pelvic radiation, after effects

Cookie804 said:

Pelvic Radiation

My gosh, I did not realize this site was here.  I have visited ACS many times, but never looked for posts on the after effects of pelvic radiation.  I see I am not alone.  

I was diagnosed with vaginal cancer in 2008 and received internal beam radiation, which really caused no problems.  However, the cancer returned in 2011 and I had 5 weeks (5 days a week) of pelvic radiation.  It was awful.  The radiologist had to stop treatment twice because my skin was cracking open and bleeding, not to mention stomach pains, diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue.  I guess I thought the second radiation would be like the first one, but I was wrong.  

I finished my treatment in January 2012 and I still have side effects.  I have non-stop vaginal discharge, I cannot eat certain foods (mainly roughage) unless I have a bathroom nearby.  My oncologist tells me the side effects will dissapte in two to three years.  Hope he is correct.  I have vaginal atrophy which requires the use of a vaginal dialator three times a week just to keep the vaginal canal open since apparently the radiation shortens the vagina.  

I had a total hysterectomy in the early 1980s and never expected to have any further problems, but lo and behold, I was wrong on that point.  

I try to exercise on a daily basis and live as normally as I can, but between the aches and pains and fatigue, it is really hard to push myself.  Just taking things day by day and hoping for the best.  

Pelvic radiation/ post effects

I completed radiation/ chemo treatments for anal cancer on 10/31/12. It took a good year before I felt close to being normal but when ever I had any type of diarrhea, I had immediate skin breakdown. In addition, I had burning and an aching sensation with bowel movements, and have been very diligent in taking fiber and eating healthy, ( ie 5 servings of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and trying to cut down on processed and junk foods)

I had biopsies late June 2014, and have had MAJOR setback as a result. Continuous pain/ burning which intensifies with bowel movements, constant mucos stool/ mucos drainage, difficulty urinating, pain when I sit down, very fragile skin condition.... I could go on...

I am definitly seeking a new doctor, and so upset over this issue.. my quality of life is about a 3 out od 10.... and not improving. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

joane0328 said:

Pelvic radiation/ post effects

I completed radiation/ chemo treatments for anal cancer on 10/31/12. It took a good year before I felt close to being normal but when ever I had any type of diarrhea, I had immediate skin breakdown. In addition, I had burning and an aching sensation with bowel movements, and have been very diligent in taking fiber and eating healthy, ( ie 5 servings of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and trying to cut down on processed and junk foods)

I had biopsies late June 2014, and have had MAJOR setback as a result. Continuous pain/ burning which intensifies with bowel movements, constant mucos stool/ mucos drainage, difficulty urinating, pain when I sit down, very fragile skin condition.... I could go on...

I am definitly seeking a new doctor, and so upset over this issue.. my quality of life is about a 3 out od 10.... and not improving. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anal Cancer treatment side effects

Hi Joane0328,

I finished treatment for stage 111B anal cancer in October of 2013 and am still suffering in pain. All the same as you described. Somedays are better than others and will take those. I had HBOT treatments for the radio necrosis and fissures. It was no miracle, but did a little to help the external skin. My theory is that they know how to get the cancer but know nothing about how to fix the problems the radiation and chemo caused. I have trouble eating just about anything and have a list of where all the bathrooms are when I go out. I get a few hours in the afternoon were I feel ok. Generally I am tired and achy and dizzy alot! I take a handful of vitamins everyday and they tell me my blood is good, but why do I feel so old??? Lately my hips have started to pop and have had lower back pain. Then there is the little pop popping from gas! My grandmother use to call it tooting!! The diarrhea takes a long time to go away, I still have it out of the blue and eat the saem thing every day!

If you find a doc who know hpw to fix this please pass his name along!

 

Rosemarie810 said:

Your post
I have been looking for information for over 6 years for other people who had issues similar to mine. First of all how is your brother doing? I have been thinking I was crazy for the last 6+ years. I had internal as well as external radiation. I have had bowel problems since. I also have had problems walking and feeling like a really very old person. Does he have issues with mobility? Please let me know. The best to you all.

