First Meeting

Hi ColmFC722197 and a warm welcome to the board. Once the MDT has decided on a treatment plan then things tend to move quite quickly so you’ll hopefully hear about a consultation appointment next week when they’ll discuss the plan with you? I’ve attached a link to the booklet that I was given at my first meeting which may give you an idea of what treatment to expect and questions to ask

https://bcuk.adidocdn.dev/Publications/Bowel_Cancer_UK_Your_Pathway_V10.1.pdf

A stoma is common for rectal cancer and may or may not be reversible depending on how low the tumour is and whether there is enough bowel left to rejoin. I had rectal cancer in 2016 and I’m still ‘no evidence of disease’. The next few months may be tough but just break your treatment into stages and cross each bridge as you get to it

Take care

Karen x

Wow Karen,

2016 and still going strong. Thanks for getting in touch. On route for my MRI.

Regards

Colm

Hello 

welcome to the community. This time can be difficult when waiting to find out next steps after diagnosis of cancer.

 Was diagnosed with rectum cancer in December 2016 and had to have a number of scans before they had MDT to decide course of action. The radiotherapy/chemotherapy began in the February to shrink the tumour and I had operation for ileostomy in May 2017. They checked everything had healed internally September 2017 and I had my reversal in February 2018. I don’t have a rectum however I manage well working full time and living my life accepting that for me there a dietary restrictions but not as many that I had with ileostomy.

Good luck 

Thanks Panda21

I think im not doing to bad actually.

My wife can't get over it how im handling it, she's worse than me.

Thanks for reaching out.

Colm

Hi Colm. I'm in pretty much the same situation.  The timings do seem to vary from case to case from what I can tell. I had my initial scans and MDT meetings back in September but then they added a PET scan, followed by a colostomy  in late October. I had my meeting at The Christie last week, my planning scan yesterday and am due to start radiotherapy on 22 Dec.  It's a lot but really you can only take it one step at a time  :)  Don't fret the stoma too much - if it's lower rectum, it will likely be a colostomy and they're very liveable with :) (She says with barely 6 weeks experience! - but the stoma nurses are great, and also good advice on the stoma forum on here)

Thanks for reaching out Elle.

Still doesnt seem real yet. The ball is finally rolling now though.

It will be 2 months to the day that I went to the GP with symptoms,  and I will have my first Meeting on the 16th. The MDT are getting togherther on Friday to discuss me for the first time, so nearly there.

Good to know things are moving :)