Rectal sensation - paranoid

[AnnClare]

For about the past week or so, I feel sensation in my rectal, sacral, and sometimes coccyx region. It's not pain, per se, just sensation. The sacral area feels tight, as if it could be muscular, but the reason I'm freaked out is because I had odd feelings back there before my Dx. (Of course, I also had rectal bleeding and downright pain at times.)

At the time of surgery, my surgeon assured me I'd gotten a "good response" to chemoradiation, with the rectal tumor shrinking from 8 cm to 2 cm. I know she said she also got a negative margin when removing it. But any time I get a twinge in that area, my first thought is, "It's back!" Is this normal paranoia? I know I'll have these fears and thoughts for the rest of my life any time there's an ache/pain/twinge anywhere in my body because after dealing with something like this, you're gun-shy.

Anyone else had a rectal tumor removed and had twinges/sensations a few months post-op? Just curious. Looking for some peace of mind, I suppose.

[Joannerogers]

Yes I have. Feels like I need to have a bm but I know I don't because I have an ilieostomy . I worry all the time about it. Doc says it may be scar tissue.

[ALW]

Yep, I had that too. My surgeon sent me to pelvic floor pt which pretty much got rid of all those weird feelings. One thing I learned during the pelvic floor treatment is that all of the muscles in your core and then down around your pelvis, vaginal areas, anus.... All of those are connected. So when they cut into them during surgery, it could cause the whole thing to tighten up (which is what happened with me). I had pain where I imagined my rectum would be and also my very inner thigh region.

[AnnClare]

Thanks for the replies, guys. My husband actually posed the scar tissue theory the other night when I mentioned this to him. Right after surgery and about 1 1/2 months post-op, I didn't feel anything odd in that area, which surprised me because I anticipated it would be painful due to the tumor removal. I'm guessing the sensations are coming on now because the tissue / nerves have probably healed, coupled with the scar tissue theory. Also, I'm working again and my low back and hip areas tend to get tight after a while, plus I've resumed working out (though not lifting much weight, as I don't want to get a hernia around my stoma.)

I asked my surgeon about doing kegels and contracting/releasing the rectal/anal muscle as well, in order to keep those muscles from atrophying, hoping to avoid incontinence issues when my ileostomy is reversed. She gave me the all clear, so I do those too (when I remember) - guess that could also be contributing as well.

Oh, the woes and anxiety we have to deal with. I miss my simple life.