Home Sweet Home

nellie67
nellie67 Member Posts: 28 Member
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1
Im finally home after 2 months at MD Anderson. Its been bout 9 days since my last radiation treatment, Im feeling a little better. At first I was truly miserable but its lessened some and the burning is not as intense. I wondered if anyone after the treatment experienced UTI type symptoms, Im having alot of urgency type sensations and the feeling of not completely emptying the bladder after I go. My last visit with my Dr. he mentioned that after testing my urine I had a slight UTI and he gave me Levaquin. I took the Levaquin for 7 days which was prescribed but I continue to have these issues. I know the radiation burned my uretha and that too could be causing these problems. If anyone out there has some imput Id sure like to hear from you. Also just to say Im so glad to be home, it really has made a difference for me to be around my family now. I hope to heal quickly and start feeling better. Thanks for all the support.
nell

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    Hi Nell!
    I'm so glad to hear you are home. As regards the urinary issues, I had a LOT of burning upon urination, along with feeling like I had to go all the time, even when I didn't. My doctor told me it was from the radiation, as it burns the urethra. Hang in there, as it will eventually go away. I wish you a speedy recovery!
  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #3
    mp327 said:

    Hi Nell!
    I'm so glad to hear you are home. As regards the urinary issues, I had a LOT of burning upon urination, along with feeling like I had to go all the time, even when I didn't. My doctor told me it was from the radiation, as it burns the urethra. Hang in there, as it will eventually go away. I wish you a speedy recovery!

    Nell
    Welcome Home, I know I would be home sick if I was away for 2 months. As far as the UTI, I didn't have issues, but I did notice my uretha was a darker pink and had that checked out. The gyno said is was a cap and was common, and if I wanted it removed I could have that done, but it wasn't necessary. Well I don't want it removed. I hope you will get the answers to your questions from your gyno. Lori
  • nonichol
    nonichol Member Posts: 170
    #4
    urinary
    Hi Nell,
    I am five weeks out from treatment. The first week or two after I would urinate down my leg and I did not even realize I had to go. That has stopped, thankfully. Oh yeah, and I could not sleep more than an hour or two without getting up to go. That has stopped too.
    I am glad you are back home and can begin recovery.
    Norma
  • duckyann
    duckyann Member Posts: 159
    #5
    Hi Nell - I am happy that
    Hi Nell - I am happy that you are at home and comfortable in your own surroundings. I really think that will help with your recovery a lot. I also had problems with burning and urgency during and after treatments. I literally had to stand during treatments to urinate.....(I know it sounds weird) but I could not go if I sat. It did get better within a month or so out of treatments. Hang in there and keep us updated.

    Nancy
  • sissy310
    sissy310 Member Posts: 300
    #6
    Hi Nel - Glad you are home
    Hi Nel - Glad you are home now, I know being in your own environment will help with the healing...I was only in the hospital 5 days but once I got home I felt so much better because I was around my own bathroom and bedroom and my own "stuff." I too had burning when I urinated when I first finished treatment (about 7 weeks ago) and the urgency was there quite a bit as well but as the weeks progressed it got less and less. I have found though I need to drink a lot of water and fluids. If I do not, it burns again a bit and I feel like I have a UTI. But when I pick up on the water intake it gets much better. Hope that each day you feel better and better. Mariyne
  • nellie67
    nellie67 Member Posts: 28 Member
    #7
    sissy310 said:

    Hi Nel - Glad you are home
    Hi Nel - Glad you are home now, I know being in your own environment will help with the healing...I was only in the hospital 5 days but once I got home I felt so much better because I was around my own bathroom and bedroom and my own "stuff." I too had burning when I urinated when I first finished treatment (about 7 weeks ago) and the urgency was there quite a bit as well but as the weeks progressed it got less and less. I have found though I need to drink a lot of water and fluids. If I do not, it burns again a bit and I feel like I have a UTI. But when I pick up on the water intake it gets much better. Hope that each day you feel better and better. Mariyne

    Thanks everyone
    I ended up going to a walk in clinic and having my urine tested which did come back postive for leukocytes (white blood cells) which can be an indication of a UTI, so I asked for bactrim and she also gave me a stronger version of Azos. Its helping some but I still have some of those issues of urgency and burning even a little itching, so Im certain its the burn from the radiation. Im drinking tons of water and cranberry juice so much that Im on the toilet most the day but it does make it feel better the more I drink....strange. Everything seems to be on the mend and Im trying to get back in the groove of life. I seem to have moments where I feel very helpless and I really dislike that feeling, I want to be strong and confident. I suppose it kinda goes with the territory, having cancer is a hard blow as you all know, I want to get past these feelings. Does it just take time?
    nell
  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #8
    nellie67 said:

    Thanks everyone
    I ended up going to a walk in clinic and having my urine tested which did come back postive for leukocytes (white blood cells) which can be an indication of a UTI, so I asked for bactrim and she also gave me a stronger version of Azos. Its helping some but I still have some of those issues of urgency and burning even a little itching, so Im certain its the burn from the radiation. Im drinking tons of water and cranberry juice so much that Im on the toilet most the day but it does make it feel better the more I drink....strange. Everything seems to be on the mend and Im trying to get back in the groove of life. I seem to have moments where I feel very helpless and I really dislike that feeling, I want to be strong and confident. I suppose it kinda goes with the territory, having cancer is a hard blow as you all know, I want to get past these feelings. Does it just take time?
    nell

