to the PLNs after surgery and SRT to the prostate bed failed. Total dosage was 45 Gya.

As opposed to the SRT which required me to have my bladder full, no special preparation for this one. Side affects, none.

I usually scheduled them in the afternoon , drive from work, then home. No urinalysis, gastrointestinal or bowel issues. That may be because of the advances in radiology both planning and delivery of the treatment and the skill of the radiation treatment team. My radiologist showed me the 3D treatment plan on her laptop and during one of the sessions she had my wife come into the control rom to see what the technicians saw, impressive.

Kevin

[nuc1111 in reply to Hawk56]

Thank you--Ed

[treedown]

44 treatments over 9 weeks 80gy full pelvic and paraaortic LNs with no issues during treatment except a small amt of blood on stool for 2 days at the end. 2 years later no SEs I could say are related to radiation yet.

[Hidden]

I had 20 sessions over four weeks. The treatment itself is no problem at all, about 10 minutes per session and you won't feel a thing, just lie there very still.

The main problem I found was the travel, in my case about 60 minutes each way by car. This with a fullish bladder and mild "urgency" caused by the treatment (now gone thankfully).

So, if you are any distance away from your treatment centre, my recommendations are 1. to make sure you know where the public toilets are en route, 2. don't drink too much before you start out and top up 30 minutes before you arrive, and 3. try to get appointments away from rush hour, you DON'T want to get stuck in traffic.

Worked for me anyway.

[j-o-h-n]

Here I go again.... Maybe not be applicable to your frying..... but it's free.....

Greetings: Radiation - I've posted this before so to those people who have already seen this please forgive me.

I had 8 weeks of salvage radiation to "the bed". 5 days a week (not weekends) for 8 weeks minus 1 day for a total of 39 sessions at MSKcc. The actual radiation was like getting an x-ray by my dentist. I never had any side effects during the whole 39 sessions. However, 2 years later my left urinary tract was "fried" as per my urologist (or from passing prior kidney stones he was not sure). So, I had to have a urinary stent placed up my urinary tract (through my willy which is really nothing - sounds terrible but it's nothing) to aid in passing my urine (which was never a problem anyway). So I had stents in and out every three months for many years and now I'm stent free, However today 15% of urine from left kidney and 85% from right kidney, but not a problem. So make sure you get a good radiologist. Also, I don't know if this would apply to you but guys here recommend SPACEOAR HYDROGEL to be inserted for protection of parts of your body. Make sure you ask your R.O. about the spaceoar and make sure you ask here on this forum before getting fried.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 04/03/2022 6:15 PM DST