wind or worse?

LaCh

anyone post treatment feel challenged in differentiating between "wind" or worse? A pft! or an expulsion of something more substantial?  The is it wind or is it worse and oops!  Ok, I have my answer. Worse.  This is a new one on me (well, new in the greater context of my life. I've noticed it since immediately post treatment or maybe even before it ended, I don't remember). The only safe way to deal with it seems to err on the side of caution and risk nothing...

Anyone else have this?  

sephie

yes

yes and lots of folks have this.... earlier posts with the same question.... i am still having it and if i feel something i go to bath to check it out....change undies and clean up if need to ... or just go as fast as i can to get to a toilet whether i need it or not.... this is common...i am almost 4 years post tx....  sephie

mp327

LaCh

In the words of Jack Nicholson in "The Bucket List," "never trust a fart."  I think all anal cancer survivors will agree that those are words to live by and take seriously!  This has happened to me so many times.  If I had a dollar for each time it's happened, I could have lots of fun at the mall.  I usually take no chances and head to the bathroom.  When I am not near one or can't make it in time, I can only hope for the best outcome (actually, no outcome, if you know what I mean).  I am not trying to make light of this issue that we all probably deal with, but yet I am.  I think there are just some things we have to laugh about in this journey or else we'd be crying over them. 

This most likely has to do with two things, as I see it.  Less control of the muscles that control such things and decreased perception in the anal area that does not always know one thing from the other.  Believe me, you are not alone in this.

LaCh

mp327 said:

LaCh

In the words of Jack Nicholson in "The Bucket List," "never trust a fart."  I think all anal cancer survivors will agree that those are words to live by and take seriously!  This has happened to me so many times.  If I had a dollar for each time it's happened, I could have lots of fun at the mall.  I usually take no chances and head to the bathroom.  When I am not near one or can't make it in time, I can only hope for the best outcome (actually, no outcome, if you know what I mean).  I am not trying to make light of this issue that we all probably deal with, but yet I am.  I think there are just some things we have to laugh about in this journey or else we'd be crying over them. 

This most likely has to do with two things, as I see it.  Less control of the muscles that control such things and decreased perception in the anal area that does not always know one thing from the other.  Believe me, you are not alone in this.

that's funny

Never trust a fart?  That's funny. And for hoping for the best outcome? yes, I know what you mean, the best outcome is no come out.  As for having to laugh, most things are funny in one way or another; it just depends upon one's point of view, whatever lens through which one views things.  I have unimparied sphincter control, but my butt can't tell a fart from an "oh, sh*t!" The latter is not a fart but by the time we both find out, me and my butt, it's sometimes... a liiiiiitttle too late.  Never trust a fart, yeah, a good rule to live by.

 

RoseC

Made me smile

Yes, to all of the above. Love the Jack N comment.

LaCh

RoseC said:

Made me smile

Yes, to all of the above. Love the Jack N comment.

well, the entire thing

gives Oh, sh*t! a whole new meaning.

sandysp

LaCh said:

well, the entire thing

gives Oh, sh*t! a whole new meaning.

certain foods

Certain foods are worse than others. I used to love cole slaw and made it several times a week. Now the only cabbage I eat is saurkraut, which has a lot of probiotics and is very digestible. I am now a vegan who avoids wheat and corn. But everything is working a lot better now. There are so many vegetables, legumes and fruits (including nuts) to choose from even without my beloved cole slaw! Try adding foods slowly to this "applesauce" diet which I almost completely forgot about. My guess is that you need to drink "gallons" of water to go with the Metumucil and that should help with the bloating. Psyllium Husks absolutely control this for me unless I eat something pretty outrageous.

Good luck. You are still very early in this healing process. It takes a lot of patience to get over this treatment and some days are clearly better than others. I still have accidents from time to time also. But it's a lot better than it used to be and some of this is because I am trying to put less burden on this digestive system of mine and am pretty religious about the Psyllium Husks.

By the way, Coconut water is very good for dehydration and electrolyte balance.

All the best,

Sandy

 

RoseC

sandysp said:

certain foods

Certain foods are worse than others. I used to love cole slaw and made it several times a week. Now the only cabbage I eat is saurkraut, which has a lot of probiotics and is very digestible. I am now a vegan who avoids wheat and corn. But everything is working a lot better now. There are so many vegetables, legumes and fruits (including nuts) to choose from even without my beloved cole slaw! Try adding foods slowly to this "applesauce" diet which I almost completely forgot about. My guess is that you need to drink "gallons" of water to go with the Metumucil and that should help with the bloating. Psyllium Husks absolutely control this for me unless I eat something pretty outrageous.

Good luck. You are still very early in this healing process. It takes a lot of patience to get over this treatment and some days are clearly better than others. I still have accidents from time to time also. But it's a lot better than it used to be and some of this is because I am trying to put less burden on this digestive system of mine and am pretty religious about the Psyllium Husks.

By the way, Coconut water is very good for dehydration and electrolyte balance.

All the best,

Sandy

 

Thanks Sandy

I didn't know sauerkraut was an ok thing to eat. Thanks!

