Hello ,
I have just finished 20 Fractions of Savage Radiotherapy to my Prostate Bed and woulld like to know if someone would have any helpful advice on dealing with Side effects such as pain in rectal area when going to toilet along with Tenesmus loose yellow stools . I also have Fatigue , where at times i am out of breath when i only slightly exert myself.
many thanks
Halycyon 2
Hi Halycyon 2
Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to our online community. My name is Sherrye and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.
I can see you’ve joined one of our cancer forums, I do hope you finding it an informative and supportive place.
I’m sorry to hear you are experiencing side effects following your radiotherapy treatment to your prostate bed.
At Macmillan Cancer Support with any new, changing or worsening symptoms or side effect we always encourage you to report this to your medical team so it can be documented, monitored and tailored advice can be given.
The shortness of breath you mentioned should be reported right away, it’s likely to be energy related but it’s always best to be on the safe side.
As we are separate from the NHS and don’t have access to an individual’s medical information we can only give general advice on how to manage side effects.
Most side effects of radiotherapy to the prostate area do get better in time, however this timeline care vary from person to person.
Bowel problems such as pain and discomfort when going to the toilet are common in the early stages after radiotherapy treatment to the prostate area, the surrounding muscles may have weakened during treatment and regular pain relief approved by your medical team can help. You can also check with your team about doing some pelvic floor exercises to help strengthen the muscles in that area.
Tenesmus can be experienced after radiotherapy to the pelvic area, this is something you should report to your medical team as they may wish to assess further to check you’re not constipated. Your medical team may suggest a couple of things to help with this such as pelvic floor exercises, trying to set a toilet routine and ensure good posture when using the toilet. They may also suggest fibre supplements or changes to your diet.
Experiencing loose yellow stools following pelvic radiotherapy should be discussed with your team as it can be a sign of bile acid malabsorption, which is common but needs tailored management such as changes to diet under the guidance of a dietitian.
While you are having issues with your bowels you may find it helpful to carry a toilet card with you, this card can be used to gain access quickly to facilities while out and about.
Fatigue is a very common side effect of most cancer treatments and can linger for months for some people. During this time listen to your body and be kind to yourself, pacing yourself is important. A few things that you may find helpful at this time could be regular physical activity, having a healthy diet, getting a good amount of sleep and looking into complementary therapies, which your medical team can give you more information on.
I hope this information helps. Please feel free to get back in touch if you want more information or support.
Best wishes,
Sherrye H,
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm), send us an email or contact us through webchat.
Ref SH/AMc
