Diagnosed a few months ago

Hi charlie1222221a6a28 and a warm welcome to the board. Yes I remember just wanting to get back to being me again - if you click on my name then you’ll see that I had a couple of set backs during my treatment - but there is light at the end of the tunnel and you will get there. Life does feel a bit on hold as all the focus is on your treatment but just try and break it into stages and focus on each stage then once that stage is over then move onto the next. 

Stay away from google as it can be scary and your mind can run away with you. Try and focus on the fact that bowel cancer is very treatable and you can run any concerns past your team while you’re attending the hospital for treatment. 

Theres lots of success stories on here (myself included) so yes, the next few months will be tough but it is doable and necessary for a positive outcome and subsequent return to everyday life

Take care

Karen x

Thank you for your kind words. I’m currently trying to put weight on which is hard and I’m scared to eat incase my bowels play up. 

Yes it’s horrible when you’re worried about having an accident all the time but you’ll not put weight on by not eating? Low residue is the kindest diet for your bowel as it’s easy to digest food but unfortunately it’s not the healthiest - I’ve attached a link to a few diet sheets below

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/bowel-colon-rectum-cancer-forum/f/general/258088/low-residue-diet

There’s also some good hints on this page

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/building-up-diet/adding-protein-and-energy

You could have a chat to your colorectal support nurse too and maybe see if you could use loperamide/immodium? This can be taken 30 minutes before eating and slows down the transit of food meaning that your body can absorb more liquid and nutrients so less chance of diarrhoea.

Are you having radiotherapy or chemo at the minute? 

Try and remember that stressing will also contribute to upsetting your bowels so try to accept the situation (my husbands favourite mantra is ‘it is what it is’) and this time of your life will pass and you’ll come out the other side.

Please keep posting and we’ll get you through this

Take care

Karen x

Hi just to say my husband is starting treatment next week post surgery and we feel exactly the same. He is 54 and like yourself was fit and well and looked after himself. It does feel like life will never get back to normal, we'll never have a day when we are not thinking or worrying about cancer.  I've seen many people say there is light and hope at the end of the tunnel so we are just plodding on and hoping for that day. 

I hope your treatment goes well and you can find some peace soon, but I think these feelings are normal. 

Hello - I am currently waiting for my diagnosis, but they doctor is fairly certain i have a rectal mass that is cancerous. Do you mind sharing your story in terms of symptoms, findings and diagnosis?

Hi,

My symptom's were constipation then bleeding when i went to the toilet and no appetite. I just knew somethings wasn't right.

I went to my doctors and she felt around and referred me urgently for a scan.

I then had a MRI and CT Scan and then was diagnosed.

I am currently going trough treatment in what has been the toughest few months of my life. But I'm trying to stay positive and hope i get through it.

Keep us posted how it goes