Anoscopy

I had a flex sigmoidoscopy with biopsy a few months after treatment and a biopsy was taken where the tumor had been. I was knocked out for that. Then I got anoscopy about ten months after treatment because my rectal exam was so painful and oncologist felt "something". He sent me to surgeon who did anoscopy in OR. Turns out what they felt was probably a muscle spasm. Based on how sore I was after the procedure I could not have tolerated the procedure awake. Next time I get anoscopy they will be trying to dig out my scarred in IUD as well so I'll get two procedures with one anesthesia.

Martha, not sure how you tolerated those exams with scope. I have a DRE next week I'm dreading just because of discomfort. I still have a sore bottom, hard chair seats or bar stools are uncomfortable. And sometimes depending on how sore I am still have to sit on one cheek In the bath tub.I guess we are all a little different. 

Thanks, your 9 year out perspective is invaluable. I hope I will still be encouraging others when I'm nine years out!

Mollymaude said:

Martha

Thanks, your 9 year out perspective is invaluable. I hope I will still be encouraging others when I'm nine years out!

Awwwwww, thank you.  How sweet!  I just remember how terrified I was when I was diagnosed and that I really had no one to talk to who had been there, done that.  I really don't anyone else to feel so alone in this journey.  I will say, though, that a lot of minute details have faded from my memory about the whole experience of diagnosis, treatment, and early follow-up.  Sometimes I have to look back in my journal to recall certain things.  I guess that's good.  The human mind does have a way of keeping us from dwelling on pain and suffering we may have experienced, I guess.  I hope that knowing there is someone such as myself who is a long-term survivor and living a pretty normal life 9 years out will be encouraging to all who are beginning this journey or haven't been as far out of treatment as me.  Thanks for your input on this site--I know you give many people good information, encouragement and support.

If you can take just enough Valium to get relaxed that might be good idea.  Find someone to drive you to your appt. so you won't have to worry about it.  And be sure to let the doctor know before the exam that you are still quite tender down there.

As for your discomfort in sitting, due to having no padding, so to speak, I would suggest getting a donut or some kind of soft pad to sit on.  I actually have 2 memory foam pads, one on top of the other, on my desk chair for that reason.  I don't know how memory foam would hold up under water, but you might try that when you bathe.  I know they make memory foam bath mats to have outside your shower, so perhaps one of those would work in the tub.  Just a thought.  At 95 pounds, my sit bones are quite sensitive too, so I understand your discomfort.

As for having anyone else in the exam room for anoscopy, I have never done that.  I used to be quite uncomfortable getting any kind of medical examination, but since the experience with anal cancer, I am not so embarassed about mooning my doctor or putting my feet in the stirrups for a gyno exam.  To doctors, it's just so routine.  I received my radiation treatment in the "frog" position and when I had to have 3 anal condylomas removed 2 years after treatment, I was put in the lithotomy position, with my feet high in stirrups and knees bent at a 90-degree angle, butt exposed!  I was knocked completely out for that procedure, thank goodness!  My anoscopes are done with me kneeling on the platform at the end of the table, bending at the waist, and lying prone.  The table is tilted up so that my bottom is higher than my head--the jacknife position.  My surgeon is always quick to do the exam and before I know it, I'm out of there!

As for healing, the best advice I can give you is just to be patient.  I may have stated this previously, but it took me about 2 year to finally feel like I was fully recovered.  I've a few ups and downs since then and some things will never be the same, but I do not deal with the side effects that seemed to hang on during those first 2 years.  This is a marathon, not a sprint.  I wish you all the very best with your upcoming appointment!  Hugs!

Hi Jane,

Are you talking about an HRA(high resolution anoscopy) or a routine anoscopy?  The HRA usually requires some sedation and may be a bit painful (I have never had one) I have had a few routine anoscopies; I wasn't sedated and they didn't hurt at all  Be sure to tell your doctor that you are still very sore; hope that he/she goes slowly and gently.

I am almost 9 years out of treatment and have had numerous anoscopies, none of which have been painful, even the one I had 6 weeks post-treatment.  I would say sometimes they were a little uncomfortable, but never painful. 

Wisteria, I'm sorry about all that you are dealing with.  I hope your back surgery goes well and that your upcoming anoscopy shows that your cancer is gone.  Please keep us posted as you can.

Wisteria83 said:

Anoscopy

Hi Jane!

