stoma operation

Hi Bri26. I don’t know actually! Perhaps you could ring the nurses on here and run it past them on 0808 808 00 00? The stoma nurses will come and see you daily in hospital and make sure you’re confident with cleaning your stoma and changing the bag etc. before you’re discharged. It can be a little daunting at first but you’ll soon settle into a routine and changing your bag will become second nature.

Chemoradiotherapy tends to be 5 days a week for 5 weeks. You’ll have radiotherapy at the hospital and then a low dose of chemo in tablet form which you’ll take at home and have weekends off. This can be effective in shrinking the tumour which makes it easier to remove.

I’ve attached a booklet which covers the various treatments for Bowel cancer including radiotherapy but if theres anything else you’d like to know, please ask away

Take care

Karen x

Thank you so much Karen for taking the time to answer. You are an amazing lady to help & comfort us after all you went through ! You have my total admiration !

I suppose I can only wait for the oncologist ‘s  appointment  and do some more reading in the meantime. I have avoided that because, I was not reading much positive testimonies.... but you are so supportive in yourcanswers, this is what I needed! Thank you again.

with all my love and best wishes for a cancer free long future.

xxBri26

You’re very welcome Bri26. I went through my treatment with 2 ladies who were at the same stage as me on the Bowel cancer uk Board. They are also both still cancer free. 

Hope everything goes well tomorrow

Takw care

Karen x

Hi,

My treatment plan sounds similar to yours. I was diagnosed with a T3 4.5 cm low rectal tumour on 23rd December 2020 and had a colostomy on 29th December. I was in hospital for a week, because it took a while for the stoma to start working. I started on 12 weeks (4 cycles) of Capox exactly one month later (infusion and tablets). My last cycle starts on Friday (2nd April). I am due to start 5 weeks chemoradiation in the middle of May, and have been told I will feel most ill for 2-3 weeks after it finishes. The plan is to operate to remove the tumour in September. So it is a long haul, but hopefully worth it.

Capox has been a lot tougher than I was expecting. I have had horrible side effects and each cycle they have reduced the dose, which helps. The third week, my “week off” in each cycle is so nice after two weeks of feeling quite poorly! Not everyone gets bad side effects, apparently there is no rhyme or reason. They have medicines to cope with nearly everything.
I have to say I am really grateful for my stoma. I am still getting used to it, but it definitely gets easier, and it means that I can cope with the constant diarrhoea much more easily than if I had to sit on the loo all day.

It took a while to get used to the idea of chemo before an op to remove the tumour, but it does seem to be the new protocol so I am trusting that they know what they are doing!

Good luck with your stoma op - the stoma nurses are lovely and will help you through it. They visited me at home for 3 weeks afterwards. 
I hope this helps with a possible time outline - best of luck for tomorrow x

Dear Veggie lady, thank you so much for telling me your experience. Tough journey you have had already! I am dreading mine, but I am so grateful for this group, making new friends: your experience  is really important  for me to know, going into the unknown is so frightening !

take care and my thoughts are with you for the rest of your journey. Please keep me informed, you are a few steps ahead! 
lots of love,

Bri26