Low level bladder issues

Hello Jo, I am sorry you are having this early side effect.  I think that everything 'in the line of fire' as it were gets irritated and some parts more quickly than others.  Have they offered a urine test?  I had a urine infection during treatment although it was when I was further along.  And I think I said in a previous post that the antibiotics may prevent urine infections but when I think about it that requires a very specific antibiotic (I know as I had an infection earlier this year).

I hope the radiographer can help you sort this out especially in this early stage - please let us know how you get on.  Good luck today.

Irene xx

Thank you Irene

I did leave a sample, I'm sure it's not an infection but we'll see. Was just advised to drink loads of water and start taking Nurofen or paracetamol. I'll see how it goes, it's just annoying when you've not slept well and feel tired and overwhelmed (which I am).

Hopefully my bladder will toughen up!

Hi Jo

Sorry to hear you’re suffering with your bladder, I started with internal discomfort in the second week and by the start of the third week I was up between 4 and 6 times in the night for a pee, it wasn’t painful but I definitely needed to pee, just got used to it eventually and it did ease towards the end of treatment.

I did a sample and it came back positive for something low grade so I had antibiotics but they didn’t take the discomfort or need to pee away.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment.

Monty x

Thank you Monty

It's early days for me to be getting symptoms for sure. I haven't got up in the night for a pee for a long time so it's new to me. Looks like that's about to change! I really hope not 4-6 times though or I'll have to go to bed at 7pm!

Anyway, day 6 tomorrow and I'm already looking forward to the weekend with no chemo drugs as I'm sure they're making me feel very low.

Hope your recovery is going well.

Jo x

Hi Jo

Hope you had a better night’s sleep, I can empathise with looking forward to the weekend already on a Monday. I was in bed around 8.30pm during treatment btw and drank lots of Chamomile and Peppermint teas.

I’m doing fine at the moment thanks, just in the waiting window before the scans although I do have a pelvic MRI today but not for the AC, those scans will be in Sept.

You’re not far off the quarter way mark now

Monty x

Hello Jo,

Sorry that you’re experiencing this. It really doesn’t help when your sleep is affected on top of everything else. 
I did get radiation cystitis although it came later in treatment. I took diluted cranberry juice and cystopurin sachets to help. I hope you don’t have an infection and as Irene says I just think everything in the area gets irritated by the treatment. Although we see the external irritation , it’s all happening internally too.

 I remember, like you so looking forward to the weekend break from the chemo tablets. 
All the best for day 6. You’re well on the way now.

xx

Hey Jo... I found I had to get up several times in the night throughout treatment and for a few weeks after, but that has calmed down now for me. It's very annoying and not great when it's disturbing your sleep at a time you're feeling pretty exhausted anyway, but hopefully it will resolve for you too in time. 

I had to have a full bladder for my radiotherapy treatments, although I know this depends on where you are. If you do too, I found drinking cystitis relief sachets when I had to hold my bladder was helpful.

Jenna xx

Hi Jen

That is a brilliant idea! Why did I not think of that? I will instigate that from tomorrow as I stocked up on a big supply of Cystocalm in preparation for the, what I considered, inevitable cystitis. I'm just surprised by how quickly it made an appearance, and not altogether pleased.

Thanks for that little tip.

Hope your recovery is going well xx

Hi Dahlia68 , 

Just wanted to add I had radiation cystitis in week 2 of treatment, I was advised that unlike bacterial cystitis radiation cystitis doesn’t respond to antibiotics, I was told to drink lots of water, to take paracetamol & only wash with aqueous cream to try & not disturb the good bacteria down there, I also bought lots of sugar free cranberry juice & drank that diluted with a little water. This did pass within a few days. Since my treatment a little over 7 years ago other members have been advised to try over the counter cystitis treatment with some success.

I hope that you get some relief really soon. 

Nicola