Problem going poop

mc1717

Ok, this is a subject I haven't seen much discusion about.

Today I have just started week six of 5FU (24/7 infusion pump) and radiation. For the past two weeks I have been having the usual problems I have seen here - diarhea, painful anus when going, etc. Doctor gave me some suppositories but I haven't felt much pain relief with them.

Now to my question: Whenever I go #2 I have diarhea at first but then I get a feeling like I am really constipated. It has been like this for past five days. I am wondering if this feeling of constipation is just because my rectum is so irritated from all the radiation or am I really plugged up? Since I have episodes of diarhea I kind think it can't be constipation. Dr didn't seem to be concerned.

Lastly, when will "normal" function return (I know nothing will be normal after surgery)?

Thanks,

Mickey

butterfly23

POOP
Hi Mickey
I did also have problems too, while on chemo I had alot of diarreah but what bothered me the most was the urgency feeling.. The need to have to go RIGHT AWAY! After chemo ended things got kinda back to normal, I just had surgery on Monday and now I am back to diarreah. I don't know how long this will go on for. I did not have radiation. I will ask the dr if immodium will help or not. Good luck with everything!
Karyn

KathiM

This will challenge your patience, but....
I really didn't get back to 'playdough pooh' for a year after all treatment. I had moments when things were ok, but others that were, well, explosive...(blush).

My point is.....I DID GET THERE!!! And now, at 3-plus years since end of treatment, I will put my 'new' rectum up against anyones! (Hummm, that didn't sound right...sigh...ROFL).

Easing back into the 'old fav' foods was my ticket...some I tollerated right away, others took a bit. Keeping VERY hydrated helped things move, and stabilize.

As far as the feelings you have now, I would imagine that it does have to do with the treatment, since you have shown, by performance, that you are not constipated. It's great that you discussed your concern with your doctor.

Hugs, Kathi

msccolon

Poop talk
I can't imagine too many of us being too embareassed about discussing this, at least not anymore! I have to say I spent my first 43 years spending as little time/energy as possible discussing anything number 2 related! Anyhow, I never had that full feeling we have all heard so much about, even though when my tumor was found it was so large hardly any stool could pass. I definitely had bad diarrhea and the burning/swelling you are experiencing during chemo (all my different regimens seem to have that affect and even the narcotics after surgery didn't affect my ability to move my bowels). Neosporin ointment with pain relief helped me tremendously! I also ALWAYS use a non-alcohol based bathroom wipe! When it got so bad my hemorrhoids were bleeding, I added a hemorrhoid ointment and that seemed to do the trick. I still rarely have what a "normal" person would consider a normal bowel movement, but it certainly is more normal than diarrhea! I sometimes still have to be near a toilet if I indulge in VERY greasy food, which thankfully isn't often. My last chemo treatment of my last round was end of April. Just being able to have gas and pass it without being concerned about having to make a panty check is a good thing! LOL!
Mary

Buzzard

Rad/Chemo and #2
One word of advice***Do not eat any nuts during chemo/Rad treatments***** Also ask Dr for Aquaphor if tail gets tender. I never had the "runs" during Chemo/Rad but stayed on an immodium regimen until it was corrected and then it seemed like constipation would then set in but I always ate what I wanted also and didn't try to go by any diet to control any of it. My concern was to keep my weight up. I did lose 22 lbs while doing the Chemo/Rad but gained it all back 2# a week...I did feel that I was not in control of my bowels and I wasn't but knew that as long as I "Hydrated" myself I would be fine.....Hydration is the key here....Also "normal" function for me was about 2 weeks after Chemo/Rad..but then surgery changed that with colostomy ..............Good Luck and God Bless ya........

KathiM

KathiM said:

This will challenge your patience, but....
I really didn't get back to 'playdough pooh' for a year after all treatment. I had moments when things were ok, but others that were, well, explosive...(blush).

My point is.....I DID GET THERE!!! And now, at 3-plus years since end of treatment, I will put my 'new' rectum up against anyones! (Hummm, that didn't sound right...sigh...ROFL).

Easing back into the 'old fav' foods was my ticket...some I tollerated right away, others took a bit. Keeping VERY hydrated helped things move, and stabilize.

As far as the feelings you have now, I would imagine that it does have to do with the treatment, since you have shown, by performance, that you are not constipated. It's great that you discussed your concern with your doctor.

Hugs, Kathi

I must add,
My bowel resection removed my rectum and sig colon, so it was a bit more of a challenge than if they had only removed other parts of the colon. On top of which my surgeon 'made' a 'new' rectum for me out of descending colon...so, there was a MAJOR 'downsizing' and 'job retraining' for my colon crew!!!

Hugs, Kathi

pamness

I had the same problem, I have forgotten the name but,
it is called temmidus or something like that, and it the feeling that you have to go to the bathroom when you obviously have nothing left to do - it started in my last two weeks of radiation/5fu - it would sometimes last 4 -5 hours and was very uncomfortable. After asking and asking, my doctor prescribed delaudid (a strong narcotic), I would take one and the feeling went away and didn't come back. I only had to take it once every three for four days for a few weeks. It was well worth it. Talk to your radiation oncologist and regular oncologist and nurse practitioner. For me it was very difficult, until the prescribed the drug. Then in a few weeks it went away and never came back.

Pam