Cheshire Chris's Treatment Thread

User

Posted 17 Mar 2019 at 14:08

Thanks, Alan. Before I started with all this stuff I was very fit and active in my local ramblers' association, so as soon as feasible I plan to get back into that to regain my fitness, starting with "Easy" walks (which are not terribly easy!) and slowly working up to the strenuous full-day mountain walks I was able to do previously.

One thing that everything that's happened to me in the last year has taught me is that nobody knows what they are capable of doing until they're faced with the necessity of actually doing it. If someone had said to me at this time last year that I was about to be diagnosed with three different potentially fatal conditions and have two major operations and 6 weeks of radiotherapy I would have been aghast and said "There's absolutely no way I get do that!" But you just have to take things one step at a time and you do get through it, because you've no choice but to do so.

Cheers,

Chris

Edited by member 17 Mar 2019 at 14:21 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 17 Mar 2019 at 14:14

I really not going to teach you to suck eggs because you’re an intelligent man but you need to speak to your GP and the physio before jumping in to any regular exercise after the amount of time off you’ve had.

When I told my oncologist I was going to get straight back into cycling first thing she said was you have to take it very easy but then I told her I’ve been cycling 200 miles a week before my Diagnosis and I Have been cycling 100 miles a week All the way through my treatment she was gobsmacked. She was going to refer me to a physio said that would be a waste of time and just to do what my body felt able to and increase Slowly and sensibly. I think once you’re out on a nice long walk with your friends in the Ramblers it will soon put the last year behind you

User

Posted 17 Mar 2019 at 14:19

Oh yes, I'm going to take it nice and easy and listen to what my body tells me when it comes to doing too much! I learned that the hard way when seriously overdoing it in the first week or two after my nephrectomy operation - a friend took me to the local Sainsbury's to do some shopping, and I thought I'd be OK pushing the trolley around while she put things in it. After a couple of minutes of doing so, though, I felt extremely unwell and my friend told me that I turned completely grey, so I went and sat down while she finished the shopping!

Cheers,

Chris

User

Posted 21 Mar 2019 at 08:21

A pretty tough day yesterday - by far the worst since starting RT. All day long from the time I got up until about mid afternoon my bowel was cramping and I had an irresistible urge to go to the loo every few minutes, but all that came out was gas and mucus. Exhausting. Fortunately it seems to have stopped, for the time being at least.

Only 5 sessions left, including today (ie next Wednesday should be the last one). My oncologist tells me that side-effects can be expected to carry on getting worse for two weeks after treatment finishes, so I'm hoping I don't get too many repeats of yesterday.

Really looking forward to getting this over with. Six weeks of RT now and it feels like an eternity.

Chris

User

Posted 21 Mar 2019 at 08:49

Sounds like a hard day yesterday Chris.

The end of RT is in sight but it won'tfeel like that just now.

Are you taking Fybogel? I was given that and it made a huge difference.

Hope today is a better day.

Ido4

User

Posted 21 Mar 2019 at 08:57

Thanks, Ido. I'm feeling much better today. Yesterday was really draining emotionally as well as physical. No, I've not tried Fybogel because until yesterday I'd experienced no real bowel problems. No diarrhoea, just a bit of mucus. I'm seeing my oncologist after today's treatment, so I'll ask his advice.

All the best,

Chris

User

Posted 27 Mar 2019 at 13:36

Finished my RT today https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/Scripts/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif !!!

I'm really not feeling too bad at all. A few issues with frquent urination (particularly at night), passing a bit of mucus occasionally from my bowel, and that's pretty much it. I think I've got off pretty lightly compared to some people.

I really can't praise the Clatterbridge Private Clinic (the private part of the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre on the Wirral) highly enough. All the nurses there were kind and friendly, and really helped me to get through the occasional bad day I had during my treatment, and my oncologist, whom I saw weekly during my treatment, was also very kind and supportive. When I finished today I gave them a card and box of chocalates, and they gave me a lovely card signed by all of them. In a strange kind of way I'm going to miss it - it's really been the centre of my life for nearly two months!

I'll be having a follow-up appointment with my oncologist in 6 weeks' time (ie around mid May) so I need to get a PSA test done at my GP's shortly before that. My oncologist said that I shouldn't worry what the result is - RT can cause a "spike" in PSA - and that as long as it's not risen significantly above the pre-treatment level of 13 he'll be happy.

