THE DOC REPLIES
I’M 80 and have been machine. This is the common troubled by a lot of wind in the type of radiotherapy used for past 18 months. It’s very many types of cancer. embarrassing. Is there Internal radiotherapy is a something I should be doing treatment which involves a to stop it? small radioactive implant
We all experience gas but being placed into the some people have pain, burp cancerous tumour or next to excessively or pass large the tumour. amounts of wind. Occasionally greater than I HAVE chronic dry throat, normal amounts of gas are despite drinking plenty of produced and there are water. Could it be a sign of several situations where this something else? may occur, including air Having a chronic dry throat swallowing, dietary factors can be a side effect of and less commonly, bowel several medications including diseases. Changes to the diet, tricyclic antidepressants, various medicines and antihistamines, anti-epileptic products that deodorise gas medication, anti-psychotic may be helpful. Foods which medication, beta are known to increase the blockers and amount of gas include diuretics or water broccoli, Brussels sprouts and tablets. It can also starchy foods such as potatoes occur if there is and corn or high fibre foods mouth breathing such as peas and beans. which can be
because of a I HAVE cancer of the prostate blocked nose or and am due radiotherapy other causes. soon. What does this entail? Sometimes anxiety
Radiotherapy is a treatment can cause these symptoms. which uses high energy Speak to your GP. beams of radiation which are focused on cancerous, I AM a 60-year-old man with malignant tissue. This kills what I believe are abnormally cancer cells or stops the small testicles. They’ve always cancer cells from multiplying. been like this. Should I have Radical radiotherapy may be this checked out? Is it a sign used as an alternative to of something else? surgery and is often used for I’m not sure whether you men who are not fit enough have had any children or or who have chosen not to have been able to have have an operation. There are normal sexual relationships two types of radiotherapy but if you have not had that are used for prostate problems in either of these cancer, external and internal. areas then it is unlikely there is External radiotherapy involves anything wrong and it is radiation being targeted at unlikely to be a sign of the prostate cancer from a anything more worrying. If, WHEN IN DOUBT CONTACT YOUR OWN GP
I am glad to see your son has recovered from peritonitis as this can be quite a serious illness. Peritonitis is inflammation of the inside of the abdominal cavity or peritoneum usually triggered by sepsis such as from a ruptured appendix or other organ. I’VE recently lost all sense of taste.
There are many different causes of smell and taste problems. The commonest cause of temporary loss is colds or flu and sinus problems. The sense of smell also naturally decreases with age. If related to a temporary cause such as a cold then it should recover after a few days or weeks at most.