Sever Pain End of Radiation for Colorectal Cancer

[mikeymike]

I am in my 4th week of radiation and chemo for colorectal cancer. I use 5FU 24 hour pack and get radiation every day. The pain is starting to become unbearable and I have to go to the bathroom several times a day. Yesterday I went 8 times and it just made the pain even worse.

Does anyone have any reccomendations on how to ease the pain. I have painkillers, have used tylonol, use aquafor, soak pads my radiologist gave me and biofin cream. If anyone has any other home remedies or otherwise that I have not tried please let me know.

Thanks
Mike

[shel28]

Hey Mike. I am right there with you. It is my fourth week of radiation for rectal cancer as well. Check the post "my crotch is on fire". My dotctor gave me proctofoam and that helps with the burning in my anus (hate to have to talk about my butt but it does help). You can put it inside. I also put vagasil on the outside of my anus as well. I know it is a girl product but it works for that too and you can get it over the counter. I never thought I would be talking so much about bowel movements and unmentionable body parts but when you are in pain there's no shame. Oh and I put aloe on my skin and that helps as well. I tried Vicodin yesterday and that seemed to help me tolerate the pain more but it made me sick to my stomach.

Hang in there and know that you are not the only one suffering through this right now and that many others have made it through and so will we.

[Dave]

Are you taking Imodium to slow down the diarrhea? It certainly helped me through the treatment last November. Don’t let yourself become dehydrated from all the diarrhea.

Hang in there,

Dave

[Joy]

Been there and it ain't funny!! I went through 28 rounds of continuous Radiation with 24x7 fanny pack of 5FU. I used Immodium up to 8 per day and this helped somewhat.

The thing that saved my butt (and sanity) was the plastic sitz bath that they gave me at the cancer clinic. It is a plastic ring(with a small basin attached) which sits directly on the toilet seat. I used to fill it with nice "warm" water and gave my raw aching butt a bit of relief.

I'm post surgery 1 year and still have "butt issues" - my sitz bath it still in use

[johnnys84]

I had a similar pain after I completed treatment. Ask your radiation oncologist for a script for Protosol, its a steriod foam and it helped. Its a little messy to use but its better than the alternative. Hope this helped.