Brachy

 Hi Syrone and welcome to the Macmillan Online Community although sorry that you needed to find us and especially sorry to hear about your Prostate cancer diagnosis. Any cancer diagnosis brings many questions, confusion and lots of stress but talking with other people who are walking the same type of journey will help you navigate this rollercoaster. I see you've joined the Prostate cancer where you will find others making the same journey.

I obviously have a different cancer to you! But I can offer some advice as my husband developed Prostate cancer in 2013. His PSA gradually increased from 6 to 12 so was referred by his GP. As it was contained he was offered Brachytherapy, three weeks of daily treatment. He had no side effects from the Brachytherapy, nor the hormone jabs he had before treatment started. I would mention that he'd never had problems with flow, either before or after. He had a 6 monthly check-up for 5 years with his Oncologist and was discharged back to his GP in 2018 still having a 6 monthly blood test. His PSA is 0.19 (as at last week!)

When you have a minute, it would be helpful if you could pop something about your  journey so far into your profile as it really helps others when answering or looking for someone with a similar diagnosis. (It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself.) To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can update it at any time.

We all agree, looking at Dr Google isn’t a good idea. It’s always good to talk and the Macmillan Support Services provides lots of information, support, financial guidance or just a listening ear.

Most services are open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week and it's free to call on 0808 808 00 00 have a look by Clicking here to see what is available and we also have our Ask an Expert section, but do allow two working days for replies from our expert team.

To find information covering diagnosis, treatments and pages covering most types of cancers can be found on our Online Information and Support Section. 

All the best, B x

Hi

I can't comment on the brachy however I was given Tamulosin to help with my urine flow. It worked very well .Might be worth a chat with your medical team

Regards

Stuart

Hello.  I'm in a similar position to you, in that my disease is also early-stage and Brachytherapy has also been recommended to me.  I have similar questions to you too, though I've just entered a period of active surveillance during which allows plenty of time to get all of the questions asked.  I suspect many more will occur during the dead of the night.  My preference is for low dose Brachytherapy but it's not offered locally (Bristol) so I've been referred to Oxford.  Subject to a flow-test to confirm suitability, whenever the understandably belaboured NSH can fit it in, I'm good to go.  Again, like you, I have virtually no issues during the daytime, and nighttime pees average out at 1-2 per night, subject to how much medicinal pinot noir has been taken.

Hi Syrone. As scampidoodle says Tamsulosin will help with the flow. However, I recommend that you give up alcohol and caffeine totally until you have sorted out the nocturia problem. On the advice of my oncology nurse consultant, I stopped both when I started HT nearly three years ago and have only had three Xmas day drinks since. I do drink coffee again now but only at breakfast time.

I also drink a lot in the morning, a little in the afternoon and nothing at all after 6pm. I still get plenty of hydration but it is biased towards the early part of the day.

Good luck with your treatment.

I suppose the post code lottery kicks in.

Here in Canterbury the service is amazing. I had an appointment with Mr Kommu A top man in this field,  it was over 30 minutes of being like being offered this amazing robot system to remove the prostate and after effects which are incontinence for a few weeks which would subside and heal itself with pelvic exercises. Very impressive, I couldn`t imagine that private treatment would be any different.

I will next meet up with the Brachy consultant ( waiting for appointment). Then a choice.??

Yes I also have stopped caffeine and after a week am sleeping better ,good luck

Hi Syrone.

Been away from this forum for a while, hence the late post. If you have any questions about Brachy, I went through the procedure 3 months ago. I faced the same choice as you. Not easy, but happy to chat.

Robim

Hi Syrone,

I had Brachytherapy on Nov 23rd last year after two weeks of radio therapy as mine had spread a little, I’m also on hormone treatment. The brachytherapy was fine, they put me right out but I couldn’t pee at all when I came round so had to spend the night in hospital with a catheter fitted which wasn’t conducive to sleeping. I only manage about 2-3 hours a night in between getting up for a pee so it’s quite disruptive although my flow is pretty good. I also have terrible wind sometimes but not sure if that’s from the brachytherapy or the radio.  The consultant missed my first review as she was overloaded but have my next on Monday 10th so I’ll post how I get on

Hi Lego Bertie 

I’m new on here , diagnosed in December and set up for Brachytherapy in June. It was arranged after a telephone consultation and I thought I’d covered all questions but now I have a date , a million more questions have appeared overnight . Any advice ? 

All depends on your diagnosis - Gleason score etc. If you post it you will get better advice