Effects after Radiotherapy

Hi DevonLad, I'm in a similar situation  completed RT in march 2019 but on HT for another year. You can read it all in my profile. My PSA is now down to 0.02 and have an extra stone or so especially round the middle. Had a little bowel trouble with an urgent need and actually had a problem with some clear gel like fluid and a little blood. Might be worth having a word with the hospital. I had a Nurse to contact there when i had a problem and we sorted it on the phone. I did have a period when I had to go 3 or 4 times but that passed. It seems to me everyone has slightly different side effects but always worth speaking to a professional. 

Good luck and hope your PSA remains low.

Best regards  Reg

Yes I think the weight problem is from the Hormone treatment - you can't do much more than eat sensibly and exercise.  This is a classic side effect of HT putting on weight around the stomach area.  I was lucky I didn't put any weight on but was only on HT for 9 months so maybe that was the reason?  The bowel problems are most likely to be caused by the radiotherapy and you should ask your consultant to prescribe something.  I started with this about 4 months or so out - brought on by having a sigmoidoscopy I was fine up until 5 oclock on the day of the sigmoidoscopy which I needed for another problem they thought I had.  I think I had the sigmoidoscopy too soon after the radiotherapy and feel my problem was caused by both the RT and sigmoidoscopy.  I was given an enema type of thing to help with it - I don't think it did help - I was on that for 6 months eventually things got better on their own but I am on one loperamide (immodium) a day and a fybogel.  I know you are usually prescribed fybogel for constipation but it actually bulks up the bowel movement so that you don't go so often - if you see what I mean.

Hope this helps.

Thanks to you for that, it puts my mind at rest. Regards Ken

Thanks for that it certainly puts my mind at rest to understand it is not just me, Regards Ken

No. it is certainly not just you.  I go to our local Maggie's Centre where they have a Walnut Club for us Prostate Cancer Sufferers and I would guess as many as 6 or 7 out of 10 of us have had/have similar problems.

Tragically, the weight gain and bloating (and more!) are standard feature of HT, and for several months afterwards, though you will start to see benefit after 2-3 months after stopping the injections.

The bowel issue is all too common, too, and if it's not beginning to settle (the body is amazing in its ability to adapt), then go back to your GP. At the very least, you could be referred to a dietician, but there may be other interventions worth considering.

I'm sure the problem can be alleviated, if not completely 'cured'.

Thanks for that, we have a group here called Force, but it is closed at moment because of this virus.

The feedback I am getting from all of you is most helpful, it is putting me at ease with this bloody thing, thanks to you all.

Yes ours is too they did try to do a virtual meeting but not many people seemed to get that message - I was one of them and thought they had opened up the group and went to the centre back in August as on my phone i hadn't read that it said virtual all too small.