The worst pain I have ever had -- on a scale of 1 to 10 it's a 10.

CessnaFlyer
CessnaFlyer Member Posts: 110
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I completed my 14th chemo treatment yesterday, and today I’ve had this burning pain in the lower belly, or colon, just above the groin. The pain starts when I stand or sits and only goes away after about half and hour after laying down. I once had a herniated disc and thought that was the worst possible pain, but this pain is off the scale. Also, I notice blood during bowel movements. At first I thought it was from hemorrhoids, but there does appear to be flacks of blood mixed with the movements, as if they might be coming off the wall of the colon. I’ve had this pain-cycel two times before, usually after the second or third treament in a cycle, and once spent five days in bed, but the pain was a lot less than this. Someone suggested this could be chemo induced colitis. I know pain and chemo kind of go together, but has anyone experienced it to this extreme, and in this way. As for the chemo treatment I’m receiving, I’m on the Roswell Park regimen in which I receive 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin once a week for 6-weeks and then 2-weeks off and this is repeated for a total of four cycles, or 24-treatments. Also, thank you everyone who responded to my previous question about CEA levels. The information you provided me is greatly apprciated and has really helped me. You all are wonderful people to take the time to do that and help others like me.

Comments

  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 Member Posts: 370 Member
    #2
    Pain
    I think a pain level of 10 is something to worry about. Pain is a symptom of something. You should consider a trip to the ER with this scale of pain. I don't know if you have had surgery to remove the colon tumor? If so this could be surgery related, or if not the tumor could be perforating the colon, or it could be something else serious to be causing so much pain. The only time my pain level was this high was before my surgery (and this pain came and went) when tumor totally obstructed and perforated the colon, and right after surgery, when pain meds needed increased. I'm not a doctor, but that sounds like too much pain and you should be checked.
    Hope you get some relief from this pain and get checked out.
    Pam
  • lcarper2
    lcarper2 Member Posts: 635 Member
    #3
    PamPam2 said:

    Pain
    I think a pain level of 10 is something to worry about. Pain is a symptom of something. You should consider a trip to the ER with this scale of pain. I don't know if you have had surgery to remove the colon tumor? If so this could be surgery related, or if not the tumor could be perforating the colon, or it could be something else serious to be causing so much pain. The only time my pain level was this high was before my surgery (and this pain came and went) when tumor totally obstructed and perforated the colon, and right after surgery, when pain meds needed increased. I'm not a doctor, but that sounds like too much pain and you should be checked.
    Hope you get some relief from this pain and get checked out.
    Pam

    pain
    I agree that a trip to the ER is in order the pain I had before my surgery was a 12 lasted for 2 months non stop felt like I was trying to past a voltswagon..after they removed my tumor it got alot better and no pain killers needed..I would be scared to death if I had that pain now...please seek medical attention now...and let us know..
  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #4
    Pain scales


    The "Pain Scale" varies from doctor's office to doctor's office,
    but generally is:

    1-2 slight pain/annoying discomfort and 9-10 blacking out/death thoughts
    as an option. ("9" or "10" usually requires hospitalization/morphine).

    In between the two sides, are the varying degrees of levels of what might
    be considered tolerable pain to intolerable pain, with both requiring
    some sort of pain medication (aspirin to Hydrocodone).

    When relating the level of pain to a practitioner, I try to be as
    accurate as possible, since citing an extreme while talking instead
    of screaming incoherently into the phone, won't be taken as seriously.

    You didn't say if you've had any colorectal surgery, but if so, the
    pain can be from adhesions and/or hernias.

    I would be more concerned with the bleeding, since blood is
    an indication of something unusual going on.

    Any "Chemo" can cause all sorts of nasty side effects and secondary
    problems, since all it is, is a harsh chemical designed to kill cells,
    both cancer and normal.

    If you don't have a colorectal surgeon or specialist, you should have
    one. But your Oncologist might be able to identify the problem.....

    In any case, if you're bleeding, get some help ASAP, you don't want
    it to get worse.
  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    #5
    Worried
    Hi friend,

    Just read your post from the 26th - Hope everything calmed down for you. Please let us know how you're doing. I'm so sorry you are in such pain. I know the feeling well and encourage you to get help. The doctors have to address the pain and manage it. Loads of encouragement and prayers heading your way.

