Bowel Movements.

Kenny H.
Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Diagnosed in mid may, have completed 28 rounds of rad treatments along with 3000mg xeloda at same time. Just waiting now for evauluation for surgery. My tumor is in lower rectum(stage 3).
Q is help with uncontrolled bathroom runs. I never have a complete movement, like 15-20 small ones a day. I cant "hold" them in or will have accidents. Sometimes diareaha, sometimes constapated. Does not matter what I eat. This sucks.

Comments

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #2
    Kenny
    Kenny

    The radiation treatments have really done a number on your internal plumbing. Your insides have been fried like bacon and there is much scar tissue and damage done.

    The surgery will add to this as well, as the bowel has to completely re-learn how to do things. We were born hooked up one way and now we've gone against Mother Nature and re-routed it a new way. Modern technology is great, but it is a learning curve for you and your new body.

    Time is the great healer and I believe that you will see this. After my radiation and surgery, I lost 2 years right off the top trying to get things under control. By years 3 and 4, it had finally started to be what it was going to be. Although, any day things can still get unhinged - a reminder still of what I went through.

    Yours is not uncommon, so try not to worry too much - just know where the facilities are. Lomotil is a drug you can be prescribed to help with your situation. It cuts down on the spasms associated with bowel movements and might provide you some relief.

    And I know what you mean about anything makes you sick. I used to be able to turn ice cubes into an adventure. Try to stay with as much soft and bland stuff as you can - right now, you don't want to try and eat like you did before. And try to eat smaller portions - snack or graze, rather than big full meals - your digestive system will thank you.

    I know it's rough, the bowels are notorious for being messed with and they let you know it.

    Welcome to the forum and best of luck going forward.

    -Craig
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    #4
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thanks for the advice, will
    Thanks for the advice, will check into getting some lomotil.
  • tkd3g
    tkd3g Member Posts: 767
    #5
    Try probiotics
    Hey there Kenny,

    I am 6 years out of treatment for stage 3 rectal. Very low tumor, radiation, chemo, surgery, more chemo. No bag.

    I don't know if this will help at your stage, but it worked wonders, and I mean WONDERS about 2 years ago. I went thru what you are dealing with. I just ate Imodium all the time. I read something about probiotics and gave it a try. It restored all the good bacteria that the radiation and chemo stripped out of my colon. I got back to having a normal bm. I didn't think I'd ever get back to that.

    Talk to your doc. Not for their endorsement, but for any side effects during treatment. I doubt there are any, but you should check first. I used Udo's Super Eight Probiotics. You can probably find it in the health food store in the fridge.

    I strongly recommend it.
    Best of luck.
    Barb
  • dschreffler
    dschreffler Member Posts: 58 Member
    #6
    When did your treatment end?
    When did your treatment end? It took me about 4-6 weeks after chemo/rad to get back to normal from radiation and chemo - although looking at my "about me" page, I neglected to document bowel patters - chemo brain! Anyway chemo/rad still working even after treatment stops for up to 12 weeks, so you'll still have some of the fun GI effects. I had low RC and had similar bathroom fun you had - irritated rectum does not like to hold stool.

    I had so much pain from radiation, that I preferred loose stool and took stool softeners 1-2x a day until pain subsided a couple weeks post treatment. Also was very deliberate with diet - ate same meal about same time of day and tuned carefully after tracking affects over a few days before I modified - either removed or added something. I was able to get away without any other supplement or drugs, but your mileage will vary.

    Patience and reading material for the throne were allies as I waited this out.

    Best of luck!

    Dan
  • drmrgirl47
    drmrgirl47 Member Posts: 129
    #7
    Bowel Movements
    Hi Kenny, I also was diagnosed stage 3 rectal cancer. I had my rectum removed. No bag. I am 6 years ned and still have bathroom issues. Between 6-12 per day. I had surgery, then radiation and chemo. The radiation did a number of me and I still suffer with these bms. I live on lomotil. I suffer with blockages and er visits. Had 2 bowel resections. I do not have diarrhea; my stool is formed. I know it sucks but hang in there. I suggest you talk to you doctor about the lomotil. Things will hopefully get better. Good luck.
  • kant_spell
    kant_spell Member Posts: 6
    #8
    Hi Kenny:
    For the first week
    Hi Kenny:

    For the first week after my radiation was finished, I had symptoms similar to those you describe. My enterologist then gave me some steroid suppositories which took care of the internal swelling, and I was able to live fairly normally until my surgery. You might want to look into it.

    Grant
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    #9
    tkd3g said:

    Try probiotics
    Hey there Kenny,

    I am 6 years out of treatment for stage 3 rectal. Very low tumor, radiation, chemo, surgery, more chemo. No bag.

