That "on hold" feeling is just awful and I found that my doctors were not really tuned into it. My surgeon wanted me to go for counselling, I was quite depressed and anxious and he and the onc both assumed I was worried about the cancer and kept reassuring me of what a fantastic surgical r...

I could never work out if it was chemo or menopause (since radiation pre surgery sent me into immediate menopause) but I suffered badly from hot flushes - i still get them four months after chemo has finished but much less often. I would also get bad night sweats - never happens now, but that happen...

I'd say he'd most likely be OK. I went for a 5km (slow) run ten days after my ultra low anterior resection. I found it a very easy surgery, suprisingly enough, I was in NO pain and never even needed paracetamol when I came home. The worst part was learning to handle an ileostomy. I did get tired up ...

In hindsight, my symptoms began about five years before diagnosis of Stage II rectal cancer. I would get up in the morning and have the regular urge to empty my bowels (after that first cup of coffee, lol). Off I'd trot only to get a bit of cramping - felt like mild period pain. Only to be followed ...

I was diagnosed as T3N0M0 rectal cancer also. I had pre surgical radiation and 5FU, and at surgery, there were NO cancer cells left in the tumour site, at all, and no lymph node involvement. My surgeon and oncologist were thrilled. But I still had 20 rounds of 5FU. I would hate to be facing a recurr...

Six years ago I began having early signs of something not quite right - a few episodes where I'd need to ahve a bowel movement and it would bring on incredible pain and cramps - felt exactly like labour - cold sweats and needing to go about seven or eight times to empty my bowel - but no diarrhoea. ...

I had a couple of bowel obstructions with my ileostomy and they were heralded by NO output at all for 24 hours or so, and definite, unmissable pain that moved across my belly in waves. Its unmistakeable so unless you feel pain and unwell, dont be too concerned. YOu've probably eaten something that's...

It sucks. I've got a 6ft 3, 120kg 15 year old sleeping in a bunk bed and sharing a room with his brother becuase of this damned disease. We made supreme sacrifices so that I could stay home with our 3 children, all in all I was out of the workforce for about 12 years six of which i used to retrain a...

Find a colorectal surgeon rather than a general surgeon. I had a rectal tumour, five centimetres in, 6.5cm long. The first surgeon I was referred to was a general surgeon who said I'd probably have a permanent ileostomy - he said he would try but wasnt hopeful that he could get enough access into my...

It gets so much better. The human mind is incredibly resilient. At a very similar stage of life when I was diagnosed August last year, i remember lying there awake at night crying. It lasted about ten days for me, then you just somehow move forward and begin to fight. My greatest fear was that life ...

It'd probably be pretty hard to justify without family history, but I only know about the health system in Australia. My tumour was tested automatically for micorsatellite instability and they did the staining for the various proteins, both of which signify Lynch Sydndrome but the results werent con...

I've read this board voraciously for the past year whilst I've gone through my own diagnosis and treatment for stage 2 rectal cancer, diagnosed at age 42. I was a year into a new teaching career, I was devastated at the effect its had on my life, as a mother of three and a new teacher. Its affected ...