Problems with radiation treatments

Not sure which radiation treatment you are having but mine was using the Mridian viewray machine. They were able to see in real time how full my bladder was and how it was changing as I lay on the treatment table. After the first treatment with 50 oz of water 50-60 minutes before my treatment, they saw that my bladder could be uncomfortably full and from then on 30 oz did the trick for the remaining 4 treatments. Maybe testing the amount your husband can hold outside the medical facility for a time your RO can suggest might help. Good luck. They are trying to limit healthy tissue impact in the "bladder" area as different radiation machines have different margins.

Thankyou for your reply. Our clinic does not use that radiation machine. However, his problem is related to urine urgency....he just cant tolerate a full bladder....not sure why.

They are going forward with the Foley catheter....sucks, but will deal with it and pray for good results!

They are going to catheterize to insert water? What type of radiation? How many treatments? Will catheter remain in place during treatment? Every time a catheter is inserted there is a risk of infection adding the irritation from radiation??? Has your urologist been advised/consulted on this?

Good morning. I had this problem. Water would leak out when I got full. Sometimes they would put a clamp on my penis to hold it in. Watch out when treatment done. Staff knew what would happen so they cleared a path to run to the bathroom.

Forgot. If your bladder is not full enough the balloon can't move your bladder out of the way of the radiation. I had this problem and now I am dealing with a lot of radiation caused problems. I had 35 of these up the rear treatments.

Shot in the dark here, sounds too simple, but I was prescribed Oxybutynin 5 mg to take prior to treatment to "control " bladder spasm and assist with prep control.
Would think that would already have been considered, but sharing just in case. I took an initial dose, but did not need or use it thereafter.

Also, my protocol was to fill and void 45 mins prior; and then sip 25 oz over next 20 mins or so before tx. Working fairly well, but I've learned not to drink more in that time because my bladder is still filling and I need to wait for that ot I will be too full.
Not an exact science.
They ask if I feel full, and I can only think that I don't have a "gas gauge" to check
Good luck.

He tried that drug. After a week, he couldnt pee at all, so dr took him off of it and put him on flomax. With that he cant reach/keep a full bladder.

Catheter will remain in through EB treatments. Yes urologist is aware. Hes had 10 sessions so far and only the first 2 went ok. Others he has to get off the table multiple times to drink more water and the last 2 they sent him home without treatment due to bladder. So they are trying the catheter now.

I found that I would drain a bit at the clinic bathroom just before going in for my daily treatment. That worked just about perfectly for me. Usually when I went into treatment, I would feel "comfortably uncomfortable" which I took to mean that I was ready. Two incidents, though:
- One Monday, I was told that I was borderline low, but okay to do the treatment. Probably due to my "normal" hydrating over the weekend.
- Last Thursday, I was "too low" so I had to get off the table, drink some water and come back "in a bit". The techs found out after my treatment that day what happens when I overfill my bladder. Wet blankets, a wet shirt, a real mess! Needless to say, I was a little nervous over my last 4 sessions that I'd have a similar low bladder situation, but I was fine. Treatments, thankfully, are now over, and I don't have to abuse my bladder for the foreseeable future.
Keep the faith, all. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and perhaps a cow bell to ring when you are done, as my clinic does in celebration!