1 year in remission ~ think I'm having symptoms again, please respond!

mohoper
mohoper Member Posts: 19
in Anal Cancer #1
Hi; in late 2009, I started noticing "changes" ~ namely in bowel habits & feeling extremely tired. No "home remedies" helped; went to local doctors & was misdiagnoised. Four months later, went to a hospital an hour 1/2 away & was diagnoised with anal cancer. I got chemo & radiation & this Feb I've been a year in remission.... During & after treatments when I have to "go" I have to go NOW, with very little warning. Well for the past 5 days, I've had "warning" signals, but have been unable to "go". I'm also extremely tired. I have SEVERE anxiety, so please keep this in mind! I've been eating very differently this week & been doing a ton of yard work & wondering if that has anything to do with it? Or... am I having symptoms again? I have a very supportive family, but have not told anyone; I don't want any one worrying. Your input is GREATLY appreciated & very very needed. Thank you.

Comments

  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #2
    Mohoper
    Hello, and welcome. Have you had follow up exams and scans? Also, do you take any pain medication, I am talking about narcotic pain meds? These will cause constipation. I still have issues with urgency and I completed tx 6-30-09. I wish you well Lori. I am sure others will chime in.
  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #3
    Hi mohoper
    Don't panic - I'm about 3 1/2 years out of treatment and I find that my bowel habits have gone through continual changes - sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhea. You said you've been eating differently this week and doing a lot of yard work - the change in eating habits could be causing the difference in your bowel action (or lack of it) and the yard work could certainly explain the tiredness. What have you been eating this week? Since in February you were one year out, does that mean that you recently had an exam? What did the doctors say? Don't panic - try to relax and get some rest if you can.
  • mohoper
    mohoper Member Posts: 19
    #4
    z said:

    Mohoper
    Hello, and welcome. Have you had follow up exams and scans? Also, do you take any pain medication, I am talking about narcotic pain meds? These will cause constipation. I still have issues with urgency and I completed tx 6-30-09. I wish you well Lori. I am sure others will chime in.

    scans
    Thank you for welcoming me here! All my scans & tests have come back "good". I was just at the doctor in Feb, where he did a physical exam, but no tests or scans. I'm taking meds for high cholestrol (statins) but no pain med / no narcotics. It's been hectic here & I just realized that I haven't taken my viatamins in about a week. There has been stress here; nothing major, just usual life stuff. I was thinking constipation too, think I have myself freaked out!
  • mohoper
    mohoper Member Posts: 19
    #5
    RoseC said:

    Hi mohoper
    Don't panic - I'm about 3 1/2 years out of treatment and I find that my bowel habits have gone through continual changes - sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhea. You said you've been eating differently this week and doing a lot of yard work - the change in eating habits could be causing the difference in your bowel action (or lack of it) and the yard work could certainly explain the tiredness. What have you been eating this week? Since in February you were one year out, does that mean that you recently had an exam? What did the doctors say? Don't panic - try to relax and get some rest if you can.

    eating junk!
    Our daughter has been home from college & we've been eating JUNK, lol! Just a weeks worth of "vacationing", visiting, trying to plant a garden etc. Scans all are good, the doctor says I am doing exceptionally well. I was just caught surprised ~ continual urgency for over a year, to ... nothing. Wow. And with my anxiety, I got really, well, flipped out! I wish I had know this forum was here a year & 1/2 ago!
  • torrance
    torrance Member Posts: 118
    #6
    mohoper said:

    eating junk!
    Our daughter has been home from college & we've been eating JUNK, lol! Just a weeks worth of "vacationing", visiting, trying to plant a garden etc. Scans all are good, the doctor says I am doing exceptionally well. I was just caught surprised ~ continual urgency for over a year, to ... nothing. Wow. And with my anxiety, I got really, well, flipped out! I wish I had know this forum was here a year & 1/2 ago!

    anxiety
    Boy it sure seems that the smallest issue can cause anxiety for all of us. Don't panic and if you do reach that point where the anxiety overwhelms you, go see your dr again to get the reassurance you need. Any change in activity, diet and rountine can throw your normal off. I am almost at my one year from end of treatment and urgency is still an issue for me. I also juggle taking stool softeners, fiber supplement and if needed something for constipation. Treat yourself to a nice calming soak in the tub or an extra long shower and just focus on your inner peace. Hope everything comes out ok!
  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #7
    mohoper said:

    eating junk!
    Our daughter has been home from college & we've been eating JUNK, lol! Just a weeks worth of "vacationing", visiting, trying to plant a garden etc. Scans all are good, the doctor says I am doing exceptionally well. I was just caught surprised ~ continual urgency for over a year, to ... nothing. Wow. And with my anxiety, I got really, well, flipped out! I wish I had know this forum was here a year & 1/2 ago!

    Love that junk food!
    Junk food, yeah - it does it to me all the time! I love it, but it's not so good for us folks, haha! The scans were good - that's great! - that's what to focus on.

    I wish the forum had been here too, back when I was diagnosed. Thank goodness it's here now. :)
  • mohoper
    mohoper Member Posts: 19
    #8
    RoseC said:

    Love that junk food!
    Junk food, yeah - it does it to me all the time! I love it, but it's not so good for us folks, haha! The scans were good - that's great! - that's what to focus on.

