Radiation Proctitis Argon Plasma Coagulation treatment

bassoneman
bassoneman Member Posts: 58
in Prostate Cancer #1

I had radiotion treatments that ended in may of 2017, Started seeing blood clots in my stool. Turned out to be Radiation Proctitis..During  Sigmoid oscopy  they were able to see the bleading and there was a lot of damage and the Dr he basically lasered the whole area.  I saw the photos... Has any one had any side effect from the Argon Plasma  Coagulation treatment.  I am still seeing clots in stool after 3 days.. DR said I may have to go in for multiple treatments...

Comments

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,530 Member
    #2
    Interesting

    Something similar happened to me. I did bleed several months after combined SBRT+IMRT and mentioned this to the radiation oncologist. He told me the bleeding would stop in due time, which was probably true. But I kept harassing him and was advised to get a colonoscopy to see what was going on. During the procedure, the GastroEnterologist used Argon Plasms Coagulation on a few spots. Afterwards, he told me that he might have to repeat the procedure. But the bleeding stopped and I didn't have to see him again. I was a happy patient! All this was three years ago.

    I hope that your situation will improve as well.

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #3
    Radiation Proctitis or Ulcerative Colitis?

    Bass Man,

    I am sorry to read about the bleeding issue. I hope you manage to get rid of the problem for the best. I wonder how they did diagnose the Radiation Proctitis. If the issue relates to ulcerative colitis then the problem is difficult to be treated with the Argon Plasma Coagulation alone. A Sigmoidoscopy  may be good to check the sigmoid colon and the rectum but it is not enough to verify other areas. You need a colonoscopy (that should in fact have been done before the RT) to get a look on bleeding at other places.

    Best wishes for fast healing.

    VG

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #4
    VascodaGama said:

    Radiation Proctitis or Ulcerative Colitis?

    Bass Man,

    I am sorry to read about the bleeding issue. I hope you manage to get rid of the problem for the best. I wonder how they did diagnose the Radiation Proctitis. If the issue relates to ulcerative colitis then the problem is difficult to be treated with the Argon Plasma Coagulation alone. A Sigmoidoscopy  may be good to check the sigmoid colon and the rectum but it is not enough to verify other areas. You need a colonoscopy (that should in fact have been done before the RT) to get a look on bleeding at other places.

    Best wishes for fast healing.

    VG

    Radiation Proctits Sigmoid, Colonoscopy

    Yes I had a colonoscopy 2 month prior to RT every thing was fine. I got Photos.. ha... Last Monday I had the Sigmoidoscopy which showed the Radiation Proctitis...  Dr said I had it pretty bad... So he did the Argon Plasma Coag..  He was able to see the bleeding from multiple places...He said he did a lot of work in there. However looks like I have to go back before I would only see blood on one bowel movement in one day. now it is every bowel movement... I have the photos of the before and after.. I could see what he was talking about...Due to my hearts 7 heart stents I have to take baby asprin every day.. So this may be getting in the way of the healing process. My cardiologist won't let me stop takimg it.. He says only for brain surgry could I stop it...

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #5
    Wow ... This is a pretty worrying situation

    This is a pretty worrying situation. I hope the APC stops the bleeding. My experience with bleeding from the scar tissues at the urethra or bladder walls (?), caused by RT damage (late side effects) is that it becomes more evident when I take aspirin. When I stop taking it bleeding doesn't occur. I wonder if you could take aspirin intermittently during a period to allow healing. Bleeding at the colon may become a bigger problem than a temporary restriction on the cardio issue. You should check with your doctors.

    Surely our cases are different and the medication purposes have different goals. I have been taking the daily aspirin (100mg) since 2001 at recommendation of the JH oncologist due to cardio vascular and blood pressure issues. Recently I have been on stronger medication to get a better control on BP recommended by my nephrologist (CKD) so that aspirin may not be necessary as it has in the past. Get second opinions and advance accordingly.

    Best,

    VG

     

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    edited April 2018 #6
    VascodaGama said:

    Wow ... This is a pretty worrying situation

    This is a pretty worrying situation. I hope the APC stops the bleeding. My experience with bleeding from the scar tissues at the urethra or bladder walls (?), caused by RT damage (late side effects) is that it becomes more evident when I take aspirin. When I stop taking it bleeding doesn't occur. I wonder if you could take aspirin intermittently during a period to allow healing. Bleeding at the colon may become a bigger problem than a temporary restriction on the cardio issue. You should check with your doctors.

    Surely our cases are different and the medication purposes have different goals. I have been taking the daily aspirin (100mg) since 2001 at recommendation of the JH oncologist due to cardio vascular and blood pressure issues. Recently I have been on stronger medication to get a better control on BP recommended by my nephrologist (CKD) so that aspirin may not be necessary as it has in the past. Get second opinions and advance accordingly.

    Best,

    VG

     

    Good News Bleeding Stopped..

    After About two weeks there are no more traces of blood that I can see.. I really a have a issue with a arc welder up there.. I am glad it stopped. The baby asprin is something my cardiologist won't let me stop taking .. On top of heart my carotoid Artery is 75% blocked so the baby asprin can help prevent me from having a stroke Dr Says only  for brain surgury can I stop the asprin...  I think that contributed to the slow heal time after the Argon treatment..  But like I said all is well for now... Back to the tumor in my arm... New Bone scan coming up at the end of May hope there are no more lesions that cropped up...

     

     

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