Need fix for small uncontrolled bowl movements after radiation?

@northoftheborder - Thanks
Heading to the Clinic to see a surgeon - I'll bring this all up.

@jime51 I bleed from my radiation proctitis whenever I eat cured meats such as bacon, ham, pastrami, peperoni etc. There goes some of my favorite foods!

The surgeon wants to do a Fistulotomy and does believe this fistula with multiple abscesses over the last 13 months "could" be caused by damage from radiation. Now decision time. And BTW the GI guys have been worthless as far as doing anything or recommending anything for the bowel/rectum damage, ColoRec Surgeon says I need to get on them.
So, I am also experiencing my 3rd recurrence of nodal metastasis.
I need to decide which to do 1st, I could live with this seton in my butt to keep it draining so no more abscesses if we need to treat the mets 1st. I'll be reaching out to the Oncologist for his recommendation.

Yes, I guess just feeling like someone's flicking a Bic in my South Grandstand on curry night isn't all that bad, as far as radiation proctitis symptoms go.

Hi, Sorry to the posters with these side effects from RT. I'm considering Proton therapy and a little bit scared when I read this. Just curious, did these issues still happen with rectal spacers like Barrigel, etc being done before RT? Wishing you all the best of luck.

@copyman Barrigel and others attempt to minimize side effects; it does not mean, however, that it is a guarantee.
The good news is that statistically they DO cut down on SE’s and proton therapy is claimed to be superior to photon therapy.
However, as @northoftheborder points out, the extremely precise nature of photon therapy might not be applicable in some cases of localized spread since it might not ‘hit’ all the stray cells.
I’m only repeating what I’ve read from a variety of websites and opinions. I am not a radiation oncologist, not a physicist and CERTAINLY no EINSTEIN!!😉
Phil

@heavyphil wrote "CERTAINLY no EINSTEIN!!"

That's OK. I'm not even sure Einstein was an "Einstein," the way most people use the word — he was totally wrong about quantum mechanics and Heisenberg's Uncertainly Principle, for example (his infamous "God does not play dice.")

@northoftheborder Pretty sure He does…and they’re loaded🎲🎲

@copyman I tend to be the exception to most rules. I had SpaceOar placed in Jan. 2025 and had 44 radiation treatments Feb.-Apr. (Gleason 7, tumors in prostate and two adjacent lymph nodes) Diarrhea started during that time but was expected to subside within a month following treatment. Instead, it continued daily until I started adding Psyllium fiber and Probiotic supplements in December. I still have frequent (3-5) bowel movements daily and am under a gastroenterologist's care, taking two Sucralfate enemas daily for four weeks in the hope of healing the radiation proctitis that followed treatment. It's far from convenient, but I'm retired and getting through it.

@jime51 Mine kicked into high gear 9 months after radiation. Finally got in to see a GI doctor and ended up getting a procedure that cauterized bleeding veins which seems to be working. A lot of gas with little bowel production. Going in Monday and will see if Sucralfate stuff will help with that. I am so over the rad side effects but grateful that I am undetectable.