Hi wendy_s welcome to the club no one wants to be in. I'm sorry you have found yourself here. I am in my second week of treatment for anal cancer if you want to chat about it. The initial diagnosis is so scarey and I'm sure your mind is all over the place I know mine was, all I can say is don't go on Dr Google. Try to keep busy with things you enjoy as time goes on and you get treatment plans etc and then start while still scarey it does make you feel more in control. Stay strong. Sending big hugs. Xx
ive been diagnosed with anal cancer a few weeks ago. Stage 2 so it’s spread to my nearby lymph nodes. I see my oncologist on Tuesday. I’m really worried about the treatment and I saw you (Bungle1) were 2 weeks into your treatment. I believe I’ll be having chemo & radiotherapy. What are you having?
Hi Calia I'm stage 2 with 1 lymph node starting week 3 of treatment tomorrow. I'm having chemo and radiotherapy. Things so far are not as bad as I expected I think I googled to much. Week 1 was the chemo via a pump attached to me for 5 days and radiotherapy for 5 days, the chemo made me feel sick 24/7 but it was bearable (should say I have low dpd levels so I don't tolerate chemo well) the radiotherapy made my skin sore but plenty of E45 and it was OK. I was also quite emotional. Week 2 just the radiotherapy skin felt sore and have been using a mixture of E45 and flamigel that the hospital gave me. Have had a lot of wind and lower back pain as its been difficult having a poo. Paracetamol dealt with the pain and the hospital said they can give me something to help with the poo situation. Who knows what delights Week 3 will bring. I was worried about the treatment and the after effects, bit like I say I think I googled to much and there is a lot of misinformation there. I'm dealing with the treatment and any after effects I will deal with if/when the time comes. Try to take one day at a time and keep busy with things you enjoy. X
Thanks for replying so quickly. I’ve definitely been googling too much! The original plan was surgery but that’s now changed so it’s taken quite a few weeks now to transfer me to the cancer hospital. I’m wondering how quickly I’ll start treatment if I’m only seeing the oncologist on Tuesday for the first time. I hope you do well on your week 3 xx
Can't remember time frame from oncologist to treatment bit initial diagnosis was told to me 23rd July and treatment started 30th September. They did initially mention surgery to me but it changed. The chem and radiotherapy combined seems to be the standard treatment and successful. X
Morning I asked them that question about a million times. They said I wouldn't lose the hair on my head but it might thin a little bit but would probably lose pubic hair. So far I have lost a little bit downstairs. My head hair is fine potentially a bit more comes out than usual when I wash it but I'm washing it less at the moment so overall its fine if that makes sense. X
I’m hoping I don’t as mine is long. Don’t mind about downstairs though . I hope your radiotherapy isn’t to hard this week. I’ll be thinking about you. xx
I’m starting chemo/radio on 18/11. 28 lots of radiotherapy with the 1st one being IV then 27 lots of chemo tablets twice a day. So my treatment will finish Xmas day so they said they will do a few weekend ones two I’m finished by Xmas eve. I asked about the chemo pump and they said they don’t do that there. I’m under a hospital in Manchester. Are you getting sore with the radiotherapy? hope you’re doing ok xx
Hi happy christmas to you . not to long to wait. I am sore and have had some bleeding this week but its not as bad as I expected. The worst bit is the wind and going to the toilet. Obviously do what your medical team tell you, but I would start using E45 on all of your downstairs now get it well moisturised. I've been using E45 and flamigel which the hospital gave me and sometimes I sit in the bath with epsom salts for 5 minutes. Some people buy a thing called a sitz bath which fits on your toilet to soak your bits in but ive been fine with the bath.I've also taken paracetamol occasionally if the wind pain gets to much. Least you won't have to have a picc line will make washing easier for you. Xx
They didn’t mention wind pain to me. I had that after surgery a few times and it was awful. I used to drink peppermint tea or cordial. l’ll get some of the cream now then. Hope it doesn’t get any worse for you. Yes the picc line sounds a pain. Does that stay in until your chemo in the last week? Did they talk to you about a leaky bum? They don’t mention it to me but it was in the booklet I got. That’s a side effect I def don’t want! Hope this week doesn’t get any harder for you xx
