Prostatitis or pelvic radiation disease

I was reading about someone with similar symptoms., the cause of this other persons was ecoli in the prostate from the biopsy. I still can't help thinking that is what it is.

I have wondered that all along. But as antibiotics didn't help then apparently it can't be that.

Yes Lyn the consultant said if nothing shows up on the MRI and these new tablets don't work then the urologist will refer him to the pain clinic.

The urologist said it is slightly red and inflamed inside but said he's seen much worse.

They also did a flow test and said the flow was slower than it should be. The urologist was talking about sorting the flow out. But my other half isn't bothered about the flow, just wants the burning to stop, also the need to go so much. Before brachytherapy, he'd have a wee about 10pm go through the night, get up, make tea, bring it to bed and drink it. Then dress and go downstairs to the toilet about 7 or 8am. I used to be amazed he could wait so long. Now he usually gets up once or twice a night, but one day last week it was seven times. During the day it's every hour or so. He said he gets such a pain and burning inside and feels an urgent need. But the burning when he wees is the biggest problem.

It's all very frustrating. Let's see what comes of the MRI and another test he wants to do involving a probe of some sort. I can't remember what it was called. I should take notes I might remember.

Hi Sjbt,

I had a very similar problem last year, following on from HDRBrachytherapy, which gave me a combined problem of a prostate infection and radiation induced cystitis.

Antibiotics cleared up the infection but did nothing for the cystitis.

What I found was that the majority of 'Cranberry Juice' on sale in the Supermarkets, doesn't actually contain much Cranberry Juice, if you read the labels carefully it's described as 'Cranberry Juice Drink' which is basically sugar, water, flavouring and a bit of cranberry juice.

What worked for me, was the real fresh cranberries, available in the supermarkets any time soon in the run up to Christmas.  I would buy a bag, boil them down in a pan on a low simmer, and either eat them neat, or mixed in with a bit of cooked apple.

In a matter of weeks my problem had cleared up.

If you can be bothered to search back to posts a year ago, quite a number of regulars on this site followed my example and had good results with real fresh cranberries, so it's definitely worth a try, but use the real thing, not the ready made cranberry Juice Drinks.

:)

Dave   

As for the cypro. He finds they ease the burning. As soon as he stops them the burning returns.

He's been off them about 6 weeks now and the burning worse than it's ever been.

It's quite normal to experience burning after brachytherapy. But it usually eases off after a month or so.

He's been prescribed gabapentin.

Thanks for advice.

But OH will take anything as he's at his wits end. The nurse said they might make him feel spaced out. He's got a long drive to a cattle sale on Saturday. So she suggested not taking them until he's back home. She said she couldn't drive on them. But I can't persuade him to not take them. I was given 100mg 3 times a day. But he's on 300mg once a day for 2 weeks. Then 2 at night on third week. The consultant said only take second one if no effect after 2 weeks. But OH said he didn't say that. He said go up to 2 anyway.

The wincing noises coming from the bathroom when he has a wee make me realise why he wants to try anything.

Definitely going to look for some cranberries. I'll go after work.

I tried Holland and Barrett for pure cranberry juice. They no longer sell it. So I've ordered some 100% cranberry juice off Amazon. That's the best I can do. I notice Waitrose sell them ftozin. But my nearest Waitrose is an hours drive away. It's an option though if the pure juice works. He can try a little first. I don't think it can get much worse.

Not saying this is the problem but some urinary infections are difficult to identify and resistant to some antibiotics ,so a possibility.

I thought I would give an update incase anyone is following this.

My OH has now been referred to the pain clinic who are saying it's nerve pain causing the burning. He's been prescribed nortriptyline (7 at bedtime) plus the gabapentin. (1 in the morning) these were prescribed to block the pain. Eventually with the hope of a temporary pain block in the spine.

Here is my worry, as I have said before he has been told a few years ago that he had prostatitis caused by the biopsy. It showed up on his MRI after the biopsy (over 2 years ago) personally I don't think it ever cleared up. Surely if he's still got the burning but can't feel it because he's had the pain blocked isn't it going to do a lot of harm? Especially if it is a prostate infection. The he burning is there for a reason. Surely ignoring it and masking it isn't the way forward?

I couldn't go to the pain clinic with his as it was late afternoon and I have the children. So I've no idea whether the tablets will also heal the nerves but I assume not.

All the tablets are knocking him right out. He sleeps within minutes of sitting down in the evenings. We can make a lot of noise and he doesn't stir. OH is pleased because he's out for the count at night so he never needs a wee in the night. The burning has eased a bit since taking the tablets so he's keen to continue. It scares me a bit how they knock him out.

Another thing because I didn't go to the appointment things seem to have got muddled we had a copy of the letter from the pain clinic to our GP and it said the burning started a year after brachy. It didn't, it started almost immediately. It also says that antibiotics had no effect. They did to start with. But over time they seemed to stop. So things have got muddled up.

OH did have an MRI a few weeks ago, to see if anything showed up but we haven't had a follow up appointment. He has a telephone appointment with the pain clinic mid December to see how the medication is going and to decide whether he wants the temporary spinal block put in. I seriously don't think he should have this done until all other tests are done. Surely this should be a last resort.

Anyway, I'm not happy with the treatment plan. But OH is. He loves the "knocked out" all night!

Maybe I am worrying about nothing. But doesn't seem the way to go to me. But I guess I have to trust the professionals.

The only reason I think it's still prostatitis is the fact the symptoms started after the biopsy. He had an MRI after the biopsy looking at the cancer. We were told then he had prostatitis. Then he had another MRI 6 months later and prostatitis was still present. I re read the notes from the consultant earlier as OH has forgotten that the burning has been going on since brachy. The notes say prostatitis still present. Please prescribe antibiotics each time the symptoms flare up. At first each time antibiotics were prescribed the symptoms went. Each time the gap between end of antibiotics and the symptoms returning got shorter. He stoped taking antibiotics in July/August and hasn't been back on them. His symptoms have got worse and worse since coming off. It's almost like they don't cure it but hold it at bay.

If it is still prostatitis then it will show on the MRI. But there has been no follow up appointment. I think they should have waited for MRI results before prescribing all these tablets. Maybe I'm wrong. But that's how I look at it. If it's not an infection then yes, other things need to be done. Meanwhile I've got an other half who just sleeps all the time. I'm assuming the tablets don't heal it and he will be on them a long time.