Hello

Hi Moira, sorry to hear about your side effects. I had a lot more radiation than chemo but my side effects were similar. Toward the end of treatment and in the rough weeks afterwards I could sometimes feel a lump- it actually got in the way of pooping! I think they sometimes swell as the cancer meds go to work on 'em.

I hope you've got good strong pain meds to help with the burning and overall butt pain. Chemo wil have its own miseries, but at least more direct butt pain isn't one of them!

I get the terror, but fear is SO debilitating when you're already dealing with pain. Maybe talk to your nurse about adding something for the anxiety?

I'm three months out from treatment now, and the tumor/lump has gone away. Bet yours will too.

Hang in there!

Hi there Moirq,

Firstly I’d like to welcome you to the Macmillan online community although I’m sorry that you’ve had the need to find us. Secondly I’m really sorry that you seem to be suffering the awful side effects from your radiotherapy. 

Most of the people here have been diagnosed with anal cancer & although the margins between anal & rectal cancer are sometimes minimal the treatments do differ quite a bit. We’re more than happy to support you here but just in case you’re interested I thought I’d let you know that there is another group you may like to join also, in the Bowel (colon and rectal) cancer forum, there will be people that have had the same or similar diagnosis as yourself & have faced the same treatments. You may find someone there that has had a similar reaction to yourself & can help put your mind at ease.

Nicola