Hello!

Hello Robin

A warm welcome to the forum although I am really sorry to hear of your diagnosis,  All the investigations seem to go on forever but you really don't have long to wait now.  Once treatment starts you really will start to feel more in control of what is happening and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Although it can be really quite tough towards the end the course of treatment is over a relatively short period with a very good success rate.  What really helps is having a calendar and marking off the days, it is so encouraging to see the end in sight!

My tumour, although it was anal cancer, was in the rectum and it caused skinny poos that led me to the doctor in the first place, I had no other symptoms.  You will find that the size of the tumour can be reduced quite dramatically quite quickly which should help with your bowel movements and gas.  It may be that your tumour is preventing you from passing wind, so in the meantime, avoiding foods that are known to cause gas might help, such as cabbage, corn, brussel sprouts, onions, beans and cauliflower.  Your local pharmacy may also help and be able to give you something over the counter.

You may well have read other posts with a shopping list, one of the things I could not have managed without is a Sitzbath, a portable bidet that sits on the loo and filled with lukewarm water is wonderful for soothing towards the end of treatment.  I also used mine for going to the loo, it was less painful under water and the Sitzbath is easily emptied and cleaned.  It is also important to keep your treating team in the picture when you are finding things tough.  They have a host of pills and potions at their disposal and will prescribe them the same day.

Anything at all that we can help with, please let us know.  We have all been there!

Big hug

Irene xx

Hi Robin,

Sorry to hear you've had to join our club! Glad you have your treatment plan all set tho and yes, once treatment starts, you should see improvement fairly quickly... I certainly did. My tumour is/was quite low down and around 5cm. I also had trouble passing and the 'skinny poos', and had a lot of pain too. Within two weeks of starting radiotherapy, my pain and other symptoms improved greatly. I'm now two weeks post treatment and coming out the other side of the worst of side effects. 

Not got much advice for the wind, but Irene made some good suggestions! Just wanted to welcome you here and wish you all the best.

Jenna xx

Hi Robin

Sorry about your diagnosis but welcome to the forum. I had bad wind at the beginning of my treatment and cut veg out specifically green veg, it did help. Hope you get some relief soon. Sending hugs. Xx