Dear all
Following radical Prostatectomy for T3 Gleason 7 in 2021, we found out that my dear husband (aged 49)’s cancer has come back, so salvage RT to whole pelvis (prostate bed and nodes) is treatment plan.
we thought that - compared with surgery - RT would be quite straightforward. Just lie on the bed and let the radiologist zap the cancer (we thought). How wrong we were!
I’m sure RT is straightforward in other parts of the body but what we’ve learned so far (week2) is just how much the patient has to do to ‘prepare’ everyday to be in the ‘right condition’ for successful treatment of pelvic region. In short, the radiographers want my dear husband to turn up to hospital at 08.30 every day with a **completely empty bowel** and full bladder. This is not easy!
We are currently in week 2 (of 7 week RT) and really struggling with getting his bowels to ‘comply’!
For 25 years we have normally eaten a ***high fibre*** ‘superfood’ diet full of leafy veg, nuts, legumes, lentils, brown rice, fruit and oats.
When he started RT last week the nurses presented him with a Low Residue/ LOW fibre diet sheet - basically white bread, white rice, white pasta etc. I’m other words… food that is guaranteed to give you constipation if you are not used to it and have been used to lots of fibre for years.
As a consequence my poor husband has been getting up at 5am trying everything imaginable to empty his bowels, but still no joy! The nurses have instructed him to take peppermint oil before each meal, dulcolax and suppositories in morning. He’s been trying sit ups, strong coffee first thing, but every day we arrive at hospital (they give him and enema) and still there is too much either solid matter or wind in bowel
has anyone else had such a difficult time with constipation at start of RT and how did you resolve it!? Any tips?!
we have heard it gets easier!!! And as treatment progresses it is more likely the challenge will be diarrhoea and loose bowel rather than the current log jam!
Many thanks in advance
devoted wife
‘wiggers’
Good Morning Wiggers
That's great news the Radiotherapy has been completed. It's a strange old world when you go from visiting the hospital everyday to - well not a lot!!
Fatigue will go with exercise, the urgent dashes you need to keep an eye on and if they don't improve he needs to be having a word with his GP/CNS.
I wish you both well on the rest of your journey.
Best wishes - Brian.
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