You did not mention proton or photon. Not that it matters all that much. For me, 5 proton sbrt. I noticed slight twinge of pain after first treatment. After second treatment, there was no mistake that I had urinary discomfort. A call to the radiologist oncology nurse and they put me on Flowmax and AZO to relieve urinary pain. Third treatment intensified effects. Three days off treatment and I felt better. After fourth treatment urinary discomfort got worse. I asked about pausing treatments and they did not want to do so. By then I was on three Advils every eight hours, two Tylenols between the advil, Flowmax, and AZO. So I got blasted pretty good/bad.

After treatment the side effects peaked about a week-two weeks after last treatment. I gradually weened myself off of all drugs, but it took about two months to do so. I am now 3 months post treatment and on no drugs. Urinary capabilities continue to improve, not all the way back, but getting better.

Never had any bowel issues at all.

MAKE SURE that your team has inserted Space Oar or other spacing gel between rectum and prostate. Also with sbrt they usually place 3 or 4 carbon markers in prostate so that the machine can detect them and project the radiation on target. If your Center has not done these two things, request them or cancel treatment and find a Center that uses this technology. It is extremely important that this happens. With the high intensity of radiation over a short time, overspray will not be good.

For anyone wondering about the Space Oar and metal fudicial placement procedure you will probably be offered sedation and you won’t remember the procedure. You will get local anesthesia either way. I declined the Sedation and was awake the whole time. Did not feel much and got to talk to the Doc doing the work. I don’t like the Sedation drug as it wipes out my whole day. And makes the procedure longer with a recovery time. I was in and out in 45 minutes.