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Anal Cancer

Archives for March 2013

Good News
Hi Everybody, I hope you are having a happy Easter. I am doing fine. I received my results from my chest X-ray and they were negative, my blood test results were normal except for my liver function and I am slightly anemic which my family doctor said is normal after what I have been through.Although my liver function…
NCCN guidelines
LaCh asked for the web address for NCCN . I think you need to sign up, but ypu can try this: linkhttp://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/anal.pdf
Good News
Had my follow up exam with my colorectal surgeon yesterday two months out from treatment. The doc said he cannot see or feel the tumor. Very good news indeed! I was stage 1 when this all started and he will follow up with the digital exams every three months for two years and then on to every six months up to five years.…
I'm so glad we're here for each other
Hi everyone I just wanted to thank you all for being here and taking care of each other. I came home after a very blue day and logged on just to be here and check in on topics and hear the voices I have become familiar with over the months I've been here. I had such a difficult emotional day. It's the end of my first month…
Food After Treatment Ends
Can you ever eat like the good old days? By that I mean, I didn't have a bad diet before but if I was going to have a "bad diet day" it included heat and lots of it. Mexican, Italian, Greek, Indian, on and on. My treatment sustinance has been primarily yogurt, ice cream, soup. I once tried a very mild and soft version (for…
unempathitic nurse, really rude
ok, guys, I am 3 years 8 months post treatment and i am sooooooo blessed with a good report on all tests (had 7 insertions of various tubes and fingers into my anus) at MD anderson including ct scan with barium enema.... i have NEVER been treated with anything but kindness at this institution but this appt. was horrible at…
Vaginal itching
I am on my 13th day of radiation. The things that I am doing besides crying and climing the walls is: Frequent sitz baths with warm water and a little antibaterial soap. Right now I am laying in recliner with legs wide open and a fan blowing on the minefield. If I get agitated it really gets worse. I have tried acquafor,…
Sex after cancer treatment
I have been doing the vaginal dialator for about 2 week now. I do this everyday. My radiation onc gave me one and I seem to be doing a lot better. So, my boyfriend and I tried to have sex and it was extremely painful. Now I'm afraid to have sex again. My radiation onc told me to grin and bear it until I get use to it. Easy…
Femoral bruit caused by radiation therapy?
Does anyone have knowledge of this topic?
Help with Negative Thinking and Anxiety
I just wanted to share a resource that helped me so much when I was dealing with worry and anxiety before, during and after treatment. Guided imagery helped me focus on positive thoughts and visualization and the affirmations were so helpful when I just couldn't focus on the positive. I used the cancer imagery, the imagery…
Discharge question?
So, really didnt want to ask this. But I am 7 days out and I am still having that vaginal discharge. It is a yellow discharge but now some blood too is coming out. Is that normal. I have had a hysterectomy eleven yrs ago so not used to this blood. Is it normal? And I also cramp just like I am having a period. Anyone else…
More about HPV - adding to the conversation
Way back when .... 70s and 80s they did not test for HPV. If a person had an abnormal pap, let's say, squamous atypia, dysplasia or carcinoma in situ .... This is usually associated with HPV. To add to what Martha outlined in "see these websites"... More than 80 percent of all sexually active people have HPV. The vaccine…
another hair question
Ok, so I'm 9 full weeks out from my last chemo treatment and my hair is STILL coming out in clumps in the shower. I'm not bald, just very very thin and thinning. Has anyone else experienced this, this far out from chemo? The chemo nurse said she doesn't think it's chemo related but I wanted to poll the people who've…
irish Proverb.....
I just wanted to share this.....so true. Stay well. A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. - Irish Proverb
Check out this website
I found this website and think it's worth a visit. http://www.analtalking.com/default.html
ache in bones
I know a lot has mentioned the stiff hips and sore bones but does this go away. i cant sit or lay or lean on any part of my hips or behind without it getting sore for more than 10 minutes. should i start exercising or something or should i continue to rest to help heal things? i can walk fairly well but i do feel a bit of…
