going crazy

mrsriderman
mrsriderman Member Posts: 48
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
i do not know how to put this but my bowls are crazy. one day-- everything fine and normal -- then the next day i feel URGENT to "go" evey couple of hours. it is driving me crazy. i know there are side effects to the "meds" i am on, but this is rediculous. i cant say my diet has changed-- even since my surgry. is this normal?

lisa r

Comments

  • MoonDragon
    MoonDragon Member Posts: 183
    I so feel your pain! I can't even say I'm normal yet as I yo-yo between the "runs" and being stopped up. I don't have any answers but I wanted you to know you're not alone!

    Jorie
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    Sadly, dear girl, this is the 'Way of the West' for treatment...think about it, you are treating an area that you are trying to use everyday....know that it will get better, and this will dim to a rather unpleasant memory soon...

    In the meantime, I ate banannas to slow things down, and just politely asked to use a facility wherever I was when the urge hit....I explained I am a colorectal cancer survivor...everyone was wonderful....

    Hugs, kathi
  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member
    Didn't have the same problem as I have a colostomy but it seems that there have been others here who have indicated that it can take a long time, even several years, before it settles down. That doesn't make it easier for you but it helps to know your problem is common. When I had more looseness I, like KathiM, found that bananas helped. Try to think of it as a medal of honor to beat the beast.

    ****
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    I know exactly what you're going through, too. And it is maddening. No matter what i seem to eat, or no matter what type of stool i'm going to have, the urgency is always there, and it's frequent. For me this may never end since the surgery will remove most of my "storage facility". It's difficult to have quality of life in this state, but somehow, we must achieve it.

    Many hugs,
    Krista
  • chynabear
    chynabear Member Posts: 481 Member

    I know exactly what you're going through, too. And it is maddening. No matter what i seem to eat, or no matter what type of stool i'm going to have, the urgency is always there, and it's frequent. For me this may never end since the surgery will remove most of my "storage facility". It's difficult to have quality of life in this state, but somehow, we must achieve it.

    Many hugs,
    Krista

    My resection was 10/04/2004, 3 years ago. I STILL have issues with regulararity. I remember it being more pronounced right after surgery and increased during chemo. I would have the urgency to go and then little would come out only to feel the same way a few hours later.

    Know that it does get much better, yet maybe never the same. I still struggle with either being constipated or too loose. I quickly realized that what I eat or don't eat plays a huge role in how my bowels work.

    One of my chemo nurse's gave me a great recipe for a smoothie that seems to keep my bowels the happiest.

    Mix to make milk:

    1 Cup Water
    2 Tbsp Flax Seed
    2 Tbsp Oat Meal (I use Steel Cut Oats)
    1 Handful Almonds

    Add:

    1 Banana
    1 Apple
    1 Slice Melon
    1 Cup Frozen berries or Mixed fruit

    Blend well

    Hang in there.

    Tricia
  • rmap59
    rmap59 Member Posts: 266
    Hey Lisa,
    Sounds like me. I go through this everyday and it does get crazy. Things that work sometimes for me are metimucil at night, lomotil if I am going somewhere, small frequent meals. I always carry a complete change of clothes with me and wear diapers and pads on some days. Sounds depressing but I will say that either it has gotten a little better or I am just learning to deal with it better. My surgeon said it would get better after chemo but may take a while. Patience is hard. Pray about it is my advice and I will too.

    Robin
  • rmap59
    rmap59 Member Posts: 266
    rmap59 said:

    Hey Lisa,
    Sounds like me. I go through this everyday and it does get crazy. Things that work sometimes for me are metimucil at night, lomotil if I am going somewhere, small frequent meals. I always carry a complete change of clothes with me and wear diapers and pads on some days. Sounds depressing but I will say that either it has gotten a little better or I am just learning to deal with it better. My surgeon said it would get better after chemo but may take a while. Patience is hard. Pray about it is my advice and I will too.

    Robin

    I just thought of something else that really helps me. Walking, even up and down your driveway or sometimes I walk all around my house several times. If I am having an especially bad day I just walk inside my house so I am close to the bathroom.

