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Bowel cancer

Tigertubbs123
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Hi 

I've recently finished 5 wks treatment for bowel cancer and before I finished I started getting the urgency to go to the toilet to pass stools but it's horrific, it's just mucus and poo and the pain is horrendous. It's like passing glass and burning. I cant sleep im drained. Don't know what to do.  

Can any one enlighten me of what I can do and approx how long does this last for. 

Thank you 

  • Offline

    Your statement Five weeks of treatment can cover an awful lot of ground so anything l can offer is very generalised. What you describe is fairly consistent with interference to the bowel, it does not like it. l have run the gauntlet for six years and only now has it plateaued to a position of control, whilst others can get therein 6 months. Everyone is truly unique so there will be no one size fits all. What to do is speak to your care team who should be able to help.

    5 weeks sounds like radio or chemo both of can give you hell, it will settle but not without a fight l'm afraid and there is no quick fix. The only certainty is that stressing yourself will make it even worse

    l am 6 years on from a stoma reversal and l still get regular tantrums every few weeks where l will put on a half stone overnight whilst going multiple times, Perversely the exact opposite of what you would expect.l now weigh myself twice daily to see it coming, a day later l am back to normal. Colestrymine helps me as it binds up excess bile acids that can irritate the lining of the bowel 

    Listen to your body and give it the chance to heal itself and work out what it needs to do to readjust to changed circumstances and be a patient patient,

    yours in sympathy,

    Grunty

  • Offline in reply to gruntifen

    Thank you for your reply.  

    It just seems never-ending I'm up 4 5 times a night it's like 15mins each time the same during the day. Im really struggling with it. 

    Ill get in touch with my team and see what I can do.  

    Thank you 

  • Offline in reply to Tigertubbs123

    When you are in the midst of "it", it can feel like its terribly wrong and not right and so easy to overthink things .At my worst it was every 10 minutes for 15 trips repeated  for four cycles in 24 hours, just violent cramping passing out small amounts.Stand up from the toilet and have to dive back on it. Exhaustion would hardly cover it, but l held on tightly to the belief that it would improve with time and consoled myself with the knowledge of what could have been if l had not made this journey.

    look forward to the great feeling when you see the first *** of improvement,

                                                                                                                                    Grunty

  • Offline in reply to gruntifen

    I recognise all of these symptoms and but obviously out treatments may be different.  Surgery 6 months ago followed by chemo 8 weeks later which will last until February24.  I had huge discomfort from side effects for about 4 months but kept in touch with colorectal nurse who advised me and ensured i was prescribed medications that helped.  Slowly i needed less of these and am now at a point were i can manage very well.  Its true that one turns a corner at some point. Bowels have settled most of the time and i have learnt what to change in my diet to help lessen symptoms.  Am feeling positive and would advise you contact your colorectal nurse for advise when ever neccesary.i Is a personal journey, so good luck. the internet is a great place to get info too, 

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