Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
RayDudleyUK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:13 pm

Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby RayDudleyUK » Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:50 pm

Hi All,

I am new on here and have been going through a number of threads and there is a real wealth of information. I was diagnosed with rectal cancer in February 2017 and had CT and MRI scans in March which gave a clinical staging of T3N0M0. I had chemoradiation from May to June 2017 and by end of July I had another CT and MRI scans which revealed an 80% response though the tumour remained close to the margins. I had low anterior resection surgery (LAR) surgery on the 13th of September with temporary ileostomy . My surgeon referred me for full course post-operative chemo I guess due to the closeness of tumour to the margin and also he mentioned in letter to oncology presence of extra mural vascular invasion. I have oncology clinic appointment on the 13th of November where I guess I will be told course of treatment.

I had blood tests sometime last week and called my GP this Friday gone and he said they were fine though liver (serum ALT) was slightly raised at 75 and along with bone (serum ALP) at 150, he said he wasn't worried and asked if I wanted to go for another test in next 3 weeks. Could this be due to the trauma my body has just gone through, plus had also been taking vit D/D3 and loperamide tablets prior to test?
Over the past week or so I have been feeling some dull pain in back and as of today there's slight numbness to legs particularly left but not stopping me from doing anything. I obviously got quite worried especially after looking up these symptoms on google and went to Urgent care center and after a long wait I saw a doctor who said it was reassuring that scans carried out had not picked distant spread but I did question him whether the chest, abdomen and pelvis CT also look into the spine and he did say they look into this and if anything is picked up in spine it would have been reported. Is this true? I am worried I have something in spine triggering all this? Any reassurances please? This illness just brings a lot of anxiety and have been under a lot of stress since surgery and all tensed up.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

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

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby Aqx99 » Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:45 pm

I had a lot of pain in my tailbone/lower back area after chemoradiation. My radiation oncologist told me that she was targeting the front of my tailbone during treatment since rectal cancer can recur there, so we figured it was a result of that. I only just started to not have pain within the last week or two. Make sure you tell your doctor about your pain. I was prescribed hydrocodone to help me because it was keeping me up at night.
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

Pemba
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:52 am

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby Pemba » Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:12 pm

My mom had surgery two years ago to remove her uterus due to a benign muscle “tumour” they made a classic small cesarean cut. After the operation she had some days in bed and when she began to move around it was still less active than “normal” she got a back pain due to her more unusual activity and body movement. Her muscles was hurting because of all the lying down and careful movements.

I understand your worries and it’s sound like a good idea to mention it to your oncologist, but if It could be a normal backache due to sore and stiff muscles I can recommend visiting a physiotherapy.

All the best wishes!
Age: 26
2017: 15mm Tubulovillous adenoma- Low grade dysplasi.
Next scopy: original 2020 probably 2018-19

RayDudleyUK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:13 pm

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby RayDudleyUK » Fri Nov 03, 2017 5:51 am

Thank you both for your encouraging replies. All the medical personnel I have spoken to donot seem particularly concerned and say it should settle down soon. The numbness seems to be getting better lately and I see my oncologist on 13th November but will still mention this. With this cancer you always worry about mets and in my case the first thing i thought was bone mets. Not sure how likely this is with rectal cancer as there's no other spread to thoracic organs?

Pemba
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:52 am

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby Pemba » Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:40 pm

The only person with bone Mets I know, also had two large tumours between her organs and multiple lymph nodes. But she had leukaemia not colon cancer. But I guess that in most cases bone mets are the absolute last place the Mets spread to.

I’m sure you’re fine since there is no lymph nodes involved. but of cause the fear is always lurking around. And it’s a good thing to share and discuss with the oncologist. Sometimes if I fear something and can’t an find peach to put it away. I physically put it away by writing a note “ it’s not your responsibility, you cannot do anything right now, leave it for the doctor” and put it in a box to place it far away. I know it sound childish but it freaking works for my brain haha.
Age: 26
2017: 15mm Tubulovillous adenoma- Low grade dysplasi.
Next scopy: original 2020 probably 2018-19

RayDudleyUK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:13 pm

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby RayDudleyUK » Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:30 pm

Thanks Pemba. That has sure made me feel a little better and I am guessing I can also attribute this to stress anxiety as I just have a lot going on, the constant worry, the struggle to add back weight after surgery and the pain struggles with ileostomy. I have also heard about something that they post operative neuropathy which causes numbness as inflammation goes down and nerves resettle . I have not got long before I see oncology and will sure mention it before I commence post operative chemo.

Many thanks again.

ozziej
Posts: 239
Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 8:35 pm

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby ozziej » Sun Nov 05, 2017 12:40 am

Did you have open surgery? The tummy muscles which act as a girdle for the back are often affected during open surgery, leading to back pain. It is possible that the numbness you are experiencing may be sciatica subsequent to back weakness. This is what happened to me after my ULAR. A few sessions with a physiotherapist got me back on track. Maybe worth a consult?
F 56 dx 11/14 Stage 1 RC (post EMR)
No neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemo/RD
3/15 ULAR (open) temp loop ileo
5/15 ileo reversal
NED and hoping to stay that way!! : )

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

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby ocstacy » Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:06 am

I had low anterior resection surgery (LAR) surgery on the 13th of September with temporary ileostomy


My mother had same surgery as you but on 09/17/17. She was in the hospital for 7 days came home for one week and went back to the hospital due to an abscess in her pelvic area (lower tail bone area) My mom kept saying something wasn't right and the home health nurse kept repling that its suppose to feel that way during recovery. At first they said possibly hernia, but so glad that my mom went to ER and was ambulanced to the USC hospital that she had her surgery. She is doing better now that she is taking 2 antibiotics for the abscess. The dr. said it's like a leak but pus leak. I ended up my vacation three days early to fly home to be with her. I will visit her tomorrow at the hospital and she will be discharged in a few days. She has been on a clear liquid diet for like five days now poor thing. She is so thin now :-( We will find out the pathology report after we see her surgeon next. I keep asking them for the results over the phone but they want to talk to us in person so now I am more nervous. I love my mama very much and hate seeing her in pain.. Is her pain from the post surgery pain or something else. prayers.
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.

RayDudleyUK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:13 pm

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby RayDudleyUK » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:31 am

ozziej wrote:Did you have open surgery? The tummy muscles which act as a girdle for the back are often affected during open surgery, leading to back pain. It is possible that the numbness you are experiencing may be sciatica subsequent to back weakness. This is what happened to me after my ULAR. A few sessions with a physiotherapist got me back on track. Maybe worth a consult?


Hi Ozziej. Apologies for late reply as I did not set notification. Yes I did have open surgery. I now have an MRI booked for back scheduled and if all clear (fingers crossed) I will pursue the physiotherapist route. Your experience has made me feel a little better. One never stops worrying with this illness.

Take Care

RayDudleyUK
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:13 pm

Re: Dull back pain 6 weeks after rectal surgery

Postby RayDudleyUK » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:50 am

Hi Ocstacy,

I can understand what you are going through.It's never easy when one or a loved one is going through such a horrible experience. Nearly all hospitals especially here in the UK have a policy of not discussing results over the phone either positive or not so positive. I hope this is the same with your mum's hospital and the pathology report might not be as bad. Had she started adjuvant chemo already?

I will be praying for your mum and hope she makes a full recovery.


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



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 123 guests

cron