Radiation side effects?

Radiation side effects?

Our freind has prostrate cancer, he underwent surgery earlier this year
to have his prostrate removed. He has recently begun receiving radiation
treatments for it as well. He has had about 15-20 treatments out of over
40 scheduled. Thus far has had no problems until this weekend. he has
been experiencing painful and bloody urinations. Is this a usual or
expected side effect or should he be concerned.

Re: Radiation side effects?

J W wrote:
> Our freind has prostrate cancer, he underwent surgery earlier this year
> to have his prostrate removed. He has recently begun receiving radiation
> treatments for it as well. He has had about 15-20 treatments out of over
> 40 scheduled. Thus far has had no problems until this weekend. he has
> been experiencing painful and bloody urinations. Is this a usual or
> expected side effect or should he be concerned.

I am so GD sick and tired of these GD doctor who just tell patients "cut
off this leg or remove that vital organ or fry your innards with
radiation or chemicals" without first telling them a) what the odds are
it will help and b) what the side effects may be and their likelihood.
Right up there with "Get your PSA checked annually" should be "Your
doctor will treat you like an idiot and tell you about 1/3 of the story
if you're lucky. Read a couple of prostate cancer books before you
believe one word out of your doctor's mouth. Also, log into
alt.support.cancer.prostate and start reading." (Then if you get a GOOD
doctor who tells you the whole story, you're ahead of the game, hang
onto him/her, and STILL read the books and a.s.c.p. because there's no
way even the best doctors have the time to educate you to the extent the
books do.

Now, back to your question: Usual side effect. But his GD doctor should
have told him to expect it, not to be alarmed, and how to manage that
and other SEs that may crop up. Did the doc list and explain the other
SEs that may occur now or two years from now?

Why am I so PO'd about this seemingly harmless omission? Because the
same thing happens relative to all types of treatment, and some of the
SEs these GD docs aren't telling us about are very common, extremely
severe, and/or even life-threatening.

And your friend is probably just starting his life w/PC. Raid the
bookstore and pick up some Christmas gifts for him, even if he's Muslim
or Jewish or a raging atheist. Just get him some prostate cancer books
by Scardino, Walsh, Bubley, and whomever else you can find, and make
sure he reads and understands at least the chapters pertinent to his
case and to radiation treatment.

I.P.