3 years in remission - having digestive issues

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NoFear32
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 11:53 pm

3 years in remission - having digestive issues

Postby NoFear32 » Sat Apr 21, 2018 1:29 pm

Anyone else start having digestive issues a few years AFTER colon surgery/chemo?

I had my last sigmoidoscopy/endoscope Nov 1st and everything was clear. I also had pain last year in my torso and was sent for ultra sounds and everything came back fine.

However now, every time after I eat I start feeling extremely bloated and painfully full in the torso area right above my belly button and left/right sides. This has been going on for almost 2 months.

I was not able to get an appointment with my GI, so last month I went to my primary Dr and saw his NP. She prescribed me what is basically Prilosec to see if that helps, even though I have zero heartburn or gas issues related to this, etc. I have not noticed any help with the medication and feel like this issue is slowly getting worse.

I have started eating way smaller portion sizes to see if that helps and taking Align (probiotic) but so far I still haven’t noticed much of a difference. This feeling makes me not want to eat anymore because it causes so much discomfort.

I do have a lot of stress in my life lately, so I’m wondering if that is taking a toll on me and causing this? I have to wait 3 weeks until I can see my GI, so that is why I am posting to see if anyone else has gone through anything similar?

Thanks!
32 yo,Wife & Mom, ages 9 & 3
4/17/15: Colonoscopy = 6cm in sigmoid + 6 polyps
4/24/15: Colectomy (no illeo)
4/27/15: Diagnosed Stage 3b CC, 2/55 lymph nodes
May2015: Genetic testing, no Lynch, FAP, Gardners
6/1/15: Started FOLFOX - BAD reaction to 5FU, switched rounds 3-8 to combo of XELODA + OXI via IV.
9/24/15: Round 8 and done with chemo!
Nov2015: First CT scan, X-rays, blood = NED
Jan2016: Bloodwork = NED
Next up: Colonoscopy & Endoscopy, more CT scans, etc

zephyr
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 7:31 am

Re: 3 years in remission - having digestive issues

Postby zephyr » Sat Apr 21, 2018 2:35 pm

NoFear32 wrote:However now, every time after I eat I start feeling extremely bloated and painfully full in the torso area right above my belly button and left/right sides. This has been going on for almost 2 months.

I was not able to get an appointment with my GI, so last month I went to my primary Dr and saw his NP. She prescribed me what is basically Prilosec to see if that helps, even though I have zero heartburn or gas issues related to this, etc. I have not noticed any help with the medication and feel like this issue is slowly getting worse.

I have started eating way smaller portion sizes to see if that helps and taking Align (probiotic) but so far I still haven’t noticed much of a difference. This feeling makes me not want to eat anymore because it causes so much discomfort.



I'm only 2 years out from surgery and still on chemo so my circumstances are different. I've had GI issues pretty much non-stop since the surgery but I recently began having issues similar to yours during my chemo recovery week; various tests, everything came back normal so I was referred by my onc to the oncology dietician. She suggested the herbal blend Iberogast - she said other patients were having success controlling IBS-type symptoms. I've only just received it so I can't give you a review but you might take a look at the bottle information and see if you think it will help you. I don't know where to find it except on Amazon. Note: it contains alcohol.

https://www.amazon.com/Iberogast-LARGE-SIZE-100ml-Dyspepsia/dp/B00I2LFSQK

You might also try a different probiotic. Align's a popular brand and it seems to help a lot of people but it didn't work for me. My GI doc recommended VSL#3 (OTC but in the frig behind the pharmacy counter) and my N.D. recommended Culturelle (on the shelf) - I switch off between those two and I've noticed a difference.

Good luck.

Edited to add: stress can really mess up your GI system
Nov-2009 Early stage CRC, routine colonoscopy
2010-2014 F/U colonoscopies, all clear
Jun-2016 CRC during F/U colonoscopy, surgery, Stage 4, KRAS, MSS
Aug-2016-May-2018 Folfox, 5FU, Folfiri & Avastin
Aug/Sep-2018 YAG laser surgeries (Germany), 11 nodules removed
Nov-2018 clean CT scan
Mar-2019 New lung nodules
Apr-2019 Dec-2020 Xeloda/Avastin, SBRT, cont. Xeloda/Avastin
Mar-2021 Forfiri/Avastin
Mar-2022 Ablation & Thoracotomy
Feb-2023 Folfiri & Avastin
Nov-2023 Xeloda & Avastin


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