Hello, I’m new

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Well it’s only taken me almost 11 years to come here!

I was diagnosed in November 2013 when I was 48, we have a lot in the family that have been diagnosed with bowel cancer. On a positive note we only lost 1 to bowel cancer.

I suppose I am here today to ask how many of you suffer from LARS? Have you found any good support/answer's by primary care? I belong to a group on Facebook with fellow sufferers but in a strange way I get comfort from knowing I am not the only one. 

Thank you 

  • Hi  and a warm welcome to the board. I consider myself to be a LARS sufferer although not to the extent of some of the people in the other group that you mention.

    Ive never really pushed for support from my GP or hospital as I can’t help but feel that we as the patients possibly know more about it than they do? At my final follow up appointment the consultant examined me, informed me that I was constipated and to only take loperamide on special occasions? I cut down from 4 a day to 1 before my evening meal but some days I feel like I might as well just throw my meal down the toilet as it seems to go straight through me?

    I have no magic cure but there’s a bit of information on the page that’s part of the Ileostomy, Stoma, Colostomy Board.

     Living well with a stoma reversal or LARS 

    Take care

    Karen x

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
  • Hi Karen

    Thank you for your reply, I totally agree that we probably know more than our consultants  I do think that they think once they have removed our cancer all is good. 
    I control mine by not eating or drinking anything until I get home and use codeine as I find that better for me, I am on the loose side.

    i will take a look at the information you have suggested x