Just for another perspective, I didn’t have really any side effects from radiation until it was almost over. A lot depends on where exactly your tumor is. Mine was rectosigmoid so pretty high up, so maybe that spared me some of the more unpleasant side effects. I also got two sessions on the same da...
I forgot about the skin darkening. My skin is pretty fair. Normally I burn then go back to normal, maybe a shade or two darker after the burn heals. I generally don’t spend a lot of time in the sun. I like to be outside, just in the shade. My drivers side arm is noticeably darker than the rest of me...
This is a good point. I had what the doctors called suspicious nodes so pre pathology I was treated as though I was T3 N1. The pathology after surgery found that the nodes were not cancerous, so I was ultimately staged at 2A which does change the adjuvant chemo element of treatment. My oncologist or...
I went on a super strict diet and worked out a lot when I found out. There is so much waiting and anxiety going through the initial diagnosis and staging that I wanted to feel like I was at least doing something positive. I’m not sure where you are, but I’m in Canada and while I got rushed through a...
I had some mild nausea at the beginning of each cycle and softer stools, possibly more frequent. Hard to know as I’m about 4 months post surgery so my body is still adjusting to that. I was taking 5000 mg a day. 5 pills in the morning and 5 in the evening. 2 weeks on, 1 week off. I haven’t done the ...
My oncologist originally said no chemo, but we gave it a few weeks and at my choice, I did 3 months of Xeloda. He told me about a study that showed that at my stage (2A) there was no benefit to adding the oxiplatin and also that 3 months was shown to be as effective as 6. I’m going by memory here. I...
Intermittent fasting is pretty common these days. I’d say anyone with bad LARS should give it a try. Probably some end up doing it unintentionally just to manage their bowels. The quick version of it is to skip breakfast and don’t eat after dinner. I didn’t have a whole lot of symptoms. I felt bloat...
Just to add I also did some intermittent fasting and even experimented with the carnivore diet for a while. I don’t think either would account for what you’re experiencing, but I’m not a doctor. In my case, I think the carnivore diet helped me to get diagnosed since it backed me up pretty badly and ...
Hi. Get a colonoscopy done ASAP. I was told I had hemorrhoids about 3 weeks before I was sent for a colonoscopy after a second visit to the doctor that I almost didn’t bother to do. In retrospect I can identify symptoms that I missed, such as never feeling totally empty, and of course blood that was...
I eat a lot of fiber too. I’m just over 3 months post surgery now, no ileostomy. I tend to constipate, however on occasion I’ve had to beeline to the nearest washroom. Everyone seems to have their own unique do’s and don’ts when it comes to LARS. I consider myself pretty lucky as I’ve had relatively...
I was on 1800 mg twice a day during radiation, on radiation days only. 3 x 500 mg and 2 x 150 mg per dose. I was told not to handle the pills but to pop them into a cup and to take them that way. Also was told to keep my body fluids to myself while on chemo. Now I’m doing the adjuvant phase, which i...