Cancer Survivors Network

Hi, I had my last radiation treatment for anal cancer on May 8, 2003. I still have very bad lower back pain. The muscles in my groin area are tight but I find that if exercise them every night it helps. If I do not, I get really stiff. One bad side effect I still have is not having much feeling in that area. That makes for not very good sex. Hopefully this will get better.

From what I've been reading in other discussion groups, it's definitely not just you. Have you talked about this with your radiation oncologist or your plain-old oncologist?

I'd already had physical therapy for my back before I got cancer, and now my therapist works with me on post-surgical stuff etc. She is encouraging me to take tai chi to help my flagging energy & general malaise. I'll let you know if it helps - once I get it together to return the tai chi instructor's call!

I'm a 27 year veteran of radiation therapy. I still have problems with tightness and discomfort, especially with sex. I have the aches and pains, not sure if it's arthritis or the radiation, but after all these years still have problems with bladder after having radiation for anal cancer.

I had chemo/radiation treatments following radical hysterectomy surgery & catheter. 1st tatoos of my life were to mark to radiation spots. Caused 'internal sunburn' in/on lower GI. I lived on Imodium for six mo. following treatments. Because of compounded anemia & lack of MuscleControl I still take 650 mg of ferrous sulfate (iron) daily to keep my bowels firm. Chronic fatigue plus adhd & borderline hyperthyroid. I make it a point to know where each/every public bathroom is when I eat in public. One day @ a time, one step @ a time by the grace of a loving higher power. God bless, Susyq

Wow! I quess I am not alone. I was beginning to feel that way. I read so many experiences of people who never skipped a beat during and after pelvic radiation, that I was feeling kind of whiny.
I started having the tightness in my hips either during or shortly after radiation. I mean crossing my legs or putting socks on became a chore. Then in October, I started having pain in my hips and lower back. Luckily, my Doc is great and listens to me. First he wanted to make sure it was not a recurrence in the bones. I had a bone scan and then a biopsy which came back negative. But the pain just got worse whenever I moved. As long as I don't move, it does not hurt. If I walk, stand or bend over too much, I can hardly move.
My great Doc sent me for an MRI which showed edema, but was pretty much inconclusive. So he sent me to an ortho Doc. Now they are watching me for bone necrosis caused by the radiation. An x-ray showed a spot that may be starting. I go back in June for more x-rays. The ortho also says I just have radiation damage to the muscles, etc that may or may not get better.
Thank you all for posting. I was feeling very alone in all of this. I feel like I should be back to normal by now, but I am not.
Sharon

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I am a 20 year survivor of non hodgkins lymphoma and was radiated to the abdomen and pelvis once after diagnosis and thena again less than 2 years later on recurrance. At recurrance I had a bone marrow transplant using my own marrow and total body radiation again but less to the pelvis and abdomen due to the first exposure.

I have suffered many late effects from both the chemo and radiation and have been diagnosed with: damge to my heart from a chemo drug, early arthritis they feel from the radiation(osteo), fibromyalgia, possibly chronic fatigue syndrome, nerve neuropathy in feet and hands is being investigated but that's going to come back positive as I have constant tingling and pain in them all, chemobrain, chronic infections and the list goes one.

I never used to have any stomach issues but I have noticed more upset stomachs than not and recently they found a cyst and node on my right ovary that they are watching but so far feel is benign. I have had a kidney stone attack not long ago and while in my bladder trying to remove it the comment was that there was scar tissue in there that is what they see with radiation cases. Hmmm.

Just watch for symptoms that are new or odd to you on your way through life after cancer treatments, it depends on lots of things as to whether you will be affected by long term effects or not. What kind of chemo you had, how much radiation and where, meds you were or are on, lots of factors affect how your body will function afterwards.

Sometimes there is a high price to pay for a cure but I got to be here to watch my kids grow up so you can't argue with that. All the best. Blessings, Bluerose