    Robin
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    I'm going crazy too! Glad to know I have company!After my colectomy it took over a year and half for things to to settle down. Then I had chemo for Br Ca earlier this year, which put me right back where I was with the CRC.
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    I don't know if it helps everybody, but I take Questran twice a day. As I understand it, when they biopsied the small bowel, it did something to my ability to process bile. Questran absorbs bile. Can't hurt to ask your Doc about it. I also take lomotil prn and immodium every morning and night-it's better than it was the first time around.
  • JoyceCanada
    JoyceCanada Member Posts: 134
    3cbrca said:

    I'm going crazy too! Glad to know I have company!After my colectomy it took over a year and half for things to to settle down. Then I had chemo for Br Ca earlier this year, which put me right back where I was with the CRC.

    I'm going crazy too!!! It will be 2 years on 4th January 2008 since my Sigmoid resection. Some days are "good" and some days are "BAD". I have not had a "normal" BH movement in 2 years --- I always have "baby poop"..I know this is gross but it seems as though not enough water is removed from my BM. I have been caught short many times and always carry a pair of pantees with me at all times. Immodium does help --- but I am afraid to take it "every day". Can anyone tell me if it is safe to take 1 or 2 immodium everyday? ---- I've tried "diet changes" but nothing seems to work!!
  • Limey
    Limey Member Posts: 446 Member
    For me, Juicing works to keep me regular and I have struggled with both directions also.

    I juice 4 carrots, a handful of spinach, 1/2 beet, and some purple kale every day. you can put an apple in it if you dont like the taste. for some reason, It seems to regulate me. you can also use metamusil but I prefer the chemical free method myself.
    good luck
    Mark.
  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member

    I'm going crazy too!!! It will be 2 years on 4th January 2008 since my Sigmoid resection. Some days are "good" and some days are "BAD". I have not had a "normal" BH movement in 2 years --- I always have "baby poop"..I know this is gross but it seems as though not enough water is removed from my BM. I have been caught short many times and always carry a pair of pantees with me at all times. Immodium does help --- but I am afraid to take it "every day". Can anyone tell me if it is safe to take 1 or 2 immodium everyday? ---- I've tried "diet changes" but nothing seems to work!!

    I've been taking two immodium everyday as well. I have a colostomy and the loose stool tends to plug the vent, then I have a constant balloon. As far as I know, it is safe to take the immodium regularly.

    ****
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    3cbrca said:

    I don't know if it helps everybody, but I take Questran twice a day. As I understand it, when they biopsied the small bowel, it did something to my ability to process bile. Questran absorbs bile. Can't hurt to ask your Doc about it. I also take lomotil prn and immodium every morning and night-it's better than it was the first time around.

    Hummm, I had 3 inches of small bowel removed from an obstruction after my 'big' resection. I don't seem to have any bile difficulty, but I will remember this name...Questran....just in case...never thought about the small bowel resection...just wanted to be done with everything....

    Hugs, Kathi
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    I thought of another thing that really helped-Yogurt 3 times a day. It helps to balance the intestinal flora- If you don't like yogurt you can take Multi-dophilus or Acid-dophilus. My GI doc told me to get the ones in the refrigerator case as they have more live cultures. I switched to eating lots of yogurt because I couldn't remember to take the pills.
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    KathiM said:

    Hummm, I had 3 inches of small bowel removed from an obstruction after my 'big' resection. I don't seem to have any bile difficulty, but I will remember this name...Questran....just in case...never thought about the small bowel resection...just wanted to be done with everything....

    Hugs, Kathi

    Fun Facts: You know if you have too much bile, it makes the stools a golden or yellow color...
  • mydzntz
    mydzntz Member Posts: 2
    3cbrca said:

    I thought of another thing that really helped-Yogurt 3 times a day. It helps to balance the intestinal flora- If you don't like yogurt you can take Multi-dophilus or Acid-dophilus. My GI doc told me to get the ones in the refrigerator case as they have more live cultures. I switched to eating lots of yogurt because I couldn't remember to take the pills.

    i take chorella, it's natural supplement to balance your good flora, also detoxsifies your body actually does a lot of things,please research this supplement, also i eat a good fibre breakfast, reguarly, helps make you regular again, goodluck!