Radiation causing constant urge to urinate and burning

This happened to me, but it started a year after my radiation treatments finished. I found this site helpful:
https://prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/campaigning/incontinence
For me, it started with a UTI, but the sensation/urgency didn't go away aftear antibiotics, and summer 2023 was a rough one for me.

Myrbetriq (the higher dose) helped keep me from waking up every 30 minutes, wearing a pad mostly avoided public embarrassment, and avoiding or reducing common urinary-tract irritants (caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol, etc) helped. Drinking large quantities of water helped *a lot* (counterintuitively).

A cystoscopy revealed mild radiation damage to the bottom of my bladder. It still flares up and down over a year later (especially if I'm not drinking enough water, e.g. when I'm away from home), but I eventually learned not to associate it with a need to go to the bathroom, so my detrusor muscle doesn't automatically compress the bladder as much any more. Even without the Myrbetriq, I usually sleep through the night or get up just once.

While things are still rough, keeping a urinal bottle near the bed can help avoid the night time sprints to the bathroom. Go easy on yourself if you slip up once in a while.

I recently started using Myrbetriq it reduced urgency and also reduced incontinence as @northoftheborder mentioned. There are a couple of drugs that do this. You should look into it, ask your PCP or urologist.

I had five sessions of SBRT and this started about two weeks after radiation was completed and lasted about two months but is gone now. My doctor put me on Flomax which helped with the urgency.

Drinking acidy things like coffee and orange juice can make the burning worse. I gave up acidy stuff except I kept my morning cup of coffee and figured it was worth a little bit of burning.

Thank you. Much appreciated. I had TURP surgery few years ago which took care of the urgency will metion Flocmax to my doc. I used to be on it before TURP surgery. Thanks again for the recommendation

I completed 5 rounds of SBRT in May 2024. Around the third session, I started to have a brief burning while urinating. Generally, the first few seconds but nothing too painful. I was advised drink more water for that, which also contributed to an urge to go more often. However, both issues resolved within a week or two after radiation was done.

I think I may have found the problem. Celebrated Friday evening and Saturday evening with glass of wine. Had the constant urgency and mild burning during Friday and Saturday night and all day Saturday and Sunday. Then Sunday evening back to no wine. No more constant urgency Monday and last night. Hmm

Yes, alcohol and carbonated beverages are my biggest triggers for urinary-tract irritation. Spicy food is not quite as bad, and fortunately, I'm still OK with tea and citrus fruit (those are the two I'd hate to cut back on).

👍

I took extended release oxybutinin during radiation and for almost 3 months afterwards. It helped immensely. I then signed up for pelvic floor therapy and I’m nearly as good as before surgery and radiation.

Good luck on your journey!

Thank you. I will have to look into oxybutinin. I have had pelvic floor distinction for many years. My PCP warned me it may gat worse during radiation (only 7 days into radiation). May I ask what kind of therapy you had? I have had enormous relief with Amitriptyline but would like to get off it someday.