| | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) |  Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Ah yes - constipation. One of those dirty little secrets that no one likes to discuss. For me (and many others) it was the worst side effect of treatment (even worse than mouth sores). I spent many days curled up in a fetal position on the bathroom floor. I tried everything, suppositories, Senekot, etc. It always amazed me how a purely liquid diet could cause such severe issues. It was my biggest disappointment, with my medical team, that it wasn't better managed. I now know what the expression "sh*ting bricks" means.
Staying well hydrated is essential. This will do more than anything to mitigate the problem. Also stay in close touch with the nutritionist. You should be meeting with one every week anyway during treatment.
The problem went away almost immediately when I was weaned off of the narcotics.
Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
________________________________________________________
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 176 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 176 | Oh can we all relate.
I remember (twice), after many hours of toilet labor,
giving birth to what seemed like a coke can.
I would have sooner volunteered for another neck disection.
Stay way ahead with the stool softeners.
Rob
6-05, Left Tonsil-T1N2bM0 stageIVA, chemo(Cisplatin), radiation(6660cGy), neck disection, no PEG. HPV negative. (Doc suspects posit)
3-9-09 last of 30 HBO treatments.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 60 "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 60 | How does the saying go? Nothing is as overrated as sex or as underrated as a good poo.
CG to husband Stage IV SCC left tonsil 11/11. Mets to 7 nodes on left, 2 on right, no distant mets. PEG, 7 weeks radiation and weekly Cisplatin ended Feb 10, 2012. PET 04/12 areas consistent with inflammation, complete response in nodes. Recurrence 09/13 pulmonary lymphatics. Died 22 Oct following an allergic reaction to Erbitux.
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,251 Posts197,143 Members13,324 | | Most Online1,788
Jan 23rd, 2025 | | |
|