    Nell
    Hi Nell,

    Its good that you went to have this checked out so soon. I know when I would use the bathroom I would use the sports water bottle to squirt while going, now if I hadn't done that the tissue around the uretha would burn. Eventually, I asked the gyno what would help in healing the skin in the vagianl area and was prescribed estrace cream, which helped immensly. Just recently I had vats surgery and the nurse told me to only use anti-bacterial soap, due to the incisions. Well I found out that the soap has really helped heal my irritated perinium area (between vagina and anus) and a small sore there has finally disappeared. I will continue to use this soap. (Dial anti-bacterial bar soap).

    I also had good days and bad days. I think its just part of the whole picture, to be able to feel all the emotions and physical conditions we have all been through. I just know that it does get better and as you get stronger physically you will get stronger emotionally. I wish you well. Lori
  • JDuke
    JDuke Member Posts: 438
    #9
    z said:

    Nell
    Hi Nell,

    Its good that you went to have this checked out so soon. I know when I would use the bathroom I would use the sports water bottle to squirt while going, now if I hadn't done that the tissue around the uretha would burn. Eventually, I asked the gyno what would help in healing the skin in the vagianl area and was prescribed estrace cream, which helped immensly. Just recently I had vats surgery and the nurse told me to only use anti-bacterial soap, due to the incisions. Well I found out that the soap has really helped heal my irritated perinium area (between vagina and anus) and a small sore there has finally disappeared. I will continue to use this soap. (Dial anti-bacterial bar soap).

    I also had good days and bad days. I think its just part of the whole picture, to be able to feel all the emotions and physical conditions we have all been through. I just know that it does get better and as you get stronger physically you will get stronger emotionally. I wish you well. Lori

    Hi Nell,
    Lori's comment about your emotional health improving as you realize that you are feeling better physically, is right on target. Believe it or not you will reach a point where you will have days that conclude with a realization of just how good it was to not be cancer focused that day. It just takes time.

    As far as the burning issues, oh how I can sympathize. That was without exception the worst of my treatment. I remember sitting in the bathroom literally screaming in pain. My poor husband would come in there and just be grief sticken by his helplessness. Thank goodness it was temporary, even though at the time it seemed like an eternity. I realized, after the fact, that the worst of this may have been due to my being severely dehydrated. The suggestion to injest as much fluid as you can is good advice.

    Listen to your body, pamper yourself, rest if you need to, try distraction techniques like movies and TV and above all know that you are strong enough to get to the other side of this.

    Blessings,
    Joanne
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #10
    nellie67 said:

    Thanks everyone
    I ended up going to a walk in clinic and having my urine tested which did come back postive for leukocytes (white blood cells) which can be an indication of a UTI, so I asked for bactrim and she also gave me a stronger version of Azos. Its helping some but I still have some of those issues of urgency and burning even a little itching, so Im certain its the burn from the radiation. Im drinking tons of water and cranberry juice so much that Im on the toilet most the day but it does make it feel better the more I drink....strange. Everything seems to be on the mend and Im trying to get back in the groove of life. I seem to have moments where I feel very helpless and I really dislike that feeling, I want to be strong and confident. I suppose it kinda goes with the territory, having cancer is a hard blow as you all know, I want to get past these feelings. Does it just take time?
    nell

    Hi Nell!
    As has already been said, it will take some time to get past all of this emotional stuff, but it does get easier as you go along. You are still feeling the effects of the treatment, so it's hard to not focus on cancer most of the time. But as your pain eases, you will be able to direct your mind to other places more often. I had severe burning with urination, so I feel your pain, but mine eased pretty quickly after treatment ended, so stay positive! Keep drinking that fluid, as it will certainly help. As always, I wish you the very best and I hope you'll keep us posted.
  • nonichol
    nonichol Member Posts: 170
    #11
    nellie67 said:

    Thanks everyone
    I ended up going to a walk in clinic and having my urine tested which did come back postive for leukocytes (white blood cells) which can be an indication of a UTI, so I asked for bactrim and she also gave me a stronger version of Azos. Its helping some but I still have some of those issues of urgency and burning even a little itching, so Im certain its the burn from the radiation. Im drinking tons of water and cranberry juice so much that Im on the toilet most the day but it does make it feel better the more I drink....strange. Everything seems to be on the mend and Im trying to get back in the groove of life. I seem to have moments where I feel very helpless and I really dislike that feeling, I want to be strong and confident. I suppose it kinda goes with the territory, having cancer is a hard blow as you all know, I want to get past these feelings. Does it just take time?
    nell

    time
    Nell,
    I guess it does take time. I am only six weeks out of treatment. After treatment I finally felt all the emotions from the diagnosis and treatment. Also my fatigue was worse after treatment. Finally I started to get relief from the fatigue a couple weeks ago. This week I believe my emotional state is improving. Hang in there.
    Lori's last paragraph is perfect and sums it all up well.
    Norma

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