Anal cancer

United82

Hi

I’m close to starting my treatment and I’m scared to death! Please tell me what to expect🥹

SandiSS

Same here, what can we expect

Spruce34

I'm in the same boat. I'm scared, too. I start radiation and chemo on the 18th. Guess we'll all go through it together. I don't know if you're doing both radiation and chemo. Also, have they given you the stage yet? I'm stage 3. I get my port via surgery next Friday.

goji

I finished up my radiation and chemo on valentine’s day. 6 weeks. I had a rare reaction to the chemo- coronary vasospasms- basically felt as if i were having a heart attack. But my medical oncologist got me on more meds along with nitroglycerin which stopped the attacks. So that was scary at first but then the chemo was easy. The radiation not so much. By week three im feeling the burns. However I wasn’t told to be careful about lotions on the skin during treatment. I discovered that information on my own and i think perhaps my burns need not have been so bad, who knows. Its a rough 4 weeks. The last 3 weeks and then a week or two after.My radiant oncology team was simply amazing. All women, all so compassionate. I don’t work or have children at home so I feel fortunate in that regard , i stayed in bed a lot, was on Oxy, and my mantras were “ one less day to go” and “this WILL end”. And it did. It still hurts to have a BM but im grateful that thats all. I have stage 3 and i wont have my PET scan till May to find out how successful the treatment was. You’ll make it- its not fun but it does end. Good luck and if i can help in anyway please reach out

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goji

I also would recommend installing a bidet on your toilet. It helps.

rdgrey

Better expand the boat, I'm coming aboard. Just diagnosed March 8th about to start ct/mri and team of docs at KUMED. Everyone has been great. I had squamous cell on back of tounge in 2005 so kinda know ups and down. Everyone has their own reactions and found a support group at that time which really helped my outlook tremendously. So many side effects that are not covered in treatment that sites like this are great to find options to help. Good luck to you all and will be checking in as I get to rolling on this journey.

Rebar

Good luck to you all, I haven't been on here in a few, wanted to check in here and on the CSN chat...

( Which is great by the way for anyone new here)

I was diagnosed in late August with stage 4 anal cancer, non-HPV.

Recommended 6 chemo treatments, 3 weeks apart. No radiation, no surgery. ( Yay)

Had the port put in. ( Ouch)

I started RSO a week prior to my first chemo treatment, to help me sleep and ease the pain.

4 weeks later my symptoms were much better. I could sleep, no pain at all, and no lesions at all. gone.

By the 3rd chemo treatment my tumor had been reduced 50%.

(The RSO had helped me sleep better after only a week, which was nice.)

After my last treatment in February, scan showed nothing.

I rang that bell like a savage, trust me!

The chemo treatments themselves were painless; the only time I hurt was the occasional blood draw by one of the medical assistants with a heavy hand on the needle lol

I actually slept most of the time during my treatments.

Now this may depend on the particular "cocktail" they use for your chemo, but I would strongly suggest you get gloves/footies that hold ice packs to wear during your chemo. If done on the first couple of treatments, they can really help prevent neuropathy in your fingertip/toes.

I took mine off the first time I tried them, since they made me colder. Big mistake, and I should have kept them on. My fingertips are not quite as bad as they were before, but it's avoidable if you use the chill gloves on the first treatment. They have them on amazon.

The drug that causes it is Taxol, or Paclitaxel. I complained to the doc about it, and the last 3 treatments I had they cut the dosage of it to help....

I don't know if I'm the typical cancer patient, and I did a lot of things that may or may not have helped me recover so quickly; Eating better, more fruits/veggies, less sugar.. cut back on smoking..( I know, I know...)

At this point it's a little more than 6 months and while I may not be 100%, ( Mostly just fatigue that I'm working on, as well as putting a few pounds back on) I'm so much better off than I was back in August. ( And for a while before I actually got the diagnosis)

Long story short, there ARE options out there other than what you may hear from your doctor, no matter their pedigree.

And there is a LOT of support out here, this group included.

Feel free to reach out to me or anyone here with any questions or concerns you may have.

It's about helping each other!😍

Charlie1963

I was diagnosed 2 years ago after having pain for nearly a year. Turned out it was Stage 2B anal cancer, not hemorrhoids. I had 2 rounds of chemo, and radiation daily for several weeks. I am still having some issues although the tumors are gone.

I was terrified upon hearing my diagnosis. From what my radiation doc said, most people take a break if their treatment is over a long period of time. Being stubborn, as well as wanting to kill this thing ASAP, I did not. I am now dealing with some incontinence and fissures, which bleed and are painful. My surgeon has offered a permanent ostomy as a solution- I am not going that route as it really messed with my self-esteem when I had the temporary one.

Cancer is scary, but with the right docs and proper treatment, there is hope. If you are a person of faith, pray for strength- and be sure to ask others to pray for you. Also, I found that having a reason to live helps; for me it was my promise to the love of my life that she would not be alone ever again. And, if you feel like you need someone to talk to, try therapy.

Also, research other ways to help treat your cancer. Upon the recommendation of my nutritionist, I have just begun taking CuraMed, which is supposed to help with inflammation.

Be strong- there is hope!!

Rebar

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1714470#Comment_1714470

You've had a rough road there. Have you looked into RSO? I truly believe it's a game changer, even though this is not a game. Lots of people are having great success with it, myself included. It really helped knock down the side effects from chemo for me.

Plus it's all natural, which is pretty important these days.

Spruce34

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1713993#Comment_1713993

thanks for the great info. I’m halfway.