Many improvements in symptoms
Thinking of the
process of recuperation after radiotherapy, I am getting better at least with
the signs I have observed. There are fewer occasions of my voice sounding tired
and waned from exhaustion, the weather might have contributed too as it is
summertime in South Africa.
The symptoms with the
waterworks persist and while it will not be defined as benign prostate
enlargement the fundamentals of it still exist as the prostate was enlarged
because of acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate, the radiotherapy treatment of
the cancer would have further inflamed the prostate and constricted the urinary
tract, for which I have to take daily medication to ease water flow.
The image below best
describes issues of an enlarged prostate, and links at the end of the blog give
more context. The need to check your prostate health is important, I suggest
you use the International
Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) Calculator as a starting point to buttress
the case to your doctor for a Prostate
Specific Antigen (PSA) test.
Courtesy of NHS Overview of Benign Prostate Enlargement
Other symptoms of concern
As pertains the waterworks,
a polite reference to the bladder issues; there is lesser urgency or frequency,
but the weak flow, straining, and nocturia are issues to manage as the prostate
heals and hopefully returns to a normal size.
One other side effect
that statistically affects others more but has been less of a concern for me is
with bowel issues. They are manageable, but mishaps do occur. I reckon part of
my original pain management medication has positively impacted expected diarrhoetic
symptoms, but I must watch for irregular bowel movements.
What has not
normalised is my sleep patterns, they are out of kilter. I suffer a lot from
insomnia leading to tiredness during the day with the documented sleep record
on my smartwatch showing barely 3 hours of night sleep and naps of about 60 to
90 minutes dotted around the day.
At the church service
that I attended yesterday which started at 9:30 AM, I was wilting within an
hour into the service. I hope this improves without having to resort to sleep
inducement through medication. It might be something to discuss with my medical
team.
Appreciating rest and
recuperation
More importantly, it
is the immediate support and care of my partner that has helped me. It was not
easy facing a cancer diagnosis alone in Manchester, I had to rearrange some priorities
for the uncertainties ahead. I received a confirmed diagnosis in mid-June but
postponed any discussion about options for treatment for a month, while I took
time to meet with my partner.
After I returned, the
discussion about radical surgery and its side effects were not that
encouraging, but I had to wait another fortnight to discuss radical
radiotherapy and what confusion followed the different options in that area
that we had a lot of back and forth. It was the second-hand experience of
others that gave a better insight into what it entailed.
When the radiotherapy
commenced in September, I worked through it, keeping up my routine as much as
possible, though the fatigue set in, from the onset, at the first weekend, just
after 2 treatments. Then, I tried to maintain productivity for another month
after the treatments concluded as I realised radiotherapy did have a greater
toll on my body than I anticipated.
Making the best of
this rest period is critical even as I yearn to get back into professional activity.
The art of restful relaxation is one I am yet to master even as I try to
distinguish between holiday and recuperation, I should not make my recuperation
seem like a holiday, just because I am away from home.
Blog - Men's
things - Prostate Cancer blogs
Blog - Photons on
the Prostate - XII
Other references
MedScape:
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) Calculator
Mayo
Clinic: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Urology
Care Foundation: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
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