bowel management

nannieg

Hello everyone. I was diagnosed with stage I colon cancer and endometrial cancer and had surgery on 1/08. My recent yearly colonoscopy showed two polyps and some areas of minor concern so I have to have another one in three months. Since my surgery I have also been diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome. I have been truly blessed in that I have not had to have any chemo, radiation, etc. I have learned so much just from reading the comments on this discussion board, so I decided to seek answers with my problem. I still have diarrhea at times and it is usually at the most inappropriate times! My husband and I have a vacation coming up and I am worried about how to handle everything. I take immodium at times and am starting on Metamucil. My question is how, when, and how often do you take it? Before breakfast, at night? I know this probaly seems like a minor problem but it really does affect many areas of my life. Any advice appreciated!!

msccolon

"minor problem" my behind!
Who of your friends would consider loss of control of their bowels as a minor problem?!!! I haven't had issues with diarrhea outside of when I was on chemo, and I had prescription medications to help. But there were times that I just wore depends if I was going out cause I didn't want to be stuck in an AWFUL mess! I even had to wear them to bed at times! Good luck and I am sure you will be getting answers to help you with this! Enjoy your vacation and welcome to our board!
mary

KathiM

Even non-cancer people have this problem...
Isn't it nice to know that you share with 'normal' people???????

I control my bowels mostly thru diet. I have identified the foods that either (1) give me gas or (2) give me the runs, and I only eat those at times when there is a bathroom handy. I eat banannas or cheese (small amount of cheese...lol...lactose intollerant) when I need help. If I 'go' for a whole day, the next, I eat BRAT (banannas, rice, applesauce, and tea) diet for a day.

In a pinch, I, too, take Immodium. I am super-sensitive to it, so I only take half of one pill at a time (once, I took the recommended amount, I was plugged for 4 DAYS...lol...stopped the runs, tho....ROFL).

If I know I'm not going to be near a 'normal' bathroom for a time period, I make sure to eat light, non-fiber food. Like on my Turkey trip, on days when I would be in the bus for hours, with no toilet on board!!!

Hugs, Kathi

tiny one

diarrhea
I had an ileostomy reversal which leaves alot of people which bathroom issues. I take lomotil, it's prescription, but it enables me to get out. I'm usually good for 6 hours without any BM trouble. Some people have problems with it but so far I haven't. I usually always wear a pad in case. Poise pads are good, their heavier than a maxi, if your going to travel. In time your issues should get alot better, mine did, please don't get discouraged.

louisevruiz

tiny one said:

diarrhea
I had an ileostomy reversal which leaves alot of people which bathroom issues. I take lomotil, it's prescription, but it enables me to get out. I'm usually good for 6 hours without any BM trouble. Some people have problems with it but so far I haven't. I usually always wear a pad in case. Poise pads are good, their heavier than a maxi, if your going to travel. In time your issues should get alot better, mine did, please don't get discouraged.

My Dad is giving up, help!
Hi,
My Dad is plagued with diarrhea for weeks now. He's experiencing a recurrence of liver cancer. He is not a candidate for another resection.. He's living on Imodium, but it's not helping at all.

He announced he's giving up and is refusing to eat at all nor take his Nexavar (chemo). He's 80 and is becoming very depressed.

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm a cancer survivor and appreciate everyone's honest input.

Louise

MoonDragon

louisevruiz said:

My Dad is giving up, help!
Hi,
My Dad is plagued with diarrhea for weeks now. He's experiencing a recurrence of liver cancer. He is not a candidate for another resection.. He's living on Imodium, but it's not helping at all.

He announced he's giving up and is refusing to eat at all nor take his Nexavar (chemo). He's 80 and is becoming very depressed.

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm a cancer survivor and appreciate everyone's honest input.

Louise

Oh, hugs to Dad!!
Oh I so feel for your dad! I felt the same way! The family joke was that they were just going to take my meals and throw them in the toilet for me so that I didn't have the discomfort of diahrrea as for awhile EVERYTHING gave me diahrrea. Nothing worked for me either. The foods that were supposed to help with diahrrea didn't help, nothing over the counter worked and no prescriptions worked either. I was scared to death to eat or drink anything. I wore diapers just about everywhere and I had horrible rashes and bled. My oncologist finally put me on an opiate based prescription (I'll see if I can get the name of it when I get home)and that actually would work for a few hours. I never got more than about 5 hours at a time without diahrrea and that was even after bringing in the big guns. I was on Belladonna for cramping which is also an opiate. Between the two I was finally able to get some sleep as I couldn't sleep without waking up in a messy diaper thus compounding the rash and bleeding. What I found that helped immensely with the acidic burning was taking Tums. Although the opiates make you kind of dopey, it might give him some relief. Please tell him to hang in there, it does eventually get better. Now I go back and forth between constipation and diahrrea but the diahrrea seems to be a once a day thing not an all day every day thing like it used to be.

Please tell him I said to hang in there and talk to his doctor about the opiate based rx's, if he's comfortable taking an opiate. He might not be but I was as desperate as he seems to be and it did help me.

keepnthefaith

Whenever
I don't think it matters when you take the Metamucil. I take it in the mornings - sometimes another dose at night if "things" don't feel right. I think the label says you can take it up to 3 times a day. I usually try to avoid a nighttime dose because it seems to give me heartburn on occasion - but heartburn is better than the runs. You might also pay attention to what foods you are eating and avoid anything that has the potential to "set you off" while on vacation. I just got back from vacation and knew to stay away from spicy foods, certain fruits and vegs, etc. I had no problems.
Have fun on your vacation.
Good luck,
Felicia

nannieg

keepnthefaith said:

Whenever
I don't think it matters when you take the Metamucil. I take it in the mornings - sometimes another dose at night if "things" don't feel right. I think the label says you can take it up to 3 times a day. I usually try to avoid a nighttime dose because it seems to give me heartburn on occasion - but heartburn is better than the runs. You might also pay attention to what foods you are eating and avoid anything that has the potential to "set you off" while on vacation. I just got back from vacation and knew to stay away from spicy foods, certain fruits and vegs, etc. I had no problems.
Have fun on your vacation.
Good luck,
Felicia

THANKS
I really appreciate all the good advice I have gotten from everyone. I may have already said this but I am constantly inspired by the stories of courage and hope that I read about on this forum. Again, thanks for all the tips!!!

Unknown

nannieg said:

THANKS
I really appreciate all the good advice I have gotten from everyone. I may have already said this but I am constantly inspired by the stories of courage and hope that I read about on this forum. Again, thanks for all the tips!!!

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