Any tips on how to get through the chemoradiation 28 days deal?

catkilroe

I got diagnosed with stage 2 anal cancer two weeks ago and am starting chemo and radiation next week . Am getting a little anxious about what to expect. The list of side-effects is sooooo long. Anybody got some good advice? Am also struggling to hold back tears every now and then. They seem to hit me randomly. Having port put in tomorrow. Radiation oncologist gave me a lot of miaderm to rub on my bum....does it help?

mp327

catkilroe

Welcome to this site, however, I'm sorry a diagnosis of anal cancer has brought you here.  I'm glad to hear that you are beginning treatment so soon after your diagnosis and it's great that you have found this group.  The support will be most helpful and the members here are always happy to share advice and tips on getting through treatment.  I did not have the benefit of this group back in 2008 when I had treatment, but I survived and 9 years later, I'm still around and doing well!  You have every reason to be hopeful that your treatment will be successful, so be hopeful!

You mentioned getting a list of side effects from your doctor.  Does that list also give suggestions for dealing with those side effects?  Which ones do you have questions about.  Please ask here and we'll give you some feedback.  Not everyone experiences the same side effects, but it's likely that someone here has experienced one or more of the ones that might affect you, so please speak up!  We are here to help you!

I suggest becoming informed and here are a couple of links to websites for you to check out to learn more about this disease, the treatment, follow-up, etc.  Please check them out.

https://www.analcancerfoundation.org/

http://www.analcancerhelp.info/

You will get through this, you will!  Let us know how we can help you.  Ask questions and we will do our best to answer.  I wish you all the very best in this journey.  You can do this!

csalek

catkilroe

You will have tears at strange times...and wake up at night afraid. I am NED one and half years and still worry about a reoccurance. I will say you need something for mouth sores (which I think most people get)and towards the end someone said to get a "she pee" and I was glad I did. I took a bath everyday, which was also recommended...it was soothing. You will get through this and in a year you will encourage someone going through it. Good luck and God bless.

don09

I agree with MP327 you are

I agree with MP327 you are fortunate to start your treatments so soon after being diagnosed, I had to wait a few months to start mine and all it did was fill me with more anxiety, but I faired pretty well through them, the only side affect I had was mouth sores and from what I heard is pretty common, but gargling with baking soda and salt brings much relief and heals them quickly.  Radiation was not to bad except towards the very end, but managable.  I am 7 mos. out from treatment stage 3B with lymph node involment and so far doing well, so sure you will do well too.  The anxiety is quite normal, although no fun but everyone here is super supportive and encouraging.  They have saved me many a time with my worries.  All my best to you and I have faith you will get through it.  Were here for you!

Mollymaude

Catkilroe

Welcome to the site, sorry you have to be here. When you get specific questions/problems you can search the site with keywords, and you can always start a new thread if you don't find your answer. Best of luck with treatment- it's tough but doable. Take as much help as family and friends offer! 

shamayim

my best advice in a nutshell

Im very sorry to hear that you have the same thing I had- Stage 2 anal cancer.  Here's what I learned and what worked for me : Ask about/insist on using a dialator to try and protect your vagina from stenosis if you can tolerate it.  It helped me alot. Clean yourself with a spray bottle with saline in it and this will also help you later on when urination can burn.  The PH of water is too harsh on your skin.  Use aquahphor as soon as you are done with radiation. As burns progress, I made a 50/50 mix of it with lidacaine cream. My doctor said that lidacaine creme by itself was rather drying.  I used to carry a bag with gloves and as soon as radiation was over the ointment went on so I could drive myself home.  I also wore loose long skirts because I found them comfortable.  I also used mugard to prevent mouth sores and it worked much better than magic mouthwash when it was time for chemo.  Everybody is different but this is what helped me as I had to do this mostly by myself and only relying on others when I absolutely needed them.  Crying is very normal.  I found it best to get it out of the way in the beginning and then never look back, keep moving forward.  Again everybodyis different.  For me it took too much energy to cry and I needed every ounce of it to stay strong and get through this.  And if you havent- go to the websites and the links and follow the NCCN protocol.  Anal cancer is rare and many people are not familiar with its treatment.  As my surgeon told me, the good news is it is very curable, and the bad news is it is painful.  I'm 2 years out and it appears to be gone. Instead I have to deal with massive heart attack problems and the latest is a blood clot in my left ventricle which almost had me in tears last night fearing a stroke until I found out it isnt that big of a deal except I was scheduled to have my chemo port out tomorrow and now I have to reschedule it for the second time!  I will prevail and it will come out as soon as I get the approval! Stay Strong and dont give up!

Ohmy

I had mouth sores with the

I had mouth sores with the first round of chemo so the doctor lowered the dose for the second round.  I had nausea for the second round.  I think what really got me through it was the IV fluids because I had a difficult time drinking water.  I drank Ensure and my husband said I lived on ground beef and rice for two weeks.  I don't remember pain from the radiation until the 5th week then it was bad for about a month.  I used Aquafor and Aloe on the burns when treatment ended.  I did not use anything during treatment because I worried the burns would be worse if I could not remove it every morning.  My PET scan in June was NED and I am now going into my 7th month post treatment feeling good.  You can do it.

Ohmy

A couple more things that

A couple more things that helped with the radiation burns.  I walked around the house bottomless for a couple of weeks then I wore boxer shorts.  I still wear boxer shorts around the house because they are so comfortable.  I also took sitz baths with Epsom Salt and baking soda.

PegSue

Be your own advocate!

I am late getting into the conversation but my biggest piece of advice is to speak up!  I am the type to not want to be a bother so I tend to not say anything when I am sufereing but I can tell you that the nurses and physicians expect you to have issues and want to help when they can!  Take advantage of friends and loves ones that are willing to help, even if it means just sitting in the room while you sleep so that when you wake up and need something to drink or eat, they can be there for you.  You can do this catkilroe but it's okay to need help along the way!  Prayers to you!