scared to take imodium

[cynnycal]

so on radiation, diarrhea can be a side effect. it can be a side effect with chemo too, but i was completely opposite and it just made me constipated.
and b/c i had the anal fissure i was reeeaaaaallll paranoid about BM's. I'd load myself up on colace and milk of magnesia every night so that it'd just be the consistency of toothpaste and not leave me in as much pain as i was.
so then i started radiation and after a week or two, i realized i could stop taking the colace etc.
now, i don't have real real watery or liquidy BM's BUT what is bothering me is that urgency.
i'll just be sitting at my desk and be have THE most powerful urges EVER.
so my doc said i could start taking imodium. now, i read on this board and others about people taking up to 8 and it just barely doing anything. i read on this package to take two for starters, and 1 after every additional 'loose stool'
but the nurse was saying how she knows some people who take one or two, and it can stop them up. even constipate them for a few days.
guess just a matter of how your body responds to it.

but i'm scared to try and find out! if i take the 2...will that mean the powerful urge (that i can just BARELY hold) will go away? I gotta drive downstate this weekend (bout a 2 or 3 hour drive) and i'm paranoid i won't do so well! but i desperately DON'T want to be constipated.
man i'm so glad i have this board. i couldn't talk to my friends bout this. just my doctors and my anonymous mssg board peeps!

[Maggie]

Hi. I take immodium pretty regularly (mostly the result of my resection 5 years ago) and it helps me a lot. I do admit, I have to take 4 or 5 before it works and don't get constipated the next day (I am almost never constipated since my surgery). If you are worried, I would maybe start with one pill (instead of the two) after you start feeling the urge and see what happens and then go from there. It does effect other people differently, so it can't hurt to try.
Good luck, I know loose BMs stink and can throw a wrench into any plans, even if it's just being at work!
Maggie

[Joy]

On radiation I had the same problem. By round 20 radiologist gave me a 2 week vacation because my butt was in bad shape from the constant bathroom visits.

I was up to 8 immodium per day and I still had the feeling that I "got to go, got to go, NOW!!"

Been off radiation for 5 weeks - things are starting to settle down. Still have bowel issues but thank goodness the urgency feeling has started to subside.

Hang in there, take the immodium (always carry an extra pair of underwear) use toddlers flushable wipes.

It will get better ....I promise

[cynnycal]

whew! man i thought i was just an oddball for just baaaarrely beign able to hold these 'urges'.
i figured i should bring extra underwear...but i keep forgetting. like this morning i thought "yesterday i had too close of a call, i should bring extra underwear today." But then i walked out the house without em, and i was running late. luckily, i do live not more than a three minute drive from work. but still.
i decided it'd be a good idea to wear pantyliners. heh.
and i've just taken the two imodium. i'll report back! wish me luck!

the worst is not really my butt. i mean, my butt is pretty red and a bit sore. but i can deal with it, it's the vaginal area. it's soooo close to the anal area they're radiating that IT is red and sore as hell. like uncomfortable to the point that wearing underwear is annoying, and wearing jeans is god awful.
and of course, as i said in my other post, i got lubricant...and YOWZA'S!!! put it on yesterday and boy did it burn. so i'll hold off with that.
but it's just so raw, tender, a bit swollen i think. ugh.


so joy, did you have to use the dialator they tell me about?

[Joy]

Try sitz baths, using a solution of "buro-sol" -- I see on the package it is made in Canada but I would think that it will be available in the States.
It says on the package uses for Eczema, dermatitis, poison Ivy, insect bites,boils, inflamed athlete's foot, soaps, detergent. This stuff was a god send for me and really helped. Doc also prescribed a topical cortisteriod cream which was helpful.

Sorry to hear that you are having such a miserable time.... trust me it will get better. Hang in there.

[christy217]

Becca,

I am sorry your experiencing all these pain in the butt, no pun intended, side affects. Chemo is killing me softly in my opinion and after 2 cycles I am ready to throw in the towel.

How have you been otherwise?