    I wish the forum had been here too, back when I was diagnosed. Thank goodness it's here now. :)

    : >
    Thanks everybody, the anxiety has come way down! My hubby got home (he works 5 days out of town, home on weekends); he noticed I was near panic & asked me what was wrong so I told him. He is really being supportive too, so it helps. So very thankful this forum is here... I was wondering if I SHOULD take a softner, so I think I will!
  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #9
    mohoper said:

    : >
    Thanks everybody, the anxiety has come way down! My hubby got home (he works 5 days out of town, home on weekends); he noticed I was near panic & asked me what was wrong so I told him. He is really being supportive too, so it helps. So very thankful this forum is here... I was wondering if I SHOULD take a softner, so I think I will!

    Hi
    Very good - things sound better! Write in anytime - we all go through times of anxiety and the people here are so very good at calming us down. I know they've helped me several times. Glad things are better.
  • mohoper
    mohoper Member Posts: 19
    #10
    RoseC said:

    Hi
    Very good - things sound better! Write in anytime - we all go through times of anxiety and the people here are so very good at calming us down. I know they've helped me several times. Glad things are better.

    Thank You!
    I've been reading through some of the threads & I'm SO glad I found this! Can't thank ya'll enough. I'm going to sign off now, but I will be back. This is a true blessing! Again, thank you!
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #11
    mohoper said:

    Thank You!
    I've been reading through some of the threads & I'm SO glad I found this! Can't thank ya'll enough. I'm going to sign off now, but I will be back. This is a true blessing! Again, thank you!

    mohoper
    I think once our bowels have been through treatment nothing is ever the same again. Mine go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea. When I have bouts of constipation, I can sometimes bleed. It's very disconcerting, but yet I have somehow gotten used to it after 3 1/2 years post treatment. The key thing is to keep up with a regular follow-up schedule. That gives me peace of mind. I see my colorectal doc every 3 months, even though she told me I could go every 6 months now. I think you are probably fine but just experiencing the cranky bowel syndrome that seems to be common among us here.
  • mohoper
    mohoper Member Posts: 19
    #12
    mp327 said:

    mohoper
    I think once our bowels have been through treatment nothing is ever the same again. Mine go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea. When I have bouts of constipation, I can sometimes bleed. It's very disconcerting, but yet I have somehow gotten used to it after 3 1/2 years post treatment. The key thing is to keep up with a regular follow-up schedule. That gives me peace of mind. I see my colorectal doc every 3 months, even though she told me I could go every 6 months now. I think you are probably fine but just experiencing the cranky bowel syndrome that seems to be common among us here.

    Again, Thank You!
    Just wanted to say thank you AGAIN, for the responses I've gotten. They have helped tremendously! I'm reading lots of threads & trying to figure out how to navigate around here. I'm amazed how much help, info, & insight is here! I keep saying "yeah, that's ME!" I'm feeling so blessed to be here!
  • dasspears
    dasspears Member Posts: 227
    #13
    mp327 said:

    mohoper
    I think once our bowels have been through treatment nothing is ever the same again. Mine go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea. When I have bouts of constipation, I can sometimes bleed. It's very disconcerting, but yet I have somehow gotten used to it after 3 1/2 years post treatment. The key thing is to keep up with a regular follow-up schedule. That gives me peace of mind. I see my colorectal doc every 3 months, even though she told me I could go every 6 months now. I think you are probably fine but just experiencing the cranky bowel syndrome that seems to be common among us here.

    You say that again....
    ...once our bowels have been through treatment nothing is ever the same again. My triggers for a cranky bowel (I love that description) are BBQ, fried foods, lettuce and raw cabbage (cole slaw). I have found that using Miralax daily and taking a stool softener on occasion helps my system.
  • Angela_K
    Angela_K Member Posts: 374 Member
    #14
    mohoper said:

    : >
    Thanks everybody, the anxiety has come way down! My hubby got home (he works 5 days out of town, home on weekends); he noticed I was near panic & asked me what was wrong so I told him. He is really being supportive too, so it helps. So very thankful this forum is here... I was wondering if I SHOULD take a softner, so I think I will!

    Yay!
    Glad that your anxiety has subsided some, although it is VERY normal. I have been out of treatment since January of 2011 and I think my post treatment anxiety is at an all-time low. Emotional recovery, to me, was just as (if not more) taxing as physical recovery. I still have bouts of fatigue that make me a little nervous. too, but exercise and diet have helped significantly. I have recently discovered that about a 1/4 cup of high fiber cereal (Go Lean by Kashi)keeps everything humming right along for me. Any more than that reeks havoc on my body. I also drink a ton of water and juice fresh kale, asparagus, carrots, ginger and green apple every day. Since the juice lacks fiber, my body tolerates it very well.

    And supportive husbands make it bearable, don't they?!

    Blessings upon blessings to you.
    Angela
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #15
    Angela_K said:

    Yay!
    Glad that your anxiety has subsided some, although it is VERY normal. I have been out of treatment since January of 2011 and I think my post treatment anxiety is at an all-time low. Emotional recovery, to me, was just as (if not more) taxing as physical recovery. I still have bouts of fatigue that make me a little nervous. too, but exercise and diet have helped significantly. I have recently discovered that about a 1/4 cup of high fiber cereal (Go Lean by Kashi)keeps everything humming right along for me. Any more than that reeks havoc on my body. I also drink a ton of water and juice fresh kale, asparagus, carrots, ginger and green apple every day. Since the juice lacks fiber, my body tolerates it very well.

    And supportive husbands make it bearable, don't they?!

    Blessings upon blessings to you.
    Angela

    Co-dependent

    Angela,
    I just bought my niece and her new husband a juicer for their wedding present as it was checked on the registry. That's probably because I want one. I just realized out of all the gifts its the one I picked because I really want one. ha, ha, ha!

    Fondly,
    Sandy

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