Just need to vent

coolvdub
coolvdub Member Posts: 408 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Sorry if this sounds whiney. I had to leave work early due to severe gas and cramping after lunch. This really sucks, I thought I was a little tougher than that. Good thing I went home though. After being home a couple of hours it was coming out of both ends. I have been constipated since starting Chemo last Friday, is this normal? Now I can't sleep and need to be up for work in a couple of hours, fortunately it's a short day, only 8 hours on the Friday I work. The bad thing is the laxatives don't seem to be doing the trick and I know I need to take in more fluids. Anybody got any tips for dealing with this?

Don

Comments

  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #2
    Polyvinyl Glycol...
    In a powder form you can buy over the counter usually inexpensive...I ried to take it a couple of days before my treatment started and it would keep me regular and then 3-4 days after. At the first sign of diarrhea I would stop it.....
  • Muzzy
    Muzzy Member Posts: 175 Member
    #3
    it happen to me
    I've had my last treatment 2 months ago and that always happen to me. I started taken fiber(like fiber all) afew days before the treatment and it worked like a charm. Good luck.
    an as I always say Just happy to be here.
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    #4
    fiber
    While I was doing chemo,and radiation the dr. had me taking fiber pills,and drinking a bottle of sports drink[power aid]every day,that helped ,but when it ,cramps,got real bad I just took a pain pill,and went to bed.They also had me take 1 imodium tablet a day,and that helped.I hope this helps.
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #5
    only diarrhea
    I never was constipated though very gassy. I think the infusion did stop me up which was a relief from the diarrhea of the second week. I actually looked forward to the break from being on the toilet so much the second week. For the diarrhea my naturopath recommended slippery elm powder and betonite clay, both from a local health food store. Also fiber intake helped the diarrhea. Fluid intake is critical not only to relieve constipation but to also help with elimation of the toxic chemicals. Oxaliplatin is excreted primarily through the kidneys.

    Leslie
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #6
    Chemo?
    Don, you're a week out of you last treatment? Has this ever happened before?

    I hope that you are taking your temperature regularly, and ready to go to the hospital if it gets over 100 degrees. It just doesn't sound normal to me, especially a week after chemo. Everyone reacts differently, but that sounds way harsh. Maybe you ate something that didn't agree with you?

    You know i'm a strong proponent of probiotics and superfoods. I don't know if either of those would help you with vomiting, though they couldn't hurt.

    I really feel for you, and i can't believe you're working! I know some people can do it, but egads! Maybe you need to take some time off, if even for just a day.

    I hope you feel better soon,

    Hugs,
    Krista
  • coolvdub
    coolvdub Member Posts: 408 Member
    #7
    kristasplace said:

    Chemo?
    Don, you're a week out of you last treatment? Has this ever happened before?

    I hope that you are taking your temperature regularly, and ready to go to the hospital if it gets over 100 degrees. It just doesn't sound normal to me, especially a week after chemo. Everyone reacts differently, but that sounds way harsh. Maybe you ate something that didn't agree with you?

    You know i'm a strong proponent of probiotics and superfoods. I don't know if either of those would help you with vomiting, though they couldn't hurt.

    I really feel for you, and i can't believe you're working! I know some people can do it, but egads! Maybe you need to take some time off, if even for just a day.

    I hope you feel better soon,

    Hugs,
    Krista

    Thanks everybody
    I will look into all the suggestions that have been offered. I really appreciate it, this is new ground for me, so I am learning a lot, daily it seems. My fiber intake is actually very good, since I'm also a diabetic my diet is critical to my blood sugar levels.I know about the prbiotics from your posts Krista and am going to look for them today when I get done at Kaiser, they have to change the dressing on my PICC line. Then I have to do a few errands and then I'm going to take Sheri out for a nice dinner at Souplantation, it's our 22nd anniversary today. I'm so lucky to have her in my life. And about the work thing, the best thing for me is to keep life as normal as possible, it keeps me on an even keel.

    Buzzard,
    I'm going to check out the Polyvinyl Glycol as well, I will do some research on the internet and check it out. Having multiple options that are inexpensive is a plus in my book.

    lesvanb,
    Thanks for the recommendations. do you think a natural food store wood have the slippery elm powder? and clay. And I am working on my water intake, I didn't know the Oxaliplatin was mostly evacuated through the kidneys,water intake will certainlt affect how fast I can flush it out. I seem to be more regular these days when I drink lots of water, so I really need to work on it.

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