Re: Thanks for your feedback

[Guest guest]

Hello Harold;

I have had IMRT. It is painless. The worst part of it is the CT scan. intestinal scan, and three little tatoos put on your pelvic area. One on the side of either leg and one just above your penis, to see where to point the beam.

The actual reatments go something like this:

You put on a hospital gown and then lay on a gurney under the radiation machine. They measure where the beams are supposed to go, and then they zap you. I had 38 treatments total, with 15 or 16 individual zaps per treatment. Absolutely painless. Takes about 20 minutes a session. Sessions are usually on a daily basis with the weekends off.

I worked every day either before the sessions or just after them.

Hope that was the kind of info you were looking for.

Good luck,

Dan Harriman

Orange TexasIf at first you don't succeed, maybe you shouldn't try sky diving!

Subject: Thanks for your feedbackTo: "ProstateCancerSupport " <ProstateCancerSupport >Date: Monday, April 30, 2012, 8:08 AM

THANKS for all the feedback with information on Pcancer and especially the help understanding IMRT/IGRT!

My name is Harold…I live in Helena, Alabama…I’m 76 and recently diagnosed with prostate cancer…due to some previous health issues my urologist took surgery off the option list…he then recommended IMRT/IGRT radiotherapy. My pathology report…small cancer tumor in one of 12 segments…Gleason score 7 (3+4) …clinical stage T2a...my PSA is 10.27.

I’m not familiar with this IMRT/IGRT procedure; any treatment with radiation in it is scary to me. Can anyone tell me there personal experience with this procedure?

As far as I know proton is not available in Alabama & of Course HIFU is not approved by FDA.

Thanks in advance Harold

Ywal Come Back Now, Ya hear?

[Guest guest]

Wow,  they just used a felt tip pen to make my marks and then put a clear bandaid over it.  Then during treatment they held a towel over me while I dropped my pants.  Glad I didn’t have to mess with the gown.  By the time I was done with all of this process I didn’t really care who saw my stuff.  Before I was first diagnosed I had a testicular ultra sound and I was pretty embarrassed when the nice looking female tech did the procedure.  When I needed to have my stitches checked after the implant I whipped off the sheets before they finished drawing the curtains around the bed. Once again to a good looking female resident. The rest of my treatments were similar to yours. From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of DanSent: Monday, April 30, 2012 10:12 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: Thanks for your feedback Hello Harold; I have had IMRT. It is painless. The worst part of it is the CT scan. intestinal scan, and three little tatoos put on your pelvic area. One on the side of either leg and one just above your penis, to see where to point the beam. The actual reatments go something like this: You put on a hospital gown and then lay on a gurney under the radiation machine. They measure where the beams are supposed to go, and then they zap you. I had 38 treatments total, with 15 or 16 individual zaps per treatment. Absolutely painless. Takes about 20 minutes a session. Sessions are usually on a daily basis with the weekends off. I worked every day either before the sessions or just after them. Hope that was the kind of info you were looking for. Good luck, Dan HarrimanOrange TexasIf at first you don't succeed, maybe you shouldn't try sky diving!Subject: Thanks for your feedbackTo: " ProstateCancerSupport " <ProstateCancerSupport >Date: Monday, April 30, 2012, 8:08 AM THANKS for all the feedback with information on Pcancer and especially the help understanding IMRT/IGRT! My name is Harold…I live in Helena, Alabama…I’m 76 and recently diagnosed with prostate cancer…due to some previous health issues my urologist took surgery off the option list…he then recommended IMRT/IGRT radiotherapy. My pathology report…small cancer tumor in one of 12 segments…Gleason score 7 (3+4) …clinical stage T2a...my PSA is 10.27. I’m not familiar with this IMRT/IGRT procedure; any treatment with radiation in it is scary to me. Can anyone tell me there personal experience with this procedure? As far as I know proton is not available in Alabama & of Course HIFU is not approved by FDA. Thanks in advance Harold Ywal Come Back Now, Ya hear?

[Guest guest]



I also had the tattoos. In addition I had 3 gold pellets inserted into my prostate 3 weeks before the IGRT started. This procedure to insert is very similar to a biopsy, but once the Uro got everything up there he asked if I was brave. When I asked why he replied 'Because the next step is without anaesthetic' . It was eye watering to say the least! I don't think this is usuual to do it without anaesthetic and I'm convinced it was because it was carried out by the surgeon who I had just turned down for the radical prostatectomy op. I would advise any one about to have the gold markers inserted that they confirm with there Uro that they will be using anaesthetic. It was the only part of the treatment regime that was in anyway painful. I kept my underpants on during the radiation sessions - only lowered to reveal the tattoos.

One piece of advice: I was uncomfortable at the start of one of the sessions and said to the nurses that something wasn't right - turned out they had given me the wrong moulded 'cushion' which keeps everything in the right place during radiation. So if you don't feel right at any point during the session then speak out and they should stop asap.

Spain

Thanks for your feedbackTo: "ProstateCancerSupport " <ProstateCancerSupport >Date: Monday, April 30, 2012, 8:08 AM

THANKS for all the feedback with information on Pcancer and especially the help understanding IMRT/IGRT!

My name is Harold…I live in Helena, Alabama…I’m 76 and recently diagnosed with prostate cancer…due to some previous health issues my urologist took surgery off the option list…he then recommended IMRT/IGRT radiotherapy. My pathology report…small cancer tumor in one of 12 segments…Gleason score 7 (3+4) …clinical stage T2a...my PSA is 10.27.

I’m not familiar with this IMRT/IGRT procedure; any treatment with radiation in it is scary to me. Can anyone tell me there personal experience with this procedure?

As far as I know proton is not available in Alabama & of Course HIFU is not approved by FDA.

Thanks in advance Harold

Ywal Come Back Now, Ya hear?