Starting oral chemo and radiation treatment this week for rectal cancer.

Welcome Robvaner3. I did not use painkillers just lots of Tylenol,  Aquaphor and ice packs. Good luck with your treatments 

I found this on this site...maybe you'll find something here that will help you?

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/pain/non-medical-treatments-for-cancer-pain.html

I guess you can either copy and paste the link above, or look through the site to find Managing Cancer Related Side Effects.

There WILL be pain...you are only human.  Pain is different for everyone.  Personally, I have a low pain threshold, and that's just the way I'm made.  How we experience pain is very personal and there is nothing wrong with us if we don't handle pain easily.  It took me a long time to accept that about myself.  

I wish you well on this journey...It's ok to admit that it hurts.  No one will think any less of you...and you should not feel embarrassed.  Talk to your doctors.  Be honest with them about your history.  They will work with you.  You are certainly not the first person who has had an addiction and then had to go through painful cancer treatments.

My wife finished the treatment on March 30.  It was tough, she's 54.  She was in pretty good shape otherwise before her diagnosis. She's doing great now, fingers crossed.

On the pain medication, from reading all the stories here, there are many variations on how people react to the treatment.  But here is how her situation played out, just for another data point for you.

She wasn't even bothered by the burning skin till week 4.  So half way through with no effects other than severe drymouth, some tiredness, some loss of appetite, mild skin tingling, and some low blood counts from the Xeloda (oral chemo).  Week 4 was uncomfortable, but still no pain medication.  Week 5 and 6 were pretty bad, she said worse than delivering a child, but everytime she went to the bathroom.  Nothing to look forward to, for sure, I don't want to sugar coat it.  They prescribed her percocet, up to three per dose, three times a day. She has always been very anti-medication unless its absolutely needed.  I finally convinced her near the end of week 5 that it was absolutely needed, she needed to try it. She said it just took the edge off, didn't really eliminate the pain.  The pain wasn't all the time, just when she was going to the bathroom, so that was something.  And she found after just two or three days that it seemed to be causing constipation, which actually made things worse (docs said take stool softener and percocet together, she didn't want to try and get the balance right).  Stopped taking percocet, and just loaded up on ibuprofen (AFTER getting the ok from the docs). Still didn't get rid of the pain by any means, but she stuck with that for the rest of the time.

Two things in your favor (unless your picture is misleading).  Several times during her treatment the docs said that men usually faired much better due to tougher skin, and well, different parts that weren't getting hit by the beams (urination is not as bad for men, particularly). Also, you're seven years younger than my wife. Younger is better for tolerating the treatment.

Make that three things.  This treatment will probably cure you, at least according to the percentages.  I know from an experience I had with cancer as well that it's hard to see it this way while you're in the moment, but in a sense you are pretty lucky that you found it early, and that the treatment success rate is very good.  You are going to be very uncomfortable for 3-4 weeks, no doubt.  The important thing is to see the treatment through if at all possible with no long gaps.  If you need the pain meds, definitely take them if they will keep you from missing a treatment day.  Like Wisteria83 said, keep the docs informed about how you're doing and your concerns about addiction.  I've got a brother-in-law who became addicted during his leukemia treatment, so I know your concerns are justified, but first thing is to definitely get through the treatment - save your life FIRST, then address the meds if you have a problem. 

Oh! THE #1 thing that my wife said made the pain better was the peri spray water bottles while you're going to the bathroom.  She bought a six pack on amazon and had a couple ready to go in every bathroom. Others have found help from creams, sitz baths, etc.  Hopefully you'll get some relief from some of these techniques.

You can do this! 

Pat

Robvaner3  I hope all goes well for.you

Robvaner3 said:

Day 2

Second day of oral chemo and radiation therapy. So far so good. Thankful for great health insurance and being retired. Battling cancer will be my full time job!

You can do this! 

i had anal cancer and I am 72. Most of my chemo was oral, but I had two IV chemo doses.  My first pain was soreness in the back crack, elimination was a bit painful but tolerable, that likely started about week 2 or 3.  First weeks food just lost it’s savor, and everything smelled bad. After about 3rd week BMs were very painful but my tumor was right on top of my sphinter muscle, since yours is higher, it might not be that bad for you.  Everyone is different.  Radiation burn did not become really bad until the very end.  I am only a week out, and it is so much better already.  I never took pain meds which amazed my doctor since my cancer protruded into the vaginal wall, which he thought might be the case, and he wanted to verify with an exam.  They about had to peel me off the ceiling, so it isn’t that I have a high tolerance for pain exactly.  I really didn’t want to be constipated so I was glad meds were not needed.