radition colitis

abartender
abartender Member Posts: 25
edited March 2014 in Testicular Cancer #1
Hi ya all,, ?? do anyone of u have or know about radation colitis,, when my nodes got zapped my colon took a good frying 2 n now iam on meds a few times a day, am wondering if the fried part of my colon can b removed n i can get back 2 my sorta normal way of living.
Thanks 4 ur time n info
Mark a.k.a abartender

Comments

  • ConnieM
    ConnieM Member Posts: 9
    #2
    Hello Mark:
    I don't know about radiation colitis, but I did have 2 pieces of my colon removed because of cancer in November 2000. This surgery was the hardest thing I have ever endured in my life. Not so much the surgery, even though that was no piece of cake either, it was all the problems afterwards. The intestines are very, very sensitive. If you remove a piece you interrupt the peristaltic movement that pushes the food through the small intestine and the colon. Of course it also shortens the time the food has in the colon, which usually results in massive diarrhea. It took me 6 months, before I could leave the house not wearing a "diaper", and even after that I always took a change of clothes along to make sure I was prepared, just in case!
    If you are in serious pain and the colon cannot recover from the radiation, then by all means, do the surgery, but just be prepared, that it's not going to be an easy thing.
    I am perfectly allright now, but still have to watch a bit what I eat to make sure I don't get diarrhea.
    Good Luck, Mark!
    ConnieM
  • lyrecker
    lyrecker Member Posts: 3
    #3
    I had much the same thing happen to me, though evidently not to the same degree. It is (was?) on the left side in the descending colon, which made for short warning when an attack came on. I was on azulfadine for it and eventually got it under control; though accidents sure do happen. Part of getting control was puting myself on a high-fiber (but not coles - cabbage - or lettuce), low-fat (dairy, etc.) diet. These days I can eat more or less anything; though this Christmas season was a little too high fat and I had a week of slight attacks. I have also been off the azulfadine for over 12 years (it's been 20 years since my TC). Unless, you really have a problem with that segment of colon and cannot get it under control, I'd stick with it.

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