telling people you had anal cancer
does anyone have any advice on how to change my thought process on being so embaressed for having this type of cancer. i dont even go out with the fear of someone asking me what type i had. i feel so alone, sad and borter line falling into a depression. i only feel comfortable around my kids and husband. i havent seen…
Hair loss
I finished radiation Jan 14. I finished chemo Dec 14 (went through 2 cycles) My hair is very very thin and continues to fall out. It is really dry. When my hair stop falling out. My pubic hair was completely gone but i's going back, but the hair on my head is still thinning. Does anyone else have this problem? Thanks for…
Vaginal sores!
Just curious if vaginal sores always happen with radiation? I just had my last treatment on Friday and over the weekend and still, I got some very painful sores down there and they are horrible! Will they go away soon I hope? Please any imput would be helpful!!
Sacral Insufficiency Fractures - radiation damage
I'm about 2 years post treatment and had my follow-up CT scan, which showed some changes in my sacrum. My physicians recommended an an MRI to rule out any spread of cancer to the bones ... which showed Sacral Insufficiency Fractures (no cancer!). Has anyone else encountered this complication, which causes pain in the lower…
The wonders of cancer!!!!!!!!
I know this is the anal cancer site but its also my family. On the breast cancer site (my other family) there is a woman who is a 25+yr breast cancer survivor. She was originally dx with IDC Stage3A and received surgery, chemo, rad, along with yrs of daily med. 20yrs later bone matastasis, more rad, and daily AI med, last…
When will my side effects go away?
Just finished treatments on Friday. When will I start to see any improvements as far as the healing goes. I am having some pretty bad side effects going on. If anyone can help me with this please chime in :)
narrow stools
I was diagnosed with anal cancer last Oct. I had Stage 1 possible Stage 2. I went through chemo and radiation. I finished radiation Jan 14. I had a CT scan and no cancer so far. I have to have a sigmoidoscopy done in April just to make sure. Over the last couple of weeks my stools have become very narrow. It feels like I…
tests after treatment proticol
Hello all ! can anyone let me know what the standard type of testing that should or needs to be done once treatment is complete. i find i have to ask for things or it doesnt get done or mentioned with my doctors. its like they think if shes not concerned than its not needed. dont get me wrong they are very nice and are…
Throat burns.
I received a diagnosis of Anal Cancer early February 2013. I have complete 5 radiation treatments and 1 week of Chemo infusion. On about the 3rd day I thought I was just sick from Chemo, but I had contracted a virus that moved into Bronchitus. Happy Happy Joy Joy. I have been very sick but seem to be improving from the…
Vaginal Dialators after Pelvic Radiation for anal cancer
I saw my radiation onc at the beginning of this week. He told me he was giving me a vaginal dialator because the radiation has caused scar tissue and I need to use it so nothing closes. I was surprised because he didn't mention this to me before I had treatments. So I use it 10 minutes a day and it is still painful. I do…
radiation side affect
hello again all...there something i want to ask and its kind of embarassing but here it goes. from the radiation treatment i have a really sticky gross yellw discharge coming out of my lady parts. thats one thing thats weird but if i dont put any cream between both vulva sides it actually binds together like crazy glue and…
new - stage 3
Just figured out how to make new entry. does anyone know what type of treatment a stage 3 would be. im scared because im thinking i was treated as a stage 1 or 2. i finished 4 days ago but after reading a lot of these entries i seem to have had the same treatment as most 1or2 stages and sometimes even less radiation. they…
NCCN guidelines re. Suveillance
Well, given the week that I have had, I finally broke down and registered with NCCn to read guidelines. If I am reading this correctly, scans are NOT part of the accepted protocol for surveillance for stage 1-2 anal cancer. It appears that what is recommended is DRE and anascope every 3 - 6 months for 5 years. So, given…
genetic testing?
I've been asked by one of my siblings if I'd had any genetic testing as a part of the whole diagnosis/treatment biz. We have another sibling who has survived colon cancer. My sister's gynecologist is interested in testing her because of the two of us having had colon and anal cancer. I know that I reported my brother's…

Anal Cancer

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