New here

Hello,

sorry you’ve joined us, but welcome, there’s lots of support and good advice here and I’ve found it very helpful getting through treatment ( I’m one week post treatment)

yes I was in a great deal of pain before treatment, as are a lot of us, it felt like I was sitting on a serrated knife! Amazingly this subsided after about the second radiotherapy treatment!

It’s a scary time between diagnosis and treatment   Lots of scans, waiting, appointments, phone calls till every things in place , but once you have a plan, and a date it gets more manageable 

wishing you all the best

Sue x

Hello TAC25

A warm welcome to the forum, although I am really sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  The early days after diagnosis is really like being in a strange land where you don't know the language.  That coupled with the fear, sometimes pain and trepidation of what is to come can be overwhelming.  But you have come to the right place, most of the members on here have been through or are going through treatment right now and really do know what it is like, every step of the way.

Although there is a lot of waiting around after diagnosis a lot is going on behind the scenes - all the information from scans and biopsies is gathered and your case is discussed at an MDT (multi-disciplinary team) meeting to agree your treatment plan.  And when it starts, although it is tough, you will feel a lot more positive and in control of things. 

My tumour was submucosal and I had no idea, however there are quite a few people on the forum who have very similar symptoms to what you are experiencing right now.  Hopefully, as catsmum says, you will begin to notice a difference very quickly.

Please come back and let us know when treatment is due to start, we have lots of tips and coping hints, and are always here to help support however we can.

Sending a big hug and hoping you haven't got long to wait before getting rid of this unwelcome visitor.

Irene xx

Hi TAC25,

I'm glad you've found this forum, as it's a mine of useful information and support. I'm relatively new here too, was diagnosed in March and after a number of scans etc will be starting chemoradiation therapy on the 26th May until 2nd July. This involves the first day being intravenous chemo, after that the chemo is in tablet form. Alongside this, it's radiotherapy 5 days a week for 5 and a half weeks, with weekends off. This seems to be the standard treatment for anal cancer and has very high success rates, so I hope you can take some reassurance from that. 

I hope you have plenty of support around you and know that you can talk freely about anything that's on your mind on here. I found reading through some of the other posts on here helpful as there were lots of things I didn't know and it's really helped me to feel prepared for what's to come. 

It's very early days for you and can imagine it all feels quite overwhelming and raw right now. As for the discomfort, speak with your hospital team/GP about pain relief - and if your GP isn't very forthcoming, go back to the hospital team about it. The colorectal nurses had to contact my GP to request they offer better pain relief for me, but hopefully you won't have this issue with yours. I am now taking slow release morphine, plus topping up with Oramorph and paracetamol inbetween, but you will find what works for you. I do recommend trying a hot water bottle rested on your lower back, as I've found whilst I'm relaxing in the evenings it helps to ease things and delay the need for taking more meds. 

I hope this helps! And wish you all the best going forward... you got this!

Jenna xx

Thankyou so much x

Thankyou so much, it's just so nice...if that's the proper word to use...to be able to talk with people who have been through it

Thankyou so much.

I have read through a lot of the posts and I feel that after doing this I can prepare for the worst and hope for the best x 

Hello TAC25,

You will still be feeling a bit shocked from your diagnosis I expect, but as others have said once you start your treatment you will start to feel things are a bit more under control.

I also got very quick relief once I started radiotherapy - I just realised one day that it wasn't painful any more which really gave me a lift, as I began to realise it was working.

The chemoradiation which most of us have gone through seems to be the standard way of treating AC, and it is extremely effective as your medical team will no doubt explain. 

I found this forum to be really helpful and supportive, and I'm sure you will too. Please ask anything that is on your mind, someone here will probably be able to help..

All the best, and welcome.

Hi Tac25,

I’m sorry that you have been diagnosed with ac. The time between getting the diagnosis and getting a treatment plan is a very hard one so can absolutely understand that you are in a daze taking it all in.

Like the others, I want to welcome you to the forum. We have all been through it or are going through it so hopefully can support you with any questions about absolutely anything relating to treatment, symptoms or  just how you feel. I remember reeling at the diagnosis and being very frightened and wish that I had known about and used this forum then.

We are all here for you.

Sending hugs x

Hi TAC25

A belated welcome from me. Some people are uncomfortable prior to treatment. Part of my tumour was external and sitting had started to become uncomfortable and the hospital gave me something called instillagel which numbs everything so ask your medical team for something to help. You will soon have your treatment plan and feel more in control, although I know at the moment it seems a long way off but the time goes quick and you will be out the otherside. Sending hugs. Xx