Ring any bells?

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Hi all, I am now 24 weeks post treatment. At 15 weeks after my treatment finished I was given the NED which was just great. I have gradually improved my fitness and venture further from home with confidence as long as I can find conveniences within reach. I experience a little soreness when opening bowels but it’s much better than before and I try to be careful with what I eat and sometimes relent with eating too many mince pies or such like and usually pay for it with constipation. I went on my longest walk just over a week ago and I don’t know if it’s a coincidence but have been getting groin pain on the left side, pain down the thigh and shin. This is a constant ache worse in bed. It’s when I got a anal itch I really started to worry. I rang the team and told by my nurse that looking at my scans everything is fine and if it continues to disturb my sleep to try the morphine as I find ordinary painkillers are doing nothing. She said to look out for pins and needles and to contact them if I get this. I have know idea why? Has anybody been in my position and everything was okay? I go back at the end of January for a examination but not a scan. Appreciate any input members can give me.

  • Hi sorry to hear you’re having problems but you’ve done the right thing in contacting your team. The anal itch is very common post-treatment, I still get it on/off now 2  years & 4 months post-treatment. Others swear by over the counter Piriton hay fever tablets. Please check you can take these with any other medication you may be on. They can make you drowsy so you should check if you can take them with morphine. Also, general aches and pains have increased, both myself and others in the group describe having hip pain and sometimes sciatic pain which runs down the leg. This is unpleasant and feels like an electric nerve pain. Scans have determined there are no stress fractures which you can sometimes get after pelvic radiotherapy. It seems it’s just the general effect of the powerful radiotherapy. I’m unsure what the reference to pins and needles is. I’ve not come across that before. Hope this help a little. Bev.