For the Newbies: 95% of Anal cancer patients free from SERIOUS side effects during and after treatm

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  • Angela_K
    Angela_K Member Posts: 374 Member
    #22
    Phoebesnow said:

    Burns
    After my trip to the er they began to address the burns and the pain. I am allergic to sulphur but was so desperate I tried the silverdyne cream anyway. At first it was ok, but really did not do much except build up in my system and create an allergic reaction. I am also allergic to avocado and they prescribed something else that had avocado oil (I did not read ingredients) and had a reaction to that. In the end I settled with the aquaphor. The best relief was standing in the shower (handheld) and letting the water flow over the burns lightly. Also the saline solution that I would clean the burns with felt like heaven.

    I am really concerned now about future patients that my radiation team will be working with. I was so grateful to them, but maybe that is like when people have Stockholm syndrome. After there experience with me I pray that they do not say to the next patient I have never seen this before.

    I also have the nerve damage in my legs. This really has improved over the past few months. when I am tired, it will flare up. Sunday night it was so bad I felt nausea.

    happy to hear biopsy during colonscopy is ok.

    All of my life I had feared chemo but nothing had prepared me for the radiation.

    Radiation
    My rad onc kept gently telling me that toward the end of treatment, I would experience a lot of "discomfort." My bottom was nicely chapped/raw in the middle of the second week and we think it was a skin reaction to the chemo and not completely due to the radiation. But no, I had no idea that the radiation would be so brutal.

    I don't see myself as having any serious side effects at all, and I am so sorry that you are experiencing such pain.

    Like Martha, there may come a time that I don't feel a need to participate on this board. But for now, I hope that I can provide some support for those who need it the most. I feel it's like the least I can do for those who share what I call a VSA. (Very special ****.) And it's probably a part of the healing process for me as well.

    Love to all,
    Angela
  • 7243
    7243 Member Posts: 249 Member
    #23
    Angela_K said:

    Radiation
    My rad onc kept gently telling me that toward the end of treatment, I would experience a lot of "discomfort." My bottom was nicely chapped/raw in the middle of the second week and we think it was a skin reaction to the chemo and not completely due to the radiation. But no, I had no idea that the radiation would be so brutal.

    I don't see myself as having any serious side effects at all, and I am so sorry that you are experiencing such pain.

    Like Martha, there may come a time that I don't feel a need to participate on this board. But for now, I hope that I can provide some support for those who need it the most. I feel it's like the least I can do for those who share what I call a VSA. (Very special ****.) And it's probably a part of the healing process for me as well.

    Love to all,
    Angela

    Support goes two ways
    Yes ... I agree on all points. I need support from the board and it is so helpful for me to provide support to others ... it is a part of my healing journey. I hurt every time I see the topic "new to this site" ... it takes me back to my early days of diagnosis, that "gut punch feeling I still feel when I hear the stories of "you have anal cancer" ... and I just find I want to reach out and help sooth the pain in some way. We can not take it away from each other ... but we can stand together and that is so powerful for me.

    Angela ... I too may not need the board one day and maybe that is our "right of passage" ... to journey on ... however, for now I need you all both to support me and for me to support you.

    Carol ... yes, how nice, fresh and new. So happy for your and ... How I long for the feeling of "fresh and new" as well.

    love ...
  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #24
    7243 said:

    Support goes two ways
    Yes ... I agree on all points. I need support from the board and it is so helpful for me to provide support to others ... it is a part of my healing journey. I hurt every time I see the topic "new to this site" ... it takes me back to my early days of diagnosis, that "gut punch feeling I still feel when I hear the stories of "you have anal cancer" ... and I just find I want to reach out and help sooth the pain in some way. We can not take it away from each other ... but we can stand together and that is so powerful for me.

    Angela ... I too may not need the board one day and maybe that is our "right of passage" ... to journey on ... however, for now I need you all both to support me and for me to support you.

    Carol ... yes, how nice, fresh and new. So happy for your and ... How I long for the feeling of "fresh and new" as well.

    love ...

    Angela and 7243
    Angela you are a most desirable member of this board and someone who can really give hope to the newbies. You are so fortunate to not have any SERIOUS side effects and people need to know that it is possible. You represent the minority here, but really according to the statistics you are the majority.

