Will I be able to drive myself to radiation treatments?

@bens1
I too carry a pee bottle along with some Lysol wipes.

Well..

Radiation treatments three different times, see attached clinical history.

Each treatment (69 total...) was done by the same radiologist.

I drove myself to and from each treatment.

During the last one, SBRT, my wife asked my radiologist "shouldn't I be coming to his radiation treatments to drive...!?" My radiologist's smiled, her response, "Kevin, no, he's fine...!"

Then again, during SRT I drank regular coffee and still had a Manhattan or two to close out the evening...

As others have indicated, your biggest challenge in driving to your appointments may be bladder management!

Study of one...

Kevin

Hopefully it is Proton Beam therapy, and not traditional radiation. Proton Beam is the newest and exceedingly better treatment for recurring prostate cancer. In brief, I have read that traditional radiation goes "to" and "through" the targeted area, thus causing all of the unfavorable consequences like permanent urinary incontinence, scarred urethra, scarred bladder, and rectal problems. But...Proton Beam therapy directs the radiation "to" the treatment area, but it stops there...it does not go "through" to cause damage to otherwise healthy surrounding tissue. I think traditional radiation therapy will be a thing of the past in the next 10 years as hospitals and radiology centers add Proton Beam instrumentation equipment to their services. Good luck to you.

Thanks for the information. I'm going to check with my Doctor.

@kujhawk1978
Thanks for the information. Bladder issues, fatigue and sleep are my biggest concerns.
I hope it's OK to down a few beers during the Super Bowl.

@mauiboy89

I did not experience fatigue...

No issues with sleep...

Bladder manages was my biggest "hassle!"

Enjoy those beers.

Chiefs, Chargers and Bills are out so I have no dog in the fight.

Kevin

I live in rural area and drove 2 hours one way for 44 treatments. A little fatigue at end but managing bowel and bladder was at times challenging. Good luck.

@kujhawk1978
Betting $100 on the Seahawks

@kujhawk1978 LOL Go Rams! Not! But seriously, husband is facing 38 treatments driving to Mayo Clinic in FL which with traffic is 1:15 drive each way. post RP he has some UI currently, 1 small pad per day. Left nerves were not spared. They’ve talked to us about bowel prep and drinking water, etc. They are proposing Photon IBRT which I’ve read can damage other areas as compared to protons but needed for treating larger area (PSA rising but nothing showing on scans - go “assuming” its in prostate bed).
What “bladder hassles” did you have? Any advice for him as he gets ready? Currently, when we get to Mayo he has to go straight to the bathroom. But now with having to drink water on way up, for appts trying to figure that out.

@susanocl

The bladder issues were related to drinking enough water to have the bladder full enough to be out of the way for the radiation treatments.

Invariably I would arrive for treatment and have to let some out to make it through the treatment without an accident or being in "agony" trying to hold it.on the table without letting too much go.

Not an issue with the whole pelvic lymph node radiation,

With the SBRT my bladder was too full and had to get off the table twice to let some out before the radiation techs were happy.