Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

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StupidAssCancer
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Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby StupidAssCancer » Sat Nov 16, 2013 11:21 pm

I'm on radiation treatment 26 of 28. My pain in rectum is so severe! It fills like inflamation along with pressure and pain. I'm wondering how long this will last? My last treatments are Monday and Tuesday and then I'm done. If like to plan my holidays and need to go out of town but as far as how I'm feeling right now there is no way I can last in a car ride sitting.
Any tips? How long did you hurt?
xo,
Alys
Stage 3c Colorectal Cancer
Surgery March 2013 Jpouch Temp Iliostomy
May 2013Chemo Infusions 5-FU Oxi Lev-Allergic
Radiation w/Xeloda Chemo-Allergic
Oct 2013 Reversal of Ostomy Nov 2013 Perm Ileostomy
Feb 2016 Ostomy collapsed moved to other side
Jun 2016 colon removed permanent ileostomy

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Mastan
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby Mastan » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:07 am

You should be fine for the x-mas holiday. Thanksgiving not so much. Never really found anything that eliminated pain during treatment. Aquaphor helped protect the inflamed skin from diarrhea.
Dx 6/2010 rectal CA

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StupidAssCancer
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby StupidAssCancer » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:12 am

Thank you for your message. I'm doing radiation post surgery so I currently have an illiostomy which helps to avoid the diarrhea thank god! But I can honestly say I've never had such a "pain in the butt!"
It hurts so darn bad and my surrounding hips, leg muscles, flutes are also very fatigued and weak from the radiation as well
xo,
Alys
Stage 3c Colorectal Cancer
Surgery March 2013 Jpouch Temp Iliostomy
May 2013Chemo Infusions 5-FU Oxi Lev-Allergic
Radiation w/Xeloda Chemo-Allergic
Oct 2013 Reversal of Ostomy Nov 2013 Perm Ileostomy
Feb 2016 Ostomy collapsed moved to other side
Jun 2016 colon removed permanent ileostomy

kmv
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Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:56 pm

Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby kmv » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:21 am

I'm on treatment 18, so I am not as far along as you, but already have some pain that is mostly throbbing. My onc prescribed Percocet, which really helps.
39 yo mother of 3
7/29/13 dx rc six wk postpartum, met to liver
10/9/13 finished 2 cycles FOLFOX
12/2/13 finished chemorad
1/3/14 liver resect
2/28/14 APR
7/16/14 finished 4 cycles FOLFOX
7/28/14 CT scan NED
10/27/14 CT scan 3 lung lesions
2/15 finished 4 cycles FOLFIRI
4/15 VATS on right lung
four mets in left lung, 2nd VATS on 5/21/15

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kirac
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby kirac » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:21 am

It took my husband a few weeks after the radiation ended to start to return to normal.
Husband (Age 36) 1/13 Dx Stage 3B rectal cancer
3/13 Chemoradiation
6/13 Tumor removed, Temp ileo, 1/15 nodes
7/13 Chemo = Oxaliplatin, Xeloda
1/14 Reversal
7/14 NED, CEA 1.8
12/14 CLEAR CT scan! NED

http://kickingasscancer.com/

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Mastan
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby Mastan » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:24 am

StupidAssCancer wrote:Thank you for your message. I'm doing radiation post surgery so I currently have an illiostomy which helps to avoid the diarrhea thank god! But I can honestly say I've never had such a "pain in the butt!"
It hurts so darn bad and my surrounding hips, leg muscles, flutes are also very fatigued and weak from the radiation as well
xo,
Alys

Hi,

I had problems primarily with a torched anus from diarrhea. I also had fatigue and developed a blood clot in the leg. This was most likely a result of dehydration from diarrhea. Can you take any pain reliver for the muscle pain?

Mark
Dx 6/2010 rectal CA

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StupidAssCancer
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby StupidAssCancer » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:31 am

Ive take xstregth Tylenol all day and just put on my smile but tonight it's Percocet and I have a feeling ill have to stick to the Percocet. I'm suppose to be going on a trip on Wednesday, the day after my last treatment... A little unsure how ill pull that off!
Do you have any residual radiation issues now?
Stage 3c Colorectal Cancer
Surgery March 2013 Jpouch Temp Iliostomy
May 2013Chemo Infusions 5-FU Oxi Lev-Allergic
Radiation w/Xeloda Chemo-Allergic
Oct 2013 Reversal of Ostomy Nov 2013 Perm Ileostomy
Feb 2016 Ostomy collapsed moved to other side
Jun 2016 colon removed permanent ileostomy

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StupidAssCancer
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Facebook Username: Alys.Geertsen
Location: Utah

Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby StupidAssCancer » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:32 am

Did your lung mets clear up?
Stage 3c Colorectal Cancer
Surgery March 2013 Jpouch Temp Iliostomy
May 2013Chemo Infusions 5-FU Oxi Lev-Allergic
Radiation w/Xeloda Chemo-Allergic
Oct 2013 Reversal of Ostomy Nov 2013 Perm Ileostomy
Feb 2016 Ostomy collapsed moved to other side
Jun 2016 colon removed permanent ileostomy

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Mastan
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby Mastan » Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:30 am

Hi Alys,

No residual rad issues from the GI radiation. Lung mets did not disappear but are stable at present. Some of the lung spots could be scar tissue from rad.

