After radiation side effects?

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
kal74
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 7:26 pm
Facebook Username: kal74

After radiation side effects?

Postby kal74 » Sun Sep 17, 2017 6:33 pm

I was dx in July with low rectal cancer and I'm finishing up my last three treatments of chemo/radiation. My xeloda dose is low (1000mg 2x day) so I'm tolerating that we'll, the radiation has been hit or miss, I'm doing IMRT and just started the cone down and my bowels are worse then ever, also a lot of burning in that area. The dr gave me a cream for the burn and I have mess for the diarrhea but I try not to take them so I don't go the other direction.
My main issue is about how long after finishing the radiation should I expect to have these bowel side effects? I'm trying to eat bland and not go out often but its generally hard and I'm hoping to go back to work soon
Thanks

Aqx99
Posts: 403
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:28 am
Facebook Username: aqx99
Location: Pfafftown, NC

Re: After radiation side effects?

Postby Aqx99 » Sun Sep 17, 2017 7:20 pm

Unfortunately, you never know how long it will last. It all depends on your body. Radiation made me constipated. I had to take 2 doses of Miralax a day just to be able to go. I was doing that right up until my surgery.
Anne, 40
Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer
T3N1bM0
2/21/17 Dx, Age 39
2/21/17 CEA 0.9
3/23/17 - 5/2/17 Chemoradiation, 28 treatments
6/14/17 Robotic LAR w/temp loop ileostomy, ovaries & fallopian tubes removed, 2/21 lymph nodes positive
7/24/17 - 12/18/17 CapeOx, 6 Cycles
7/24/17 Dx w/ovarian cancer
9/6/17 CA 125 11.1
11/27/17 CEA 2.6
12/5/17 CT NED
12/13/17 CEA 2.9
1/11/18 CA 125 8.6
1/23/18 Reversal
3/21/18 CT enlarged thymus
4/6/18 PET NED
7/10/18 CT NED
7/11/18 CEA 2.6
9/18 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

User avatar
susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: After radiation side effects?

Postby susie0915 » Sun Sep 17, 2017 8:23 pm

I didn't have issues with diarrhea but when urinating felt like I was passing glass. The Dr gave me lidocaine to numb the area every time I went. After I finished radiation prob about 10 days to 2 weeks after I didn't have pain.
So hopefully in a week or so you will start to do better. Good Luck
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: After radiation side effects?

Postby NHMike » Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:33 pm

The broken glass feeling went away one week after my last radiology treatment. My skin is still in rough shape though. I'm taking miralax a few times a week though I'm not sure that I need it.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

User avatar
JJH
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:26 am

Re: After radiation side effects?

Postby JJH » Sun Sep 17, 2017 11:37 pm

I have read your 4 posts and I have a few comments of a general nature, but I will mention only one of them right now

1. Since you are a new member seeking informational support from people here you should really provide as much relevant information about yourself at the outset as possible so that people can tell whether or not their situation is relevant to yours.The best way to do this, in my opinion, is to create a signature containing as much relevant information as you have so far, so that this information is displayed at the bottom of each of your posts in the future. Tips on setting up a signature are contained in the link below

http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=52681&p=421597#p421597

The reason this is important is that if you don't have a signature and you are asking for information, then you run the risk of getting irrelevant information from members who misunderstand what your situation is.

For example, if you don't disclose whether you are male or female, then .you might get irrelevant, unhelpful comments about the uro-genital radiation side effects of the other sex. This is just one example.

Another example is your planned schedule for upcoming interventions. You haven't said whether or not a surgery is definitely planned for removal of your T2 tumor, but you have said that you have had discussions with several surgeons. If you are planning to have surgery, what type of surgery will it be and when is it planned for? Are you planning to go back to work for just a couple of weeks before surgery? What about working after surgery, which is a rather different question?
"The darkest hour is just before the dawn" - Thomas Fuller (1650)
●●●

User avatar
ocstacy
Posts: 264
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:29 pm
Facebook Username: stacy

Re: After radiation side effects?

Postby ocstacy » Tue Oct 10, 2017 3:21 am

The broken glass feeling went away one week after my last radiology treatment.

My mom refers it to "ice pick" feeling.. "knife feeling", "burning".. she has to take hydrocodone with coating to feel better.
I would say she tolderated the Xeloda and radiation very good up until her last week of radiation. It really put her in a lot of pain down there. Not sure if it's cause it is still shrinking it but she also ended up getting a bigger rash on her ankles after she ended.

She is doing okay and will have surgery next week. prayers.. xoxo :idea:
Caregiver/daughter to dear mother age 78, dx 5/09/17 because of me!! :wink:
Rectal CA Stage 3 low-grade adenocarcinoma- 6 cm
Neoadjuvant start 7/10/17 ended 08/16/17
3D Lap. surgery @ Keck USC, Dr. Sang Lee 10/17/17 temp ileostomy
11/1 hospitalized abscess/hernia - home 11/06/17 antibiotics
NO LYMPHS INVOLVED! NEAR PATHOLOGICAL RESPONSE! YAY! :shock:
Took her last chemo med 05/10/18! Ileo reversal 07/24/18
1st BM after reversal 07/25/18 Anal Fissure 8/15/18
Me:1st Colonoscopy age 38. 08/17 Benign polp.


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 94 guests