Rosemarie

post
I am happy to find this site. My oncoligist denies that my bowel incontinence and increasing difficulty walking as well as my low back pain are related to the internal and external radiation treatments I received in 2006. These symptoms started soon after (within 6to 8 months) treatment was finished. I have been able to greatly improve the bowel problem by taking a probiotic capsule every day. This was never suggested by my doctors but rather an idea I had on my own. The increasing loss of mobility along with severe low back pain has also been dismissed by my oncoligists. I have recently had spinal x rays and a CT Scan as ordered by a spine specialist. Both showed no causal problem with my spine. My physical therapist refused to begin spinal therapy without further diagnostic testing for nerve damage. If anyone has found a successful treatment for the loss of mobility please share that information with me. I have completely given up expecting any help from the medical business.

Radiation induced Lumbar plexopathy

i had radiation to my pelvis 13 years ago for uterine cancer... I now have radiation induced lumbar plexopathy and I am a paraplegic my legs are useless due to the damage from radiation ...i have created a blog in the hope of connecting with others as this is a lonely disease https://lifeinawheelchairblog.wordpress.com please connect with me via the blog as I would live to communicate with others Helen  

Auzzie123 said:

Not feeling so alone

As a result of radiation for uterine cancer I have Lymphedema in my left leg... This started straight after treatment finished.. I have now been diagnosed 12 years later with lumbar Plexopathy.. Damage to the nerves in the pelvis.. I had noticed over the last two years things going wrong.. Pins and needles, numbness, walking slower and slower, difficulty walking up a slope, difficulty climbing stairs, loss of balance and tripping over..it was a very gradual change and I blamed the Lymphoedema for the syptoms... But they got worse... Fortunately no pain... I was diagnosed two weeks ago by a neurologist.. I am having more tests to confirm diagnosis... They say this is very rare and can start between 1 year and 30 years later!!! So rare they do not tell you it is a side effect!!! Till you have it.. 

Lymhoedema

I also have this in both legs as a result from my radical hysterectomy and radiation. I am now seeing a therapist who is teaching me wraps and massage therapy that could help reduce edema and help with pain from neuropathy. 

kellygr said:

Not crazy either
And very much thankful. I am looking for someone that had pelvic radiation and has Stomach/food issues.

Stomach issue

you are so not crazy. I had radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cervical cancer in nov/Dec 2012. I also had brachytherapy in Jan 2013. I now get acid off my stomach and I take omprezole. I have also been diagnosed with ibs on buscapa. I have bladder damage and bowel damage. I have also recently been diagnosed with a bulging disc and sciatica down my right leg And an insufficiency fracture on my right side. Starting physio tomorrow although the doc mentioned surgery. On the plus side. No cancer. My children still have a mother. I will turn 40 next year and my children were only 11 and 13 when this happened to me. Sometimes I forget that I'm only in my 30s because I feel a lot older. 

Very long-term survivor of cervical cancer

In 1982 at age 38 I was treated for advanced cervical cancer (stage 4) with a radical hysterectomy. Because the pathology report showed 7 abdominal lymph nodes positive for adeno-squamous cancer, one month after surgery I underwent both external and internal radiation treatment to my abdomen. I'm writing the story of my treatment in hopes of encouraging everyone who is dealing with this kind of cancer and its consequences. Even though today you may feel awful, wondering if you will ever heal, wondering if that new symptom is cancer again, it is possible to get better and to live with and even overcome the iatrogenic symptoms (caused by the treatment). 

These treatments were successful in eradicating my cancer. For a year following treatment, my body slowly healed and I began feeling better. However, I then began having symptoms in my legs like lymphedema, lymphangitis (like cellulitis) infections, and peripheral neuropathy, as well as extremely painful small bowel blockages. Over the years I learned to control the swelling in my legs with heavy-duty compression stockings. I learned the hard way that taking a daily prophylactic antibiotic will prevent bouts of lymphangitis (yes, I've been on lower dose antibiotics since about 1983!). The worst symptom, though, was the small bowel blockages which were extremely painful, often causing me to present at the hospital ER for treatment. Apparently both the surgery and radiation contributed to adhesions which restricted the activity and diameter of my small intestines. I dealt with these attacks happening 3-4 times a month for 14 years. How did I do that? One day at a time, trying not to think too far ahead and being grateful I didn't have cancer. Finally, when I could no longer eat any solid food, my doctor referred me to a surgeon who believed he could remove the scarred section and give me some relief. So I underwent a small-bowel resection in 1996. After that, my quality of life improved tremendously as I was then able to eat a normal diet without fear of blockage or pain. As for the peripheral neuropathy, it came on gradually so that nowadays my feet are mostly numb yet strangely hyper-sensitive. My doctor tells me that radiation to the abdomen can damage the nearby spinal nerves which then cause feeling in the feet to be impaired. Although it had been 32 years since I had my last radiation treatment, in 2014 I developed a blockage in one of my ureters (the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder) which was extremely painful, like a kidney stone. My doctor reported that the ureter had very slowly developed scarring from the radiation. Treatment involved dilating the ureter with a hollow flexible tube which stayed in place for several weeks and then was removed. That's one of the things about radiation - cells don't fully recover from it, so they can develop scarring many years later. I am very happy to say that I've had no further trouble with that particular problem.