    I don't know if this will help at your stage, but it worked wonders, and I mean WONDERS about 2 years ago. I went thru what you are dealing with. I just ate Imodium all the time. I read something about probiotics and gave it a try. It restored all the good bacteria that the radiation and chemo stripped out of my colon. I got back to having a normal bm. I didn't think I'd ever get back to that.

    Talk to your doc. Not for their endorsement, but for any side effects during treatment. I doubt there are any, but you should check first. I used Udo's Super Eight Probiotics. You can probably find it in the health food store in the fridge.

    I strongly recommend it.
    Best of luck.
    Barb

    Thanks for all the input.
    Thanks for all the input. Got some probiotics, took 1st one today. How long did you stay on them & just one per day?
  • dorothywestin
    dorothywestin Member Posts: 7 Member
    #10
    kant_spell said:

    Hi Kenny:
    For the first week
    Hi Kenny:

    For the first week after my radiation was finished, I had symptoms similar to those you describe. My enterologist then gave me some steroid suppositories which took care of the internal swelling, and I was able to live fairly normally until my surgery. You might want to look into it.

    Grant

    Fentanyl pain patch
    I have one more week of xeloda and radiation. During week five I experienced severe pain during bowel movements. Rad dr, gave me fentanyl pain patch and silvasorb cream. Neither has stopped the pain during bm's. Sitz baths have done wonders to calm things following a bm.

    Does anyone have any thing that has helped the pain in the anus area during bowel movements?
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #11
    My favorite subject!
    When i saw "bowel movements" as the subject, i just HAD to chime in!

    This has been a major issue for me too. Like Craig said, the bowels get fried from all the radiation and surgeries. I was unlucky enough to develop a whopper of a stricture at the surgical site that had, and sometimes continues, to make my life a living hell. Diarrhea, constipation, loose bowels, toilet visits an upwards of twenty times a day, abdominal pain, gas (colorectal cancer survivors can never trust a fart again), and frequent dilations which didn't really help. Barb hit the nail on the head. Probiotics are the KEY. I know this is a fact because i have the worst of the problems whenever i get off of them. I would stop taking them occassionally if i ran out, or simply forgot. As soon as i start taking them again, the issues back off. I started with Kefir, then moved up to Kombucha which is great (rejuvelac is better, but tastes like a dirty sock). The best thing which i'm taking now is a multi-vitamin that has probiotics in it. It's called Vitamin Code for women (they might have one for men) by Garden of Life. Anything with live lactobacillus will do. Make sure there are more than one strain, i think up to twelve. The probiotics should start helping right away. Like within a day.

    Hope this helps you.
    Hugs,
    Krista
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #12
    drmrgirl47 said:

    Bowel Movements
    Hi Kenny, I also was diagnosed stage 3 rectal cancer. I had my rectum removed. No bag. I am 6 years ned and still have bathroom issues. Between 6-12 per day. I had surgery, then radiation and chemo. The radiation did a number of me and I still suffer with these bms. I live on lomotil. I suffer with blockages and er visits. Had 2 bowel resections. I do not have diarrhea; my stool is formed. I know it sucks but hang in there. I suggest you talk to you doctor about the lomotil. Things will hopefully get better. Good luck.

    Just curious...
    I'm just curious about how you avoided the bag? Do you have a J pouch? They removed most of my rectum, but the only real side effect, aside from the stricture, is urgency.
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #13
    After 2 weeks of radiation
    After 2 weeks of radiation treatments, I started to get substantial diarrhea and gas, which continued through the final 4 weeks of radiation and then for 2 more weeks after radiation treatments had ended. So, based on that, my guess is you've got a couple of weeks yet to suffer through.

    --Greg
  • imagineit2010
    imagineit2010 Member Posts: 152 Member
    #14
    PGLGreg said:

    After 2 weeks of radiation
    After 2 weeks of radiation treatments, I started to get substantial diarrhea and gas, which continued through the final 4 weeks of radiation and then for 2 more weeks after radiation treatments had ended. So, based on that, my guess is you've got a couple of weeks yet to suffer through.

    --Greg

    Hey Kenny- Just here to
    Hey Kenny- Just here to agree with the Probiotics. I started them just after being diagnosed and continued them through the Xeloda and radiation.(I'm planning on using them forever) They do make a difference. If I missed a day or two I could easily see a difference. My issues all stopped one week after I finished so you might get lucky too. I am 10 days out of treatment and have better bowel movements than before I was diagnosed. Previously mine were much like you described yours but now they are long and formed. I love it. Unfortunatley I too still have to have surgery and since my tumor is 1cm from the dentate line it's almost for sure a permanent colostomy. I actually have my follow up appt. tomorrow to find out what's next(scans, probes, fingers,???)
    Good luck, Chris
  • jararno
    jararno Member Posts: 186
    #15
    Turtle Eggs and Orange Crud!
    I get both severe constipation ( from my antinausea patch Sancuso and my antinausea pill Emend )! Like trying to lay turtle eggs! On my chemo days and about 5 days after I get really gross gas and horrible burning diahrrea! I often don't make it to the can!! The gas can clear a room! I was told to take Ducalax for the turtle eggs and Immodium for the trots ( should be called Gang Ways.....get outta my way!! ) I have decided to try EQUALACTIN...supposed to kinda work on both to equalize. Had to get CVS to order it for me. It is OTC so no prescription! Hopefully it works!