I never actually had the anoscopy or DRE done in July.  I was too sore, so my rad onc and surgeon both held off.  At each appointment, they took a peek, just to see how the tissues were healing.

I had my first DRE and internal vaginal exam just last week by my rad onc.  This is nearly 4 months post treatment.  He wasn't going to do it, because I've been dealing with a severe case of sciatica and I was in excruciating pain and unable to walk.  I told him I wanted him to do the exam because I NEED to know if the treatment worked.  With the help of him, my husband and the nurse, I managed to get up on the table and into position with my feet in stirrups.  He did the exam with a lot of lidocaine gel and the smallest speculum they had, and truthfully, I barely felt a thing.  Maybe because I was having so much pain in my leg?  Anyway, he felt some lumps and bumps both anally and vaginally which he said could be scar tissue, so while he feels optimistic that they got all the tumor, the exam was inconconclusive.  I'm scheduled for the anoscopy on 9/5, but that may end up being postponed because I may be having back surgery this week.  I'll know more tomorrow when I see the neurosurgeon.  A herniated disk is just what I needed after underging cancer treatment, right?

I know my colo-rectal surgeon who will be doing the anoscopy won't be using any sedation when she does the exam, so I'm not looking forward to it.  I watched a Youtube video of someone having it done, and while it looks to be an embarrassing procedure because of positioning, it also looks like the scope is a good size...and not something I want put in me.  Can't be helped though.  It's the only way to find out if this cancer is gone or not.  I'm scared too.

Hi Wisteria

My anoscopy is scheduled for Sept 5, also, so if yours goes as planned, we can go through it together, virtually.  Either way i'll be thinking aobut you.  It's helpful knowing other people out there are going through the same thing.  This is so hard.  And you have all that pain on top of it!  Ugh.  Have you tried acupuncture?  It was the only thing that finally helped my stepmothers sciatica.  I hope you can get some relief.  Sending you hugs.

Jane

Wisteria83 said:

Probably going to postpone Anoscopy

Hi Jane,

It IS helpful to know that others are going through the same thing.  Makes it a bit easier somehow.  That's why this board is so helpful.

 I didn't try acupuncture this time.  My insurance (Medicare) doesn't cover it, nor does it cover massage therapy, and I can't afford it out-of-pocket.  I think it's terrible, but there's no fighting it.  My son, a former Marine, gets accupuncture and it's covered by the VA.  You'd think that since they are both federal, that they would cover the same things, but no such luck.  I can understand them not wanting to cover experimental treatments, but both accupuncture and massage therapy are both proven therapies.

 I've had spine problems for many, many years.  Degenerative Disk Disease and osteoarthritis in both cervical and lumbar vertebrae.  In 1994 I had a fusion at C5-6, and in 2002 I had another fusion at level C6-7.  Now I have a titanium plate and screws at those levels.  I've been in Pain Management and on narcotic pain meds since early 2000's, with extra pain meds for occasional severe flares and break-through pain.  (I also have Fibromyalgia, which for me, narcotics doesn't help.  It does help the DDD.)

 

Shortly after CA treatment ended, I began having hip and low back pain as many of us here do.  Within days though, my back pain became worse and then the sciatica reared it's ugly head and completely overtook all the "regular" pain I had been experiencing. 

 I saw the neurosurgeon on Wednesday of last week, had a new MRI and EMG on Thursday.  I have two herniated disks...L4-5 and L5-S1 and some stenosis which is impinging the nerve.  The pain in my right buttock and entire right leg is excruciating, and I'm having some numbness and tingling in my foot. The back pain has now diminished so that I barely feel it.

  I went through this last summer, had some conservative treatments including accupuncture and steroids and the pain resolved after two epidural steroid injections.  This time, conservative treatments didn't help.  After three unsuccessful spinal injections, a series of Prednisone, two shots of Toradol and the addition of Gabapentin (Neurontin) for nerve pain, both my surgeon and I decided that surgery is my best option, so tomorrow morning I'll be having surgery...a laminectomy and discectomy at those problematic levels.

On the bright side, this sure has taken my mind off my cancer!  Best of luck to you on the 5th with your anoscopy, Jane.  I'll be with you in spirit!

Hugs, back atcha!

 

Wishing you all the very best with your surgery tomorrow.  I hope all goes well and that you have a speedy recovery!