I'M VERY ANAL

Looniest123456
Looniest123456 Member Posts: 6
in Anal Cancer #1

I Hope and feel I've finally found a forum for my personal experience, and hopefully, as I go through this process, I'll he able to help others....  This Thursday (Feb 21) I will at last have the doctors' meeting to discuss my diagnosed (recurrent) anal cancer.  I already know they will be advising chemoradiation therapy, and natural concerns come up.  I'm not ashamed to say I have a low pain threshold, and when I had my first bout the this, and they opted for a local resection (surgery) the pain was pretty excruciating.  Liquid morphine didn't help except by distracting me.  I understand that chemo is not as bad pain-wise as the radiation will be (because of the location of the cancer) but also, the many other side effects mentioned are pretty daunting.  I know I'm jumping the gun by asking about this before the full programme of my treatment is discussed, but...I'm an anxious person by nature!  I'm hoping to have a LIST of questions for the initial doctor(s) prepared, and the first one will be how far or how big the tumor/cancer has progressed (if at all).  Anyway, I'll keep you guys posted.  Wonder if you know wny special questions I should have for the doctors for this first meeting (I almost want to ask, what if I I didn't do ANY of the treatments??

 

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    Looniest

    One of our members posted a really good list of questions on this board some time ago, but I am unable to locate it.  If that person would please let me know where to find it, I will post a comment to it to get it back at the top of topics. 

    My suggestion would be to visit the website of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN.org) and register.  Once registered, you can access the most current treatment guidelines for anal cancer.  Once you read through these and become familiar with them, I'm sure you will be prompted to ask many questions. 

    My other suggestion would be to ask questions of us because we've been there done that.  We can tell you some of the things you might experience and what you can do to lessen side effects.  Just keep in mind that everyone's journey is their own--no too are exactly alike, but there are many things in common.  We will share with you what we know, based on our own experiences.  This is a great board and we really do try to help each other in so many ways.

    Have you had any staging scans yet?  Once you get staged, that may prompt certain questions.  Please keep us posted.

  • Looniest123456
    Looniest123456 Member Posts: 6
    #3
    mp327 said:

    Looniest

    One of our members posted a really good list of questions on this board some time ago, but I am unable to locate it.  If that person would please let me know where to find it, I will post a comment to it to get it back at the top of topics. 

    My suggestion would be to visit the website of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN.org) and register.  Once registered, you can access the most current treatment guidelines for anal cancer.  Once you read through these and become familiar with them, I'm sure you will be prompted to ask many questions. 

    My other suggestion would be to ask questions of us because we've been there done that.  We can tell you some of the things you might experience and what you can do to lessen side effects.  Just keep in mind that everyone's journey is their own--no too are exactly alike, but there are many things in common.  We will share with you what we know, based on our own experiences.  This is a great board and we really do try to help each other in so many ways.

    Have you had any staging scans yet?  Once you get staged, that may prompt certain questions.  Please keep us posted.

    ANAL CANCER TREATMENT

    Thanks, mp327.  I have had the staging scans but won't know until Thursday what they revealed (my 'team' looked at results of MRI/CT scans this last Monday).  

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