Am I the only man on here?

Hi LCraig welcome to the forum.. Your type of Cancer affects both male and female so all welcome..I'm.sure some of the other folks here will be along soon to offer information and support. Don't be afraid to post, Cancer sadly doesn't distinguish between Male Or Female . 

I’m sure you’re not the only man here. There’s me for a start. Maybe we’re more squeamish, or more easily embarrassed when it comes to anal cancer. But then again during my five and a half weeks of chemo/radiotherapy at Guys here in London I’ve found gender to be irrelevant. All of us share this disease in all its forms and the more we swop stories, share ways of dealing with the side effects and generally help keep each other’s spirits up the better. It’s comforting to know we aren’t going through this alone. Good luck. 

Hi LCraig ,

We have had a few men through the group in my time here, I think possibly a mixture of as you’ve said there are lower rates of diagnosis in men than women but also maybe men are a little more private in dealing with health matters in general (I certainly know that’s been the case with men in our family!) & are a little less willing to share their journeys here or find that the support they have around them already is adequate but from my point of view I’m more than happy with you getting involved in the conversations had here & hope you never see getting involved as intruding. There are going to be some differences for example with the repercussions of treatment etc., but please if there’s anything you think we may be able to help with just ask & please continue contributing wherever you feel comfortable. 

Nicola 

Hello LCraig

Welcome to the forum although I am really sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  And please don't think for one minute that as a male you can't post on here, we discuss everything and it certainly wouldn't make any difference to me knowing a man who is also facing the same health challenges is reading.  There are other men on here too, maybe not as many as woman but you are definitely not intruding.  Posts from men can be very helpful to other men who may be restrained from posting for the very reason you outline.  And as it has been pointed out, cancer does not discriminate between sexes and your posts may truly help other men.

If you feel like sharing your treatment plan (if you know it yet), please do, we have lots of tips and coping strategies.  And we are always here to offer support should you need it.

Irene x

Hey Rup,

Thanks for the reply.

How has the treatment been for you? I have yet to have a meeting to discuss this. I’m expecting chemo/radiotherapy too.

I hear mixed experiences of the treatment, some ok and some sound horrible. I guess the way we individually experience it will always be different for all of us.

Thank you Nikki, I appreciate your kind response.

Thanks for replying Rup , as much as I’m sorry you’ve had to go through this it’s good to know there’s other men here willing to offer support.

Nicola 

The treatment itself - coming into Guys every day for five and a half weeks (weekends off) on the train to London Bridge (just three stops) and the longish walk to the Cancer Centre presented no problem. In fact the journey there and back was great for keeping up my exercise levels (very important). As for the twenty minute treatment itself - my only problem was gauging the right degree of fullness in the bladder. I got quite good at it after a while. No, sorry to say, it’s only after the treatment was over when I’ve been struggling. As you will have been told the radiation goes on working long after the actual rays are turned off. It’s been two weeks now and, I’m slightly ashamed to say, I’m still in bed with only trips to the loo and a bath every afternoon as exercise. The problems are bum pain and extreme fatigue. Take whatever’s on offer for the pain in the bum. As for the fatigue it falls over me like a blanket. There’s nothing for it but to get under a real one and sleep. I am at last seeing small signs of improvement and maybe it’s taken this long because of my age - 77. Please don’t let anything of what I say put you off. The NHS knows what its doing, I completely trust the process. We are on a curative course of treatment. It will all be worth it. Onwards! 

Hi,

I think it's really important that you post because, as has been said, there could well be some men reading who do not post, and its great that there is a balance.

Don't worry about intruding; I think we are all pretty robust here now after coping with this!!

All the best, and great to hear from you, and Rup.

Hi LCraig

Don't feel like you are intruding, we all have or had have the same cancer and yes some problems from treatment will relate to your sex but the majority are universal. Its healthy to talk about it and like others have said you and Rup being here and posting might encourage more men to post and talk. Good luck with everything. Sending hugs. Xx