Prostate radiation. I'm at 18:28 sessions; I've got questions

@mjp0512
There could still be a connection to diet. Foods that have a fair amount of myristic acid set my gut into overdrive. The foods that have myristic acid include anything with palm oil, palm kernel, coffee, beer, wine, (but I can still enjoy hard liquor) . Yep, new normal is where it is at.

@ededed I normally make an eight-cup pot each morning. My wife has a third of that before 9 AM (any more and any later, she's not going to bed that night), I have one-third for breakfast, and the last third for an afternoon drink (and I sleep soundly). Since I've been doing the radiation, I just make a six-cup pot and my wife and I split it in the morning.

That works for ME, but as you've probably seen in these forums, everyone is different.

@prettypass2000 Some 30 years ago, I went to bed, and my abdomen was a bit sore. About 30 minutes later, I took some TUMS hoping that would relieve some of the discomfort. About 30 minutes after that, I put my clothes on and went to the hospital because at that point, the discomfort started to become real pain. In early diagnosis, there was a problem because I had sushi for dinner that night, and if they treated me for some food contamination, it could make the alternative worse, and vice versa.

Hours later, a nurse came to me asking me to stop screaming in pain so loud as I was scaring other patients. Finally, after their tests, they gave me some morphine (good shit stuff—I knew I was in pain, but didn't care), as they had determined that I had a diverticulitis rupture.

A friend of mine where I worked also had diverticulitis, and his diet was probably what your husband follows: no nuts, no spicy food, nothing with seeds (e.g., tomatoes), etc. I asked what other options there were. So, I had my descending colon removed and my transverse colon attached to my rectum. There have been some unintended consequences from that proceedure but nothing as rough as that diet. You both have my sympathy.

@garysc In my case it is the damage that the radiation did to my rectum that is causing my problems. I could not get the barrier gel because of the location of a metastasis. What finally helped me to a better "new normal" after over a year of enemas, was 30 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

@ededed wow, I’m very sorry to hear all that. Did the hyperbaric ox therapy bring you back to “normal “? Or at least a tolerable OK?

@heavyphil - Cheddar cheese Pringles are my downfall. I do appreciate that they list all the chemicals on the label. And, they come in those small tins so when I eat the whole tin, it's only 370 calories. 🤣

Leakage is somewhat normal. I had both blood, gas and stool. After the end of radiation, I had more problems in that area and then at 9 months full blown radiation proctitis with bleeding like a "period" (wife's words) rank gas, and bowel incontinence. Be mindful of increasing symptoms and get the help you need if it progresses. I went to a GI, got cauterized and currently on Mesalamine for 3 months. Ask for help and it they don't respond, DEMAND it, even if you threaten to not get back on the table until they treat your symptoms which is what I had to do. During this journey I found I had to be my own advocate. I have found my providers either burnt out or just don't want to deal with side effects.

I had 44 radiation treatments in spring, 2025. Diarrhea started during that time and continued until I began adding Psyllium, a probiotic, and Imodium to my daily intake. I had both bowel frequency and extreme bowel urgency, with a few "unanticipated exits" along the way. I wore small pads for a period of time to be on the safe side. Some consider fiber like Psyllium only as a treatment for constipation, but it also helps solidify the stool. I have faint memories of a warm abdomen but it must not have been much or I would have stronger memories. Best wishes for the remainder of your series!

@jime51, Wow, 44! OK, you win. Later today, I'll be getting my 23rd (last one next Wednesday). I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to next Thursday. (But I'm sure you know.) I hope your issues are all cleared up by now.

I've not had diarrhea, just a smear on my underpants. I can't even tell you when it occurs, just sometime between my treatments (around noon) and around 5-ish.

I tried using a pad, but the warmth between my "cheeks" caused the adhesive to fuse to my underpants. I ended up having to use the dissolving dynamic of WD40 to release the adhesion (immediately), and then hand-washing to get the smell out. Since then, I have just used cold water soak, and light scraping, sometimes with some soap. Much faster and easier.

As far as the …warm abdomen…" You mention, my experience was (so far) only during one treatment, as the radiation emitter circled my body, there was a very sharp, heat-like pain within my abdomen. As the device circled back for another round, there was one more. Since then, nothing. I asked if this meant I was susceptible to more of these, and was told, probably not.

Still, it shook me up.