I was confident I had cancer, but still shocked to get the diagnosis. Waiting for staging as MI results are not back yet, but should get some answered on Monday. The Doctor also told me that I have stenosis on my urethra, caused by the tumour pressing, that makes it sound huge. The last 2 months I have suffered terribly from stenosis in my anus, so more stenosis pre treatment sounds like a nightmare. Having an ostomy fitted has been discussed, maybe temporary? On a positive note, this group has been a fantastic source of information..... thank you. I have been ordering sitz baths, creams and other essentials for the last few weeks.
Hi there AllyL & a warm welcome to our little corner of the MacMillan Online Community although I’m really sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. It really is a rollercoaster of emotions isn’t it?
We’ve had several people through our forum in the 7 years I’ve been here that have had colostomy’s prior to treatment, some temporary & some permanent but the overwhelming opinion seems to be that they’ve been grateful that the colostomy has relieved them of the discomfort & unpredictability of bowel movements during treatment & the healing process. We also have a lovely lady here on the forum that chose to have an elective colostomy quite a while after her treatment had concluded. If you did choose to go ahead with a colostomy or would like to speak with others that have gone through the surgery we have a great group on the community where members will be able to offer support & advice, you can join the way you did here Ileostomy, colostomy, urostomy and any other stoma support .
I suppose it can also depend on the position of your tumour regarding it pressing on your urethra & causing the stenosis. I had anal stenosis following my treatment but it has improved over time.
It’s great that you’re using this time to prepare, it’s also a good way of keeping yourself occupied before you begin treatment & I’m pleased you’ve found the forum useful, it was literally my lifeline when I received my diagnosis back in 2018 so please if you’ve any questions whatsoever please feel free to ask.
Nicola
Just wishing you good luck for your appointment on Monday AllyL , hopefully you’ll have a plan moving forward from then.
Nicola
Hi there.... sorry you've had the news you were fearing. I hope you get your scan results back quickly and can start moving towards your treatment plan. I'm two weeks in to chemoradiation therapy and it's pretty exhausting! But it's all for the greater good and outcomes for this type of cancer are generally positive 
Best of luck going forward!
Jenna xx
