pain

robertohinojoza

Hi everyone im new to this site. I had rectal cancer and had my round of chemo and radiation from late November 2014 to early  February 2015 with a two week break for body to rest and then had section of rectum removed on March 23,2015. My main concern now is the pain i have in my rear. My butt cheeks always feel like i ran for miles and this is constant all the time  and feel lots of pressure along with pain in my rectum. My surgeon tells me the pain and pressure should go away with time but doesn't seem to be going away. I've been given hydrocodone 10-325 but they don't seem to be working for me. I also feel when i bend over for any reason that my legs start to tingle like they're falling asleep and pain radiates down  both of them as well.  Im 37 years old and feel like this pain is never gonna go away and feel like nobody believes me and my surgeon even mentiond to be careful not to get addicted to pain meds so i try not to take them but then im in constant pain.  Don't know what to do anymore so any suggestions please. I have appointments with radiation dr and oncologist coming up this week to see what they suggest about this pain. 

lp1964

Dear Friend,

I had the same treatment and surgery you did. It's a big operation and being sore is normal. I chose an additional procedure when they took one of my abdominal muscle and folded it down into the space where the rectum was. This was to prevent my intestines ever sinking into my pelvis and also that the skin on my bottom where the anus was not stretched tight. sounds like what you are feeling is the tightness in the skin and the muscles. There are two big bundles of nerves going through your butt muscles into your legs, so when these nerves are under pressure you feel numbness in your legs.

Besides keeping up with your surgen I have some suggestions for you. Take 800mg of ibuprofen 3-4 times a day instead of the current one. It's not just a pain killer but also an anti-inflammatory, plus not addictive. It worked great for me. Put a lot of ice on the area, especially each side of your sacral bone where those nerves run. Consider physical therapy. 

Wish you a speedy recovery and a cancer free life. 

Do you still have chemo to do?

Laz

robertohinojoza

lp1964 said:

Dear Friend,

I had the same treatment and surgery you did. It's a big operation and being sore is normal. I chose an additional procedure when they took one of my abdominal muscle and folded it down into the space where the rectum was. This was to prevent my intestines ever sinking into my pelvis and also that the skin on my bottom where the anus was not stretched tight. sounds like what you are feeling is the tightness in the skin and the muscles. There are two big bundles of nerves going through your butt muscles into your legs, so when these nerves are under pressure you feel numbness in your legs.

Besides keeping up with your surgen I have some suggestions for you. Take 800mg of ibuprofen 3-4 times a day instead of the current one. It's not just a pain killer but also an anti-inflammatory, plus not addictive. It worked great for me. Put a lot of ice on the area, especially each side of your sacral bone where those nerves run. Consider physical therapy. 

Wish you a speedy recovery and a cancer free life. 

Do you still have chemo to do?

Laz

pain

Thanks for your thoughts but forgot to mention that i was left with an iliostmy bag that is supposed to be reversed after some time.  And yes my last appointment with oncologist about a month ago he mentioned that he would like to do six months of chemo but more as a preventive cause of my age. This hasn't been started due to my incision developed an abscess in early may and was cut open and a wound vac was put on it which is almost completely closed. As a matter of fact I believe some time this week it'll be taken off and should be starting chemotherapy soon after. Can this pain also be still after affects of radiation? 

lp1964

Absolutelly,

I forgot how long I had pain or was sore, but only started feeling somewhat normal after about a year.

Laz