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Constipation during prostate cancer radiation treatment

Posted by crs406 @crs406, Aug 19 6:48am

I have 6 radiation treatments left of the 28 day Truebeam1 treatment plan. Ever since they had the space oar gel put in I had difficulty with even soft bowel movements. Now over 7 days on MiraLAX still no results. X-ray showed partial blockage. Also cancer doctor told me yesterday the treatment plan was based on me having a full rectum and checking it today it was empty. What does that mean? I should have asked?

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heavyphil | @heavyphil | 5 days ago
In reply to @taffy062912 "I am in 5 wk post SBRT radiation and still have constipation. I know I reached..." + (show)
Profile picture for taffy062912 @taffy062912

I am in 5 wk post SBRT radiation and still have constipation. I know I reached the peak of increasing side effects and now on downslope of decreasing side effects. I eat a very high fiber diet and the only thing I eat at lunch is a big bowl of fruit and drink plenty of liquids. Radiologist suggested Miri Lax and it is supposed to take 1-2 days but after 2 weeks, started to feel the warnings on label of nausea and stomach pain so he said to discontinue. I added a full apple and 5 prunes and it did the trick in a day or so, but not yet consistent results.
I too have a gel spacer and I think that is part of the problem with both constipation and urination issues. Taking 2 generic Flow Max per day 12 hrs apart. Helps with urination, but not constipation. Just 3 more weeks and it will start to deteriorate and hoping that will finally fix both. Might try one of the "blow outs."

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@taffy062912 FlowMax can cause constipation. It pulls water from your intestine and even drinking more may not help. Fiber becomes concrete…
Talk to your RO; perhaps you can lower the dose or eliminate it completely.
Phil

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taffy062912 | @taffy062912 | 5 days ago

Thanks for confirming what I suspected. The urination problem escalated over the last two weeks and the RO said to continue 2 Flow Max a day to drain all the fluid build-up. I must have had about a gallon of liquid accumulate and this is finally draining. I go to urologist Tues and will mention. I am on down side of side effect slope and could eliminate 1 Flow Max. Still experiencing some urinating difficulty but getting better. Right now a difficult decision -difficult pea or difficult poop! Adding prunes and apple helps and adding a glass of fruit juice to liquid. I think in another week, everything should about resolve. I started experiencing constipation after the second treatment, so if decline in symptoms is symmetrical to escalation, after this week both should be gone. Thanks for the comment.

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floridason | @floridason | 4 days ago

Even tho OP hasn’t posted, this may help others finding this post.

Constipation while receiving any treatment or surgery is no joke. (I went through it. Wound up unable to urinate, with a straight cath and after 8 hours of ED trying the usual, walk, drink, enema, etc. Had a GI doc come in and offer me the “old school” method. Digitally breaking apart the hardened blockage. But it worked lesson learned.

Point is, if you do not have a BM in a couple days start calling your team. This gets progressively worse. Do not just by something you saw and liked. If you had surgery, esp prostate cancer, you must not strain or risk damaging the connective work your surgeon did.

My discharge papers included miralax, stool softener and milk of mag. My doc added senna until resolved (took one day). Plus if its not restricted eat enough fiber. Best.

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mj420 | @mj420 | 4 days ago
In reply to @crs406 "I completed radiation. I am still constipated.. going on 4 weeks. MiraLAX 3x/day for 2 weeks...." + (show)
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I completed radiation. I am still constipated.. going on 4 weeks. MiraLAX 3x/day for 2 weeks. 3 days ago a GI flush like for colonopathy. Still no bowl movement. Doctor says take time.
I firmly believe it is because of the oar gel they put in before radiation is blocking my colon. After they put that in I had a very difficult time have a bowl movement, only with extreme pushing was a able to have one. Then I came constipated.

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@crs406
I had 2 hernia surgeries and radiation therapy all within a 2 year span. Definitely don't want to be constipated after the surgeries and needed an empty bowel for the radiation Good old fashion prune juice is the only thing that produced immediate and consistent relief. 30 to 45 minutes for results and no explosive diarrhea.

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crs406 | @crs406 | 4 days ago
In reply to @mj420 "@crs406 I had 2 hernia surgeries and radiation therapy all within a 2 year span. Definitely..." + (show)
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@crs406
I had 2 hernia surgeries and radiation therapy all within a 2 year span. Definitely don't want to be constipated after the surgeries and needed an empty bowel for the radiation Good old fashion prune juice is the only thing that produced immediate and consistent relief. 30 to 45 minutes for results and no explosive diarrhea.

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@mj420
How much prune juice did you take.. 8oz?

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carlsbadguy | @carlsbadguy | 3 days ago

I've had opioid constipation after several surgeries, hernia, 2 spinal. My wife found a great remedy. We buy prunes from Costco, and usually eat 2 a day which does a great job of helping keep us regular. However, you can take 5-6 prunes, cover them with water and let them sit in your refrigerator overnight. The next morning eat the very softened prunes, and drink the liquid and stay close to a restroom. Best laxative I have ever used, YMMV.

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