My Anal Cancer Experience

For the last year, I've been adding a shot of pure orange juice to the psyllium powder and water so that it doesn't taste so bad. It works great. The psyllium husk powder that I use is much cheaper than buying Metamucil and I deal with the taste problem using the added juice.

I really think the Metamucil "bulks things up." It seems to be working for me, but then when I think all is good, boom, I'll be out and have to go immediately! I think that will be with us and I guess we just better get used to it. As long as I stay cancer free, I'll put up with it.

McG, are there other things from treatment that went away after a while? I'm only 4 months out of treatment and still trying to get some muscle control back. The skin on my inner thighs is still sun tanned from radiation. Maybe I just need to go to a tropical location and even it out! My hips get a little stiff but need to find some exercises. I'm working with a pelvic floor therapist and hoping she can suggest some exercises.

I don’t see any recent posts about my type of cancer? I am new to this, so maybe I just haven’t found the right place yet? I was diagnosed and treated for stage 3, anal squamous cell carcinoma, in July 2022. , I am a 59 year old female. Went through 7 weeks Chemo and radiation. Already had my 3 month follow up pet scan and scope, no need for biopsy at this point, my treatments seemed to be effective! I am very Thankful and feel blessed. I just wanted to chat with someone who has gone through similar experience. My post effects seem to be more bothersome than actual treatments - incontinence, fatigue, low energy, and this darn chemo brain is the worst. Does any one else experience these types of symptoms this far past treatments?

Regards-Debbie

Thank you for sharing, and I wish you the best news on your one year post treatment testing.

I keep telling myself I need to be patient on my recovery, your story just enforces this.

Thank You

Thank you, Grant! From reading these posts, I am grateful for where I am 4 months post treatment. I definitely agree with your vacation idea to even out the skin tone! I don't go out much and work at home so it is sometimes hard for me to gauge my energy level since it is mostly sedentary. When I do go out all day, I do get a little tired at the end of the day but that could also be from menopause. Right now I'm working with a pelvic floor therapist thru the hospital to see what I can do to improve urgency issues. I'm trying to figure out what my body doesn't like such as dairy, sugar, fats? Some of that might be just changes in digestion as I get older. I am trying to build my confidence to go out earlier in the day because that is when I feel more at risk to have an embarrassing moment. I will keep moving forward and hope over time everything will work to my advantage.

Hang in there, Dawn! Everyone feels pain differently. Let the doctors do their work and pray! I'll be praying for you!

I understand your feelings but it takes time to schedule with the doctors. I had a biopsy in May 2022 and didn't start treatment until early August. I think the key is how soon you go to a doctor to then get diagnosed. I waited too long and then was initially misdiagnosed which is common. So I will never know if that impacted my current status or if it was my own delay of seeking care. I kept making excuses for it that made sense to me since I have always been healthy and was in denial. I was stage 3C when initially staged because it got in to a lymph node. So now I am stage 4 but that most likely was my own delay which was a few years from when I first saw signs of something not right. But it would go away and I assumed it was a hemorrhoid. Even when I started treatment last year, I had a few weeks to get prepared and the doctor said it wouldn't make a difference. I had good outcomes from the radiation/chemo last year. 9 months later we started seeing spots on my lungs. I think the radiation wears off after 9 months and that is a critical time to watch what happens. I still have good results at the radiation spot. So the fact it got to a lymph node was the bummer! Stay positive! I know you are anxious to get started but it is a process.

same. my hips hurt & are stiff, difficulty laying on them at end of treatment and after..conserned I need double hip replacement. they have gotten moderately better...anyone else have this? how long did it take to resolve?