Management of side effects

So sorry to hear your mum in so much pain..

Have the hospital gave here and oramorph?  May be worth asking and also maybe movicol to soften her bowel movements...as the morphine can make more constipated.

I drank lots of orange barley water throughout the day which kept me from being constipated..and I also used a sitz bath when the pain was to great...

Hopefully all the other amazing members on here will give you additional advice  x

Hisp1993233875 Sorry your mum is struggling. I cut green veg on the advice of the radiotherapists as i had bad wind pain from the start and it helped. I basically lived on cheese and marmite on toast. With regards to pain relief i took paracetamol at regular intervals all the way through as directed, i also used instillagel that i got from the hospital it does sting when you apply it but then everything goes numb for roughly half hour before it starts wearing off. I also had flaminal, flamigel hydro and forte creams which seemed to soothe things a bit. I was told i could have laxido (think that was what it was called) for constipation but i never used it but ive seen others on here have. If you tell your mums team they should provide her with pain relief and will be able to prescribe strong stuff if needed. Sending hugs to your mum and you. Xx

Thanks so much for this advice!she has her review meeting today and will ask for these things

Thanks so much, really appreciate the tips and your kind words. Xxx

Hello sp1993233875 

How did your Mum's meeting go?  I am so sorry she is going through such pain, but as you have already been advised she should always bring up the issues she is having at reviews, and before if necessary.  Unfortunately there is no medication that completely blocks the pain, but it sounds as if she needs stronger painkillers than she is on (if she is on any).

I had diarrhoea all during treatment too, which resurrected old childbirth piles with a vengeance, so your poor Mum has my sympathy. What she has to be really careful of is later when treatment ends and she is possibly on high doses of opiate-based pain relief she needs to take stool softeners to make sure she doesn't get constipated.  It is a juggling act, but now I know with me either the chemo or the radiotherapy caused the diarrhoea and then the painkillers when treatment ended caused constipation.  I know I am jumping ahead but at the time I didn't have the experience of the forum and I wish I had known that I should have started stool softeners (Laxido) the day I had my last session.

It is a tough course of treatment but although she mightn't think it right now it will pass quickly - many of us had a calendar and marked off the days and it is such a relief to see the end date getting closer and closer.

And it is lovely that you are there to help your Mum, remember to look after your self too.

Irene xx

Thanks so much for your message Irene and for all your support and care! It’s been so helpful to read stories from yourself and others who have been through this treatment as it can feel so daunting at the time! 

My mum was prescribed high strength co codamol at the meeting - she’s taken one dose and says it’s helped the pain. She’s also been given laxido to help with the effects of the co codamol. That’s very helpful advice for the end of treatment too. 

thanks again and let’s hope we can look ahead to 2026 free from this! 

 sp1993233875 

I had co codamol at the beginning too, then I needed Oramorph (morphine syrup) and then additional slow-release morphine capsules.  I took everything going at the end, now is not the time to be a hero!  It is really important that your Mum has a schedule of taking her pain relief so that she doesn't get break-through pain.  So carry on taking take the pain relief even though it doesn't seem that bad, it means it is more under control.

I share your wishes for 2026!

xx

Thanks Irene, that’s helpful to hear and I am glad there are other painkillers to progress to when needed. The co codamol seems to be making her very drowsy but helping with the pain at the moment 

Hi sp1993233875 , I see you’ve had some great supportive replies already, just to say I’m another advocate for the stool softeners, the opiate pain relief slows everything as well as the pain receptors this includes the bowel so it’s important as long as your dear mum isn’t suffering diarrhoea that she takes them to counteract the pain killers. 

I really hope the meds help ease your mums pain & never be afraid to speak with her treating team if her pain relief no longer seems adequate.

Sending you both a virtual hug.

Nicola

Having suffered with terrible pain in my hip/buttock and bottom from quite early on, a gnawing kind of achy pain and getting no real relief from the opiates I was given amitriptyline which have proved to be a god send. They work on nerve pain as the area inside the anus is very rich in nerves and you also tense and hold yourself due to the pain and the amitriptyline eased this for me. I  just manage on paracetamol and ibuprofen if needed. I'm just back from my 12th treatment and I'm doing really well xx