lauragb wrote:I would say without enemas I would be positive for LARs, except I don't have the runny leaky bowel. I just don't go.............................at all, and then..................clustering for hours. Even using enemas I do get gassy but like BMs the gas likes to build up and come out long winded like what I left behind me in a grocery store aisle yesterday.
Anyway, I've recently heard the term Pelvic Radiation Disease which has many of the same symptoms plus the other not-fun stuff. So call it what you will, low rectal cancer treatment wreaks havoc on the nether parts.
By the way, my tumor was very low....
b29vince wrote:Hi,
@lauragb, I have a similar issue. I had my LAR w/ ileostomy in Jan 2014 an my reversal in March 2014. Pretty quick and everything seemed to be healing fine.
However, similar to you, instead of having many BMs like most mention, I just seemed to never go at all. It was so bad I was hospitalized for what that they thought were blockages several times. However tests show no blockages.
We have tried Fiber, softeners, laxatives. probiotics, and even Linzess. Nothing seems to work. I will go 5-7 days between BM's. Obviously it gets uncomfortable and I get self conscious as my stomach gets larger. None of the treatments seem to work. Laxatives cause unpredictable results and Linzess has the effect of uncontrollably evacuating the system, so I use that only when I absolutely have to.
I usually just live with the 5-7 day cycle as it seems to offer the most control and QOL options. However when that day does come, my life gets turned upside down and I basically have to stay home and indoors. There are also usually large volumes of gas at the same time.
I am curious if you or others reading this have also had similar issues and what you have found effective or how you have been able to cope and make the best of it?
My surgeon has washed her hands of it (at around 8 months post-op) and basically told me its not a surgical issue. My regular GI really has nothing more to say since we have tried the approaches I mentioned.
Are there doctors who specialize in this? It would seem that if (as one statistic I read) 60-90% of LAR patients have LARS this might be a good field to spend some time in.
Just looking for some ideas.
Thanks,
- Vincelauragb wrote:I would say without enemas I would be positive for LARs, except I don't have the runny leaky bowel. I just don't go.............................at all, and then..................clustering for hours. Even using enemas I do get gassy but like BMs the gas likes to build up and come out long winded like what I left behind me in a grocery store aisle yesterday.
Anyway, I've recently heard the term Pelvic Radiation Disease which has many of the same symptoms plus the other not-fun stuff. So call it what you will, low rectal cancer treatment wreaks havoc on the nether parts.
By the way, my tumor was very low....
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