Anal Cancer

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Comments

  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    LSAULS said:

    Linda becomes a mad scientist this week-end....stay tuned
    Thanks for all the suggestions. First, the maalox does help some. also was told to use Caldesene powder and low and behold, it really did help.

    I started thinking, there must be more answers, so I'm going to experiment this weekend.

    1. If the miracle mouthwash works on your mouth....might it help with the burning butt?...stay tuned :)

    2. Going to mix some aloe from my garden, some benedryl cream and some emla cream...

    3. Aquaphor, benedryl, cortisone cream 1 %

    4. Now that I hear about the silvadene, may try mixing it as well.

    DogsMom, I'm taking 8 immodium per day, now worse at night which I guess is better than during the day when I'm working, but sure not getting much sleep!

    Will check back in on Monday.

    I read your posts - all the recommendations seemed good
    However, I noticed you say you can't sleep - or don't sleep well. Sleep is a big part of healing. You mentioned you don't like sleeping pills, but will take compazine. Compazine - prescribed for nausea, does work for nausea - but it has a side effect no one mentioned to me for a while - it can make you anxious and it makes it difficult to sleep.

    Have you talked to your doctors about ambien, attivan, klonopin or whatever to help you sleep? Or maybe meditation or yoga?

    I was diagnosed colon cancer - stage IIIA - in January 2007. Did folfox, surgery, radiation with 5FU. Am currently ned. Had a very hard time with the oxaliplatin and consumed ever nausea med ever invented - or so it seemed. I also had trouble sleeping. Was given Ambien CR - and klonopin for anxiety - worked and stopped the tinesus (sp?) I had from the frequent diahrea.

    Might be worth looking into sleeping aids - pills or other things.

    Pam
  • LSAULS
    LSAULS Member Posts: 8
    THE MAD SCIENTIST AT WORK.
    the mouthwash actually did work, poured some into a little dish and used cotton balls. Only didn't last long.

    next (DON"T) mixed fresh aloe, benedryl and cortaid....BURNED...good for another sitz bath.

    This worked also for awhile. Put Emla cream on with with a q tip then doused with caldescene, that actually worked for about an hour.

    Next, tried just dabbing on Mylanta...no help.

    Still no majic bullets. Can I just disconnect that part of my body for a few months?

    I have not been able to sleep because of the burning and itching. Last night I decided I had to get some sleep if I was gonna work, so I took a compazine, then 1hr later 1/4 or a percocet, then 30 min after another 1/4, then 30 min later the other half. I slept for FOUR solid hours...thought I was in heaven! (normally anything stronger then Tylenol extra strenth doesn't stay in my stomach long(

    Sat night I tried Restoril, but that didn't even make me sleepy) Today is number 15 of 30. I WILL make it through.

    How was everyone's Valentines Day?

    Linda
  • LSAULS
    LSAULS Member Posts: 8
    pamness said:

    I read your posts - all the recommendations seemed good
    However, I noticed you say you can't sleep - or don't sleep well. Sleep is a big part of healing. You mentioned you don't like sleeping pills, but will take compazine. Compazine - prescribed for nausea, does work for nausea - but it has a side effect no one mentioned to me for a while - it can make you anxious and it makes it difficult to sleep.

    Have you talked to your doctors about ambien, attivan, klonopin or whatever to help you sleep? Or maybe meditation or yoga?

    I was diagnosed colon cancer - stage IIIA - in January 2007. Did folfox, surgery, radiation with 5FU. Am currently ned. Had a very hard time with the oxaliplatin and consumed ever nausea med ever invented - or so it seemed. I also had trouble sleeping. Was given Ambien CR - and klonopin for anxiety - worked and stopped the tinesus (sp?) I had from the frequent diahrea.

    Might be worth looking into sleeping aids - pills or other things.

    Pam

    Pam
    seeing Dr tomorrow and am going to ask him for something for sleep and something to take the edge off the pain that maybe I can take and not need to take the compazine. Thanks for the suggestion!

    Linda
  • cathyvee
    cathyvee Member Posts: 5
    Just had to respond . . .
    I just discovered this site, but couldn't get sign-on to work without webmaster intervention. I so wanted to respond to you because I'm female, and was 56 when diagnosed. Not so long ago, I went through what you're facing.

    The big thing to remember is that everyone reacts differently. I spent most of the time sleeping, my husband tells me (my chemo affected my memory, so a lot of the 5-1/2 weeks is a bit of a blur), had virtually no nausea, and developed only one minor mouth sore. I lost a lot of my hair, but could never bring myself to shave my head. For women, I think the hair loss thing is one of the more traumatic moments of having cancer. (And, as my balding husband pointed out, my hair grew back! And I didn't know that your local American Cancer Society office has wigs, hats and scarves for you, free.) I didn't have much pain at all until the 4th week. And from then on the pain got steadily worse, until it peaked about 3 weeks after the last radiation treatment, just like my Dr. said it would.

    Sitz baths will help enormously. And if you're too tired or fatigued to get undressed and get in the bathtub, go pick up a Futuro Sitz Bath that sits on the toilet. Another thing that really helped me get through the day was to squirt lukewarm water directly on the burned parts WHILE urinating, and to use the water instead of toilet paper. My sister told me about this one, something she was advised to do after childbirth. You can get a plastic squeeze bottle at most drug stores -- not a spray bottle, but a squeeze bottle, like the kind you use for mustard. We also bought a new attachment for the shower, one with a hose so it could reach the floor of the shower stall and had different adjustments for water flow. It had one setting that was just a gentle gush of water and that thing was a life-saver.

