Never rains but it pours… back on the 2 week cancer pathway!

Hi Prettypinkroses I can relate to the bowel issues and had bowel tests but nothing came up to show anything untoward. You just know it’s behaving differently and my visits to the oncologist we discuss it but I think she has run out of suggestions but waiting to see the bowel department. On that she just said that they will most probably tell me to control it through diet which is what I am pretty much doing now.  Interesting about the digestive enzymes as I’ve not thought about that and my cousin who had pancreatic cancer and doing very well takes them. Like me he can’t touch alcohol and he really used to love his Guinness. Every day I try to include a teaspoon of pysllium husk in my porridge which helps with constipation. I do go every morning and now have a cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning only that triggers a bowel movement. Diet for me is a major thing for controlling my bowel regulation and I do believe I have some slight damage to my sphincter muscles and if I get slightly constipated I struggle and sometimes I suspect I’m going to therefore I use a suppository beforehand. My worry is that I am constantly controlling my diet and manage very well and eat very well. You have to eat food that can give your stools bulk as I’ve tried easily digestible foods and salads but for me they just don’t work on the stool consistency and if you eat too little it’s the same. Regular bulk forming foods help me. An example for my breakfast is as follows

Whole oats, lactose free milk, Greek yogurt, cacao powder, peanut butter powder, pysillium husk, banana, raisins or a couple of prunes, a few raspberries or blueberries. This keeps me going until lunch. Typical lunch is an avocado, an apple, oat bread. Evening is any meat or fish like salmon, steak or chicken with broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes then that’s it! Nothing after six in the evening gives me a good 12/14 hours for my gut to get on with it. No cake, biscuits, chocolate, alcohol but do have a handful of peanuts or almonds if I’m hungry. If we go to family gatherings and they have things like sausage rolls or pies they are a big no no for me I take my own food. Whilst I am in control of my diet I am happy with it but do worry when I’m really old and end up in a home and eat what they serve which I think will bring me many problems (funny what you think about because of this) so try and keep well.

Julie

PPR

So happy to hear everything is fine.  I truly think that the oncologist's remit is to rid you of cancer but certainly when I tell my oncologist, or whoever I see that I have ongoing problems they just nod and say ah yes.  And that's it!  I can't fault my cancer care but the aftermath is a different story.

So I am sorry you are still having problems, I can't offer any real solution but share your pain!

Irene xx

Hi Julie ( Jaycee12 ),

I know that we had many of the same symptoms regarding food reactions etc., I would & still do on occasion have a hefty spoonful of ground linseed in my porridge as this is a good way to pack a punch of fibre into one meal. I have to say although I still have some IBS symptoms, particularly around sweet stuff in the form of bloating & gas & sometimes a level of nausea,  I’m finally being able to introduce some things back into my diet. I had to cut coffee altogether but I’m finding now although I can’t have it every day I can have a couple per week say where prior to this it was a definite no no! The same with eggs, I couldn’t eat eggs at all, even the smallest amount would cause me awful constipation for a couple of days at least but now I can eat them a couple of times a week also! I’m good with Wholemeal bread products  as long as I don’t go overboard but I’ve never done particularly well with bread products even prior to all of this. This is where the whole food diary thing came into play for me, it was very enlightening as I found it really strange that the things I worried about affecting my digestion etc., such as spices etc., have never been a problem for me but something as simple as a good cup of coffee has caused my system so much upset! I hope at some point you find you’ll be able to start reintroducing some other foods too, it really is trial & error isn’t it? 

Nicola 

Hi Nicola, I agree with you very much on moderation of foods you could not tolerate before if you start to include them it’s possible to just include them now and again. I am like that with bread, the odd slice here and there but not every day. I seem to have a food calendar in my head where I think oh I had that yesterday so will leave it out today.  I had leeks yesterday with chicken and it was lovely but my gut doesn’t think so this morning so will have to watch these in future! Some times friends and family think I’m being over fussy but you know your own body don’t you? 

Julie

I know exactly what you mean about the food calendar Julie & yes you learn sometimes it’s worth the aftermath but other times it just isn’t! I’ve been along to a MacMillan coffee morning this morning at the Hilton Hotel where my daughter works & had a lovely cappuccino with a slice of Guinness cake which was absolutely delicious but boy have I paid for it this afternoon, I’ve had the full IBS works this afternoon, bloating, gas, pain & a little nausea, I don’t think it was either the coffee or cake individually but together they brewed up a storm! 

Nicola 

Mmmmmm the Guinness cake sounds delicious Nicola  hopefully it was a little bit worth it!