Re: Need Help...have questions

[Guest guest]

Susie,

I think that this what is occuring is relatively common. The

having to go to the bathroom all of the time happens to me as well,

as a result of surgery and/or chemo. I've heard that radiation does

the same thing. It is frustrating - your colon and rectum go into

spasms, even though nothing comes out.

There will be periods where, if he like most of us, he will be

down and might not want to do work. It could be the side effects

(one is not productive going to the toilet every ten minutes), or it

might be that he is down. I know that sometimes I avoid work just

because I want to maximize family time. These are all thoughts that

he will probably have. The " down " thing, I think, is worse in the

beginning and starts to go away by itself after you fully come to

grips with what is going on inside of your body.

I am not a doctor (actually, I am, but not a medical one), so I

will not pretend to know the definitive answer. But I can tell you

what I do. Warm baths help ease the urge and can definitely help

with any pain. Sometimes, a warm bath can get rid of the urge for a

while as well. Doesn't usually work for me, though. What I do

depends on where I am. If I want to be active, I use a medication

called lomotil; this helps slow down the colon (its for diaharrea)

and even though I don't have diaharrea, per se, it eventually

usually calms the urge down after 2 or 3 doses, 1 every 2 hours.

It, like the next solution I use, are both prescription meds; maybe

immodium (nonprescription) will do the same thing; I haven't tried

lately. When things are really bad or its right before bed, I will

take a tincture of opium. Like lomotil, it too slows down the

colon. The problem with it is that it puts me out cold (it is a

fairly strong morphene compound). At the same time, it almost

always gets rid of the urge, too.

Irregardless, I'd talk to a doc and see what they say.

Joe

> Most of you know that my brother in law Curt has been diagnosed

with

> stage 4 rectal cancer. He is starting his fourth week of

radiation.

> He has been on 5fu chemo 24/7 for three weeks now and has had two

> doses of oxiplatin. He says that he feels like he has to go to

the

> bathroom all of the time. There are times when he goes and others

> when he doesn't. He has not been making it into work the last

four

> days. I am worried he is depressed. What do you guys think? I

> wish we could get some good news to boost his spirits. For those

of

> you that have been through this is this normal? Do you feel like

> you have to go to the bathroom all of the time? Were you

fatigued?

> What do you guys suggest? I am looking into a support group here

> too...do any of you go to support groups? THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!

>

> Susie

[Guest guest]

> Most of you know that my brother in law Curt has been diagnosed

with

> stage 4 rectal cancer. He is starting his fourth week of

radiation.

> He has been on 5fu chemo 24/7 for three weeks now and has had two

> doses of oxiplatin. He says that he feels like he has to go to the

> bathroom all of the time. There are times when he goes and others

> when he doesn't.

The 5FU caused severe cramping in me too. My dr is insistant that I

call him with any side effects from the chemo, so I hope you have

called your onc about this already. A couple of Imodium made me much

more comfortable. I think I took 3 in one day and was fine for the

next few days, but I've never been on 24/7, just the 46 hour drip.

BTW, I had a weird reaction from my third dose of Oxiliaplatin. My

throat closed up and I could barely talk or swallow, although I was

breathing fine. I sounded like I was trying to talk through tears.

I called onc and he put me on Benedryl which helped within 1/2 hour

or so. Just to let you know what might happen.

Cheri