Deep wrote:Can anyone please tell me your experiences with Capecitabine and radiation treatment for rectal cancer. I am ending week 1 1/2 right now (Started last Thursday) and can say that I have yet to experience any side effects. I have 5 total weeks of treatment or 25 total radiation sessions. I do smoke and consume marijuana as I live in a recreational state and have read up on this helping alleviate some of the side effects such as poor appetite or nausea.
Hi Deep - We seemed to be of the same age and diagnosis, except my mum had colon cancer !
I just completed a 28 session chemoradiation and it was a breeze for me compared to some others. The side effects kicked in around week 3-4 for me and it was all very manageable. I had little to no pain throughout the course and even thereafter.
Saying that, I was quite diligent in applying the aloe vera gel and paraminol cream provided around the anus area - two to three times a day everytime I cleaned and washed myself down there. So perhaps that helped ?
Below are some that I experienced:
Pooping and peeing urgency. If you gotta go, just go and don't think you can hold it in as before! Empty your bowels before you leave the house. Locate the toilets if you are in unfamiliar territory so that you know where you can run to when the situation calls for it. Anus was slightly sore and sometimes itchy - but it went away in a few days. Keep in mind I was really diligent in apply all the gel and cream. Very gassy which can cause some embarrassment if you are not careful. Learn to control pelvic muscles ? I found that if you keep clearing your bowels whenever you can there tends to be less gas !
Sleepiness is something I often experienced a few hours after the radiation but again very manageable. This actually sorted out my insomia as I was often ready to go to bed when night falls ! So it depends on how you view this as. It did not quite interrupt my routine and I was able to continue with some social life !
1 week after my last session, i developed a sore patch of skin on the butt crack which I suspect is where the radiation entered, but with continuous application of gel and cream it got better after a week leaving some mild scars but then who's gonna judge my butt crack anyway !
As for the chemo - I developed some tingly and itchy sensation in the final week but went away as soon as the course stopped.
FYI - I just got back from a follow-up 3.5 weeks after my last CRT session and my tumor has apparently shrunk by 50% !