    I'll let you know!

    Take care.....Barb

    PS...It helps to know the locations of every bathroom in a 60 mile radius!
  • jararno
    jararno Member Posts: 186
    #16
    Turtle Eggs and Orange Crud!
    I get both severe constipation ( from my antinausea patch Sancuso and my antinausea pill Emend )! Like trying to lay turtle eggs! On my chemo days and about 5 days after I get really gross gas and horrible burning diahrrea! I often don't make it to the can!! The gas can clear a room! I was told to take Ducalax for the turtle eggs and Immodium for the trots ( should be called Gang Ways.....get outta my way!! ) I have decided to try EQUALACTIN...supposed to kinda work on both to equalize. Had to get CVS to order it for me. It is OTC so no prescription! Hopefully it works!

    I'll let you know!

    Take care.....Barb

    PS...It helps to know the locations of every bathroom in a 60 mile radius!
  • judypruitt
    judypruitt Member Posts: 10
    #17
    drmrgirl47 said:

    Bowel Movements
    Hi Kenny, I also was diagnosed stage 3 rectal cancer. I had my rectum removed. No bag. I am 6 years ned and still have bathroom issues. Between 6-12 per day. I had surgery, then radiation and chemo. The radiation did a number of me and I still suffer with these bms. I live on lomotil. I suffer with blockages and er visits. Had 2 bowel resections. I do not have diarrhea; my stool is formed. I know it sucks but hang in there. I suggest you talk to you doctor about the lomotil. Things will hopefully get better. Good luck.

    Bowel Movements...Your Secret

    My hubby was diagnosed in Oct 2014 w/low laying stage II rectal cancer.  He has had radiation, Xeloda, now is trying chemo thru port next week trying 2 avoid the bag.  He feels normal like he did b4 cancer, but colonoscopy w/biopsy revealed "some cancer cells".  Dr. says privately 2 me when I MADE him tell me he couldn't b sure this wasn't scar tissue w/some cancer cells remaining.  His radiation & chemo ended March 3, 2015.  He says the bag is probable.  How did U avoid it?  After your chem/radiation U tested negative 4 cancer cells or what?  I am so happy 4 U!  My hubby smokes like a freight train, drinks only once a week now, & only eats hamburger...some chicken & cat fish now, no salads or veggies anyway.  Gee....wonder how he mighta gotten rectal cancer.  I am wondering if it's 2 late 4 him.  His bm's r fine...no pain nor blood.  He does feel nauseated & slight pain n stomach after a bm.  Only goes once or twice n the a.m.  I had him on probiotics way b4 treatments so he never really got bowel probs after tumor shrank.  I am so scared.  He "plays the cancer card" 4 life no.  No talking about anything more than his dr appointments, his upcoming chemo....nothing else.  Laughter has gone & a bag will only make him worse.  Thanks 4 any input.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #18
    judypruitt said:

    Bowel Movements...Your Secret

    My hubby was diagnosed in Oct 2014 w/low laying stage II rectal cancer.  He has had radiation, Xeloda, now is trying chemo thru port next week trying 2 avoid the bag.  He feels normal like he did b4 cancer, but colonoscopy w/biopsy revealed "some cancer cells".  Dr. says privately 2 me when I MADE him tell me he couldn't b sure this wasn't scar tissue w/some cancer cells remaining.  His radiation & chemo ended March 3, 2015.  He says the bag is probable.  How did U avoid it?  After your chem/radiation U tested negative 4 cancer cells or what?  I am so happy 4 U!  My hubby smokes like a freight train, drinks only once a week now, & only eats hamburger...some chicken & cat fish now, no salads or veggies anyway.  Gee....wonder how he mighta gotten rectal cancer.  I am wondering if it's 2 late 4 him.  His bm's r fine...no pain nor blood.  He does feel nauseated & slight pain n stomach after a bm.  Only goes once or twice n the a.m.  I had him on probiotics way b4 treatments so he never really got bowel probs after tumor shrank.  I am so scared.  He "plays the cancer card" 4 life no.  No talking about anything more than his dr appointments, his upcoming chemo....nothing else.  Laughter has gone & a bag will only make him worse.  Thanks 4 any input.

    Dear Judy

    This thread is over 5 years old, and I do believe Kristasplace  may have passed away as her profile page has been deleted.

    You could start a new thread, and see if anyone else can answer your question.

    Sue - Trubrit 

     

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