Hello everyone, I am newly diagnosed and terrified. I have had a CT scan and also MRI scan, and have a colonoscopy scheduled for Sunday. The consultant told me that they might have problems getting past the tumour, to see the rest of my bowel, and as it can be very painful, I am terrified that they might try to get past it and I'm afraid of the pain. I have asked for sedation, which has been agreed - I doubt I could get through it without. I have had symptoms on and off for the past 10 months, but because of serious events happening in our life, as well as covid, I just put it down to IBS, which I have suffered with for years. I'm having dark days right now, and I am frightened that my bowel may block before I get any treatment. I can't sleep because of the fear, although I have read through a few posts here, and I can see that things aren't as bad as they could be, and others are suffering the same way. Has anybody got any advice on how to cope with it and calm me down? My family have all been told and are really trying to be supportive, but they cannot understand the same way that fellow sufferers can. I just cannot get my mind off it at all, and I can't go out and see friends etc., because of the diarrhoea problem. I seem to be in the toilet more now than I'm out of it, and I cannot wear conventional pads because they give me a terrible, itchy rash. I use washable Bamboo pads, which are wonderful, but are geared up for periods rather than poo, although they have saved me from embarrassment during my hospital visits recently.
The weird thing about this is that I have not suffered any abdominal pains at all - all the pain is in my rectum, and the consultant says that the mass is 3 cm from my back passage, which makes it uncomfortable. All I seem to want right now is sleep - I'm so overwhelmed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hi SunnyLady
Welcome to the community you are in a good place here. I know how you feel and have to say that the unknown part and waiting is the most frightening. You’re head can whirl around all over the place. I remember having an ache in my hip and telling myself it was cancer! No it wasn’t I had a pain in my hip because I’m a female of a certain age.
I had a colostomy with sedation and it was absolutely fine I was awake enough to move around as they needed and relaxed enough not to tense and make things more uncomfortable.
To calm myself I used apps on my phone. Free meditation or mindfulness or sleep apps. The most important thing with the app is to find a voice that you like listening to. So download some freebies you like the sound of and try it.
Watch Happy TV. I banned the news for me and watched light hearted movies or fantasysci-fi. Anything that took my mind off Cancer. Eating was tricky but I had food I enjoyed and could tolerate. Sleeping. I don’t sleep very well anyway so have antihistamines to help my allergies and I take strong ones that help with sleep.
I hope this helps. Click on my name for my bio we may be similar. 10cm Rectal tumour now in the bin and I’m enjoying life. Take care. Keep chatting
Ann
Don’t feel bad, I felt exactly the same. There’s lots of us here. Keep sharing. It really helps.
Ann
Yes definitely, I was just lucky I tested when I I was bad and gave them a good sample. Other samples had been negative The doctor treated me for piles. I would have seen my GP if the screening hadn’t picked it up. Just thank goodness we are now being helped.
Ann
