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Fiducial markers implant and SpaceOar Gel

Posted by mikewo @mikewo, Mar 24, 2023

Just had my markers put in and my SpaceOar gel inserted. It was a piece of cake so far and no feeling of fullness in the bowel at all. I was expecting to feel it or know it was there but nothing at all.

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imbimbo | @imbimbo | Mar 26, 2023

I had the space OAR inserted and ended up with an infection either because the doctor inserted it incorrectly or his needle penetrated the rectum. I was unable to start the radiation treatments (28 proton at Sibley Hospital in DC). I am currently on active surveillance which I have urologist agreement on. My Gleason score was 3+4 or 3+3 depending upon who reads it and my most recent PSA in February is 5.49. I am currently in analysis paralysis. At any rate the local hospital has stopped doing SpaceOAr as they have seen a number of failures. That surprised me as they initially pushed it. My local hospital does not offer proton hence my travel to another city. To make a long styshort the ballon method is what I would do should I start radiation

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mikewo | @mikewo | Mar 26, 2023

My doctor at Mayo Phoenix did a wonderful job with the markers and SpaceOar. Other than a sore spot where he put the needles in I would not even know he put anything in. I have spent day 2 and day 3 at Spring Training morning practice and games. Today I was on my feet from (:45 AM till &:30 PM watching games with no problems. It is the doctor you get and some are very good and some are not. My doctor did my transperineal biopsy under a local and I was able to watch him in action and demanded that he do my markers and Gel.

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mikewo | @mikewo | Mar 26, 2023
In reply to @jb2buckwater "Word of caution: my experience was similar to yours up to this point. I started to..." + (show)
@jb2buckwater

Word of caution:
my experience was similar to yours up to this point. I started to have minor urinary restriction approximately one week after SpaceOAR injection. It may have been the SpaceOAR or the marker placements... combination of Biopsy and one or both of these procedures. Bottom line we put our Prostate through a lot of prodding, probing, injections, biopsy snips and finally radiation beam exposures. This can cause inflammation which can restrict your normal urination flow. I was told to try anti-inflammatory, this helped a bit. Some are put on Flo-Max. This relaxes the muscles permitting greater flow. Research shows that these symptoms often disappear spontaneously after 3 months from last radiation treatment. The restriction can actually continue to get worse a week or two after last radiation treatment.

Hopefully you will avoid this issue. Regardless it is a temporary inconvenience... for most.

Best wishes!

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Thanks for the good wishes. I was concerned about flow after the biopsy but had no problems even with a 30 core biopsy because of my 100 gram prostate. Day 3 after Space Oar and no problems at all yet.

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slick64 | @slick64 | Mar 27, 2023
In reply to @mikewo "The day after report. Just a little sore where the needle that inserted the markers and..." + (show)
@mikewo

The day after report. Just a little sore where the needle that inserted the markers and gel was inserted. Using a cushion when I sit on my solid oak chairs at the dinner table. Padded office chair is fine. If I didn't know better, I would swear he did not put any gel in as there was no feeling of fullness in the bowel at all. Urine flow great and I have a 120-gram prostate and that worried me for no reason. I spent from 9:30 AM till 4 PM watching the Spring Training practice and game with no problems. Looking forward to the 5 radiation treatments so I can put all this in the rearview mirror.

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That’s good to hear as I too am getting this done next week. After a few setbacks, I also will be glad to put this behind me.

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brentbackus | @brentbackus | Mar 28, 2023
In reply to @imbimbo "I had the space OAR inserted and ended up with an infection either because the doctor..." + (show)
@imbimbo

I had the space OAR inserted and ended up with an infection either because the doctor inserted it incorrectly or his needle penetrated the rectum. I was unable to start the radiation treatments (28 proton at Sibley Hospital in DC). I am currently on active surveillance which I have urologist agreement on. My Gleason score was 3+4 or 3+3 depending upon who reads it and my most recent PSA in February is 5.49. I am currently in analysis paralysis. At any rate the local hospital has stopped doing SpaceOAr as they have seen a number of failures. That surprised me as they initially pushed it. My local hospital does not offer proton hence my travel to another city. To make a long styshort the ballon method is what I would do should I start radiation

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My Space OAR failed in October 2022. It created an ulcer in my anal canal. Hope to start my proton radiation in late April.

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imbimbo | @imbimbo | Mar 28, 2023

I also had a small ulcer. Are you doing it again or doing balloon or doing without any protection?

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jibway | @jibway | May 8, 2023

Mine was done Friday morning, it is Monday evening, I still feel nothing.

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slick64 | @slick64 | May 9, 2023

I had it done about a month ago and had no issues. In the middle of high dose radiation and saw it on the mri, as I asked to see what they see. No issues, now the radiation, that’s a different story.

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jibway | @jibway | May 9, 2023
In reply to @slick64 "I had it done about a month ago and had no issues. In the middle of..." + (show)
@slick64

I had it done about a month ago and had no issues. In the middle of high dose radiation and saw it on the mri, as I asked to see what they see. No issues, now the radiation, that’s a different story.

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Just wondering why I don’t feel the heaviness they said I’d feel.

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jibway | @jibway | May 9, 2023

My dr must be really good, feels like nothing was done, so grateful to be at Mayo.

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