Everyday I am thankful for my "good health" and thankful for things like compression hosiery, antibiotics, and comfortable shoes that have enabled me to live a full life, working till retirement at 70 to start a new phase. I can now spend more time with family, which includes great-grandkids, more time at the gym, and more time with friends. Life is good.

sandyjdub said:

Very long-term survivor of cervical cancer

In 1982 at age 38 I was treated for advanced cervical cancer (stage 4) with a radical hysterectomy. Because the pathology report showed 7 abdominal lymph nodes positive for adeno-squamous cancer, one month after surgery I underwent both external and internal radiation treatment to my abdomen. I'm writing the story of my treatment in hopes of encouraging everyone who is dealing with this kind of cancer and its consequences. Even though today you may feel awful, wondering if you will ever heal, wondering if that new symptom is cancer again, it is possible to get better and to live with and even overcome the iatrogenic symptoms (caused by the treatment). 

These treatments were successful in eradicating my cancer. For a year following treatment, my body slowly healed and I began feeling better. However, I then began having symptoms in my legs like lymphedema, lymphangitis (like cellulitis) infections, and peripheral neuropathy, as well as extremely painful small bowel blockages. Over the years I learned to control the swelling in my legs with heavy-duty compression stockings. I learned the hard way that taking a daily prophylactic antibiotic will prevent bouts of lymphangitis (yes, I've been on lower dose antibiotics since about 1983!). The worst symptom, though, was the small bowel blockages which were extremely painful, often causing me to present at the hospital ER for treatment. Apparently both the surgery and radiation contributed to adhesions which restricted the activity and diameter of my small intestines. I dealt with these attacks happening 3-4 times a month for 14 years. How did I do that? One day at a time, trying not to think too far ahead and being grateful I didn't have cancer. Finally, when I could no longer eat any solid food, my doctor referred me to a surgeon who believed he could remove the scarred section and give me some relief. So I underwent a small-bowel resection in 1996. After that, my quality of life improved tremendously as I was then able to eat a normal diet without fear of blockage or pain. As for the peripheral neuropathy, it came on gradually so that nowadays my feet are mostly numb yet strangely hyper-sensitive. My doctor tells me that radiation to the abdomen can damage the nearby spinal nerves which then cause feeling in the feet to be impaired. Although it had been 32 years since I had my last radiation treatment, in 2014 I developed a blockage in one of my ureters (the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder) which was extremely painful, like a kidney stone. My doctor reported that the ureter had very slowly developed scarring from the radiation. Treatment involved dilating the ureter with a hollow flexible tube which stayed in place for several weeks and then was removed. That's one of the things about radiation - cells don't fully recover from it, so they can develop scarring many years later. I am very happy to say that I've had no further trouble with that particular problem.

Everyday I am thankful for my "good health" and thankful for things like compression hosiery, antibiotics, and comfortable shoes that have enabled me to live a full life, working till retirement at 70 to start a new phase. I can now spend more time with family, which includes great-grandkids, more time at the gym, and more time with friends. Life is good.

Radiation damage to intestines

I also had delayed reaction to surgery and radiation in 2015.  My intestines hurt so bad (especially at night) I can hardly stand it.  I found that Aleve is the best thing to kill the pain and reduce the swelling.  My doc HATES that idea, and has put me on pill after pill for months now, with no relief.  I also got lymphedema at about the same time 1+ years later.  I wish I could say I felt better, or good enough to  move past it, but not yet.  I wish there were more good doctors who know how to treat this, I wasted time money and energy on this dilemma also.

