gets better - life after rectal cancer

age 67 had reversal done 11 months age (had rectal cancer)so not easy to get back normal ,dischaged from hospital told nothing really only diet stuff not even that i could take lopermide which i found out a month later ,does slowly get better ,i m still pretty bad but a lot better than i was ,if going on a trip i don t eat the day before ,a few pints of beer sometimes works as a laxative but prob not recommended by nhs ?,only found out about irrigation nurses after 5 months who supplied me with enema kit ,helping a bit but going back to get a next level one,eat what i want did nt find much difference,sometimes on toilet for 10 minutes or 3 hours on ,off ,sometimes everyday then every 2 days ,great help Always Discreet womens womens pads ,i m 13 stone use medium ,did nt find out till only 3 months ago again nobody told me ,hope its some help, any qestions just post 

  • Hi Pady and welcome to Cancer Chat.

    I just wanted to stop by and thank you for sharing your journey with us; I have no doubt it will really help others on the forum that are in a similar position.

    I'm really glad that things are starting to improve for you but if you have any questions you're more than welcome to give our cancer nurses a call. You can contact them on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m.

    I'm not sure if you're using this website already but Bowel Cancer UK may prove useful as well.

    Kind regards Pady.

    Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • hello Pady,  

            like yourself l had a reversal done just over 4 years ago,and have only just now managed to come off colestrymine and loperimide.l also had my gall bladder removed and l think my body struggled to get the bile output under control.For over three years l raged over when l would get back to normal,then l thought where l was at was had become the new normal, when finally a light bulb went on.  l realised my bowel was mimicking that of a new born baby,so was completely naive and was going through the stages of growing up, and once l understood , that was when l began to make strides forward and in the last year have accelerated back to normality, with the last two months making the final giant leap.

        l recognise all the issues encountered from your post and can sympathise fully .just hope you continue to improve.l am a very mobile 68 year old so age does not limit your ability to continue to improve.  Good luck going forward