Symptoms of stage 4 bowel cancer

Hi,

I have had my cancer for 18 months now and now it has spread through the pelvis and is stage 4. I could not have my bowel removed because I have an aortic aneurysm that could not be treated as it was only held together by a clot and they said that the operation to remove the bowel would make it burst.

I was not suiteable for chemotherapy but had 6 weeks of agressive radiotherapy which did not work.

I am coming to terms with it being stage 4 but it is the symptoms/side effects that are wearing me down. Some are from the radiotherapy and some from the cancer.

I have continual leakage of a mix or blood, facees and orange mucus. I need to wear incontinence pads night and day and have to go to the toilet almost every hour of the day and night because there is so much and I need to change pads.

Has anybody else expereinced this and if so have you found a really good type of pads, I am trying them all but none offer the protection I need so I cant even go out of the house know because of accidents.

Sorry this is depressing, I have been so positive with everything but this is really getting me down.

John44

  • Welcome to Cancer Chat John44. You should speak to your doctor and see if they could prescribe a medicine for you, but there are some tips here and here for side effects. With pads it can be difficult, especially since you've shopped around already. The Cancer Research online shop has some recommendations here, but you may have already tried them. I also came across Age UK's shop, which seems to have a wider range.

    I hope these pages are useful and all the best to you,

    Moderator Anastasia