Bowel Management after Rectal polyp surgical excision #2

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Irongirl
Irongirl Member Posts: 1
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi All:

 

I am new to the site. Just a little background in 2011 I went in for my routine 50 year old colonoscopy (a few months after my 50th bday). I had 15 polyps removed over two colonoscopys they were all over my colon. One in the rectum showed up as dysplasia on first scope then high grade on the turn at scope #2 and it was suggested I have it surgically excised which I did on 10/31/11 - Biopsy was Low grade intraepithelial adenocarcinoma arising in a background of villous adenoma with high grade dysplasia. Margins negative for tumor and Lymphatic Vascular Invasion LVI not identified.  So short of going every 3 months for look see's with my surgeon and a colonoscopy to follow in a year no further treatment was required. They got it about as early ad they could. 

 

Fast forward to May 2013. Colonoscopy #3 showed three more polyp areas. One Cecum benign, a cluster in upper rectum above the surgery site benign and #3 again in rectum came back bad - infilitrating adenocarcinoma well-differentiated. I had been told there was a 50/50 chance of a recurrence of rectal cancer. So I am now on the bad side of that.  I had this little bugger removed Monday 8/12/13 waiting for followup and biospsy results and if chemo/radiation is warranted seeing its my second bad one. 

I'm doing Sitz baths to help heal and bacitracin ointment on anal opening  but am having a harder time managing my bowel function. Mind you Im only 4 days out of surgery but sometimes Im soft and have control other times I it just comes and its loose and mucousy. I know the mucous is normal and produced when passing stool. I have been using metamucil to try to bulk up and I swear its just going thru me!! I also just got tested as low in Vitamin D which probably has something to do with my ability to absorp.

 

So I am looking for #1 some bowel management tips.... and #2 if anyone has had two transanal excisions and what the followup treatment was after? Should I push for some chemo so as not to have recurrence #3? Should I be happy they are catching the bad stuff as early as they are? 

 

Thanks for reading along. My spirits are good even with the bowel accidents I have (its just poop!!).  I feel like I should insure my booty like J LO :)

Lori C aka Irongirl

Comments

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #2
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    Hi Lori C

    Sorry that you had the need to find this site, but glad you are here with your questions.

    Best thing to do is to talk to your surgeon regarding your bowel management issues, since it is so soon after your surgery.

    You have to be careful with trying to "bulk up" without his/her advice as you don't want to get constipated.

    It may be that there are dietary changes you can make.  Keep a diary of the foods you eat each day and how your bowels react.  When you get a day of little control, then assess the foods you ate and see if you can identify something that you ate which might have contributed to it.

    Wishing you best success with your treatment options.

    Marie who loves kitties

  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #3
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    Chemo

    Since they are still polyps and had not grown into malignant cancer tumors, they would be right I do believe in not giving chemo.  Catching it at the polyp stage is the way to go.  Sounds like you're in for the yearly colonoscopies like I'm supposed to have done (missed one year colonoscopy and it became a cancerous tumor). So keep up those check ups and getting the polyps removed.  And yes, be THRILLED they keep catching them at that stage!!!!

    As replied earlier by Marie, check with the oncologist or surgeon As to what you can do for the accidents that are happening.

    So glad you have been getting those buggers in the early stages and glad you did the colonoscopy at age 50, smart woman!!

    Winter Marie

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