Mark
Dx 6/2010 rectal CA

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BrownBagger
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby BrownBagger » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:33 pm

My pain continued for about 2 weeks after that last treatment (25). Then it got rapidly better. Staying active and busy helped.

Good luck!
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

Ontario Guy
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby Ontario Guy » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:42 pm

Hi Alys,

My tumour continued to swell well into the second week after the end of radiation. Things got so bad I was eventually hospitalized for pain management. I was discharged after 10 days with a pain pump, which delivered dilaudid subcutaneously every half hour. There was also a bolus button for breakthrough pain. The pump was my little friend until the tumour had shrunk enough to for surgery, six weeks later.

Radiation can do very nasty things to you, internally and externally. Tell your radiation team about it.

Good luck,

OG.

teachpdx
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby teachpdx » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:26 pm

Hi Alys,

My suggestion for traveling is to be able to lie down. I found the radiation very hard all the way around :cry: The pain can come from many different areas. I can be from the skin and surrounding tissue or it an be from the pelvic floor muscles all tensed up from trying to protect the delicate skin. I had a great difficulty sitting for any length of time after radiation. I used a "donut" and that did give me some relief. It helps, but there still is downward pressure when you are sitting and the donut can't help that part.

I was told and experienced that the radiation continues to do it's stuff for a week or two after the last treatment so things might get worse before they get better. I hope for your sake it doesn't but I suggest that you protect that very fragile skin as much as you can with aloe and anything else to keep that area (especially the gluteal fold (butt crack)) from drying out. Calmoseptine creates a barrier and heals as well. I also took a TON of baths as I found them very soothing.

Best of luck. I feel your pain. Kristi
4/24/12 RC T3N1M0 age 53
5/23-7/2 - 26 chemorad - Xeloda
7/16 Lynch- MSH2
8/28 LAR w/ temp ileo, CR, 0/11,M0, hysterectomy
10/13 6 cycles Xeloda - completed only 1 1/2 due to HFS
3/12/13 - reversal
8/13 NED
6/15 - HFS gone!

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StupidAssCancer
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Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby StupidAssCancer » Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:51 pm

Thank you for all your replies and tips. I truly appreciate them all!
The pain is still there and quite extreme. Last night I started bleeding pee. Im going to do a separate post in regards to this to see if anyone has any tips or info on this.
Thank you!
xo,
Alys
Stage 3c Colorectal Cancer
Surgery March 2013 Jpouch Temp Iliostomy
May 2013Chemo Infusions 5-FU Oxi Lev-Allergic
Radiation w/Xeloda Chemo-Allergic
Oct 2013 Reversal of Ostomy Nov 2013 Perm Ileostomy
Feb 2016 Ostomy collapsed moved to other side
Jun 2016 colon removed permanent ileostomy

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Rob in PA
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Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:16 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby Rob in PA » Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:08 pm

Hope things get better for you Alys. My butt pain lasted about 4 weeks at most after radiation then slowly went away. Creme helps but make sure if you use a zinc based creme that you get it all off before going in for radiation...it burns if you don't, but i'm sure they probably told you that.

rob
dx 11/07 crc IIIb @ 39
Xelox/Rad/ temp colostomy
LAR/J-pouch/ temp ileo
Folfox-8
Failed reversal
2/09 liver mets; liver resect/ileo reversal
Folfiri/Avastin - 12
2/11 5 lung mets
Folfiri/Avastin 2011
SBRT 3/12
Lung met 5/13/ said NO to more chemo
SBRT 8/13
2 lung mets 5/14, VATS 8/14, NED

jeanette57
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:40 am

Re: Rectal Radiation- How long does this pain last?

Postby jeanette57 » Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:37 pm

ok, confused

I was given a smoothing cool gel - and had radiation gel - then a very great square blue waffle like pad to sit on. Never use a donut hole type as it created problems and rips. I had the treatment in a odd position with the radiation at the end of the rectum where my tumor was. I then had the surgery with ostomy and got a medicated VASHE wash which was so great for the stitches and raw walls sewn together. I had to learn to get into and out of cars by hoping as I pulled the stitches out once by trying to scoot into the car seat :D
oh this may help but PLEASE AS YOUR DOCTOR - this is from a lady who sales cloth baby diapers. Human grade - organic coconut oil helps the burning rash or pain for babies and yes stitched up butts. I get dry and some soreness as my bladder fell into the void of the rectum and I pee backwards, so need to keep very clean. This causes dryness, so these helps me. FYI - may be too much but it does work for me...a very little bit goes a long way. :shock:
T3 N0 M0 -1-4-12 to 3-2013- NOW stage 4 terminal
mets Lungs & bone - halo on head (not to many can see unicorn horn)
chemo for life or until I quit


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