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Treatments for Radiation Proctitis
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Report postTreatments for Radiation Proctitis
Radiation I received 20 years ago (brutal in those days!) for Pca, has left me with chronic radiation proctitis. (damaged to bowel/colon) resulting in faecal incontinence issues.
I’m curious to know if anyone has experience of “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy” as a treatment for this condition?
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Hi Flint.
My Dad, who is 95 had radiation treatment around 2002 and from what he has detailed over the years, he has suffered tremendously. The radiation damaged both his bladder and bowel, to which he now wears a catheter, has a nerve stimulator inserted for his bowel movements and undergoes botox surgery every 3 – 4 months on his bladder to ease the significant pain levels. Since the last botox surgery (which is generally a day surgery procedure), my Dad has been prescribed what I believe to be additional pain patches that you attach to an area around your waist line and change every 2 to 3 days (I think). Remarkably, these patches have managed any pain levels to be non existent or to very low levels, which may may mean he can prolong the botox surgery to be at longer intervals. He is scheduled for his next botox surgery in early Sept 2025 in St of God Hospital Bendigo. Also, what has helped is that his Urologist has some expertise in the botox procedure and expertise and knowledge appears to be expanding. Overall, my Dad is a lot more comfortable regarding pain levels but bowel and bladder infections can be daily problems.
Unfortunately, I have of recent (few days in) been diagnosed with a level 9 rating prostrate cancer and as yet to mention to my Dad as I know it cause him some distress, but working towards having the next level of tests (PET Scan) to determine any cancer outside the prostrate, which hopefully will give me the opportunity to say that it is localised. Based on your brief description etc and especially my Dad’s experience, I’m finding it hard to make a determination as to whether which treatment method to pursue. Research via the Cancer Council has been extremely helpful and YES there has been significant improvements in radiation therapy, BUT, having witnessed what can happen is extremely frightening. I hope via this forum to hear from others who have radiation therapy and gauge there responses to my circumstances etc.
Regards
Nigel
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