can I ask did any of you have pain relief prior to treatment. My cancer was discovered through a failed anal fissure repair and 2 haemorrhoids were removed. Since then I was given tramadol which I used sparingly as I was afraid of it. When I sure the Oncologist on Wednesday he said just use it and they would ween me off when the time came. So I started taking 2 every 4 hours which did help with the pain but I yesterday I could hardly keep my eyes open, I had a headache, felt sick and couldn’t go to wee properly when I looked it up these are common side effects of tramadol. So today I’ve backed off a bit and will phone the hospital tomorrow for advice. Have any of you had different pain relief and if so what?
i won’t have my treatment for another 5/6 weeks and so fed up being in pain!
Hiya Lynne,
I do feel a bit better today, it's the fatigue that hits you most, wasn't prepared for that. My stomach was a bit painful yesterday which caused all the wind but even that is better today. My mouth is the worst but they have given me some mouthwash which gives some relief and an excuse to eat my fav foods like trifle! Lol.
I too had surgery before cancer was diagnosed for what I thought was ' skin tags and lessions I was given quite a lot of painkillers and had read they cause constipation so I was frightened to take them..the thought of being constipated while nursing anal surgery was frightening. Also when my stitches dissolved the wound came wide open so I ended up with an extra big hole!!! But I used senna tablets so I could take the painkillers and that's how I got through it. Don't try to manage without pain relief, see if they can give you something else.
What treatment are they going to be giving you Lynne? Same as me?
Sue xx
treament sounds the same, mitomycin given via syringe on the first morning followed by radiotherapy in the afternoon. Then chemo, fluorouracil, given via a pump at home for the following 4 days as well as radiotherapy everyday. Then 4 weeks of radiotherapy only. The last week chemo reintroduced with radiotherapy.
What stage cancer did you have, I’m stage 3 as I have it in a couple of lymph nodes in the same area.
planning session will be in next 2/3 weeks.
i will phone hospital tomorrow to ask about another painkiller I don’t think I can go the next 5/6 weeks without anything especially as I’m still working a the moment.
Hi Lynne, yes same treatment although I have 28 sessions of radiotherapy. Mine was a TX N0 M0 no Mets, but it was poorly differentiated which means it' an aggressive cancer and would probably come back. At first my surgeon was just going to do more surgery to catch around the margin but MDT changed that, although he did say if I preferrd surgery it would have been aggressve and I thought I'd have poo problems later and even then they couldn' t guarantee it wouldn' t return. So here we are!
Hi I know this has nothing to do with this but, my family has passed down cancer from both sides. It may even come to me. I was thinking about cutting my hair off for cancer? Do you think I should?!X
I had to look up T N M that has not been mentioned to me, I haven’t a clue what size tumour I have. I had to ask the oncologist what stage was I at, and that’s when he said I was stage 3 which I must have looked shocked because he said well that’s better than stage 4.........every cloud I suppose.
im not even sure I have squamous cell, I know I just have it! Try and avoid the c word I can’t get my head round it.
i suppose I am just wanting treatment to start the hanging around is doing my nut in.
I think most of us with this type of cancer feel bad during chemo treatments, although my nurses have said that everyone reacts differently to chemo. I wasn't in tiptop fighting shape going into treatment. The surgeon nicked my lung putting in the port and my lung collapsed. It went undetected for about 6 days and spent a week in the hospital prior to treatment. What I remember most during the beginning of treatment is the change in the way foods tasted and always being nauseated. It really helped to rinse my mouth with a saltwater solution throughout the day. I was/am able to control the nausea with medication. I don't remember being exhausted in the beginning, but I didn't try to do much during that time. I avoided going out in public because of the wind. There was no control over it or my bowels. That has gotten better, but it is not at all like it was prior to treatment.
Sandra, I was curious if you still had tummy issues and if that gets better in time. We are trying to figure out what is causing mine to continue. In some ways it's much better but in other ways it's much worse (or maybe I'm just tired of it).
I'm so glad you have family with you, Suzy. My daughter was an angel throughout my ordeal. I hope you have a good week next week. And you are not being a big baby. This is tough stuff.
Hi Lynne, here I am 4.39 in the morning answering you lol, I wake up at odd hours!
I tend to call in bum cancer, they didn' tell me straight away exactly what type I'd got, the oncologist told me mine was 2.5cm x 2.5 cm which was bigger than I first thought.
The waiting is the worst part of all this, you get to thinking they'e forgotten about you. I rang the hospital a few times and nagged or rang my nurse to see what was happening. It doesn' help when these things fall on bank holidays...that holds things up. Hope you don' have to wait too long Lynne.
I will try the salt solution, although I do have a mouthwash from the hospital and my mouth is improving. My stomch has settled a bit so they wind has died down too. I even pumped when I got up from the bed in treatment on Friday.. . I was mortified lolol. Do you think they get that a lot...i hope so lol makes me feel better!
Yes my family have been great I was planning on doing a few jobs yesterday to motivate myself a bit but every time I went to do them my grandkids had done them for me!!
Compared to you I think I've had it easy so far, hope you are getting there and feeling a bit better.
I'm glad your tummy is settling down a bit. My nausea/tummy ache comes and goes all throughout the day. I had an upper GI last week, but it takes 8-10 business days to get the results. I hope to have some answers and a plan in place to feel better soon.
I know how you feel! I'm sure they get it a lot and think nothing of it. I couldn't hold it in front of my 16 year old grandson (he is currently living with us) and I so hated for him to have that memory of me. He saw worse, much more embarrassing stuff while I was sick, but he was so sweet and caring and not bothered by it.
So sweet of your family to take care of you. That leaves more fun time to spend together.
