MANAGING AGGRAVATED LOW ANTERIOR RESECTION SYNDROME?

Hi all

My first post: I'm a bit uncertain about which Forum is most appropriate for this issue, so all advice or redirection welcome.

Brief history: tumour in lower colon and rectum found last year, successful removal. Temporary colostomy stoma, reversed April 2022. Bowel problems thereafter, consistent with Low Anterior Resection Syndrome. Unfortunately, later-stage prostate cancer discovered in post-operative biopsies, which required early and wide-area radiotherapy, from which the bowel could not be screened.

I"ve just finished my 39-session course. As predicted, during the last weeks of treatment classic side effects of fatigue and bowel problems (compounding the LARS and leading to sleep-deprivation), which are expected to continue for some weeks or months more. All a bit of a Christmas-spoiler.

My question relates to managing, or part-managing, the pretty constant diarrhoea. Laperomide really does nothing, 30mg codeine tablets sometimes help; diet doesn't seem to affect it unless I'm foolish enough to have a blow-out, when it all goes really crazy for a while. I've been on probiotic supplements, approved by the specialist nurses, since the reversal, and eat kefir, sauerkraut and kimchee when I can.

But the worst thing is the burning rectal/anal pain from all the diarrhoea. I have special barrier creams and standard antiseptic creams. Washing repeatedly in warm water is essential. I've been warned off haemorrhoid creams, especially hydro-cortisone ones. The nurses' overall advice is in effect 'you'll have to live with it; as the radiotherapy effects die away it should get gradually better'.

Does anyone have comparable experience, and any tips?