Hi, I am new to the group and have just been diagnosed with bowel cancer. Just need to talk to somebody as I just moved to the country with my 13 year old boy who has an autoimmune disorder and the rest of my family is still in Bermuda. I am scared.
You have come to the right place there are lots of lovely people who can answer your many questions and calm those fears you may have. I myself have gone through bowel cancer surgery 12 weeks ago and have recently started chemotherapy. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions or concerns you may have.
Thanks Mark. I am going to have radiotherapy in a couple of weeks and was told that since I am having a very short course ( 5 days only) they will wait 9 weeks after to have surgery.
I am having difficulty sitting down long as it hurts. Did you have that problem? I also get very tired easily. Is that normal?
Welcome to the group. I was diagnosed in January this year and had surgery in February. I was lucky as I haven't had to go through chemo or radiotherapy but I did have a stoma which was reversed in May. My latest colonoscopy was clear and I'm having a CT scan next month.
Before my diagnosis, I was tired easily and struggled with pain in my lower abdomen. I can't say I had difficulty sitting down but I generally felt uncomfortable especially after eating.
I wish you luck with your treatment. This group gave me so much comfort and help when I needed it most.
i don’t have pain in my lower abdomen but my right butt cheek hurts so much that sometimes it wakes me up at night. Yes I do have problems after I eat and sometimes don’t feel like eating at all. In having a stoma, is it difficult to care for? As I was told after my surgery I would need a stoma temporarily.
I wasn't expecting a stoma so it took me a few days to come to terms with it. The stoma nurses were great and really supportive in helping me learn how to change it and clean myself. I won't lie, it wasn't easy as it leaked regularly but the nurse said it was because of its position and if it was going to be permanent they would have to reposition it. Initially I was nervous about going out but gradually I gained confidence and got used to it.
One of the things I did find tricky was my diet after as there are certain foods to avoid with a stoma so it was a bit trial and error. You should get some booklets about all this from the stoma nurse after your operation.
Yes I got the booklets already but since my surgery is 9 weeks after my radiotherapy I have not really looked into them yet. So when they reversed the stoma. How big is your scar?
As Nicola said you are in the right place and will gain lots of comfort. I had no symptoms of my cancer and it was being ill with a stomach infection earlier in the yr that they found I was slightly anemic which in turn sent me for a colonoscopy and the rest is history as such. The diet bit will be trial and error for you and I guess we all get different areas of pain. After surgery I now get twinges in my bum as if I need to go to the loo so it is a case of managing it all with the diet and different problems which come with cancer.
Hi , the booklets are useful. Do make sure you take someone with you to your appointments as there is a lot to take in. I had surgery & a temporary stoma, then 7 chemo treatments & had the stoma reversal 8 weeks ago. My stoma scar is very neat, & is only about 1cm in diameter (a purse string closure.) Do message me with any questions. x
My sister in law who is a retired nurse is always with me as my husband is still in Bermuda. I had no symptoms at all until I had blood in my stool and thought I was just constipated. But then it got worst by the day and when I went to my GP he said I needed to see a specialist. So it was really disheartening when the specialist told me the diagnosis as I am just about done recovering from open heart surgery and now this.
