Post treatment anxiety

Hi Feather yes you certainly do! I’m three years post treatment and had a small bleed and thought what is this, only to remember I had a larger stool than usual a day ago and I had a very small tear but I still mentioned it to my team via MyChart and they rang me back later that morning to ask a few questions and we decided that if it continued I would go in but luckily it didn’t. Occasionally I get the dreaded itch but think sometimes it’s due to being over vigorous with loo roll. Our skin is damaged for ever from the radiotherapy so can be fragile. That said, always let your team know just so they are aware of what’s happening. Sadly I don’t think you ever completely feel confident it will not return but I think anyone who has been through cancer feels the same. My last visit to my oncologist she said in October I will no longer be having check ups which panicked me to say the least as I assumed I would be going for up to five years. She said everything looked fine and I have as much chance of getting cancer now as anyone else. When you are post treatment passed two years they say the risk of it returning and spreading drops rapidly very low. From time to time when you get sore that negative monster rises its head. Take care

Julie

Hello Feather 653

Oh yes - I have peculiar aches pains and twinges all the time and strangely enough they increase when it is coming up to scan time!  Last visit I even had them leaving the hospital after a follow-on appointment where everything was clear.  Seriously, I think most of us have some degree of damage and this is what we feel in all these odd twinges.  And a large bowel movement when I had them could lead to all sorts of skin and back passage upset.

If you have been working hard I hope you are having a lovely restful weekend!

Irene xx

I'm so distressed. It's exactly 12 months tomorrow since my diagnosis and I've been absolutely fine bilut over the last few weeks my bottom has really made itself known. I've got pelvic aches, twinges at my tumour site and itching. I had a full panic attack yesterday at the thought of it. And it don't want to ring the doctors because I'm so scared of what they will say. 

Hi Feather, I am three years post treatment and I still have episodes where my skin flares and itches and throbs. They become less and less so close together and it is so easy to lose confidence in our bodies after cancer but please pick that phone up and call your team. They have your records and can help put you at ease. If you don’t call you are going to just sit and fret. Try sitting in a nice warm bath with some healing salts to help calm your skin. 

Julie

Oh Feather 652

Please follow the advice you on here to ease your skin and itching, but you know that you really must call the doctors too.  Not that I think that there is anything wrong but none of us on here are qualified to say one way or the other.  But what we can say with utter certainty is that we know what you are going through in worrying about recurrence and we all know that keeping your team up-to-date with any symptoms is very important.  And hold on to the fact that we all experience aches and pains after treatment.

Please call them.  And sending you a big hug.

Irene xx

Thanks for your message. How long post treatment are you?I'm not bleeding but I can feel like a burning sensation..it's not all the time but it's been coming and going for about 2 weeks or so. X

Hi Feather, I am now 3 years 3 months. Mostly my skin down there is 98% great but occasionally flares up after maybe a bout of loose or hard stools. A small price for life don’t you think. The burning sensation sounds like cystitis and it would be a good idea to check out any possible infection. I still make sure to this day I drink 2 litres of water a day! I measure out in my water bottle and sip throughout the day to keep the bladder healthy 

Julie

Just in the way of an update. Had my 9 month appointment which was no scan just an exam and my oncologist says there is nothing untoward. She says my irritation likely due to constipation. X

Hi Feather take that as great news! Enjoy your weekend 

Delighted to hear it Feather 653, now breathe easy (and try not to get constipated!) xx