P.S. about the daily enema. Do you use a disposable enema or one of the big hanging bags. I've tried the large size disposable enema (I think 9 oz) and they help a little. They only get stool close to the anal verge. How do you do it? Lay on the floor in the bathroom or stay close to the bathroom un...

This sounds so familiar to me. Most of the time I am constipated but at some point, every several days, the constipation ends abruptly. I start to feel very crampy and then pass hard stool. It gets softer after each trip to the bathroom, usually 4-5 times. The finale is what I call a "blow out....

I think everyone has "severe psycological" issues when first presented with the fact they might need to wear a plastic bag to hold their bodily waste. It's so un-natural. I had one after my surgery. My surgeon told me ahead of time that it was absolutely necessary for my butt to heal after...

I would love to see it. Thank you. I live right in the path of the eclipse - Charleston/Cleveland Tennessee. We should have one of the best views as it travels across the country.
Mary Ann

OMG, Eric was one of my heros from my early days on this site. He was such a vibrant and active man - a great example for many of us. I was sure he would be one of the lucky ones who would beat the beast and die at a ripe old age. What a shock. I am so sorry to hear this. RIP old friend and thank yo...

I used a no-sting skin prep. It worked great but unfortunately, I can't remember the manufacturer. It might have been convatec since I used a lot of their products. Good luck!

I had long thick hair and probably lost 50% of it while on folfox. My hair loss was most noticable on top (like male patterned baldness) but the back stayed quite thick. I used a product called Good Hair Day and bought it from QVC. I think you can buy it from Amazon too. You use the product, which i...

I am no doctor and sorry to have no answers for you but it doesn't sound like colorectal cancer to me. Blood in your stool is only one sign of cancer but can be many other things as well. If you are always feeling ill, I would keep pushing doctors you are seeing to probe deeper for what might be bot...

I was five years post reversal in March of this year. My entire rectum was removed. I am not that much closer to normal now than I was back then. The good thing is that I have learned when to expect problems. I get some low, strong cramping a few times a week - like two or three times - which is my ...

Sorry, I can't recommend any alternatives. You oncologist may be able to suggest something. I wish I had stopped oxali sooner that I did - it is my understanding that the 5FU is the most important drug in the cocktail mix and the oxaliplatin is an enhancer. On the upside, I was diagnosed as stage 3 ...

Hi Cynthia. Sorry to hear about the bad reaction you had to the oxaliplatin. I had quite a few "unusual" reactions to the drug also. "Unusual" is what my oncologist called it - terrifying is what I called it. I had problems with slurred speech, severe pain running up and down bot...

Definitely no big deal to me. I know what I've got and it doesn't matter to me what others call it. When I first was diagnosed, I had a hard time saying rectal cancer. Now I just blurt out that I have no rectum to anyone who asks! LOL

I have occasional incontinence and I never know what will cause it. The most frustrating thing for me is that sometimes I don't even know I've had a leak (mostly liquid) until I use the bathroom and see the soiling - I don't feel anything coming out of me. Pretty gross. I wear a very lightweight Poi...

My entire rectum was removed but my sphincter muscle was in good shape. My surgeon did a straight connect - colon to sphincter - and that is my new plumbing. My surgeon made my new rectum pediatric size so that I have a little more control. Nothing works like the "original" but I'm okay wi...

After my reversal, I did not leave my house, except for going ourside in the backyard, for about three weeks. After the third week, I would go out for and hour or two (just testing myself and my "holding" power) since my new plumbing was totally different from my old self. Good luck!