Bloating and bowels !!!

Hello Chrissie

Keeping a food diary is a really good idea and it may establish what is upsetting you and causing the bloating.  It is still very early days for you and for many of us, the stomach and bowel never go back to quite what they were before.  I had explosive wind in the first few months which did eventually calm down.  Lots of forum members now avoid certain food and drink because of upset.

There is probably a very simple explanation but please mention everything to the consultant tomorrow and I hope s/he reassures you.

Good luck for tomorrow and please let us know how you get on.

Irene xx

Thanks Irene , I’m keeping a food diary but this is constant whatever I eat and started after going out for a roast 10 days ago , small sensible portion !!

Hope all good with you ?

chrissie xx

Yes, fine thank you Chrissie. x

My GI was a mess for quite a long time post treatment. Working with a GOOD Nutritionist really helped identify triggers. A LowFodmap diet helped stablize things while we determined no-fly foods. Even still sometimes bloating, but far less. Healing takes time, & Stress can be a factor in GI issues now much quicker for me... Good Luck! *t

Thanks for your reply Star .. 

im keeping a food diary and aware that stress plays a massive part .. unfortunately that comes with the anal cancer ..

take care 

Chrissie xx

Hi Chrissie, I struggled with numerous bowel movements per day impacting daily life in a big way and I think this went on for around 4/6 months post treatment. The hospital nutritionist put me on a FODMAP diet which was pretty arduous but solved frequency but I would turn down social life where it involved having to be presented with things like buffet foods I knew I couldn’t eat and didn’t want to appear food obsessed which you do become! Three months on this and then start introducing different foods to see what the triggers are. My biggest were SUGAR which loves fermenting in your gut. Over three years on I learned to moderate certain foods but still have the odd binge like when my husband presented some cheese Doritos and home made guacamole. Wow did I pay for it! From 2am rolling around clutching a hot water bottle and chronic diarrhoea the next day. Some members manage great and some take a bit longer for their gut issues to mend. I do think I had a slight history of IBS with certain foods before treatment which may be why I’m more affected. I hope yours solves itself over time.

Julie

How did you get on Chrissie?

Hi Julie , 

hope you are well ? 
I’m trying really hard to keep a food diary when the bloating and tummy issues appear .. I’m also having telephone calls from the hospital dietician as struggling to put weight back on … my hot water bottle and an Imodium tablet are always close at hand , especially after a restaurant meal !!!! … although I managed a 2 hour drive to Liverpool there and back , meeting cousins for a meal ( goats cheese quiche and new potatoes ) last Wednesday , no problem … it’s so unpredictable…

have a peaceful weekend 

thanks Julie 

Chrissie xx

Good morning mrs V , 

hope all good with you ? 
I saw my oncologists on Oct 2nd and all looks fine on rectal examination but won’t have scans for a couple of months .. I am trying not to be anxious …. 

take care 

Chrissie xx

Chrissie

Quiche sounds delicious and managing the two hour drive so soon post treatment is commendable. I did lose weight but not too much to worry about putting it back on! The dietitian was concerned mainly that I was consuming enough calcium and protein. I got into the habit of eating roasted peanuts (too much salt I know) but they gave the perfect stools but I did start putting on more weight than I wanted. 

Julie