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#173013 10-23-2013 10:49 AM
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Hi,

Ever since treatment I've had bowel issues. It's either feast or famine. I take a stool softener but it doesn't do much. I go several days and have to take MoM which gets things going but not in a good way (if you know what I mean).

I'm seeing my team next month for my 3 month follow up and will ask them but I figured I'd toss it out there to the forum. Has anyone tried pro-biotics to help get their digestion back on track and how has it worked if you have?

"T"


57
Cardiac bypass 11/07
Cardiac stents 10/2012
Dx'd 11/30/2012 Tx N2b MO Stage IV HPV+
Palatine Tonsillectomy/Biopsies 12-21-12
Selective Neck Dissection/Lingual Tonsillectomy/biopsies TORS 2/7/13
Emergency Surgery/Bleeding 2/18/13
3/13/2013 30rads/6chemo
Finished Tx 4/24/13
NED Since
fishmanpa #173019 10-23-2013 11:12 AM
Joined: Jul 2012
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There are pros and cons with probiotics, which some doctors recommend, but some do not with people with a compromised immune system, like cancer, AID's, terminal illnesses, and infants, being it only introduces more bacteria to the body, which may not be good, and can cause an fatal lactibuillius Septicemia (sp). My doctor just told me to take them with my antibiotics, which could cause C-Diff, which I already had, so I took a few, but stopped. They say in people with a normal immune systems it may be fine, but check the expiration dates being it's live bacteria, and forget the count it should be above, like billions lol, and refrigerated types are better. There are a few good articles I had, but can go to google search. Dangers of probiotics, compromised immune system and probiotics.

Hope this helps.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/6/1256.full

Reminds me, I took probiotics before chemo in 2009, and had gottem sepsis, could have been other causes, but makes me wonder

Last edited by PaulB; 10-23-2013 12:53 PM. Reason: article

10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs






fishmanpa #173023 10-23-2013 11:43 AM
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 421
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Yeah... I'll wait and speak to my team. It just hasn't been fun in the bathroom lately ~lol~ I'm 6 months post treatment and I sure hope this isn't part of the "new normal"!

"T"



57
Cardiac bypass 11/07
Cardiac stents 10/2012
Dx'd 11/30/2012 Tx N2b MO Stage IV HPV+
Palatine Tonsillectomy/Biopsies 12-21-12
Selective Neck Dissection/Lingual Tonsillectomy/biopsies TORS 2/7/13
Emergency Surgery/Bleeding 2/18/13
3/13/2013 30rads/6chemo
Finished Tx 4/24/13
NED Since
fishmanpa #173026 10-23-2013 12:36 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,267
Likes: 1
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
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Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

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Posts: 3,267
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You can do other things naturally, like walking, drinking enough water, certain foods too, adding fiber, coconut water, coconut oil, aloe Vera juice, etc.........


10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs






fishmanpa #173030 10-23-2013 02:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,606
Likes: 2
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
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Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

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Mr. T,

You are ahead of your times. Digestion issues often crop up after radiation. Between too much acid produced and issues with nerves (the infamous vagus nerve) that control the digestive process up to the descending colon. It can resolve, stay the same, be intermittent or always bad. Mine completely stopped working for over 100 days. It was not pretty. Fibrous bulk is about the only thing that keeps things working. Root veggies cooked soft.

Ed


SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
fishmanpa #173042 10-23-2013 06:07 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services
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My nutritionist is always telling me about my fiber intake. She keeps stressing fiber will help me feel full and keep everything else "regular". She has discussed the probiotics with me a long time ago but my memory on what she said is foggy.


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile

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