Bowel issue

Hi Holly and welcome

My main issue during and after RT was bowel problems mainly due to constipation, laxatives only had limited success. I had no previous bowel issues.

Things did improve very slowly after RT finished although to this day things are different to how they used to be before treatment, bowel issues that is.

Treatment finished in 2017 and most bowel issues have settled now.

I would say highly unlikely to be bowel cancer, obviously mention to GP and see if further action is required.

I think he has to give more time and sometimes being careful with the diet can help.

Best wishes

Steve 

PS Sometimes I do note an urgency to go which didn't happen before but it seems to happen first thing in the morning not when I am out and about, not yet anyway.

Thanks Steve. He has urgency in the morning. I will try to get him to contact McMillan nurse or GP. 

Take care

Sue

This is not uncommon.  I started having a bowel movement more than once/twice a day to treat this the oncologist and radiotherapist put me on 1 x fybogel a day and one immodium.  I know you will think the fybogel sounds counter intuitive but it bulks up the bowel movement so that instead of having lots of bowel movements a day I now have one or two.  He really should let his consultant and GP know as they will come up with something to help him.  I was able to ring the radiotherapy department in the first instance about this - it happ[ened about 8 months post radiotherapy.  You can get all sorts of bowel and bladder side effects from the radiotherapy some of which kick in a good while after the treatment has finished - called late onset side effects. 

When we were able to go to our Maggies cancer Care Centre Prostate Cancer group every week one of the men said he actually had to poo by the side of his car - with both doors open for privacy as he just couldn't wait.  It is possible to get a card either from MacMillan or Bowel and Bladder Association UK  which you can show in shops or cafes asking them to let you use their loos at such times.  Also get a radar key - costs about £5.00 so you can use those lavatories when others are locked. 

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much. I already have a radar key. Never needed to use it - yet! He has seen me running to the loo lol. I think that he's worrying that this will be him too!!  I will speak to him regarding your reply and I think he will feel better. Then I'll work on the call to GP or radiotherapy dept.  

Much appreciated

Sue

As others have said, a change in bowel habit is not at all unusual after RT (even months or years later), but it's always worth getting it checked out. Whatever it is, it's probably treatable.

Good Stuff.

• Hi Holly4 
• I have just finished 33 days of RT and yes I have all sorts of horrible bowel problems running to the toilet thinking I  need to poo and then nothing or running to the loo and having the horrible runs .Very common problems after prostate RT that can also occur months or years down the line .A chat with your nurse or consultant should help your husbands anxiety .I am gradually getting back to some sort of normal hope your husband does soon too .