    7243 It is now at the almost year mark that I am starting to feel like the real me. I am so grateful to be healing physically. I am also healing emotionally from it all, but I think that feeling of sheer terror is never that far away these days. I never thought I cared that much for myself as I realized in that moment of dx how much I loved my life. A few months earlier I had said to a fellow surfer that I was afraid of dying because I would miss surfing too much. I came close, as we all did, thank god for dx.
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #25
    Phoebesnow said:

    Angela and 7243
    Angela you are a most desirable member of this board and someone who can really give hope to the newbies. You are so fortunate to not have any SERIOUS side effects and people need to know that it is possible. You represent the minority here, but really according to the statistics you are the majority.

    7243 It is now at the almost year mark that I am starting to feel like the real me. I am so grateful to be healing physically. I am also healing emotionally from it all, but I think that feeling of sheer terror is never that far away these days. I never thought I cared that much for myself as I realized in that moment of dx how much I loved my life. A few months earlier I had said to a fellow surfer that I was afraid of dying because I would miss surfing too much. I came close, as we all did, thank god for dx.

    It WILL get better!
    I was convinced early on in my recovery that my life as I had known it was over--history. I am happy to share with everyone here who may be feeling that same way that it will not be that way at all! I am 3+ years out of treatment now and I would say that at the 2-year mark, I really started to feel like my old self again. I still think about cancer and worry about the possibility of a recurrence--I don't think I'd be human if I didn't. However, it is not in the forefront of my mind like it was in the beginning. The stress eased gradually and soon I was going sometimes for an entire day without thinking about cancer much or at all. Distraction makes for a mind not focused on cancer, so I urge everyone to get involved with things that you enjoy doing. My sometimes cranky bowels do not let me forget what I've been through, but I have learned how to handle this issue, along with a few others, and I don't consider any of them to be problems that disrupt my life.
  • pjs62
    pjs62 Member Posts: 95
    #26
    mp327 said:

    It WILL get better!
    I was convinced early on in my recovery that my life as I had known it was over--history. I am happy to share with everyone here who may be feeling that same way that it will not be that way at all! I am 3+ years out of treatment now and I would say that at the 2-year mark, I really started to feel like my old self again. I still think about cancer and worry about the possibility of a recurrence--I don't think I'd be human if I didn't. However, it is not in the forefront of my mind like it was in the beginning. The stress eased gradually and soon I was going sometimes for an entire day without thinking about cancer much or at all. Distraction makes for a mind not focused on cancer, so I urge everyone to get involved with things that you enjoy doing. My sometimes cranky bowels do not let me forget what I've been through, but I have learned how to handle this issue, along with a few others, and I don't consider any of them to be problems that disrupt my life.

    I'm one of the 5%.....
    When I went thru radiation, my oncology dr said it'd feel like a sunburn on the inside. That's putting it mildly so to speak! I took alot of cool sitz baths with aveeno. I also used aquaphor to help ease the pain. Still waiting on the healing from a year ago. (& still unable to use a dialator...think that body part is completely closed! ha!)


    mp327....
    I'm always telling my hubby "I just want my life back!". I get very tired of being sick & dealing with after effects from treatments. And now dealing with 'recurrence' & waiting for my drs to comfirm its all gone (from recent surgery).

    Angela....
    I do so appriciate all the sharing & caring...it helps to not feel alone on this journey.
  • AZANNIE
    AZANNIE Member Posts: 445 Member
    #27
    pjs62 said:

    I'm one of the 5%.....
    When I went thru radiation, my oncology dr said it'd feel like a sunburn on the inside. That's putting it mildly so to speak! I took alot of cool sitz baths with aveeno. I also used aquaphor to help ease the pain. Still waiting on the healing from a year ago. (& still unable to use a dialator...think that body part is completely closed! ha!)


    mp327....
    I'm always telling my hubby "I just want my life back!". I get very tired of being sick & dealing with after effects from treatments. And now dealing with 'recurrence' & waiting for my drs to comfirm its all gone (from recent surgery).

    Angela....
    I do so appriciate all the sharing & caring...it helps to not feel alone on this journey.

    pjs62
    If only the doctors knew what it was like to have a sunburn on the inside...but we made it!
  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #28
    AZANNIE said:

    pjs62
    If only the doctors knew what it was like to have a sunburn on the inside...but we made it!

    Pjs62
    You have been thru a lot, more than most of us. My heart really goes out to you. I pray that this last round is the end of your journey and the healing can begin. It is such a sensitive area and does take a long time to heal, inside and out, Even with the side effects I am so happy to be here. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have caught this in time. You will heal. It does take a loooong time and you might not always feel lucky or happy along the way. Keep your head up and focus on the goal. Getting back to you.

    Hugs to u pjs62.

    Carrol

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