I'll be on HT for another year and 5 months, but that shouldn't be any big deal. Hopefully today marks the end of my cancer treatment!

Cheers,

Chris

User

Posted 27 Mar 2019 at 13:44

Congratulations Chris it’s a fantastic feeling when you finish radiotherapy. I’m so glad you got through with minimal issues, a bit like I did after mine.

You’ve got a great positive attitude which will stand you in good stead over the coming months get out now with your friends and enjoy your life

User

Posted 27 Mar 2019 at 15:33

Great news Chris. It's strange when the treatment stops and you dont have to be there every day. Enjoy being off timetable!

Ian

Ido4

User

Posted 30 Mar 2019 at 10:09

I think I'm losing my marbles. Last night I had an absolutely awful night - needing to urinate literally every few minutes all night long, and completely unable to empty my bladder. I keep my week's tablets in a pill-box on my bedside table with labelled compartments for each day of the week and, this morning, when I was getting dressed and taking my tablets as usual, I noticed that I hadn't taken any of the last two days' tablets! No wonder I'm having problems after two days without Tamsulosin. Hope I've not done myself any harm by not taking any bicalutimide for the last two days...

I've now set a daily alarm on my phone to remind me to take my tablets. Hopefully that will help.

User

Posted 30 Mar 2019 at 13:00

If the hospital where you had your radiotherapy is anything like mine I was allowed to phone up the emergency line for eight weeks after my treatment ended. If I were you Chris I would just phone up and check everything is okay. It’s better to be safe than sorry after everything you have been through

Alan

User

Posted 30 Mar 2019 at 23:51

Hi Chris

Since yesterday I have been thinking that shall write few words for Chris...or not...as you can imagine I have tiny knowledge of Prostate related illness I cannot tell you what to do or suggest anything,

But let me say this please.....I know how to cope with life on your own when your not well.

But I cannot imagine the difficulties of getting up every minutes never mind the hour's .must be extremely tiring!!!!!yes it's easy for us to write type few words on here but the pains difficulties your going through those only the person could feel is you!

I'm really sorry for you I mean it.

.before and after I had my operation you and Lynn supported me so much. I thank you both for that,

I wish that I live in your area than I could help you for your shopping etc.

Hope you can have a good night sleep from tonight my friend.

Regards

D.R

User

Posted 31 Mar 2019 at 08:55

Thanks, DR. Everything's fine again now I'm taking the Tamsulosin again. Had a much better night last night.

Cheers,

Chris

User

Posted 01 Apr 2019 at 10:14

I must admit that I was always sceptical about the claims of the benefit of drinking cranberry juice for bladder irritation, but I was in Sainsbury's a couple of days ago and noticed cranberry juice on the shelf, so I thought I'd give it a go. I've been drinking a glass of it in the morning and in the evening, and it really has made a noticeable difference! The intense burning pain I'm getting at the end of urinating at the moment is greatly eased for several hours after drinking the cranberry juice.

I'd recommend it to anyone experiencing urinary pain as a result of RT.

Cheers,

Chris

User

Posted 01 Apr 2019 at 12:29

Women have been treating cystitis with cranberry juice or cranberry extract for generations - glad you are feeling better

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 04 Apr 2019 at 10:54

It's now a week since I finished my RT and I've just noticed that the discomfort I've been experiencing for weeks when urinating (an intense burning sensation) has completely disappeared. Hopefully that means that the swelling in my prostate caused by the radiotherapy is easing. There's no change in the need to urinate frequently; I think that has a different cause (irritation of the bladder by the radiation).

User

Posted 04 Apr 2019 at 11:04

Chris

it was nearl six weeks in my case before i felt effects including irritation caused by radiotherapy really diappeared.

User

Posted 04 Apr 2019 at 11:11

Thanks, Alan. My oncologist did warn me that the side-effects could be expected to carry on intensifying for a fortnight after treatment ended, so I'm pleased that this particular one does seem to have cleared up.

Chris

User

Posted 04 Apr 2019 at 11:18

Chris

yes that’s exactly the same as I was told, that we keep on cooking for at least two weeks!!

User

Posted 07 Apr 2019 at 13:44

Belated congratulations Chris on getting to the end of your RT. I’ve still got 9/37 to go, but the end is definitely in sight. Weird thinking that I will “miss” my visits to the RT clinic, so I was glad when you said you were missing it. Thanks for the heads up about the side effects continuing afterwards. Hope things start to sort themselves out for you. I think you’ve been through enough.

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