anal cancer

Hi Mitch 1. It's scary when you first find out, but once you start your treatment it's not so scary. I'm on my fourth week, out of 5 1/2, of chemo (tablets) and radiotherapy. This treatment has a very high success rate. I found that reading all the the stories on this forum really helped. xxx

Hi Mitch, I don’t start my treatment for another 10 days so it’s fairly new to me.  It was very scary at first for me, so many appointments, so many scans, so many people involved in what I feel is an unspoken cancer as it is quite rare.

I spoke to the helpline here and a nurse, both extremely helpful.  But what has also helped is I asked my gp for something for my anxiety, he prescribed Diazepam, which I don’t take every day but it helps on the days I can’t catch my breath for the fear.  

It is a very treatable cancer with high success rate.  Please do keep in touch on here, and do use the helpline if you need to speak to someone.  Take care and be kind to yourself x

Thank you for your reply.I have 12 weeks of chemo.would you mind if I asked you do you still get pain in your back passage.and could I ask what sort of pain release are you on.if you don’t mind.

Thank you for your reply.I live in Cornwall and have no friends to talk to a bit alone.and then to find out you have cancer is a big shock.I started chemo 3 weeks ago.but iam a nerves reck and I am on cetallapram and propranolol for my nerves. But every new symptom I get I worry so much.let’s keep in touch as we may be able to help each other as we go through this journey.x

Hi Mitch before I found out I had anal cancer last year, I would come home from work everyday take Ibuprofen and paracetamol have a hot water bottle and go to bed, once I found out I needed a colostomy from then on I was prescribed oramorph which is a god send and still on it, I finished my treatment beginning of April but still have anal pain, although the pain does seem to be getting less.

please don’t suffer and speak to your dr, McMillan nurse, now you have cancer you are entitled to free prescriptions so please go and get that Oramorph and you won’t pay for it. If you need anymore advice or any questions this is the best place 

take care 

Laura

Thank you for your reply.so the pressure that you get in your back passage is that normall.for use when we have rectal cancer.so you have finished your treatment know.are you clear of it all know.

Hi Mitch yes it is very normal to have this pressure feeling especially when going to the toilet, even though I had to have a colostomy, I still have the pressure there, Which I assume is the tumour, I have my first MRI scan on the 30th of June,  3 months after you finish your treatment, I just hope and pray that the treatment has or is working.

I spoke to the oncologist and asked what happens after the 3 months if the cancer is still there, he said we wait another 3 months then have another MRI, I ask what if I still have the cancer do I have more treatment he said no I would have to have a resection which mean everything taken away and a colostomy for life!!

Laura

I have a colostomy bag to.would you mind if I asked you some thing else.when you get the pressure in the back passage do you feel like your straining and have jelly like stuff comeing out and some times a bit of blood.sorry to have to ask but i suffer with health anzity which is really bad and even worse know.when you get the pressure in the back passage does it course you a lot of pain.I will be praying for you on the 30 hopping every thing is ok for you. Do you live in Cornwall.

Hi Mitch, yes due to colostomy like you, I get a lot of bloody mucus, and going through the treatment it got worse, having radiotherapy burns you down below and can become very sore luckily for me I didn’t really have this but other really went through it, but what I did and still do is to put some e45 of toilet paper, and wipe myself but put pressure on my bum as I wipe and it get rid of it and the pressure seems to ease, however after this is where I get the pulsating pain I then take my oramorph which completely gets rid of the pain. 
No I’m live on the south Kent coast in Dymchurch, I love Cornwall!!

Laura

Hi there Mitch 1,

Firstly welcome to the Macmillan online community although I’m really sorry that you’ve had the need to find us & I’m sorry you’re feeling so scared & alone right now. 

I’ve had a read through the lovely responses that you’ve already had & just wanted to say that although everyones experience is slightly different when given a cancer diagnosis we’ve all been where you are right now & you’re right, in the beginning it can be a very lonely, scary place. This site was my saving grace when I was diagnosed a little over 4 years ago, it was somewhere I could come & speak with people that I knew truly related to what I was going through & I no longer felt alone. 

Can I ask is it anal or rectal cancer that you’ve been diagnosed with? The treatment for these 2 cancers are a little different & I see you’ve mentioned you’ll be having 12 weeks of chemotherapy & in response to one of the replies you mention rectal cancer. I only ask because we also have the Bowel (colon and rectal) cancer forum that you may want to join also if rectal cancer is your diagnosis. There’s also the Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support as I see you’ve also had a colostomy. You can get support from as many of these groups as you need & please don’t feel alone, between all of our lovely members there’s usually someone around on here that will respond to posts pretty quickly.

Nicola