Chronic diaherra

Barnaby
Barnaby Member Posts: 33
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I am six years out from surgery for colo rectal cancer.  Have had chronic diaherra every since.  Some days are worse than others.  I have a kidney nephrostomy tube in my right kidney as my right urerter has a large stricture in it from radiation.  This keeps me from swimming which is what I was doing before the tube.  Now I ride a recumbent indoor bike every day for 25 minutes.  They are going to try to rebuild my ureter in a month - I am sure I have lots of scar tissue from the chemo and radiation so not sure if they can help me.  Have had lots of pain in my right side, and constant rectal pain.  All my tests are cancer free.  My life has changed dramatically from all this, so I actually feel I have never been cured even if it is not cancer.  I tried Hyparbaric Oxygen therapy.  It improved my immune system.  Has anyone else had chronic diaherra?  Would love to hear people are coping.

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    Hello Barnaby

    I am sorry to hear about your chronic diahrrea (I want to shoot the person who penned the spelling on that word).  I do believe that one of our posters, Kim, has suffered through years with the same problem.  

    Mine is the opposite. I get constipated at the drop of a hat, and then, when the body decideds it is is time to go, I go, like right now. Better be near a loo, cause the body is not going to wait.       

    It doesn't matter what I eat - well sometimes it does -  I can be eating my veggie and fiber, but still I get bunged up.  Then of course, when I push and pull, I bleed all over the place - which used to scrare me to death that the Cancer was back - becasue radiation thinned out the tissues around my anal & genital area, so I rip like rice paper at the simplest of touches. 

    I am sure you have tried all of the foods that are supposed to help with the D word (really, I can't spell it, so I'm going to use D), and proably a slew of medications, and talked to your Doctors.  It may just be your new normal, though there is nothing normal about it. 

    I wish you the best of luck for your upcoming surgery. I hope they are able to get things working better in that Kidney. 

    Tru

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited March 2019 #3
    I think I would if I didn't

    I think I would if I didn't have an illeostomy. I always had it from IBS and my surgeon said that if I get reconnected it'll probably get worse. So I'm keeping it, life is just easier that way. But what goes into my illeostomy bag is always very runny and watery. But I don't have the cramps and sick feeling associated with diarrhea. I also think the side effects from the cancer are worse than the cancer itself. 

    I also have issues with my kidneys from internal adhesions. I'm lucky. It seems like it got to a certain point and didn't get any worse for the last couple of years. So they're not functioning perfectly but are still within the low normal category. I tried a stent for a while but it was horrible. A sharp, shooting pain every time I sat down and muscles spasms from it. It would take my breathe away.

    One of the things that I have to do on really bad days is take codeine. It slows down the digestive system. But if I took it before all of this I could get very bunged up so I'm not sure it's a good option. I've also heard that Metamucil is something to try. I tried it and it didn't make a difference but it may work for you. It worked for a filly we used to have that had terrible diarrhea. 

    I hope you find some way of dealing with it.

    Take care,

    Jan

  • Nazareth
    Nazareth Member Posts: 88 Member
    #4
    you didn't by any chance have

    you didn't by any chance have your gall bladder out did you? If so- that can cause what's called 'Bile Salt Diarrhea' but can be cotnrolled with questran powder- If you didn't- then try taking metamucil which pulls water into it and makes stool formed- if that doesn't work- you can talk to your doc and tell them how the chronic D is affectign your day to day life, and try to get perscription drugs to help- loperamide, lomotil, tincture of opium for the harder stuff- even morphine or opioids- but try the metamucil first- just go easy as it might block you up if you take too muich

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    Constant Bathroom Issues

    Yup I'm the one Tru talked of.  I'll go up to 8-15 times a day.  It can be very restrictive not knowing if I'll be heading to the bathroom or if I'm able to go shopping.  Mornings are bad for me and once I've rid myself somewhat I'm able to go out for a while but I'm never able to eat while I'm out as it usually goes right through me.  I'm never able to go to a restaurant to eat but will go out and sit there with family and friends.  Afternoons and evenings are rough also.  I'm not much encouragement but I'm here 10 years later and loving my life as I'm still able to do things exciting but in a shorter amount of time during the day.  Wishing you the best for a successful surgery and hoping that you get better soon.

    Kim

  • Barnaby
    Barnaby Member Posts: 33
    #6
    Trubrit said:

    Hello Barnaby

    I am sorry to hear about your chronic diahrrea (I want to shoot the person who penned the spelling on that word).  I do believe that one of our posters, Kim, has suffered through years with the same problem.  

