strange urgency

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newmexico
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:19 pm
Facebook Username: lis.leonard.murphy

strange urgency

Postby newmexico » Tue Aug 04, 2015 5:35 pm

I'm throwing this out there in case anyone has experienced this. I had a low anterior resection about 18 months ago. Sine then, I will sometimes be stricken with a great urgency to go. I go, tons comes out (not diarrhea), I get up to go about my life but whoa, the urgency hits again and I have to race back to the bathroom to avoid soiling myself. This will occur up to five times in rapid succession. Each time I have to go back to the bathroom, less and less will come out. It doesn't hurt, but by the last couple of times I have to return to the bathroom, there is a STRONG straining sensation in my rectum. The best way to describe it is that it feels like my rectum is trying turn itself inside out or push its way out of my body.

It is NOT diarrhea, it is a completely different sensation.

I've never timed an episode, but it seems to last between 30-45 minutes from the first race to the bathroom to the last empty straining.

These episodes have been occurring with more frequency and now they are happening every few days. Usually in the evening, but sometimes it happens in the middle of the night. The last time it happened I had terrible, terrible abdominal cramping as well--lay down on the bathroom floor with knees drawn up level of pain.

Anyone have any idea what this might be?
53 year old female
Mom of three, ages 30, 26 and 10
Tumor in sigmoid colon found 12-2013
LAR 1-14-2014, 1/16 nodes, dx Stage IIIa CC
6 months adjuvant Xeloda, finished 8-28-14
Two years out, so far, so good

MSJC
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 10:31 am
Location: Ashland City, Tn.

Re: strange urgency

Postby MSJC » Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:33 pm

Yes I have and still do experience the same problems, sorry I don't have an answer, but I feel for you.
Mike, 49 y/o at Dx 1/14 stage 3c
low rectal cancer 7 nodes positive
2/14 5 weeks chemo/rad. 5-fu
4/14 Lar gallbladder removed,
temp ileostomy
5/14 8 rds Folfox
10/14 reversal surgery
5/15 clean colonoscopy
6/15 clean ct scan

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: strange urgency

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:19 am

I've had the same issue sometimes. I'm not sure what causes it. I'm on an antispasmodic called Dicetel which seems to have lessened the frequency of these episodes. I take it three times a day with food. It was prescribed by my GI surgeon. Maybe you could look into something similar?
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

User avatar
cashmere
Posts: 305
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:52 pm

Re: strange urgency

Postby cashmere » Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:42 am

I am 8 years out and still have those days. I think it is just our new plumbing.
Stage III
Diagnosed 4/07 at 51
36 rad/24/7 chemo bag
surg 9/07
6 mon chemo w/48 hr bag
ileo reversal 5/08
NED since 9/07!!
Just resolved my 13th blockage
Been able to control blockage issues with fiber supplements!!

newmexico
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:19 pm
Facebook Username: lis.leonard.murphy

Re: strange urgency

Postby newmexico » Sat Dec 26, 2015 10:49 am

OP here. I went to the oncologist about this who sent me to my gastroenterologist. Had another colonoscopy which was clear. This still happens from time to time. My onc says this straining sensation is called "tenesmus"? Is that a familiar term to anyone?

It's yucky when it happens (I'm in the throes of it right now, since yesterday evening) but I guess I'm getting used to it. I wonder if my poor colon/rectum are just p***ed at what was done to them, as Cashmere mentioned. Thank heavens it's not a daily occurrence.
53 year old female
Mom of three, ages 30, 26 and 10
Tumor in sigmoid colon found 12-2013
LAR 1-14-2014, 1/16 nodes, dx Stage IIIa CC
6 months adjuvant Xeloda, finished 8-28-14
Two years out, so far, so good

Teddi
Posts: 241
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:44 pm
Facebook Username: teddimcfarland

Re: strange urgency

Postby Teddi » Sat Dec 26, 2015 12:59 pm

I noticed that I have those episodes if I injest ANY caffeine. Doesn't happen right away, but does happen. Have you been eating more chocolate? Drinking more tea? Having an extra coffee? All normal winter activities, but lead to accidents for me.

Teddi
47 at diagnosis
Colonoscopy, biopsy, CT, PET 6/14
Rectal cancer (tentatively) Stage III-b, MSS
Xeloda and radiation 25x finished 8/14
FOLFOX 5 cycles
Surgery 1/23/14 ~ T1N0MX ~ temp illeostomy
FOLFOX 3 cycles = total of 8
Illeostomy reversal 4/8/15
Clean scans x2, clear colonoscopy 9/15

ozziej
Posts: 239
Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 8:35 pm

Re: strange urgency

Postby ozziej » Sun Dec 27, 2015 12:12 am

I'm 9 months out from ULAR and I get a round of tenesmus every few weeks. I can definitely relate to the sensation of your rectum trying to turn itself inside out. I can't really find a consistent cause but what I've found helpful is to take a laxative because once there is nothing left to expel the spasms seem to stop. This is only a guess but I wonder if the spasms stem from colon tissue (not really designed to stretch and hold) trying to work like rectal tissue and getting it wrong sometimes. Ah, CRC, the gift that just keeps on giving. . :roll:
Jan
F 56 dx 11/14 Stage 1 RC (post EMR)
No neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemo/RD
3/15 ULAR (open) temp loop ileo
5/15 ileo reversal
NED and hoping to stay that way!! : )


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