Radiation Side Effects

I have kidney cancer that metastized onto my Vertebrae.  I have received 8 doses of targeted radiation at Memorial Sloan Kettering for a tumor at T7.  They gave me 5 doses in 5 consecutive days at the end of September 2017.  In October I went rapidly downhill and have difficulty walking.  I cannot walk up or downstairs and have no balance.  I have to use a walker and a cane.  I cannot move my right foot to drive a car.  The doctors gave me an MRI, CT scan and x-rays.  The doctors say they don't know what is causing my problem.  The scans look good.  It is not the cancer and nothing that requires surgery.  The nerves appear to be good.  The only thing that may be causing the problem is a swollen iliosoas muscle that may be squeezing the nerves.  i have tightness in the back of my waist and upper thighs but no pain.  I recently started physical therapy.  Has anyone had a similar experience?  Is this a temporary or permanent condition?

sandyjdub said:

Very long-term survivor of cervical cancer

In 1982 at age 38 I was treated for advanced cervical cancer (stage 4) with a radical hysterectomy. Because the pathology report showed 7 abdominal lymph nodes positive for adeno-squamous cancer, one month after surgery I underwent both external and internal radiation treatment to my abdomen. I'm writing the story of my treatment in hopes of encouraging everyone who is dealing with this kind of cancer and its consequences. Even though today you may feel awful, wondering if you will ever heal, wondering if that new symptom is cancer again, it is possible to get better and to live with and even overcome the iatrogenic symptoms (caused by the treatment). 

These treatments were successful in eradicating my cancer. For a year following treatment, my body slowly healed and I began feeling better. However, I then began having symptoms in my legs like lymphedema, lymphangitis (like cellulitis) infections, and peripheral neuropathy, as well as extremely painful small bowel blockages. Over the years I learned to control the swelling in my legs with heavy-duty compression stockings. I learned the hard way that taking a daily prophylactic antibiotic will prevent bouts of lymphangitis (yes, I've been on lower dose antibiotics since about 1983!). The worst symptom, though, was the small bowel blockages which were extremely painful, often causing me to present at the hospital ER for treatment. Apparently both the surgery and radiation contributed to adhesions which restricted the activity and diameter of my small intestines. I dealt with these attacks happening 3-4 times a month for 14 years. How did I do that? One day at a time, trying not to think too far ahead and being grateful I didn't have cancer. Finally, when I could no longer eat any solid food, my doctor referred me to a surgeon who believed he could remove the scarred section and give me some relief. So I underwent a small-bowel resection in 1996. After that, my quality of life improved tremendously as I was then able to eat a normal diet without fear of blockage or pain. As for the peripheral neuropathy, it came on gradually so that nowadays my feet are mostly numb yet strangely hyper-sensitive. My doctor tells me that radiation to the abdomen can damage the nearby spinal nerves which then cause feeling in the feet to be impaired. Although it had been 32 years since I had my last radiation treatment, in 2014 I developed a blockage in one of my ureters (the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder) which was extremely painful, like a kidney stone. My doctor reported that the ureter had very slowly developed scarring from the radiation. Treatment involved dilating the ureter with a hollow flexible tube which stayed in place for several weeks and then was removed. That's one of the things about radiation - cells don't fully recover from it, so they can develop scarring many years later. I am very happy to say that I've had no further trouble with that particular problem.

Everyday I am thankful for my "good health" and thankful for things like compression hosiery, antibiotics, and comfortable shoes that have enabled me to live a full life, working till retirement at 70 to start a new phase. I can now spend more time with family, which includes great-grandkids, more time at the gym, and more time with friends. Life is good.

I experience exactly the same

I experience exactly the same bowel syptoms as you and feel so relieved to learn you had a bowel resection and live now without the pain and fear of blockages. I had a severe blockage in 2001 and had to be operated but the surgeon drained rather than cut the bowel. This gives me hope to put a bit of pressure on my doctor who has been quite hesitant in operating me again (I already underwent 11 surgeries). I too am grateful of the years I have lived cancer free but the pain and fear for the past 30+ plus years is wearing me down.

Thank you for your sharing your experience

Ana