Christy

[cynnycal]

well, outside of this radiation, i'm pretty good. I'm trying to enjoy everything around me as much as possible.
i made it through four rounds of chemo, and honestly the radiation is worse i think.
for me, the chemo would cause me to be crappy for a few days after, but for the most part i'd bounce back.
but the radiation is every single day for FIVE WEEKS!!! it's all out war on this tumor. but it means i dont' get the couple days to bounce back.

i'm not gonna lie here, really all i want is to have sex. hahahhaah...that was the initial reason i came back to the boards. i figured it was probably not a good idea right now. but right now is when i want it.

ah well, yet another thing this cancer is robbing me of at the moment.
I'm sssoooooooooooo ready for all this to be over. like yesterday.

BUT on another note, i get to go to a free concert downtown chicago today, it's with Seu Jorge (who, for reference, was the guy in the Life Aquatic movie who was singing David Bowie covers in portuguese) i'm excited. but, gotta get my punishment of radiation first before i get my reward.

i haven't had too much free time in front of the computer, but there's other stuff i'll email you bout later.

I'm really sorry to hear the chemo is beatign you up a bit. Fight as hard as you can, b/c it is a bitch, but even at your worst worst worst point just think how much hell you're also giving the cancer.

[Billy]

Cyn,

Aint cancer wonderful? I mean, it’s not bad enough we have this horrible disease turning our bodies against themselves, but we have all of this ancillary developments to contend with. I’ve gone through the back and forth of bm problems, and I don’t know which one is worse. Imodium has been a part of my diet for two years now. I think the only thing you can do is work with the doses until you find what suits you. But don’t you worry, as soon as you find that perfect balance, something else will screw it up!

Billy

[Holly]

Cyn,

Not to fret over the immodium thing. With a colon resection comes the joys...The function of the colon is to absorb water and with less off it you will likely have looser stools. Given time for your body to reprogam itself, you will find a new normal. If immodium does not work for you, might try lomotil.

Billy, yes cancer sucks. Sounds like you need to graduate from the immodium diet and on to your flinstones! One a day will keep the doctor away! You so rock!

Hugs!

Holly

[missk]

I too was concerned about the amount of Immodim I needed to take to control my bowels. However, I have consulted a GI specialist here in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and he has assured me that the instruction on the Immodium package to not exceed 8 tablets per day is intended for the general public, not for us colon/rectal cancer patients. So, take the instructions with a grain of salt and use whatever you need to control your bowels. Good news though - bowel does seem to return, but it's a very, very slow process. Good luck!

[rthornton]

I am curious if our bodies form a tolerance to anti-diarrheal meds. I am going through life without a colon, so it helps sometimes to take several Immodium (or the generic version) with a meal ... especially if I'm going to be "out" for a while and not have access to a bathroom. But if I took them with every meal, would my body form a tolerance and I would eventually not derive any benefit from them?

[cynnycal]

i'm baaaack
well, i took one immodium last night, and one this morning at bout 8am. and it is now 7pm and i haven't even had an urge yet.
no BM, and no powerful urgency.
this is a bit wierd. but maybe i just gotta get used to that.

i was also curious about the 'tolerance' thing. maybe i'll ask my doc tomorrow.
b

[Magnolia]

I'm not having diarrhea, and only have constipation after my treatment. I'm told that's from my Zoferan. Anyway I DO have lots and lots of BMs. Four to six a day. Big, bulky, soft ones. The kind octagenarians dream about. I shouldn't complain, but I feel like I live in the bathroom. I usually go after every meal, and again ten minutes or so later. Makes life in a restaraunt a little awkward. Still, if this is what it takes to stay alive, I'll take it. Like I told my mom. Since the remodel, I don't have as much closet space. It's got to go somewhere. I don't want to stop it up. It's too bulky. I'll just keep letting it out.

[cynnycal]

hahahahhahaha!!! that's an awesome analogy magnolia.
problem for me is...i haven't been remodeled yet. so i have yet to look forward to that joy.
but yea, i know what you mean about going too much. i feel like as soon as i get food going into my belly, i kick start that colon working. i can feel it kicking into action and know i don't have long after that.
buuuuuut...i did take an immodium. i generally take one every other day or so. and it seems to help with those urges.
but i freak out if i DON'T have at least 2 BM's a day now...cuz i'm so used to more.
so that is wierd for me. but i'll get used to it.

[Magnolia]

I know what you mean, cynnycal. If I'm not pooping like a big dog, I thing something's wrong. It's becoming normal for me. I hope it slows down some eventually, but I can deal if it doesn't.