    After every water treatment, it's vital that you let the area dry completely. If you have a hair dryer that will blow unheated air, that will work the quickest. (Blowing hot air on the area will just make things worse.) I preferred lying on the bed spread-eagle with a sheet over me -- got in a lot of reading that way.

    I don't want to scare you, but the burns probably will be pretty painful. I recall that going to the bathroom involved some crying and screaming for a few weeks. I also remember not being able to sit properly for a couple weeks -- had to sit sideways, on my upper thighs. Just remember that it's TEMPORARY. And DO talk to your doctor about vaginal burns -- my doctor didn't mention it and I actually grew shut. Fixing that was very nearly as painful as the radiation. I've never liked heavy duty pain pills so can't give you any advice in that regard.

    Try to stay positive, and remember people like me -- I've been cancer free since the treatment, and didn't require any cancer surgery. It's a bit of a harsh treatment, but it really does work!

    Best of luck
  • dasspears
    dasspears Member Posts: 227
    cathyvee said:

    Just had to respond . . .
    I just discovered this site, but couldn't get sign-on to work without webmaster intervention. I so wanted to respond to you because I'm female, and was 56 when diagnosed. Not so long ago, I went through what you're facing.

    The big thing to remember is that everyone reacts differently. I spent most of the time sleeping, my husband tells me (my chemo affected my memory, so a lot of the 5-1/2 weeks is a bit of a blur), had virtually no nausea, and developed only one minor mouth sore. I lost a lot of my hair, but could never bring myself to shave my head. For women, I think the hair loss thing is one of the more traumatic moments of having cancer. (And, as my balding husband pointed out, my hair grew back! And I didn't know that your local American Cancer Society office has wigs, hats and scarves for you, free.) I didn't have much pain at all until the 4th week. And from then on the pain got steadily worse, until it peaked about 3 weeks after the last radiation treatment, just like my Dr. said it would.

    Sitz baths will help enormously. And if you're too tired or fatigued to get undressed and get in the bathtub, go pick up a Futuro Sitz Bath that sits on the toilet. Another thing that really helped me get through the day was to squirt lukewarm water directly on the burned parts WHILE urinating, and to use the water instead of toilet paper. My sister told me about this one, something she was advised to do after childbirth. You can get a plastic squeeze bottle at most drug stores -- not a spray bottle, but a squeeze bottle, like the kind you use for mustard. We also bought a new attachment for the shower, one with a hose so it could reach the floor of the shower stall and had different adjustments for water flow. It had one setting that was just a gentle gush of water and that thing was a life-saver.

    After every water treatment, it's vital that you let the area dry completely. If you have a hair dryer that will blow unheated air, that will work the quickest. (Blowing hot air on the area will just make things worse.) I preferred lying on the bed spread-eagle with a sheet over me -- got in a lot of reading that way.

    I don't want to scare you, but the burns probably will be pretty painful. I recall that going to the bathroom involved some crying and screaming for a few weeks. I also remember not being able to sit properly for a couple weeks -- had to sit sideways, on my upper thighs. Just remember that it's TEMPORARY. And DO talk to your doctor about vaginal burns -- my doctor didn't mention it and I actually grew shut. Fixing that was very nearly as painful as the radiation. I've never liked heavy duty pain pills so can't give you any advice in that regard.

    Try to stay positive, and remember people like me -- I've been cancer free since the treatment, and didn't require any cancer surgery. It's a bit of a harsh treatment, but it really does work!

    Best of luck

    Question for you.....
    I am one-year out of treatment and now I'm trying to deal with vaginal canal narrowing problem. I have a set of graduated dilators and estrogen cream. May I ask how long it took you to get back to some semblance of normal?

    Thank you!
    Debra
  • bobina
    bobina Member Posts: 1
    This is important for you
    Hi, I am 50 and was diagnosed at age 49 in July 2008. I live in Indiana. All the docs told me that I needed the nigro protocol (5Fu chemo and rad) I had 2 friends who are doctors telling me that I needed to get out of town. I have never had HPV-I have IBD-colitis and psorasis-they think these were my precursors. Finally, the oncologist admitted that she did not know exactly what treatment to give me because the reports were all jacked up. She sent me to IU Med Center. There, they offer a surgery for some. It is called Transaal surgery. I was dx as T1 NX MX meaning they couldn't tell about mets or nodes. Well, of course I jumped at that...it was not pleasant but it is tolerable and easier on the body than chemo and radio. I urge you to get a second opinion at a large teaching university if possible regarding surgery vs chem radio. I had to have 2 follow ups for AIN3. There was some concern about mets in my lungs; however, everyone feels that this is a fungus found mainly in the Ohio Valley. A second opinion for your treatment is warranted. My gynie told me that this is a slow growing cancer, and depending on the grade agressive or not. Need more infor? Feel free to contact me.
    Peace to you.
  • tiny one
    tiny one Member Posts: 465 Member
    had radiation
    I had chemo and radiation for stage 3 colon cancer for 5 1/2 weeks also. I regret receiving radiation. I feel I wasn't imformed enough about the sexual side effects. Be forewarned this may render you unable to have sex. The radiation to the pelvic area can shorten and narrow the vaginal area. It can also cause alot of bowel problems for a long period of time. You may go into menopause prematurely. I did and have no more periods. Make sure you understand fully before they start this. I am 50 years old.