Post Radiation Therapy - Blood in Urine

Posted by hector13 @hector13, Feb 19 1:59pm

Following removal of my prostate, I had 40 sessions of radiation therapy to the pelvic area. The radiation therapy was concluded in 2018. This past week I have noticed 3 instances of blood in my urine. I was concerned enough to contact my urologist, and he reassured me that he believes it is a result of radiation from 2018 and nothing serious.
I did some research and found a site that may describe my condition. It is called radiation cystitis, and the site stated that 1% to 2% of men who receive radiation to the pelvic region will experience bleeding 5 to 20 years later, due to injury to the bladder during radiation.
My question to any of you fellows out there who may be in that 1-2% with me: "How long did the blood in the urine continue; did it stop on its own at some point? And did you require any medical treatment to get it to stop? I would appreciate any responses.

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naiviv | @naiviv | May 5 9:26am

Hello. I am a RN and I am answering for my husband. He was diagnosed with Prostate CA in 2009 and received Proton therapy. Everything went peachy until 2017 when he had profuse bladder bleeding as a consequence of the radiation. He was diagnosed with Radiation cystitis. He remained in the hospital for several days having bladder ablation and a TURP. Since he kept bleeding the urologists ordered Hyperbaric Oxygen. He got 80 treatments and bleeding stopped….Until now in 2024 when bleeding episodes have started again. The urologists in Mayo Clinic said that the symptoms come and go. There are many options offered to stop it and surgery was brought in the conversation to remove bladder. My husband is 82 yrs, diagnosed with Amyloidosis that has affected his heart resulting in Right Side Heart Failure. Surgery is a risk at that age. No Oncologists in Proton therapy institute told any patient that Proton therapy could cause Radiation cystitis and even rectal bleeding. Znd probably they are not telling them either today. When my husband had that bleeding crisis in 2017 I called Proton Therapy institute and spoke with one of their oncologists, Dr Mendelhall, and she told me that they were starting to see many patients with prostate cancer who had finished treatment years ago with the same bleeding issue. She was the one who recommended Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment for my husband. That is the treatment they are recommending for Radiation Cystitis crisis. Hope this helps.