The cancer has invaded my rectum

RaleighMusicGuy
RaleighMusicGuy Member Posts: 27
in Anal Cancer #1

Radiation and chemo therapies begin in the morning. I look forward to shrinking and ridding my body of the cancer restricting my rectum.  There is an uncomfortable feeling in my rectum that I am ready to get rid of.  Although I am not anxious to introduce radiation and chemo drugs into my system, I am ready for relief.

 

I know everyone reacts differently to these therapies, so I am expecting to have few and mild, if any side effects, from the treatments.  Some people would refer to me as Polly Anna, but I choose to approach these treatments with a positive, optimistic attitude.  That is how I am wired anyway.

 

So, after treatment tomorrow, I will begin a series of detailed posts as I move through treatment.

 

I have found your posts educational and informative, and I offer my gratitude to each of you for your contributions.

 

Many thanks

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    RaleighMusicGuy

    Having a positive attitude will certainly help you get through this.  I must admit, I was not quite prepared for the side effects and didn't have the benefit of this website and all of the support when I went through treatment over 6 years ago.  I'm glad you have found us and I can assure you that we will be here for you.  Keep us posted, let us know how we can help you, and know that you are among friends here.  Best wishes for a successful treatment!

  • Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
    #3
    All fingers, toes, and eyes crossed for you!

    Hello, RaleighMusicGuy:

    [I am with mp327. I, too, was unprepared for the nasty effects of the chemo and radiation therapy and also did not find this forum until after I was finished. It would have been comforting if I'd found the site earlier. You are way ahead of the game!]

    I, too, wish you the smoothest course of treatment possible. Keep in mind that the standard protocol, if that's what you're getting, is brutal and toxic. So, if you find that the radiation makes your pelvic organs too painful to continue without breaks, don't worry about it. Takes breaks - it's the overall radiation dosage that counts, not how fast you get them done. It's not a race. Unfortunately, you will be scorched both inside and out.  >_<

    Pencil in plenty of time to rest. I slept for hours after each radiation dose. Eat as best you can, even if you have to force yourself, and drink a good 3 liters of fluid daily to help your kidneys filter the chemo for the next few months. I also drank lots of Boost oral supplement, their "rich chocolate" flavor.

    If you are unable to keep your fluids up, the infusion center is your friend. Call right away for IV anti-nausea meds (more effective than oral meds) and for fluid replacement. It's their job and they are glad to do it. They will definitely want you to call right away if your temperature goes up.

    Pain is a huge stressor. Take your anti-nausea and pain meds as soon as you feel the first twinges. They work much better that way than if you wait until the sympotoms are full-blown. Don't worry about becoming dependant on them; it probably won't ever happen and if it does, so what? The doctor can wean you off slowly. I had no trouble myself. (My tumor, where it had pushed through my skin, evaporated after only the second week of radiation. I didn't need the pain meds for that at all, but for the pain of the radiation injuries, especially when passing poos. They felt like they were studded with razor blades! I still need a Percoset occasionally at 5 months post-treatment.)

    This is a treatable cancer! There are even stage IV people who post here, years after finishing treatment. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that it goes smooooothly! Come back whenever you want and into the future as more long-term side effects of treatment crop up. It really helps to have people to talk to who truly understand. Keep up taking those sitz baths!

    You will most likely receive a clean bill of health in the New Year!

  • Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
    #4
    A tip gained from experience....

    By the way, RaleighMusicGuy, after the chemo, while you're drinking all that fluid - avoid carbonated beverages unless they are flattened first.

    Cancer cells are relatively fast growing. Chemo zaps fast growing cells, but that also includes bone marrow cells, hair folicles, and the lining of your GI tract from mouth to bumper. The GI tract is left raw; it cannot take the irritation of the carbonization. It will make your tummy sore and distended.

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,459 Member
    #5
    I support your positivity,

    I support your positivity, just do some precautionary things anyway like moisturizing your feet and rear end with aquaphor and having gloves ready for your hands if they are giving you oxilaplatin.  And if you do have problems, call the doctor ASAP, you can get numbing creams and pills that will prevent further problems.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Good luck!  May you be the one with no side effects!!!  Someone has to be that one.

  • Didiabolical
    Didiabolical Member Posts: 18
    #6
    Get yourself plenty of good

    Get yourself plenty of good books to read. I spent many hours in bed post treatment and being able to lie there and read for hours on end was pure luxury!!

    Di

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #7
    Didiabolical said:

    Get yourself plenty of good

    Get yourself plenty of good books to read. I spent many hours in bed post treatment and being able to lie there and read for hours on end was pure luxury!!

    Di

    RaleighMusicGuy

    I know you began your treatment this week.  Please update us when you can and let us know how you are doing.  I hope all went well and that you will have a restful weekend.

    Martha

  • Cheyenne
    Cheyenne Member Posts: 77
    #8

    I can't swear by it but I started drinking a  small glass of red wine every night in about the third week.  I had read that red wine was used to combat radiation poisoning.  I also tried to make myself move.  I would go upstairs every time I used the restroom just to make myself get up and moving.  I got the very earliest appointment of the day for radiation.  When I got home I applied Aquaphor liberally to the radiated areas (included the creases at the tops of my legs).  I also used bags of ice to sit on and put at the tops of my legs.  I survived the treatment much better than expected (according to my doctors).

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #9
    Cheyenne said:

    I can't swear by it but I started drinking a  small glass of red wine every night in about the third week.  I had read that red wine was used to combat radiation poisoning.  I also tried to make myself move.  I would go upstairs every time I used the restroom just to make myself get up and moving.  I got the very earliest appointment of the day for radiation.  When I got home I applied Aquaphor liberally to the radiated areas (included the creases at the tops of my legs).  I also used bags of ice to sit on and put at the tops of my legs.  I survived the treatment much better than expected (according to my doctors).

    There might be something to that, I just don't know.  I would just advise anyone currently in treatment to ask their doctors first before consuming alcohol.  I was advised to avoid it during treatment.

  • Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
    #10
    mp327 said:

    There might be something to that, I just don't know.  I would just advise anyone currently in treatment to ask their doctors first before consuming alcohol.  I was advised to avoid it during treatment.

    I've read in a batch of publications that alcohol should be avoided. Only one gave a physiological reason why, but I can't remember it now.

    Also, I've read, and been told by the docs, not to apply ice to the rear bumper. The reason is that ice encourages contraction of the blood vessels. The anal canal has poor circulation to begin with in the best of times. If / when the inner sphincter becomes injured from tumor or from radiation, it has spasms. When that happens, the circulation is even more clamped off, causing a downright ischemia of the area. This interferes with healing and can increase pain. All those warm sitz baths we had to take are meant to relax the inner sphincter, increase circulation, and enhance anal canal healing.

    The outer sphincter is under our voluntary control (so much as radiation injury will allow!), but the inner sphincter is totally involuntary. It has to be babied to keep it relaxed and unspasming. In people unlucky enough to develop fissures (painful, painful fissures >_<), the colo-rectal doc will go even farther and will prescribe ointments that make the muscle relax. AND 5 months post-treatment and I'm still told to do warm sitz baths twice daily!

    Anatomy: http://id.medicine.ucsf.edu/analcancerinfo/diagnosis/anatomy.html

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