Got second scan results today

Hi Michelle F6eb802 , this is great news to be reading, congratulations!

The fatigue can definitely come & go for quite some time after treatment finishes as can the toilet urgency. The episodes of fatigue just gradually got further & further apart for me, unlike with regular tiredness it’s impossible to push through fatigue though so you’re best just listening to your body & rest when needs be.

It’s not the same for everyone but I’m still suffering with my hips & lumbar spine 8 years on, would this have been an issue for me regardless of having the treatment? Who knows but for me it’s too much of a coincidence that many of us have these issues post treatment. I’m seeing an MSK specialist on Thursday to see what next steps are for me regarding my back & hip pain as a recent MRI shows a whole load of inflammation in my lumbar spine & around my greater trochanter along with some bursitis. 

I can’t remember experiencing any weird dreams, that must be horrible especially the nature of your dreams! maybe they’re stress induced. 

Take a deep breath & enjoy your good news. 

Nicola 

Hello Michelle F6eb802 

That is wonderful news, no wonder you are relieved!  The early scans after treatment often show thickening due to scar tissue and inflammation 'hot spots' and these can be nothing, but this cancer business does keep us on our toes.

In the order that you have asked; four and a half years later I still suffer fatigue at times and I just rest when I need to.  My hair is back to what it was before.

The hips are an ongoing saga for me, I have tendinopathy from the radiotherapy and am having physiotherapy which has helped a bit.  Unfortunately sex hasn't happened for me, we have tried but my skin is so fragile and sensitive in the whole area that we gave up.  However, there are ladies on the forum who have persevered and used dilators if necessary and enjoy an active sex life.  The loo urgency does get better in time although it pays to take precautions of knowing loo stops when out and about.

I think that if we were prewarned about the possible (I stress possible) side effects of radiotherapy some of us would have baulked at going ahead.  But the upside is that it is highly effective in the treatment of anal cancer.  I wasn't warned either!  I have given my experience here, however please remember there are lots of forum members who had treatment and their lives are more or less back to normal.

I am sorry you are having these dreams which sound most unpleasant; it seems that you are reliving the trauma of a cancer diagnosis when you are asleep.  I do hope that gradually these diminish and you enjoy a good night's sleep again.

Wishing you a speedy return to normal.

Big hug

Irene xx

Hi Michelle F6eb802 Brilliant news about your scan so happy for you. I will be 2 years post in November. My hips are tight rather than achey. I still get urgency although the time between the feeling and going is increasing so as a general rule I can get to the toilet in time apart from a few weeks back when the supermarket toilet was a bit to far  ( prob tmi ). Xx

Hi Michelle. 
How amazing that your scan is clear. Both my 3 month and 6 month scans showed the cancer was still present after my chemo radiation and I ended up with surgery. I now have a permanent stoma, had an APR and they had to cut away a third of my right buttock with reconstruction surgery and a vaginal flap. Been a bit of a ride. I only had a couple of weird dreams but have not had any for a while (thank goodness). My inner groin area is so achy at night time. I am wide awake by 1am as it is so uncomfortable. I also have a horrible smell coming from my ladies department but this comes and goes. I can go weeks without any smell then suddenly it will be back. It’s so horrible. Had a swab but it came back clear. Still have a sore bottom especially if I have sat for a while but apart from that I am ok. 

I used dilators at the beginning but kept bleeding so we waited to see if everything had healed. I’m glad we did wait as we have just managed to be intimate and have sex recently. 

hope things get better for you to