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Existing frequent urination issue before radiation treatment
I'm a 76 year old with moderate level prostate cancer moving towards radiation treatment which can have a side effect of frequent urination. I already have urination without flow problems. Does this mean that the frequency could increase that much more with radiation treatment? If so, should the current frequency be addressed as a urology issue prior to radiation treatment?
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I meant to say that I already have frequent urination -- approximately 18-20 times in a 24 hr period.
I had radiation and it did not increase my urgency problem. I had surgery before that so maybe that did it. I was having to wake up 2 to 3 times a night nothing like what you are facing.
There are two drugs that are designed to alleviate urgency. I’m taking Myrbetriq And it has stopped me from having to get up at night at all. Gemtesa Is another drug that works very similar. You should talk to your urologist about this and try to get one of those drugs to see if it really helps. Having to go that many times in the 24 hour period it’s just way beyond what someone should have to live with.
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3 ReactionsAs I once posted here elsewhere, the location of the prostate gland itself makes it very difficult to treat with radiation, without striking other (non-target) organs like the bladder, rectum, etc.. So depending on the type of radiation treatment involved (mine was IMRT), it certainly 'can' affect the bladder, causing some surface scarring, which can (and did in my case), cause some temporary frequency issues. However, it slowly resolved itself (at least for me), within a year or so. Was it strictly the effects of the radiation? Or possibly the ADT (Lupron)? Or both? I'll never know with certainty.
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2 Reactions@jeffmarc, Thanks. Out of that many times, I'm the same as you were -- 3 times per night.
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1 ReactionHere is an article on what doctors vs patients say about effects of radiation. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/prostate-cancer-symptom-severity-do-doctors-get-it-right-2026a1000yfo
@larrymaso
I had the Mridian Mri SBRT guided Radiation Machine. This meant the amount of exposure of healthy tissue was less than other forms of radiation. I had 5 sessions and finished in February 2023. After my third treatment, I did have some urinary restrictions which Flomax took care of overnight. I chose that specific type of radiation machine because the margins were less, so less healthy tissue exposure and Greater quality of life with fewer side effects.
I'm the same age. Was taking 1 Flomax per day before the PC diagnosis. After 5 days of RT started urinating much more. IDK 20 times a day? Getting up 12 times a night.
Worse yet, felt like I had to urinate all the the time/all day. Makes going to the radiation treatments an adventure.
The prescribed a second Flomax/day. Made some difference. The constant feeling of having to urinate has calmed down after about 10 days on the higher Flomax dose. Still urinate/get up at night more often than before starting radiation but it is manageable. I'm half way through the radiation treatments and if things stay as is, I'll be happy.
I doubt urologist will prescribe anything in advance. The RO will not until you have symptoms, since this may or may not happen.
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1 Reaction@diverjer
The radiation oncologist posted this slide when he was talking about side effects from radiation. Some doctors may underestimate side effects. This seems to make it look like they are much more common..
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4 Reactions@jeffmarc
Yes - I do not think most ROs ever mention all of that when they "sell" their treatment options. Even on that table "less than 50%" made me sigh. What is less than 50% - 1 % or 49 % ? lol My guess is that it is closer to 40- 45% ...
Our RO was very realistic and honest and informed us about all those and even added some more up front, like lymphedema.
RT is no joke and can cause the same (if not even more) SAs long term as surgery, it is just that some serious SAs like incontinence or ED or chronic cystitis and proctitis happen later but many late toxicity SAa could be permanent. : ((( .
All that said - one has to do what one has to do 🤷♀️ ! We just need to be aware of SAs and know how to mitigate the problem if it ever occurs AND do all that is possible to prevent them with having a good RO in a good facility and doing RT prep religiously well.
@jeffmarc
That doesn't look good, but good to know up front. Some was mentioned by KUMC RO doctor. Nothing mention by RO in Topeka.
I knew some of those and that is why I wanted to watch PSA and not jump into radiation right away while at .06.