Radiation & Underactive Bladder

[brilliant17]

Does anyone on this forum have an Underactive Bladder and has also undergone prostate radiation treatments?

I will be starting a series of 34 radiation treatments coupled with a 6-month hormone therapy (orgovyx) program. Less than 6 years ago I chose RP over radiation as primary treatment for my PCa. One of the factors that made me lean toward RP years ago was fear that my Underactive bladder and urinary symptoms would worsen if my bladder area was exposed to radiation.

Overall, my bladder problem is bothersome but manageable. However, I worry about the future impact of the upcoming RT treatments on my bladder and urination.

If anyone on this forum has an Underactive Bladder and has undergone radiation treatments, did you experience any bladder-related symptoms such as urinary retention or other symptoms? Do you have any preventative tips? I am choosing Proton over Photon for my treatments which should help with the precision of the treatments

[Break60]

never heard of under active bladder; over active yes. From my experience, salvage radiation after RP can be bad for your urethra and bladder because there is no longer protection from the prostate. I have urinary incontinence which started a few years after salvage radiation finally requiring use of a Foley catheter about a year ago. I plan to try a liberty condom catheter due to leakage and frequent UTIs.

[Sagewiz]

My radiation oncologist prescribed me a temporary med to address "Spastic bladder" after my radiation. I took it for about two weeks until things got closer to normal. I'm not familiar with under axctive bladder, but they could be similar or the same thing with different terminology.

[brilliant17 in reply to Sagewiz]

Sagewiz,

Glad things got closer to normal for you after the med. Do you know if this medication would also help with urinary retention or prolonged or slow bladder emptying?

[Sagewiz in reply to brilliant17]

I will have to inquire. I have no idea of its other functions. There were 2 meds the recommended and I only ended up taking one for a week or so.

[brilliant17 in reply to Sagewiz]

Thanks Sagewiz.

[j-o-h-n]

MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE: (Ask your Doc)

Make Space for Life as Usual

A little space before prostate radiation can make a big difference after. In a clinical study, SpaceOAR Hydrogel was shown to help minimize the impact on urinary, sexual and bowel quality of life for prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Tkwham]

Had PC 2014, with ADT & Proton, everything ok until 2 years ago, stricture surgery, 80% blocked urethra, scar tissue, mostly likely radiation of the prostate cavity, but then 5 months ago another stricture, but after operation bladder stopped working. Currently user catheter, the “belief” is that the bladder was traumatized and may recover in 1 year. Let’s hope so!

[brilliant17 in reply to Tkwham]

Thank you Tkwham,

Did you have any bladder urethra issues before you started the ADT & Proton? Do you have any words of wisdom for someone going into the process? Again, thanks for responding.

[Tkwham in reply to brilliant17]

No, it took 5 years after Proton, I had metastatic to my lymph nodes, so Proton blasted three pelvic cancer cells and the prostate cavity. As accurate the theory on Proton, hitting those sites probably hit the bladder and urethra. As they say in Urology, “ radiation, the gift that keeps on giving!” I had a brother on this site who had exactly what I had, and after a year the bladder started to function sighty, but to truly empty it I use Speedi- Cath. Could be a long journey, but if you haven’t used a Cath, get a lesson and have some, thus never having to go to Emergency ER . It happened twice when the doc thought he “ fixed” the issue, bad assumption!