|    |       Joined:  May 2009  Posts: 1,412    Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)   |      OP      Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)    Joined:  May 2009  Posts: 1,412  |    How do you get rid fo the darn constipation?  I am in such horrid agony.  I am dirnking, drinking, and drinking.  I ahve ven taken some still softeners and nothing.  HELP        
Angelia 31 at Dx. DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,  T1NOMO, T2N1M0 TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09 PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement PEG/PORT: 11/09 TX end: 02/01/10 PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear PEG Out: 06/21/10 Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN Baby girl born 11-30-12
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jan 2009  Posts: 1,844    Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)   |           Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)    Joined:  Jan 2009  Posts: 1,844  |    Miralax worked for me, other then that dear I'm not sure what to tell ya        
Young Frack, SCC T4N2M0, Cisplatin,35+ rads,ND, RT Mandiblectomy w fibular free flap, facial paralysis, "He who has a "why" to live can bear with almost any "how"." -Nietzche  "WARNING" PG-13 due to Sarcasm & WAY too much attitude, interact at your own risk.
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Nov 2009  Posts: 212    Gold Member (200+ posts)   |           Gold Member (200+ posts)    Joined:  Nov 2009  Posts: 212  |    I too have been severly constipated. I tried stool sofeners etc. but had to break down to enemas, gross but works!
  Steve        
70 male,   athlete...again SSC of undetermined orgin , early july 09  40 tx radiation, 8 chemo cisplatin and ebuterx finished TX in mid Sept 09   Clear at the 6 year mark! Back to swimming, biking and running! just a tad slower never regained my weight, even when I eat lots and lots, just a skinny guy now
  Just way glad to be seeing the green side up!
 
 
 
     |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  May 2009  Posts: 1,412    Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)   |      OP      Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)    Joined:  May 2009  Posts: 1,412  |    I was only going to use enemas as a last resort.  I was really hoping for the opposite of constipation, since I have dealt with that much of my life.  This is worse than I ever thought it would be.          
Angelia 31 at Dx. DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,  T1NOMO, T2N1M0 TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09 PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement PEG/PORT: 11/09 TX end: 02/01/10 PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear PEG Out: 06/21/10 Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN Baby girl born 11-30-12
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Nov 2009  Posts: 212    Gold Member (200+ posts)   |           Gold Member (200+ posts)    Joined:  Nov 2009  Posts: 212  |    Yes, it is one butt whupping treatment. You will be done is several weeks! Just take one day at a time. There is so much great info on this site. I did not find it until I was 5 weeks post TX. keep us informed!
  Steve        
70 male,   athlete...again SSC of undetermined orgin , early july 09  40 tx radiation, 8 chemo cisplatin and ebuterx finished TX in mid Sept 09   Clear at the 6 year mark! Back to swimming, biking and running! just a tad slower never regained my weight, even when I eat lots and lots, just a skinny guy now
  Just way glad to be seeing the green side up!
 
 
 
     |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jun 2007  Posts: 10,507 Likes: 8    Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Jun 2007  Posts: 10,507 Likes: 8  |    This is an old remedy.  Try putting some karo syrup mixed with water down your peg tube.  Karo syrup is found next to the pancake syrup.  Two tablespoons should work.  Another idea is eat pineapple or drink the juice.  If you dont like it, put it down the tube.        ChristineSCC 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       |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Mar 2009  Posts: 147    Senior Member (100+ posts)   |           Senior Member (100+ posts)    Joined:  Mar 2009  Posts: 147  |    The Ensure took care of any constipation I may have had.          
DX 2/10/09; Stage 1 SCC side of tongue; Partial Gloss; PEG in 3/3/09; 3 Cisplatin; 35 IMRT; PEG out 7/17/09; Eating via mouth and walking 3 miles/day 4 wks after treatment end. 50 pound weight loss;  Clear PET 09/09 and 09/10    |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jul 2007  Posts: 939    "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)   |           "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)    Joined:  Jul 2007  Posts: 939  |    From a southern girl:
  Pot liquor from cooking collard greens:  best pipe cleaner in the world.
  Seriously that does work but Bill's MO suggested Milk of Magnesia and it worked very well.  Bill got tickled at the suggestion by his doctor as his mother was a big fan of daily M of M.  Bill took that as a sign that his Mom was watching over him from heaven.
  Deb        
Deb..caregiver to husband, age 63 at diagnosis, former smoker who quit in 1997. DIAGNOSIS: 6/26/07  SCC right tonsil/BOT T4N0M0  TREATMENT START: 8/9/07 cisplatin/taxol X 7..IMRT twice daily X 31.5. TREATMENT END: 10/1/07 PEG OUT: 1/08 PORT OUT: 4/09 FOLLOWUP: Now only annual exams.  ALL CLEAR!
  Passed away 1/7/17  RIP Bill
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Dec 2008  Posts: 1,004    Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)   |           Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)    Joined:  Dec 2008  Posts: 1,004  |    Wow Carmen..you were lucky.
  Angelia..I was so constipated I thought I was going to die. I tried the stool softners but they were a joke. I used suppositories and they worked like a charm. I got to know my body more than I really wanted to but it was worth it. Good luck with that...it is a horrible side effect.         
Suzanne *********** T1 SCC on right side of tongue Age 31...27 when diagnosed 4 partial glossectomies  No chemo or radiation  Biopsy on 2/2/10-Clear Surgery needed again...no later than April 2011 Loving life and just became a mother on 11/25/10 It's not what we CAN'T do..it's what we CAN do:)
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Mar 2008  Posts: 3,082    Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Mar 2008  Posts: 3,082  |    Angelia As Suzanne says, [quote]I used suppositories and they worked like a charm[/quote]. By the way, that is NOT how I got my screen name     Seriously, I even did a very graphic and detailed post on the proper way to use suppositories.  Edited version: don't be afraid to use your fingers to get it up where it needs to go and wait 20 minutes then let it rip !  The beauty is that this way you can actually control the time to within minutes unlike laxatives which if they do work, tend to do so at inopportune times. Charm          65 yr Old Frack  Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+  2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG 2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery 25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin  Apaghia /G button 2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa 40GY-CyberKnife(5)  3 Carboplatin    Passed away 4-29-13
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