My husband was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer. There was one lymph node that looked suspicious so he was started with neoadjuvant chemo(8 folfox, every two weeks), and the 30 radiation sessions which started three days after his last chemo. They waited about 5 weeks and went straight to surgery, removing his rectum and making a j pouch and giving him a temp ileostomy. Pathology report came back as a complete pathological response.
All of this is fantastic, but we do have some concerns and hoped someone had some similar situations.
It has been almost 4 weeks since surgery and I’m the last week and a half, he has been in terrible pain at the top of his tailbone. He also had spasms that feel like he needs to sit on the toilet. When he does, oily globules come out, as well as mucous. He also has had a bit of trouble urination but we think we have remedied that with better hydration.
Is it normal to have so much stuff come out with an ostomy? Is the tail bone pain normal, and could some of this be residual radiation pain/issues?
Hopefully, some of you can shed some light, his surgeons office act like this is all normal. We see them again tomorrow, but wanted to hear from you guys first.