An abdominoperineal resection (APR)

Hi, that is how I am feeling at the moment.  One minute I am thinking at least he is getting treated and the next minute I am crying.  Last week we found out he had missed his second part scan to see how the tumour has reacted to treatment (the letter never arrived).  He then missed the cut off date for the weekly meeting to discuss the results/his operation.  This Friday we will find out the results/operation proposed.  He has twice been told during his treatment it will be an APR operation.  My biggest fear is how he is going to react when he arrives at the hospital for the operation, much pain will he be in afterwards and the future.  He went to the doctors last March for a full medical check up, which is given at his age and they never gave him a bowel kit test.  They reckon he has had it for 18 month-2 years.  The consultant said 'if only we had found it sooner we could have done more for you'.  I rang NHS line to request a test myself.  Everyone is entitled to one at 60, but they have rolled it out to most parts of the country from 56.  They would not give me the test.  I contacted my doctor and they gave me one, but told me I could not be part of their screening program until i was 60.

Thanks LMR76 that’s made me feel better. My husband is 59 and is fit for his age. He had a complete response in September but TAMIS procedure has confirmed cancer. He’s still

in a lot of pain after this op which was over 3 weeks ago so I assumed that a bigger op would be worse but maybe not. I had got my head around the APR but but when they added in taking material away from your bum cheeks I just couldn’t help think of how painful that must be on top of everything else. It’s very overwhelming but as you say if a 78 year old can cope with it then it should be safe. Our consultant said ‘this op is a big deal’ and said it will have a big impact on his life but it’s good to know that there are people out there that have been through it and are on the way to recovery. Take care X

I think the thought of it is so much worse. I was walking my dog across the fields after 4 weeks of the surgery. I climbed Mamtor last week- goodness knows how I managed that!  I think I had to prove to myself that I can still do these things.  I came off the painkillers from day 10. The best thing I bought was a pressure cushion from Amazon. They gave me one at the hospital but it wasn’t great. I can honestly say I wasn’t in a great deal of pain, just uncomfortable.  Positive vibes to you both xx

Hi LB54,  I also had 2 surgeons, bowel surgeon who does the stoma and takes away the bowel rectum and everything else, and a plastic surgeon who done the igap flap, that's when they take away the fat and blood vessels from cheek of bottom and pack it into the area where they take away the rectum, to fill the space,if that makes sense.  I wasn't in that much pain, they do give you pain relief every 4 hours and when I came home I just took paracetamol and ibuprofen. Its a big op and does take getting used to after but as long as your husband rests and takes things easy for a few weeks he should be fine. I didn't do anything, not even make a bed lol . Your husband should be able to lead a normal life after, I do and I'm only 3months post op, there are some things I still find a bit difficult to do but hopefully another couple of months should do it.x

I was only diagnosed through the FIT test which thankfully my doctor gave me. I didn’t have the ‘normal symptoms’ . I’m so thankful to my doctor as I was just 46 years old and was stage 3. No visual blood in my stools. Xx

Thank you both. It helps to know of others that have come through the other side. Honeysuckle I have the same anxieties as you in terms of the led up and day of operation. One day at a time X

I noticed a bit of blood in my stools in the January and went doctors in the February, done a fit test and it came back with a lot of blood and that's when it all became real  ,MRI CT scans blood tests, I was lucky that from the time I went to the doctor ti having first op it was all over in 6 weeks,  I couldn't fault them at all.

Hi banner.the wedgy feeling gradually went.I still have slight numbness but it does gradually improve.

I have never had any problems bending etc and only found trousers or jeans with seams uncomfortable initially..

It does improve but takes time and you suddenly notice one day that"hey that feels better"

Hang in there

Ksth

When we’re diagnosed with the lumph  vasular? Was that after the 1st or 2nd operation? X

It was after the 1st op.