    Blessings,

    Debbie
  • johnsfo
    johnsfo Member Posts: 47
    #6
    grammadebbie said:

    Worried
    Hi friend,

    Just read your post from the 26th - Hope everything calmed down for you. Please let us know how you're doing. I'm so sorry you are in such pain. I know the feeling well and encourage you to get help. The doctors have to address the pain and manage it. Loads of encouragement and prayers heading your way.

    Blessings,

    Debbie

    pain and hospital
    When my pain gets that out of control, I have learned that the ER or hospital is the best place to be. Much easier to control it there (with IV dilaudid among others). Pain that severe usually has a cause that needs to be taken care of too.

    I learned this in just the last week. I thought I was really overusing hospital resources when I was checked into the hospital for pain management last week. The admitting doc said,"You're losing weight because of the pain and pain meds, you can't sleep, and you can't live a normal life because of pain. Those are very reasonable criteria for hospital admission."

    Hope you find relief!

    John
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #7
    johnsfo said:

    pain and hospital
    When my pain gets that out of control, I have learned that the ER or hospital is the best place to be. Much easier to control it there (with IV dilaudid among others). Pain that severe usually has a cause that needs to be taken care of too.

    I learned this in just the last week. I thought I was really overusing hospital resources when I was checked into the hospital for pain management last week. The admitting doc said,"You're losing weight because of the pain and pain meds, you can't sleep, and you can't live a normal life because of pain. Those are very reasonable criteria for hospital admission."

    Hope you find relief!

    John

    Helpful Criteria
    Thanks John,
    Those are helpful factors in deciding on when to go to the hospital. I hope you and Cesna are both able to find sweet relief!

    Rob; in Vancouver
  • Doug_B
    Doug_B Member Posts: 27
    #8
    Roswell Park Regimen
    Hi Cesna,

    I went through the RPR after a complicated resection. The first surgery did not take. The resection grew closed and the doc's had to go in for a second time in less than a week. The only time I can remember severe pain in my abdomen was on one ocassion and it lasted for about 2 hours and gradually went away. There was no blood in my stool. I contributed it to an abnormal amount of gas trapped somewhere in my lower part of my digestive system.

    Don't delay seeing your doc. There may be something seriously wrong. Better safe than sorry.

    Doug
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #9
    Doug_B said:

    Roswell Park Regimen
    Hi Cesna,

    I went through the RPR after a complicated resection. The first surgery did not take. The resection grew closed and the doc's had to go in for a second time in less than a week. The only time I can remember severe pain in my abdomen was on one ocassion and it lasted for about 2 hours and gradually went away. There was no blood in my stool. I contributed it to an abnormal amount of gas trapped somewhere in my lower part of my digestive system.

    Don't delay seeing your doc. There may be something seriously wrong. Better safe than sorry.

    Doug

    Avastin?
    were you on avastin? If so you could have some abdominal wall perforation. I'm told it is associated with bleeding and severe pain.
  • CessnaFlyer
    CessnaFlyer Member Posts: 110
    #10
    snommintj said:

    Avastin?
    were you on avastin? If so you could have some abdominal wall perforation. I'm told it is associated with bleeding and severe pain.

    Thanks everyone.
    Sorry I haven't responded before, but just sitting at the computer was more than I could do. I've seen the doctor and he feels it's chemo induced pain and so I'm taking a week off from the Chemo. Now, I'm concerned that I am having too many interruptions to my chemo treatment, becasue this is the third time I've had to stop treatment becasue of pain. The other two were both for two weeks. Anyway, it's been almost a week since my last chemo and the pain is going down and I'm almost back to normal, but what a ride it was. To answer some of your questions, I had surgery last May and I'm 2A. I'm doing the chemo as insurance. I delayed starting the chemo for 10 weeks, due to some other stuff going on in my life. Wish I hadn't delayed so long, but I did. I'm on the mild form of chemo, as least the doctor says it's mild. It’s called the Roswell Park Regimen in which I receive 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin once a week for 6-weeks and then 2-weeks off and this is repeated for four cycles, or 24-treatments. Thanks again everyone. You guys are the best.

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