How long do side effects from prostate radiation last?

Please look at my profile for my treatment story.

Stay Strong Brother.

I was under the impression that radiation treats the entire prostate and if so how do you have any semen production at all?

@daveinflorida The risk of sperm production issues varies depending on the type and extent of treatment, the patient's age, and other factors. Of the people I have had discussions about this issue, who have had radiation, few have had total lack of sperm production. Many have had recovery periods for erections and orgasms with sperm. Some have talked about dry orgasms but that, anecdotally, seemed to be more when people have had their prostate removed. Obviously, that’s a layman’s answer but your doctor may be of more help. I can say that I did have my whole prostate treated plus 2 mm margins and that my orgasms with sperm diminished but did not disappear.

The limit for SBRT is lower. Mine was 40 gy. I've seen 36.5 listed as the ideal so not sure why I got slightly more (or you got quite a bit more)

I do not think there is a NCCN accepted solely SBRT regime that the dosage is 60Gy. I had 5*7.25 = 36.25Gy for the entire prostate with a focal boost to 40 Gy at the primary lesion.

Oh, thanks -- that makes sense.

We had to make a decision early whether to treat the cancer palliatively and focus on immediate quality of life (the traditional approach to stage-4 cancer), or take a chance and fight back hard. Since I was only 56, I chose the latter, and as I've mentioned before, my radiation oncologist agreed to "throw the kitchen sink" at it.

So yes, I do still have some radiation cystitis and proctitis from the high radiation dose 2½ years later, and at this stage I'll probably have them forever. But I can put up with occasional irritation and burning in exchange for being around to put up with them.

In 20 years, let's meet up somewhere for a drink. I'll tell you how happy I am to be alive, and you can tell me how dramatically your sex life has revived. 🙂

I did not have surgery just 30 rounds of proton radiation on entire prostrate and margins.

I refrainedfrom sexual relations for many months after treatment ended. But first one dry orgasm. Really frighten me. Asked the question on MCC and was told common side affect for many.

Went to my R/O and said the radiation can damage the vessels and this can occur for many.

@daveinflorida
I was told by my R/O if you have your entire prostate treatment along with margins you are doing to radiate the seminal vessels and just like the uretha you can damage them. Everyone is different and their outcomes unquie to them but yes the seminal vessels can really limit the amount of semen ejacualte. The prostrate makes seminal fuid not semen but again since damage agains affects amount of fluid made.

Thus again everyone is different including the radiation and how the body readted to it. But I personally had little side affect to urninary fuction but dry orgasms that continue and I am at 1.5 years after radiation treatments stopped. I was told may not get better.

Wheels - I had 22 sessions of salvage radiation . I little jumpy bladder and bowel for about 4 weeks after . But after this , I was all good ! Brought down my PSA from 0.14 two years ago to now 0.041 now . Radiation takes time to work , but hang in there , it will ! James on Vancouver Island .

@dwheels8, has the nausea subsided in the meantime?