My Radical Radiotherapy Starts Today!

Good Luck Steve,

I hope you enjoy your daily RT as much as many of us have done, and that you'll reap the benefits later.

It will be over before you know it.http://community.prostatecanceruk.org/editors/tiny_mce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif

Someone said recently that while he celebrated completing all the sessions, he felt a bit 'flat' when the routine ended.

That's very true. I found myself missing the staff and the friends I'd made during the treatment.

All the very best,

George

Just posted on your "cancer cluster" thread - apologies rushing as usual.

Hope it was okay for you today?

Alison

Roy, George, Arthur, Alison, Bri,

Thanks for all your good luck messages. 

Yourselves and everyone on this site have helped me on my journey so far and continues to do so.

Generally, everything seemed to go well this morning.

First mistake was probably opting for an early appointment (8.30am), the traffic was terrible, but it spite of that, arrived on time.  The early time did mean that there were no delays to my appointment.

I was slightly disappointed that the waiting room atmosphere was rather sombre.  Reading posts of others who have been through this treatment, I thought it would be a lot more chatty.  It was silent.  I'll have to try and change that.  Still, very early days so far. 

Emptied my bladder, had an interview with a radiographer during which I drank my 500ml of water.  Thirty five minutes later I was stripping off my jeans, donning my gown and being lead into the treatment area.

I found the RT quite straightforward.  In some ways, because you don't feel anything, it almost seems as if you've not had anything done to you.  You just lay there, watching the equipment rotate around you occasionally, and making strange noises once in a while.  Before you know it, the radiographers are coming in and telling you you're free to go.  I nearly said "Is that it?"

Following my return to the waiting room, my first port of call, was a visit to the loo.  I could have waited longer but decided not to show off and try and drive home before going.  If I'd been caught short and had to find a loo on the way home, I wouldn't have heard the last of it from my wife (who had attended the appointment with me).

So, facing my second treatment tomorrow.  Later appointment (12.35pm) so I can have a bit of a sleep in.  Looking forward to it.

Steve

Edited by member 14 Oct 2014 at 21:23  | Reason: Not specified

Day Two out of the way.

The treatment is really straight forward. 

The staff are great, don't know about fellow patients yet as no one has spoken.  The waiting room was packed today but it was quieter then the local library. 

Good job I noticed there was a thirty minute delay otherwise I would have drunk my water too early and would have been suffering if I'd have to wait longer for the treatment.

Anyone considering this treatment, I'd recommend it so far, it's painless.

Onward to Day Three.

Steve

I think I spoke to soon when I said everything was going so well.

Last night I started to notice my urine flow was very weak. Even worse this morning, it's no more than a trickle.

At the moment, I'm sat in the RT waiting room, waiting to see what's happening. They've told me to drink my water and see what happens. They're going to try to give me today's fraction, then take a urine sample to see if I have an infection. They've said it's very early to get a reaction to the RT but it does happen. Oh well, perhaps it reflects my luck recently.

Steve

Edited by member 16 Oct 2014 at 11:09  | Reason: Not specified

Ended up having the fraction, followed by giving a urine sample. Told to go to A&E if there were any signs that my urine flow stops completely. They think the most likely cause is an infection as it would be very unusual for me to affected this early. Anyway, they're going to see what the test shows. Meanwhile, my flow is still a slow trickle.

Not what I was expecting by day three.

Has anyone else had problems this early into the treatment?

Steve

Flow was not a problem in my case but increased frequency certainly was.  It is possible that the flow was not affected because I was already taking Tamsulosin to help flow as I have a narrowed sphincter.

Hi Steve,

I had problems within the first week too.

The pills mentioned by Kevin and Barry, 'TAMSULOSIN', worked well for me, although I had to take a double dose for a while half way through the 37 days. They were prescribed at the unit by my oncology nurse.

Good Luck,

George

Edited by member 17 Oct 2014 at 15:54  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks Alison, Kevin, Barry, Mo and George for your messages.

Day 4 went well, apart from the continuing very weak flow problem. I think that it must be the RT causing the problem especially with Kevin and George experiencing the same thing fairly soon into their treatment. It might have hit me hard because I'm having 3gy each day so the side effects may have kicked in a bit sooner. I hope by the time I go on Monday they might give me the Tamsulosin tablets.

The good news today was that when I arrived in the waiting room, I sat next to a guy who I'd spoken briefly to yesterday and we were joined by a couple of others, arriving for treatment who joined in the conversation.  We had quite a good chat before having to go for our sessions.  It was more like I'd expected it to be like. Only problem is my next week's appointments are at different times so I may not see the same people again for a few days. It does help to be there without my wife (she stopped attending the sessions after the first two days), because it's easier to strike up a conversation when you're by yourself.

Oh well, looking forward to next week. I quite enjoy the RT because I feel I'm doing something, at last,to beat this disease.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Steve

Edited by member 18 Oct 2014 at 08:00  | Reason: Not specified