Rant- Irinotecan and the inevitable finally happened

[KElizabeth]

It was just a matter of time unfortunately, so I can't be too surprised but I finally did my pants in at work. I made it into the woman's locker room and almost onto the toilet so it could have been much worse. I made it out of the facility with without embarrassing myself, but it was really an ordeal to clean up myself and the bathroom before the hourly workers filled the lunchroom which would have trapped me in the locker room for an hour.
I am going to learn my lesson here and stock my locker with extra undies and pants so there will be less chance for a walk of shame in the future.

If I ever say irinotecan is easy again please remind me of this and I'll shut up.

[DarknessEmbraced]

I'm sorry that happened to you KElizabeth!*hugs*

[Pita]

So sorry that happened to you! My worst occasion was once when family and I were out walking and even though I didn't have an ice cream, I made a mess in the shoppe's bathroom and too many times to count at home even though it's only 10 feet to the bathroom. Onc reduced Irantothecan and haven't had very many major issues since. He said the difference wasn't huge as far as treatment but better then me losing so much from my body, becoming dehydrated and losing weight at 115 is not good. Perhaps have a small reduction?
Best wishes, hugs and prayers to you...

[recruiter]

They don't jokingly call it "I run to the can" for nothing, unfortunately.

It happened to me, too. Total, EF-5 destruction. So now, I carry a backpack everywhere I go filled with emergency supplies - pants, underwear, wipes, paper towels, etc.

If I need to be away from a toilet for any length of time, I take one Immodium - which screws up my system for a couple of days and produces hard stools that savage my rectal tumor. It's not a great system.

And sorry to say, I avoid going anywhere I can't take it - which has been a major, major negative in my life as someone who loves sporting events.

[Pita]

I do exactly as you do Recruiter backpack everywhere. Still waiting for 1 immoduim to let loose from 3 days ago. oxo

[KElizabeth]

I do exactly as you do Recruiter backpack everywhere. Still waiting for 1 immoduim to let loose from 3 days ago. oxo

The backpack is a good idea.
I don't have the same problem with imodium. I can take ten and still no help. It never stops me up. I think it does help with ther cramping though.

[recruiter]

I am sorry to hear that. Immodium brings me to a screeching halt - and a couple of days later causes me to screech in pain because of hard stools. I'm going to the eye doc today, and I'm trying to figure out if I feel well enough to gamble.

It's a difficult thing, living in fear of the next big accident. My surgeon complained that operating on me would be "life-changing." I told him, "You don't think my life has been changed negatively already?"

[KElizabeth]

It's a difficult thing, living in fear of the next big accident. My surgeon complained that operating on me would be "life-changing." I told him, "You don't think my life has been changed negatively already?"

Exactly. Colon cancer is very unglamorous. I can't even hold a fart in anymore. They say never trust a farther, but trust one or not they are coming out. People always say what a trooper I am because they don't hear me complaining. They don't hear me complain because I know they don't want to hear how I had to clean the bathroom at 2AM naked when the blitzkrieg hit before I made it all the way down to the toilet. They don't want to hear much of it really. I just tell them it's getting better and I hope it is.

[GreenLakeGirl]

For those of you who struggle with Imodium, you might ask your doctor about Lomotil. It's also an anti-diarrheal med, but I find it's much easier on my guts, and I don't have the pain and cramping I got on Imodium.

[recruiter]

It's a difficult thing, living in fear of the next big accident. My surgeon complained that operating on me would be "life-changing." I told him, "You don't think my life has been changed negatively already?"

Exactly. Colon cancer is very unglamorous. I can't even hold a fart in anymore. They say never trust a farther, but trust one or not they are coming out. People always say what a trooper I am because they don't hear me complaining. They don't hear me complain because I know they don't want to hear how I had to clean the bathroom at 2AM naked when the blitzkrieg hit before I made it all the way down to the toilet. They don't want to hear much of it really. I just tell them it's getting better and I hope it is.

That's exactly right, and it makes it very difficult - and at times impossible - to plan on going out.

As with my backpack, I have my bathroom disaster kit as well - a Swifter, enough paper towels to side my house, Lysol, Clorox.

[Pita]

As with my backpack, I have my bathroom disaster kit as well - a Swifter, enough paper towels to side my house, Lysol, Clorox.

When I dont make it to the toilet it's usually within inches of it and I bought some of those pads you put under yourself in bed or wherever. They have really helped with minimal cleanup. haha I'll cover the whole floor with them then I'll side my house with them too.

Saw Colorectal Surgeon last week, no LARS for me. Since Immodium works so good for me, he suggested 1/2 Immodium in morning, early dinner and then prune juice. Will start it soon. Also he said it's been 6+ months since surgery and I will never be without bathroom issues as long as I'm on chemo.

[MikeManess]

When I was on Folfox + Avastin I had watery diarrhea, so my doctor gave me Tincture of Opium, also known as Ladanum. It did the trick.

\Now that I'm on Folfiri + Avastin, I've found it also helps tremendously. Stool is still loose, urgency is there, but only one time per day instead of multiple times. I have the option of taking more doses than 1 per day, but so far it's under control.

By the way, Tincture of Opium is extremely bitter tasting, and I don't get a feeling of being medicated,

[Maia]

so my doctor gave me Tincture of Opium, also known as Ladanum.

Sometimes there is wisdom in the old methods! I like how your doctor thought of that. You're taking something with such a tradition (in literature, for example).
It's Laudanum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudanum : )

[KElizabeth]

Sometimes there is wisdom in the old methods! I like how your doctor thought of that. You're taking something with such a tradition (in literature, for example).
It's Laudanum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laudanum : )

I like plant based alkaloid solutions, BUTT Alas I am allergic to morphine.
A few plant based alkaloid that I can use are pharmaceutical atropine and hyoscyamine (both from Datura (it's a particularly nasty poison so do not ingest any part of the plant)). Two doses of atropine during infusion stops the early diarrhea completely. I use Nulev or hyoscyamine to stop cramping and urgency when things get really rough, but it doesn't stop the diarrhea for me at all.