Is anyone else getting these side effects months after radiation ?

Posted by suzdog @suzdog, 3 days ago

I had 28 sessions of external beam radiation therapy, IMRT, that ended 7 months ago for prostate cancer. I passed on taking Lupron or anything like that. I was Stage 2 with nothing outside the prostate. The side effects at first were mostly related to increased urination frequency and stinging while going. That has not gone away and now 7 months later I have been getting the weirdest symptoms that started about 60 days ago. I itch all over, mostly head, eyes, arms and back, constantly all day long. I went in and my primary did a ton of blood tests, nothing to explain symptoms. He suggested my Dermatologist but I have no rash or anything on my skin to point him to that would cause it. About 45 days ago l started feeling light headed A LOT. I also started having weird feelings in my upper body that are hard to explain but not normal. Almost like being anxious all the time. So 30 days ago I went in to urgent care when the chest feelings and light headedness were too much. They did an EKG, X-ray of my chest, blood test and sent me for an electro cardiogram. Again, nothing found that would explain these symptoms. Now I am getting stomach discomfort off and on all day. It is not high up but lower by the belt line. Sometimes it just happens, other times when I drink something I feel it. Not painful but darn uncomfortable when it happens. I google it and get nothing other than irritable bowl syndrome that could be the cause. Anyway, long winded post but is anyone else getting weird symptoms like any I mentioned after treatment ? The quality of life is going way down quick with the constant itching and weird feelings that are not normal. I am thinking it has to be something to do with the radiation treatment. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

Have you discussed this with a psychologist? It could be manifestations of anxiety. I am on 50 mg of Zoloft and it seems to help. . Best of all to you on your journey…

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Sicetnon3 makes a good point. In the absence of any medical or drug related allergies, it could be psychological. It does NOT mean that you are mentally ill!!
However, anxiety can manifest all the symptoms you describe even if you yourself do not feel anxious. Could be you are thinking about your PCa subconsciously - a form of PTSD in some people.
Radiation can do a lot of nasty things but some of your symptoms/feelings are outside the field of treatment so that shouldn’t cause any issues.

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@suzdog
I can see that heavyphil and sicernon3 have already posted what I was going to post. Going through prostate cancer is higly stressful. It can lead to anxiety/panic disorder and what heavyphil mentined about PTSD.

I have PTSD and anxiety/panic disorder. I take medications and went through a lot of testing and consultation. I thus cam emphasize with your and add my thoughts from my expeience.

Reach out to your medical providers and asked about your stress causing anxiety disorders. If they won't refer you to a psychiatrist or psycologist who has experience with PTSD and anxiety disorders find one your self.

Anxiety and stress can cause your symptoms. You mentioned nothing has been found to explain it. I had same symptoms as yours and many more. A lot of people think they are having heart attacks or heart problem when they are actually have anxiety attack.

I had a full blown panic attack and hospitalized and finally my medical doctors referred me to psychiatric department. I went through testing and consultations and was put on a medication called Escitilopram. It did wonders for me. I was told most like would be on it for rest of my life.

Mental health is same as physical health. One will affect the other and vice versa. Heathly mental is same as healthy physical and sometimes you need professional care. It is very common to have axniety/panic disorder when diagnosed with cancer and many other diseases. I come from an experienced in this.

You probably have heard about the fight or flight syndrone. When you are under stress adrenaline is released into your body so you can fight or flight. The adrenaline will build up in your body without exercise, flight, fight, etc. and you can get your symptoms. Prevention is the key and consulatation and medication can go a long way.

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I was walking with a friend of mine a couple of days ago, and he was talking about his problem with getting dizzy at times. It’s gotten worse with age, he’s 78. He was told he should see a neurologist to try to figure out what’s going on. He’s still in the early stages of seeing that doctor without any answers yet

As for itching, I was having a major problem with itching starting about a year ago. Some of the spots where it itched turned slightly brown, But not all of them turned that color. It was on my sides, my back and my foot, The dermatologist prescribed Triamcinolon. The brown spot on my foot got darker and thicker before treating it. I treated all the spots that itched with Triamcinolon And it would stop the itching for at least a day. The spot on my foot got lighter and lighter, and no longer bother me at all. Took about a year, but the itching finally stopped after using tubes of Triamcinolon regularly.

Are the stomach problems you were having a burning sensation. A quarter teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water seems to make a major difference with those problems.

It does sound like some of your problem could be anxiety about Prostate cancer. Many people get anxiety about it, and find a variety of drugs can relieve that anxiety to the point that they could live normal lives again. You could speak to your PCP about getting prescribed one of those anxiety reducing drugs. The same drug may work great for one person, but not another so don’t be totally turned off if the first drug you try isn’t for you.

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I had 20 radiation fractions (EBRT). It's only been a month since completion. I had a dull ache in the bowel area for a few day but that went away. I am light-headed on a hot day golfing but otherwise no issues. I didn't have a spacer for the radiation so hopefully down the road I won't have problems. I hope you are able to get to the bottom of the symptoms you're experiencing. They are not typically caused by radiation. If you were on ADT it might suggest that as a possible cause, otherwise perhaps anxiety, especially if all your tests came back with no finding.
Good luck and keep us posted.

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I had 23 IMRT treatments + one HDR brachytherapy session and 6 months Orgovyx ADT. I am now 3 3.5 months post treatment and on hot days on the golf course I get hit with short bouts of fatigue accompanies with either blurry vision or brain fog. Only lasts a few minutes but it seems to be triggered by the heat/humidity. I've been told to stay hydrated as best I can. This only happens in high heat temperatures for me

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Not a doctor, but liver and itching often go hand in hand.

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That was what I was thinking but the blood tests and the Doctor checking my liver came up with no negative results. I get scanned once a year and that test also as of last November was negative for liver issues.

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Could be from a medication you may be taking. Flomax lowered my blood pressure and made me dizzy. Probably not related but I also had a continuous tight feeling in my chest for several weeks after imrt .

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Sicetnon3 makes a good point. In the absence of any medical or drug related allergies, it could be psychological. It does NOT mean that you are mentally ill!!
However, anxiety can manifest all the symptoms you describe even if you yourself do not feel anxious. Could be you are thinking about your PCa subconsciously - a form of PTSD in some people.
Radiation can do a lot of nasty things but some of your symptoms/feelings are outside the field of treatment so that shouldn’t cause any issues.

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Yes, that seems to be the case with me. I was becoming very forgetful and after testing they decided it was hidden anxiety. I wasn’t even aware of being anxious,
Yet my memory improved after being treated for anxiety.

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