Brachytherapy tomorrow

REB72
REB72 Member Posts: 34 Member
edited July 31 in Prostate Cancer #1

I have the HDR Brachytherapy tomorrow. I am a little nervous for at least the surgery part of this. I am not sure what side effects I should be expecting with the radiation. They prescribed me a couple a bunch of urinary type meds. I am expecting to come home tomorrow evening. Thus definitely doesn't sound like fun

Comments

  • centralPA
    centralPA Member Posts: 321 Member
    #2

    Rock and roll, @REB72 , look forward to hearing about the experience. Should be a restful snooze through the procedure.

  • REB72
    REB72 Member Posts: 34 Member
    #3

    Made it through this. I was scared to go through this but it wasn't bad at all. Just really stings urinating. I don't have any pain other than that. I have a follow up with radiation oncologist on 8/6. Also I will be discussing starting external beam radiation which will start shortly

  • Marlon
    Marlon Member Posts: 85 Member
    #4

    REB72 I m curious as to why you chose this procedure. What was your thinking vs regular IMRT which it sounds like you'll be getting too.

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,148 Member
    #5

    Hi,

    Glad to hear everything went smoothly, good luck with the external beam radiation…..

    Dave 3+4

  • Steve1961
    Steve1961 Member Posts: 605 Member
    #6

    do use brakytherapy as a booster. It’s either done right before radiation or right after radiation. I had radiation done 28 sessions and then two days later I had a breakytherapy booster and it really messed me up bad and I still have bad side effects and it didn’t work so I wish I never did it.

  • REB72
    REB72 Member Posts: 34 Member
    #7

    Steve 1961, I do believe this HDR Brachytherapy was used as a booster and I will be getting external beam radiation in August. I believe the radiation oncologists believes that reoccurrence might be a little less likely with both internal and external radiation with internal being first. I just had this internal radiation done a couple of days ago and I feel fine. We will see how I fare with external radiation to follow. I believe my care team is trying to do everything possible for me as I have alot of time based on my age of 52 for this darned cancer to be a major issue. So, I am relying on their experience to help guide me through treatment. Hopefully these are the right decisions

  • Marlon
    Marlon Member Posts: 85 Member
    #8

    OK, I did not know it could be used in conjunction with external radiation. I thought it was one or the other.

  • REB72
    REB72 Member Posts: 34 Member
    edited July 31 #9

    I have actually looked at some studies I found online that appear to report some decent findings with the brachytherapy boost and I believe this is what my care team is thinking. As far as whether I understand all these medical studies myself, that would be a no, not really. But I am relying on the experience of my doctors and so far, I am not having any ill side effects and we will see what the future holds for me. These are tough decisions we have to make

  • REB72
    REB72 Member Posts: 34 Member
    #10
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1717053#Comment_1717053

    Steve. So you had both internal and external radiation and had some bad side effects. Did you have prostate removed? If so, was this prior radiation? Did you have reoccurrence of this cancer? I have a follow up appointment with urologist and CT scan next Tuesday and to discuss next steps. So far, so good as far as side effects. I have not had any PSA tests ran since my PET scan. I do have some questions for my doctor. They are expecting reoccurrence to be very possible in my future as doctor gave me a 50% chance of living beyond 15 years

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,148 Member
    #11

    Hi,

    Just remember with your double dose of radiation you will still have some Prostate tissue left that will generate a PSA reading. Just make sure that you PSA readings flatline over several months or years in the future which would indicate no future cancer growth. Good luck………

    Dave 3+4

  • centralPA
    centralPA Member Posts: 321 Member
    #12
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1717059#Comment_1717059

    I've heard it referred to as "The triple play". You put the radiation right where the main source of cancer is (prostate) with HDR Brachytherapy and clean it up with external beam while also hitting the lymph nodes, then suppress everything with ADT.

  • REB72
    REB72 Member Posts: 34 Member
    #13
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1717077#Comment_1717077

    Yes. This is my treatment plan.

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