    Mine is the opposite. I get constipated at the drop of a hat, and then, when the body decideds it is is time to go, I go, like right now. Better be near a loo, cause the body is not going to wait.       

    It doesn't matter what I eat - well sometimes it does -  I can be eating my veggie and fiber, but still I get bunged up.  Then of course, when I push and pull, I bleed all over the place - which used to scrare me to death that the Cancer was back - becasue radiation thinned out the tissues around my anal & genital area, so I rip like rice paper at the simplest of touches. 

    I am sure you have tried all of the foods that are supposed to help with the D word (really, I can't spell it, so I'm going to use D), and proably a slew of medications, and talked to your Doctors.  It may just be your new normal, though there is nothing normal about it. 

    I wish you the best of luck for your upcoming surgery. I hope they are able to get things working better in that Kidney. 

    Tru

    I agree with food.  I can't figure out what triggers it.  But eating small portions is better.

  • Barnaby
    Barnaby Member Posts: 33
    #7
    JanJan63 said:

    I think I would if I didn't

    I think I would if I didn't have an illeostomy. I always had it from IBS and my surgeon said that if I get reconnected it'll probably get worse. So I'm keeping it, life is just easier that way. But what goes into my illeostomy bag is always very runny and watery. But I don't have the cramps and sick feeling associated with diarrhea. I also think the side effects from the cancer are worse than the cancer itself. 

    I also have issues with my kidneys from internal adhesions. I'm lucky. It seems like it got to a certain point and didn't get any worse for the last couple of years. So they're not functioning perfectly but are still within the low normal category. I tried a stent for a while but it was horrible. A sharp, shooting pain every time I sat down and muscles spasms from it. It would take my breathe away.

    One of the things that I have to do on really bad days is take codeine. It slows down the digestive system. But if I took it before all of this I could get very bunged up so I'm not sure it's a good option. I've also heard that Metamucil is something to try. I tried it and it didn't make a difference but it may work for you. It worked for a filly we used to have that had terrible diarrhea. 

    I hope you find some way of dealing with it.

    Take care,

    Jan

    Metamucil was no help.  I take lamotil and loperamide - sometimes helps and some times doesn't.

  • Barnaby
    Barnaby Member Posts: 33
    #8
    Nazareth said:

    you didn't by any chance have

    you didn't by any chance have your gall bladder out did you? If so- that can cause what's called 'Bile Salt Diarrhea' but can be cotnrolled with questran powder- If you didn't- then try taking metamucil which pulls water into it and makes stool formed- if that doesn't work- you can talk to your doc and tell them how the chronic D is affectign your day to day life, and try to get perscription drugs to help- loperamide, lomotil, tincture of opium for the harder stuff- even morphine or opioids- but try the metamucil first- just go easy as it might block you up if you take too muich

    I'm going to try questran powder - they did take my gall bladder out

  • Barnaby
    Barnaby Member Posts: 33
    #9
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Constant Bathroom Issues

    Yup I'm the one Tru talked of.  I'll go up to 8-15 times a day.  It can be very restrictive not knowing if I'll be heading to the bathroom or if I'm able to go shopping.  Mornings are bad for me and once I've rid myself somewhat I'm able to go out for a while but I'm never able to eat while I'm out as it usually goes right through me.  I'm never able to go to a restaurant to eat but will go out and sit there with family and friends.  Afternoons and evenings are rough also.  I'm not much encouragement but I'm here 10 years later and loving my life as I'm still able to do things exciting but in a shorter amount of time during the day.  Wishing you the best for a successful surgery and hoping that you get better soon.

    Kim

    You sound like me - but I think mine has gotten worse since they took my gall bladder out.

  • Nazareth
    Nazareth Member Posts: 88 Member
    #10
    talk to your doc about it-

    talk to your doc about it- mention that you have the chronic D and also mention that you have had your gall bladder out and have heard that that can cause chronic D in people- even years later- a small % get it 12% or soemthign like that- but it's still worth asking about. I woudl give the metamucil a try first though- it might be all you need- then again it might not- but it's cheap enough to try- and won't hurt-

  • Barnaby
    Barnaby Member Posts: 33
    #11
    help

    Thanks for the dialogue - it has made me feel like I am not alone with all this stuff.  You have all helped

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