Maybe a little personal

wifetojeff69
wifetojeff69 Member Posts: 46
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I know this is probably not the topic anyone likes to talk about but my husband will eat and he will get a severe stomach with cramping, he will feel like he has to go to the bathroom and it starts out fairly normal but he will be in there every 30 min or so for hours then he will have diarrheah (which in itself has been bad since it causes him to have a sore bumski) It doesn't happen every time he eats but it seems like it's happening every couple of days. Is this normal, is it connected to the healing of the rest of his colon? I didn't think his stomach would be affected from a colon resection. Also he said he has pain down there when he pushes, is that normal?  He also feels like he can't completely empty his bladder.  These are all questions we have for the doctor but I feel like you who have experienced could answer it better. Sorry if its too personal.

 

Comments

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    #2
    Well, the only part I can

    Well, the only part I can answer is that when my skin down there starts to hurt because of going to bathroom a lot, I put some diaper cream on. Not sure if would help everyone, but helps me.

  • cinda
    cinda Member Posts: 65
    #3
    stomach pain

    I am at the before surgery stage and have the exact problem. I spend the first half of my day in bathroom. most the time mine is hard to get out but I have a tumor 21/2 inches up. I have to lay down with a heating pad to help relax the muscles. sometimes I get chills and want to thow up.  I quit eating out or will eat just before heading home. Its a life changer doesn't sound like surgery is going to help. I had bad diaherra before I did radition. but that is somewhat better. I hope you find some answers. I feel your pain.

        Cinda

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #4
    It could all be par for the course

    But it could not.

    There, hows that for an answer - neither here nor there. 

    All I can do, any of us can do, is share our personal experiences, which of course doesn't mean that what your husband is going through is or isn't normal.

    So, here are my experiences.

    I am six years out from treatment, and five years NED (No Evidence of Disease).  Sometimes - too often - when I am not careful what I eat, I have what I fondly call 'Bathroom Days'.  Multiple trips to the loo to do a poo - I said that because it rhymes - AND, after about trip four or five, things start getting terribly sore and the throbbing starts. 

    This is what I have learned - for me perosnally - after so many eliminations (getting proper here, now), the delicate nerves around the anal sphincter get damaged. Some of those nerves send messages to your bowels, one of which is 'I need to go now', but when the nerves are damaged, they send false messages 'I want to go now' is just a lie, so I go to the bathroom and push, push, push, but nothing comes out. All that I'm doing is hurting my already hurting nether regions - back to euphemisms - and irritating my hemorrhoids. 

    So, your husbands issues could range from the worst senario to the simplest, and the only way to find out is 1st, talk to the Oncologist, which you said you are going to do, and 2nd, I would suggest keeping a record of what he eats, and then seeing if his symptoms are worse with certain foods - which is the problem I have. 

    And please do not worry about being too perosnal.  At the end of the day, the whole rectal, genital area is part of our wondreful human body, while we need to be respectful of it, we do not need to be embarrased by it.  

    I wish hubby the best, and you too, becasue its allot of stress for you care givers. 

    Tru   -   Sorry about any spelling mistakes. I'm in a bit of a rush, and can't proof read my post. 

  • sunbeamtim
    sunbeamtim Member Posts: 4 Member
    #5
    Bowels

    Hey wifetojeff. I have had two resections 14 years apart. First one had no long term effects, the recent one ( last year) has left e very intolerant to certain types of food. Six months on from the end of chemo and virtually any type of fried food/batter will cause similar symptoms that you describe. I am still working thru what I need to eat to keep me balanced, if I am very strict with diet I can multiple days/week+ with " normal " bowel habits. Basically I seem to be errring on the side of a celiacs type diet ? Gluten in batter/white fluffy breads, cakes etc are getting to the point where the pleasure of the eating is decidely not worth the after effects. 

  • wifetojeff69
    wifetojeff69 Member Posts: 46
    #6
    sunbeamtim said:

    Bowels

    Hey wifetojeff. I have had two resections 14 years apart. First one had no long term effects, the recent one ( last year) has left e very intolerant to certain types of food. Six months on from the end of chemo and virtually any type of fried food/batter will cause similar symptoms that you describe. I am still working thru what I need to eat to keep me balanced, if I am very strict with diet I can multiple days/week+ with " normal " bowel habits. Basically I seem to be errring on the side of a celiacs type diet ? Gluten in batter/white fluffy breads, cakes etc are getting to the point where the pleasure of the eating is decidely not worth the after effects. 

    I'm sorry to hear you had to

    I'm sorry to hear you had to go through 2 resections, was it cancer both times?

    We have been keeping a close eye on his diet and so far we don't see a pattern, he hasn't eaten anything fried, or greasy, mostly rice, potatoes, a little yogurt, jellos, his appetite isn't that good right now. He even drinks water sometimes and it causes a stomach ache. I don't know, his gatro is thibking slow motility although he doesn't feel "backed up" . It's frustrating for sure.

  • wifetojeff69
    wifetojeff69 Member Posts: 46
    edited August 2019 #7
    wifetojeff69 said:

    I'm sorry to hear you had to

    I'm sorry to hear you had to go through 2 resections, was it cancer both times?

    We have been keeping a close eye on his diet and so far we don't see a pattern, he hasn't eaten anything fried, or greasy, mostly rice, potatoes, a little yogurt, jellos, his appetite isn't that good right now. He even drinks water sometimes and it causes a stomach ache. I don't know, his gatro is thibking slow motility although he doesn't feel "backed up" . It's frustrating for sure.

    It just doesnt seem right

    It just doesnt seem right that with the food he has eaten he hasn't had a bowel movement for almost 4 days now. He's worried, it's almost like he can only go if it's diarrhea when given miralax.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #8
    Four days is a little long

    I would surely have a word with his Oncologist about that. 

    Tru

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited August 2019 #9
    Sorry

    Sorry your husband is going through this but it can be common for colorectal patients to have bathroom issues, especially right after surgery. He is going to have to establish a "new normal" for him.  It might take some time, or it might be that he easily gets back into accepting a certain pattern for him.  Foods will probably have some play in it.  Not everyone is the same, especially with bathroom issues.  I'm hoping that he feels better soon, but let his doctor know what is going on.

    Kim

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