Tips and advice for any bladder or bowel side effects of treatment
Always try to go before leaving home and be aware of where the nearest toilets are; try to match fluid intake with activity/location but not to the point of risking damage to your general health
Tips and advice for any sexual side effects of treatment
Just be patient. It does take time for the radiation to ease. Not tried any medical aids so cannot comment on their effects
Tips and advice for any physical side effects of treatment
The biggest problem for me was the effects of the radiation on the surrounding areas. The skin at the tops of my thighs is still paper thin; any sweating on a warm day will result in skin being broken and a lot of soreness. I was prescribed a cream which is very helpful. I also had a radiation burn on the top of my thigh from the effect of underwear pressing my penis and scrotum against my leg for long periods of time. I often left underwear off to mitigate the problem a little.
How this treatment impacted my life the most
The major impact was the long term effects of the radiation because the implants are permanent and so the side effects causing incontinence, breaking skin, disturbed nights (one or two pees per night). I was always confident in the outcome and accepted the difficulties as being the price that had to be paid for continuing to live.
Why did I give this answer?
Because of the certainty of success. I chose this ahead of surgery because I believed that this gave me a better chance of returning to a normal life. The side effects are not permanent and I now feel free to tackle anything without any concerns. I travelled widely in the first year of treatment but had few problems.
