Lasting effects

[Scarey]

Hi,

Just a bit of background.. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in December 2012, after being misdiagnosed several times with diverticulitis. Anyway.. After a 5 hour op I woke having had a total hysterectomy because my cancer had attached itself to pretty much my whole reproductive system which means forced and unexpected menopause. I also had an illeostomy and so a stoma bag attached.
After 6 months of chemo, a blood clot in my jugular due to my port getting blocked, clexaine injections twice a day for 3 months got the clot sorted out. Multiple ct scans and bloods done every fortnight, my stoma reversal done in August last year. I'm now cancer free, and my colon is boring with nothing to see in there.. Hallelujah!
I have lasting effects from the chemo.. Numb finger tips and feet, which means I'm walking differently and slower than before all this began. My hair has grown back in a weird straight style (was curly before treatment).
I'm trying to find my inner balance.. My chi. How do you find yourself again after all the trauma to your body. 7 ops in 12 months. I'm married to the most supportive and loving man ever.. My children are all grown and have been the best as have the rest of my family. But now I'm feeling better, still get exhausted sometimes, am exercising everyday by rowing 2kms on the ergo machine and swimming.
Can anyone tell me how long it will be before I feel a little normal again please. I've gained a huge amount of weight during chemo, the doc said the steroids will do that. How long do these "lasting effects" take to settle down?

Thanks.. That was a lot at once but you've all been through so much and support each other so wonderfully and unconditionally.. I'd just like to know what experiences with waiting to feel balanced again any of you have had.
Btw, I'm Australian so I hope you can understand my accent ok.
S.

[stupidcancer]

Good morning Scarey!
First of all Congrats! for beating this monster that is cancer! I'm still in treatment so I don't have any words of advice for the lasting effects but am anxious to hear from other people. I've gained a lot and continue to gain even though everyone says "that's a good thing as you don't want to go the other way". I know they mean well but it doesn't make you feel any better while you feel like crap anyway and then have weight to deal with on top of that. I have neuropathy in my fingers and toes also with five more to go.
I just want to say I'm so proud of you for making it through chemo (which sometimes feels worse than the cancer) and love that you're so active and getting better!
Hugs and well wishes to you!
Cora

PS. A loving and supportive family is always such a blessing I have no idea how people do it without them

[teachpdx]

Hi Scarey,

Congrats for making it through all you've been through. I had my reversal last March and my life is just beginning to feel more "normal" I still haven't adjusted to the new plumbing. Wanted to go out last Sat and had dinner with a friend first and nature made it's call and I had to go home. Just part of the new me. I've had HFS neuropathy and just recently got some relief with Wellbutrin - otherwise I was looking at a life of disability. I'm giving myself as much time as I was in treatment to recover. Chemo trashes your body and muscle atrophy is nothing to laugh at. I was very fit before all of my treatment and when trying to rehab a part of my body its: work out one day, rest the next day, work out on something else, rest a day. It's a very long process and it's important to patient with your body. As to the weight gain, I lost at first and then gained after the treatments were over. My suggestion is to get your body in shape first and then worry about losing the weight. You can always be careful about what you eat, but just remember it's a very long process. Best of luck. Kristi

[dianne052506]

Scarey,
You're only 6 months out of treatment and you're rowing 2 kg a day? Sounds pretty impressive to me. Patience is a hard thing to have when all you want is a return to normalcy. Do what you feel like you can, exercise when you are able, eat sensibly -- with occasional "I deserve this chocolate cake, etc." lapses, and then set yourself a goal to re-evaluate when you are one year out. Your body, as well as your spirit, has taken a beating, and deserves some TLC. I know it's hard when you feel like you've gained too much weight, you need to be able to do more, and that "emotional balance" is somehow elusive. I think a year out of all treatment, surgeries, etc. is a little more realistic time frame to find "noral" again.
Best wishes,
Dianne

[Scarey]

Thank you for your replies ladies.
I will have to be patient and one year is a great suggestion and goal to have to reassess myself. My chemo brain and numbness will improve my onc says. So yes, I guess I'm expecting too much too soon.. My body, both physically and emotionally is still recovering.

Thank you Dianne, Cora and Kristi.. Blessings and good wishes to you all.

[kiwiinoz]

Hi Scarey

I'm a fellow Australia and I have the lobotemy scar to prove it from when I moved to Australia (hope you are old enough to remember Rob Muldoon and his New Zealanders who emigrate to Australia raise the IQ in both countries quote?)

Neuropathy is a hard thing to deal with and some never get back the full sensation. My onc has put it at 12 months to get back to near normal, but the neurologist I was dealing with as part of a trial for neuropathy has put it at 18 - 24 months. All I know is that after 4 months I have regained some sensation but am still numb in my toes and fingers a lot, and that I am not looking forward to winter.

Weight gain on chemo was something I fortunately did not experience, but I think you are doing the right thing with exercise as it has been proven to reduce your chances of a recurrence and it will help burn calories at the same time. Have you thought of also adding in some regular walking to keep you doing different exercises? The hospital I went to also has a medicare funded exercise clinic to set up programmes for cancer patients so you could perhaps talk to your oncologist and see if they have the same thing at your hospital.

The other thing to consider is food? I know that the reversal plays havoc with your diet but moving to a more plant based diet reduces your calorie intake and also benefits you in reducing risk factors for a recurrence.

Kiwi (in oz)

[Nickmark59]

The usual thing you hear about trauma on body to heal up is 2 years till your 100% again but with what we go thru its very hard to ever get back to 100% I am 5 out and still only about 50% of where I use to be health and endurance wise