Good morning, Charlotte!

I think you'll find a lot of people who have experienced the
"shortening effect" and I would guess that few, if any, of them were
warned about that beforehand. I still don't know where it went!   If
you read here for a while, you'll get the impression that doctors
generally do not do a very good job of telling about side effects, for
either surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy.  There are probably
lots of reasons for that.  My feeling is that the biggest reason is
that doctors are interested in treating the problem that they are
facing with the patient today.  Side effects come later and will just
have to be dealt with when they show up.

I can tell you my experience with radiation.  In reading about the
experiences of others, I think it is fairly typical, although there
are certainly variations in the nature and severity of side effects.
I noticed nothing at all for the first couple of weeks of treatments.
Then, I started feeling more tired.  Keep in mind, I was having
radiation treatments very early every morning and working full time.
Since I drove north for radiation and then drove south to work,
driving alone, added about 50-60 minutes to my day.  So, my days were
somewhat longer than normal, too.  The fatigue continued to increase
throughout the treatment and for another couple of weeks.  Then, it
seemed to level out for a while and I gradually started getting my
energy back.  It's hard to say how long it took to "get over it"; but,
it wasn't more than a couple of months, I think, and it was really no
big deal.

Ike will probably have blood draws to check his red blood cell count.
Radiation going through the pelvic bones damages the marrow and
impairs production of red blood cells.  If the red blood cell count
goes too low, he may be put on iron supplements.  That helps the red
blood count.  It can also cause constipation - something he should
watch for and try to prevent.  I imagine Ike was told about that. With
that much radiation going through the area, intestines can start
"acting up" and the rectum can get pretty sensitive (I thought of it
as being like chapped lips - if you'll excuse the analogy).

Now, to what I think you were really asking.....
The radiation is cumulative.  Not much happens immediately.  It just
continues to add up.  Sexual function was impaired during the later
stages of treatment, mostly because I was tired, I think.  After
radiation, it just never seemed to come back to the level it was
before radiation.  (And, surgery had already taken it's toll on the
process about five years before!)  There are some ways to counter the
reduced sexual function, if you and Ike don't already know about them.
Viagra and similar pills can help; but, they may have their own side
effects that make them unsatisfactory for some men.  In some cases
they can give the guy such a bad headache, he's not interested in much
other than getting rid of the headache.  I think that's why the docs
will give samples to try them out before you have to buy them.  There
are also shots that generally work well.  Ike's doc can explain them
and teach him how to give himself the shots if that seems to be
something Ike wants to check into.  There are other alternatives that
Ike's doc may want to offer - and the doc is the one who should be
relied upon to suggest things that may work.  The doc knows Ike.  I
don't!

I hope this helps.  If there's anything I didn't address that you want
to know, just ask.  I hope others will respond and share their
thoughts and experiences, too.

I imagine Ike gets the weekends off from radiation treatments.  That
will be good for both of you.  Have a great Friday and a wonderful
weekend.

Burney

My comments at the bottom. <Considerable text snipped>

I was about to respond to your inquiries until I read Burney's answers; he's
covered everything quite well.

A man's penis will be shortened by the length of the urethra removed when
the prostate was excised.  About an inch is not uncommon.

Again, Burney's assessment about tiredness and lethargy is exactly like
mine:  no effect for a week or so, then it seemed as if I was sleeping or
napping all the time.  Eventually vitality resumes, but maybe a bit less
than before.  I noticed considerable loss of pubic hair; no big deal, but it
made me wonder.  If the intestinal tract was damaged by radiation, as mine
was, this shows up later.

BUT...it appears that radiation has thus far gone a long way toward
destroying those stray cancer cells.

Keep the questions coming.  You'll be unlikely to find a more helpful and
cooperative group that you will here.

Ken Bland