Are bladder isses normal after external beam prostate radiation? Tips?

I had some urinary symptoms. What I got was the inability to hold the urge to urinate after holding for a long time. Kind of like the muscle or nerve was not as strong.

Then got and still have dribbling after. I have only been off treatments for one month so hope gets better.

For some reason drinking coffee (decaffeinated) seems to make it worse and increases urgency sooner. What I did to counter this was go to bathroom when urge is light and not wait until strong urge.

It would be good to hear if others had symptoms. I did 30 rounds of pencil beam proton radiation. Had Space/Oar, and gold markers. My PET scans and bone scan were negative for outside of prostrate so did prostrate and margins only.

I was on FlowMax at the time of my diagnosis and continue on it 2 years after my EBR. Yet after radiation I still suffered getting up at night, dribbling, mild burning... My urologist then started me on Myrbetriq and later performed Botox injections directly into the bladder. A year after the injections I'm still on FlowMax & Myrbetriq but my symptoms are generally under control. I sleep 8+ hours/night but when the urge happens I don't want to wait too long.

I see Flomax being prescribed a lot. I don't think I need it and my symptoms are more irritating (frequent urination, dribling, hard to hold) than anything else.

I am just wondering from others how long did it take to get better. I finished treatments one month ago. The velocity of urnination returned but the nagging have to urninate frequently and urgently is still there. Kind of says "have to go get up and go" and can't be painful and embarrssing if I ignore.

I finished my Radiation in mid-Feb, but till date I suffer from dribbling, not all the time but maybe when my bladder is too full.

I’m still wearing pads 10 years after my salvage radiation. Get frequent urges as well. I have to know where bathrooms are at whenever I go somewhere. Radiation. The gift that keeps on giving!

firespooks: what type of radiation machine did you use? Proton, mridian, other?

Finished radiation in May. Several UTIs and 2 episodes of retention. Not fun going to get the catheter.
As of late, all good. As Firespooks said....still looking for the bathroom when I'm out. Usually curtail
a lot of liquids if going anywhere.