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Radiation Treatments For Prostate Cancer Done. Getting Frequent Urinate. Is This Part Of The Radiation Side Effects?

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Posted on Wed, 25 Jul 2012
Question: I finished my Radiation treatments for Prostate Cancer XXXXXXX 27th . My urinary side affects
very from day to day. The one thing I question is what makes me have at times strong ungentcy . If I have any urge to urinate and I waite a little or run water ,it very hard to hold.
Is this part of the radiation side affects? Any surjestion on how to deal with this. A couple times I wet when I was not able to get to a bath room fast enough I wet myself some.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (1 hour later)
Hello and thanks for the query.
These symptoms of yours are the side effects of radiotherapy and is called as radiation cystitis.
You may find you have to pass urine more often than usual. And you may have a burning feeling when you do.  The radiation has inflamed the lining of your bladder. This may get worse as you go through your course of treatment. But it should get better within a few weeks of finishing. It will help if you drink plenty of fluids. Some people think particular drinks can help, such as cranberry juice or pills as you are taking them. Cranberry juice can increase the effects of warfarin (a blood thinner or anticoagulant). So don't start drinking cranberry juice if you are taking warfarin.

You may find that some drinks can make the bladder worse, such as tea and coffee. You can experiment for yourself and see what works for you. You should avoid potassium citrate, an old fashioned remedy for cystitis. 

These effects usually disappear within a few weeks of finishing your treatment.

Pharmacologic therapy for radiation cystitis is primarily aimed at relief of symptoms. Symptomatic frequency and urgency are best treated with anticholinergic agents. Once all other causes of dysuria have been ruled out, phenazopyridine can be used to provide symptomatic relief. If the symptoms of radiation cystitis are not severe but are significant enough for a patient to seek help, pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron), with or without pentoxifylline for pain, is a reasonable first step. For severe hematuria, instillation of a variety of agents into the bladder may be tried.

This is just a brief that tells you that medical treatment can be given to you if you are having severe problems but any treatment or any medication should be taken only after consultation with your treating doctor.

I hope to have answered your query however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck.
Thanks
Note: Consult a Urologist online for consultation about prostate and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, urinary incontinence, impotence and erectile dysfunction - Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1978

Answered : 6704 Questions

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Radiation Treatments For Prostate Cancer Done. Getting Frequent Urinate. Is This Part Of The Radiation Side Effects?

Hello and thanks for the query.
These symptoms of yours are the side effects of radiotherapy and is called as radiation cystitis.
You may find you have to pass urine more often than usual. And you may have a burning feeling when you do.  The radiation has inflamed the lining of your bladder. This may get worse as you go through your course of treatment. But it should get better within a few weeks of finishing. It will help if you drink plenty of fluids. Some people think particular drinks can help, such as cranberry juice or pills as you are taking them. Cranberry juice can increase the effects of warfarin (a blood thinner or anticoagulant). So don't start drinking cranberry juice if you are taking warfarin.

You may find that some drinks can make the bladder worse, such as tea and coffee. You can experiment for yourself and see what works for you. You should avoid potassium citrate, an old fashioned remedy for cystitis. 

These effects usually disappear within a few weeks of finishing your treatment.

Pharmacologic therapy for radiation cystitis is primarily aimed at relief of symptoms. Symptomatic frequency and urgency are best treated with anticholinergic agents. Once all other causes of dysuria have been ruled out, phenazopyridine can be used to provide symptomatic relief. If the symptoms of radiation cystitis are not severe but are significant enough for a patient to seek help, pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron), with or without pentoxifylline for pain, is a reasonable first step. For severe hematuria, instillation of a variety of agents into the bladder may be tried.

This is just a brief that tells you that medical treatment can be given to you if you are having severe problems but any treatment or any medication should be taken only after consultation with your treating doctor.

I hope to have answered your query however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck.
Thanks