I’ve opted to go with SBRT at MSK and am looking for feedback/suggestions for those who went through the same. For example, when did you start kegels? Any other suggestions? Our 6 year old grandson who lives in CT has soccer the weekend after my last treatment and am wondering if the NJ → CT 3 hour trek is a bad idea. Guess it’s wait and see.
This is NOT the way I wanted to get my first tattoo.
5/2026 (67yr). PSA 4.74->6.04
7/24 MRI PI-RADS 5 in 4 lesions
7/31 MSK NYC to discuss results
8/17 MRI guided biopsy. 8/14 cores with 2 of 3x4 and 6 of 3x3. MSK NJ..Dr. Gaffney
9/3 Radiation oncologist Dr. Kole at MSK NJ confirmed I am a candidate for SBRT.
9/16 Fiducial market and gel space procedure MSK NJ
9/22 MSK NYC simulation MRI
October 2026 Plan is for SBRT stereotactic body radiation therapy
You won’t know until you get there. I had ART after surgery which was a different deal but urgency tends to ebb and flow after treatments.
SBRT hits it much harder and quicker. You hope that you do not have problems going as urgency is easier to deal with.
Having had twin boys, I got a wee wee jug for car trips after surgery that I don’t think I ever used. We were able to hit rest stops often enough to deal with urgency. ART tended to aggravate the bladder and cause an increase in urgency but nothing that could not be handled in the usual way, don’t pass up an opportunity to go.
My SBRT was more than 10 years ago. Although I’m a data point of one; I believe my experience is very near the norm and typical. My treatment was a mono therapy for low grade Gleason 6. The first three fractions (treatments) I experienced nothing and joked with the technicians asking are you sure you turned on the source. Following the fourth fraction I had some mild burning when urinating and that stayed with me for about ten days or two weeks. Although I had a script for Flowmax the burning was very mild and I only used an over the counter medicine from AZO. The mild burning was no big deal. I was encouraged to stay on my normal activity schedule and continue with my YMCA spin (indoor cycling) classes. The bicycle seat did put a little pressure on my perineum and I knew something was different; but, again no big deal and it cleared up on its own in a couple weeks. The burning was also present during ejaculation. Sex was still good even during my treatment period. I did not have a gel spacer but I did have an endorectal balloon which was typical at Cleveland Clinic ten years ago. I had no bowel, urinary or sexual issues prior to or following treatment other than the mild burning that resolved in about two weeks. The best I can tell my bowel, urinary and sexual functions are the same before and following treatment. I traveled a little more than two hours each way to and from treatments without issue. I did all my follow-up work by teleconference. My PSA did bounce around following treatment like about 30% of guys and that too is very normal. I hope you’ll share your experience as you go through them since we learn from one another. Best wishes…I’m glad to share my experience. Terry