Marynb

Yes!
Honestly, that is why I love this board. It is great to be able to laugh with someone who has been there! I avoid gassy foods altogether. I have had some mad dashes to the closest ladies room, only to pass gas. Not very dignified, but it is what it is.

islandgirlculebra

Marynb said:

Yes!
Honestly, that is why I love this board. It is great to be able to laugh with someone who has been there! I avoid gassy foods altogether. I have had some mad dashes to the closest ladies room, only to pass gas. Not very dignified, but it is what it is.

I would guess all of us know

I would guess all of us know every restroom available within a 20 miles radius of our homes! I've had to hot-foot it many times from the back of Walmart to the restrooms in the front! lol

LaCh

sandysp said:

certain foods

Certain foods are worse than others. I used to love cole slaw and made it several times a week. Now the only cabbage I eat is saurkraut, which has a lot of probiotics and is very digestible. I am now a vegan who avoids wheat and corn. But everything is working a lot better now. There are so many vegetables, legumes and fruits (including nuts) to choose from even without my beloved cole slaw! Try adding foods slowly to this "applesauce" diet which I almost completely forgot about. My guess is that you need to drink "gallons" of water to go with the Metumucil and that should help with the bloating. Psyllium Husks absolutely control this for me unless I eat something pretty outrageous.

Good luck. You are still very early in this healing process. It takes a lot of patience to get over this treatment and some days are clearly better than others. I still have accidents from time to time also. But it's a lot better than it used to be and some of this is because I am trying to put less burden on this digestive system of mine and am pretty religious about the Psyllium Husks.

By the way, Coconut water is very good for dehydration and electrolyte balance.

All the best,

Sandy

 

sandysp

Thanks, yes...

Actually, I am a vegetarian and have been for some time. I grow my own kefir for probiotics (something of an art/science that you have to get the hang of but once you do, if you like the taste of kefir, is well-worth the effort). I prepare my own electrolyte drink with potassium and magnesium, don't take supplemental calcium for reasons I won't go into here and actually, don't take much of anything "supplemental." As for accidents... I can't really call them accidents although they're certainly not on-purposes. They're more along the lines of Oh. I guess that wasn't a fart. Thanks for the comments and feedback.

Marynb

islandgirlculebra said:

I would guess all of us know

I would guess all of us know every restroom available within a 20 miles radius of our homes! I've had to hot-foot it many times from the back of Walmart to the restrooms in the front! lol

Finding restrooms
There must be an app for that?? Wouldn't it be great if we could just use our gps to locate the nearest restroom?

mxperry220

Welcome to the Club

Unfortunately this seems to be a side effect of the treatments.  I am 4 years 3 months post treatment and still take 2 immodium daily.  Even though I have no diarrhea I have several BMs daily.  I am now taking an over the counter product named TruBiotics which has really decreased my BM frequency.  I asked my colon rectal sugeon about this product last week and he said to keep taking it.  It helps regulate colon acitivity and boosts the immunity system.  My BM norm before treatment was 1-2 times daily.  My new norm seems to be 3-4 times daily.  The sense of urgency has greatly diminished over the years.  For the first two years if I left the house I made sure I knew where the nearest restroom was.  Hope this helps.

Mike

LaCh

islandgirlculebra said:

I would guess all of us know

I would guess all of us know every restroom available within a 20 miles radius of our homes! I've had to hot-foot it many times from the back of Walmart to the restrooms in the front! lol

not me

I have the opposite problem, a very very slow gut. But I always have, so I'm back to the way I've always been. Neither extreme is good, neither is comfortable.

LaCh

mxperry220 said:

Welcome to the Club

Unfortunately this seems to be a side effect of the treatments.  I am 4 years 3 months post treatment and still take 2 immodium daily.  Even though I have no diarrhea I have several BMs daily.  I am now taking an over the counter product named TruBiotics which has really decreased my BM frequency.  I asked my colon rectal sugeon about this product last week and he said to keep taking it.  It helps regulate colon acitivity and boosts the immunity system.  My BM norm before treatment was 1-2 times daily.  My new norm seems to be 3-4 times daily.  The sense of urgency has greatly diminished over the years.  For the first two years if I left the house I made sure I knew where the nearest restroom was.  Hope this helps.

Mike

probiotics

For those who are motivated to do so, growing your own  probiotics with kefir granules is the most effective way to get the benefits, the wide spectrum of probiotics and the maximum bioavailability.  It takes some finesse but once you get the hang of it, it's actually quite easy and once you do get the hang of it, the only thing required is a steady supply of milk to ferment (goat or cow) and a taste for kefir (although you can add things to it if you don't like the taste...fruit for example, to create a smoothie).  I happen to like the taste, thick, tart and sour so I just drink it straight. Also, if you tend toward diarrhea, you let it ferment from 24-36 hours, if you tend towards constipation, you don't let it ferment beyond 12.  The cultures are live and you need to keep them alive by feeding them a steady supply of milk (they "eat" the lactose [[sugar]]).  Anyway, it's the best way to maximize the benefits of probiotics, since you're dealing with live cultures, not supplements.  If anyone wants more info, ask me.