After chemo tablets and radiotheraphy

Hi Nelly

I am so sorry to hear that you are so very stressed.  I was diagnosed as stage 3 and surgery was my first option.  I found that the surgery was far easier for me than having chemo. I had key hole surgery and made a good recovery but as cancer was in my lymph nodes I needed chemo and found the increasing tiredness was hard going at times.  

I can understand your concerns about surgery at the moment but our hospitals are working very hard to keep cancer patients safe.

Take care,

VickiLynne

Hello ViciLynne, I was due to have surgery back in July but because of issues with previous surgeries (not cancer related) , the surgeon cancelled me on the day. I was put in a private hospital which was unfamiliar to him and an anesertist was sent from another hospital and he had never met him before. So he wanted his own team around him in the main hospital. Then they gave me a choice about a week after so I took the root of chemo and radiotheraphy because there is a percentage and they sad they were going for curitive. In hind sight I wished I’d had the surgery would have known it was all gone, and I still might have it. I was put in private hospital because of Covid. Probably thought it safer then main hospitals. I’m finding it hard to get over this rotten amnxiety but I hope as I feel better it might settle. I’m on a small dose of diazepam but askeked dr. To start weening me off. Glad your doing well with your chemo it’s just so hard being tired all the time. Take care and all the luck to you. And thank you for replying.

Sorry miss spelt your name and other words. Wrong glasses on

Hi Nelly

I’ve sent you another message, but it looks like it might have disappeared.  There are some problems on the site at the moment, so will wait to see if it reappears, if not I’ll be back in touch soon.

Thank you look forward to hearing from you

Hi again Nelly,

It must have been so stressful the consultant cancelling on the day, but I can understand that he would prefer to work with his regular team who he knows and trusts in surroundings that he is familiar with.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  But we cannot go back and change the past.  You made a decision that was right for you at the time so don’t dwell on it try to move forward with whatever treatment is now being suggested.

You might find it helpful to speak to the Macmillan help and support line.  The number is 0808 808 00 00 it is available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm seven days a week and it’s a free to call number.  You can ask to speak to someone for support but they do also offer help and information of all aspects of cancer.

When I was going through chemo I had counselling through the cancer support centre at my hospital.  Many hospitals have support centres, sometimes they are Macmillan or Maggies or a locally run one.  If there isn’t one at your hospital contact PALS (Patient Liaison Office) at the hospital and they should be able to give you details of a support centre in your area.

Counselling is often now by video chat on line (Zoom, FaceTime, Skype or MS Teams etc) if you haven’t used these they are quite easy to set up and use.  When you speak to your GP he may also be able to suggest a counselling service that you can access.  There is often a waiting list, but it is well worth enquiring.

I also attended mindfulness courses and I understand that these are being offered on line.  The support centre may have details of these too.

Covid is causing us all lots of problems, but I think the NHS is doing it’s very best to make surgery as safe as possible not only for cancer patients by for all patients requiring surgery at this time and I have read posts on here from people who have had recent surgery saying how safe they felt whilst in hospital. 

I know it’s easy for me to say, but try not to worry too much, as worrying won’t change things.

Take care, and keep in touch,

VickiLynne

Hello VickLynne, I have got myself a therapist. I want the fatigue to pass and hope to go it on my own. My husband is really good but he has now gone back work now my treatment is over. The radiologist and nurse said they were going fo curative with the treatment I’ve had but if not surgery. I would love like so many of us to jus t meet up with a friend for coffee, but I still feel a bit weak and sick. I know my treatment only finished just over a week ago and I’ve just started doing a few household chores but get tired but I can’t relax or sleep in the day which I need to do. Is it normal to cry a lot? Is this my feelings returning ? Is this some sort of healing process? I think so many people like yourself are so strong, I’m hoping therapy breathing will help because anti depressants just don’t agree with me I mean breathing techniques. Is this all just adjusting to putting life on hold which really with Covid is what we are all doing. I’m usually a reall outgoing person so at the moment I feel like ab alien. I don’t go back until November and scan in December. Not reall thinking about that, just want my mask, hand sanitizers and get out and about. I do call the Macmillan nurses who are amazing. If you could give me a bit more information about the onine mindfulness courses I would be very grateful. I think acceptance is the main issue and I’m not there yet. Sorry for being a right ole misery but I felt I needed to be trueful. So I apologise for being a bit negative a nd I know positivity is the answer. Thank you so much for replying and I wish you health and happiness.

Hi

1. I had 6 week tablet chemo and targeted radiotherapy for polyips surgically removed near my rectum. The treatment left me exhausted and with bowl movements all over the place. I am now 2.5 years post and doing well. Everyone reacts differently to stuff and a lot of what  I did was through research and trail. I used full daily dosage of paracetamol to get through the pain. I avoided oral morphine as that constipates me badly but if you do use it, try taking it with a liquid based laxative such as glycerol, the GP may try Senna in tablet form, I found it to be brutal. I also discovered that Aspirin was really good for dealing with bowl inflamation and helped settle the bowl down. I have gastric reflux so took the aspirin with milk, it worked well. I did a lot of research into the tiredness, (facebook forums, look at Fibro/ME) I manage to convince my GP to check my Vitamin B12 levels as this vitamin boosts energy and supports immunity. My levels were extremely low. I had five injections and my levels shot up and I found that helped, but GP wasn't happy as the levels were too high. After a massive chest infection last year (not sure if it was Covid or not) but my B12 levels had dropped, so I now take B12 in tablet form (or marmite) and now I don't find myself so tired and wanting to sleep during the day.  Also magnesium levels may be low and if so epsom salts in a bath will help restore that to (You can get far cheaper from a garden centre if you don't want smelly ones). Dont forget the flu jab and under current conditions try vitamin C which can help as well.  By the way gastric reflux meds reduce the absorption of B12, so take the two as far apart as possible. My bowl movements are still not as they were but  still a lot better and its all about giving yourself time and making adjustments to your life style, I still find myself getting caught short and occasionally I still get bowl pain. Wishing you well, good luck.