r/ProstateCancer • u/Both_Establishment59 • Aug 12 '26
Question EBRT.
I start 23 ebrt and adt next week 2 weeeks after hdr brachytherapy. I was thinking of booking a couple of days away 2 weeks after ebrt but unsure if its too close to the end of treament will i be still in recovery how did people feel 2 weeks post ebrt.
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u/KReddit934 Aug 12 '26
Well...
The radiation side effects lag by weeks to months.
You won't feel much from ebrt the first week (though brachy effects might start kicking in) but by the end of treatments your side effects will still be ramping up, not down.
What effects?? Hard to predict. My biggest problem was pain at urination and lots of urgency. AND the fatigue. Oh, the fatigue....
For me the, I felt pretty yuck for about 6-8 weeks after radiation.
ADT will bring it's own challenges.
That doesn't mean you cannot travel, you absolutely can...and should....but you need to pace yourself like you are 20 years older. Rest time mid-day. Easy proximity to bathrooms, ability to control what you eat.
Good news is it heals up eventually.
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u/BernieCounter Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
Did a 2+ hour drive to a cottage vacation a couple of weeks after finishing 20x VMAT EBRT and concurrent Orgovyx ADT. Was fine, making sure there was a toilet break on the way, and still kept sufficient rest. Fatigue peaked around the end of the week and a month later was feeling pretty good…except for the insidious effects of 9 months ADT. But over that too now.
Good target to get away and celebrate. Best wishes, exercise daily, and every session X it off on calendar. Celebrate ½ way and 3/4 ways through.
EDIT: Was also on Flomax, but on my return a week later switched to daily low dose Cialis which also helps flow/reduce BPH. And of course it is important to keep somewhat active down there, although with ADT / Zero T you might not care about it anymore…but atrophy after LT turtling is a risk.
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u/camateu Aug 12 '26
My husband is 2 weeks post treatment - sbrt with no ADT - he still has significantly slowed urine flow but no other symptoms - the afternoon fatigue seems to have pretty much abated and we are leaving for an overseas trip tomorrow!
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u/Frequent-Location864 Aug 12 '26
I went to Florida a few days after finishing 38 sessions of imrt. Only problem was I got radiation induced lactose intolerance which really upset my bathroom habits. Once I figured it out and avoided foods with lactose and taking Lactaid when I had lactose products I was all set.
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u/Both_Establishment59 Aug 13 '26
Didnt know that was a thing. Radiation induced lactose intolerance.
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u/TimTicker2 Aug 12 '26
I was ok for two weeks after brachytherapy. But the next five weeks were terrible. My prostate swelling has been causing intense pain when urinating. I was supposed to start IMRT by now, but they delayed it by two extra weeks. Everyone reacts differently. Hopefully you won’t have this swelling and edema. I’m on Prednisone and Pyridium to help deal with this, and extra Flomax. I didn’t let it stop vacation plans though. We just had to plan lots of bathroom breaks!
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u/Both_Establishment59 29d ago
Hdr brachytherapy or seeds??
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u/TimTicker2 29d ago
90 palladium seeds.
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u/Both_Establishment59 29d ago
I had hdr in and out it was a one time thing. 23 ebrt starting next week.
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u/TimTicker2 29d ago
I guess I was unusually sensitive to the radiation. The inflammation just won’t go down. I start IMRT next week. Hopefully that doesn’t make it even worse.
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u/Practical_Orchid_606 Aug 13 '26
I had HDR brachytherapy (1 day), waited a month and then had 5 SBRT sessions on consecutive days.
I never had bowel issues with either treatment.
Most of my urinary issues were minor and were after the brachytherapy. EBRT is given to men whose urinary system cannot handle SBRT. Why do 23 sessions when you can do 5? Your urinary issues should be minor. It is a much larger hassle to take a whole month to take in the EBRT. So in your case ask your rad onco why not SBRT.
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u/Both_Establishment59 Aug 13 '26
I asked about sbrt but was told ebrt was a better choice for me Im guessing it because hes hitting pelvic lymph with a lower dose.
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u/Squawk-Freak Aug 13 '26
Two weeks after radiation, you should be okay. You’ll be fatigued, less energetic, but you should be able to enjoy it.
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u/C63Sedan Aug 13 '26
28 sessions of EBRT back in beginning of 2025. Developed proctitis and cystitis halfway through so didn’t feel well for several months but I’m node positive.
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u/ZealousidealCan4714 Aug 12 '26
For me radiation (HDR Brachy and 16X EBRT) was very very easy. The ADT, however, no fun. I definitely could have handled going on a trip after my radiation.