Re: Deb??? What chemo and what surgery???

[Guest guest]

Deb,

I know you said that your husband starts chemo/radiation on Monday but I

don't remember seeing which chemo he will have. Bill is one/third of the

way thru his chemo/radiation (taking Xeloda bid) and has had very small and

very few reactions. He mentioned a slight tingling in his fingers yesterday

but it is gone today. His biggest problem is the frequent trips to the

bathroom and I think we have a handle on that now:-) I bought Gas-X

(simethocone) and he took it yesterday and had only half as many trips! His

problem is total lack of knowing if he has gas or a bowel movement when it

hits so this has really helped by knocking down the number of 'false alarm'

times in the bathroom. The doctor told him yesterday that if he got too

irritated in the rectum from the radiation that she would prescribe Anusol

with a steroid or he can choose to stop treatment for a week. He said 'No

Way, lets just keep going " . We feel very fortunate that he has almost no

side-effects so far. Tell your husband about this so he will not dread the

treatment coming up.

What kind of surgery did your husband have? Bill still faces this about the

end of November and we have already been prepared by the surgeon and the onc

that he will have a colostomy.

Jan

[Guest guest]

Jan, I am so glad that your husband Bill is tolerateing the

treatments so far. I am hoping and praying that it stays that way.

God Bless him and keep giving him the strength to make it through

this. Ingrid

> Deb,

> I know you said that your husband starts chemo/radiation on Monday

but I

> don't remember seeing which chemo he will have. Bill is one/third

of the

> way thru his chemo/radiation (taking Xeloda bid) and has had very

small and

> very few reactions. He mentioned a slight tingling in his fingers

yesterday

> but it is gone today. His biggest problem is the frequent trips to

the

> bathroom and I think we have a handle on that now:-) I bought Gas-X

> (simethocone) and he took it yesterday and had only half as many

trips! His

> problem is total lack of knowing if he has gas or a bowel movement

when it

> hits so this has really helped by knocking down the number

of 'false alarm'

> times in the bathroom. The doctor told him yesterday that if he

got too

> irritated in the rectum from the radiation that she would prescribe

Anusol

> with a steroid or he can choose to stop treatment for a week. He

said 'No

> Way, lets just keep going " . We feel very fortunate that he has

almost no

> side-effects so far. Tell your husband about this so he will not

dread the

> treatment coming up.

> What kind of surgery did your husband have? Bill still faces this

about the

> end of November and we have already been prepared by the surgeon

and the onc

> that he will have a colostomy.

> Jan

[Guest guest]

Hi, Jan. The surgery at the end of August removed a 22 cm length of

colon with a 6 cm x 5 cm tumor. He does not have the bag. He was

reattached to the rectum, but he is having problems adjusting. He

constantly talks about pain and pressure all over his abdomen, but

won't take any Tylenol for the pain. He has pain in the rectum area

and wants a pain suppository, but doctors will not give him a

prescription. Doctor says rub Lidocaine gel on the anus, which is

not where the pain is located. Lidocaine says on the box for

external use only. In desperation, today he gave himself an over the

counter Preparation H suppository and lies down on a heating pad. It

has been about 40 days since his surgergy, so I don't know why he is

still having pain. The doc spoke to my husband only and talked about

the chemo in general terms. I don't know the name of the chemo yet.

Tonight I asked my husband what the name of the chemo was, but he

did not know. I said, why haven't you been told. I guess he didn't

think it was important. I would like to know so I can do research on

it. The chemo is supposed to start on Monday, then mapping his area

for the radiation Monday or Tuesday, not really sure. But the

radiation is scheduled to start on Wednesday. Sorry for the gloom

and doom, but you asked. heh

~Deb from KS

> Deb,

> I know you said that your husband starts chemo/radiation on Monday

but I

> don't remember seeing which chemo he will have. Bill is one/third

of the

> way thru his chemo/radiation (taking Xeloda bid) and has had very

small and

> very few reactions. He mentioned a slight tingling in his fingers

yesterday

> but it is gone today. His biggest problem is the frequent trips

to the

> bathroom and I think we have a handle on that now:-) I bought Gas-

X

> (simethocone) and he took it yesterday and had only half as many

trips! His

> problem is total lack of knowing if he has gas or a bowel movement

when it

> hits so this has really helped by knocking down the number

of 'false alarm'

> times in the bathroom. The doctor told him yesterday that if he

got too

> irritated in the rectum from the radiation that she would

prescribe Anusol

> with a steroid or he can choose to stop treatment for a week. He

said 'No

> Way, lets just keep going " . We feel very fortunate that he has

almost no

> side-effects so far. Tell your husband about this so he will not

dread the

> treatment coming up.

> What kind of surgery did your husband have? Bill still faces this

about the

> end of November and we have already been prepared by the surgeon

and the onc

> that he will have a colostomy.

> Jan

[Guest guest]

i had colon rectel cancer.have half the remove and rectum remove in Arpril

2005 the docter said i have stage 4.Am always in pain.does enyone know of

some thing to help me sleep at night the sleeping pills and morphine does

not help

tiger

>

>Reply-To: colon_cancer_support

>To: colon_cancer_support

>Subject: Re: Deb??? What chemo and what surgery???

>Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 01:56:22 -0000

>

>Hi, Jan. The surgery at the end of August removed a 22 cm length of

>colon with a 6 cm x 5 cm tumor. He does not have the bag. He was

>reattached to the rectum, but he is having problems adjusting. He

>constantly talks about pain and pressure all over his abdomen, but

>won't take any Tylenol for the pain. He has pain in the rectum area

>and wants a pain suppository, but doctors will not give him a

>prescription. Doctor says rub Lidocaine gel on the anus, which is

>not where the pain is located. Lidocaine says on the box for

>external use only. In desperation, today he gave himself an over the

>counter Preparation H suppository and lies down on a heating pad. It

>has been about 40 days since his surgergy, so I don't know why he is

>still having pain. The doc spoke to my husband only and talked about

>the chemo in general terms. I don't know the name of the chemo yet.

>Tonight I asked my husband what the name of the chemo was, but he

>did not know. I said, why haven't you been told. I guess he didn't

>think it was important. I would like to know so I can do research on

>it. The chemo is supposed to start on Monday, then mapping his area

>for the radiation Monday or Tuesday, not really sure. But the

>radiation is scheduled to start on Wednesday. Sorry for the gloom

>and doom, but you asked. heh

>~Deb from KS

>

>

> > Deb,

> > I know you said that your husband starts chemo/radiation on Monday

>but I

> > don't remember seeing which chemo he will have. Bill is one/third

>of the

> > way thru his chemo/radiation (taking Xeloda bid) and has had very

>small and

> > very few reactions. He mentioned a slight tingling in his fingers

>yesterday

> > but it is gone today. His biggest problem is the frequent trips

>to the

> > bathroom and I think we have a handle on that now:-) I bought Gas-

>X

> > (simethocone) and he took it yesterday and had only half as many

>trips! His

> > problem is total lack of knowing if he has gas or a bowel movement

>when it

> > hits so this has really helped by knocking down the number

>of 'false alarm'

> > times in the bathroom. The doctor told him yesterday that if he

>got too

> > irritated in the rectum from the radiation that she would

>prescribe Anusol

> > with a steroid or he can choose to stop treatment for a week. He

>said 'No

> > Way, lets just keep going " . We feel very fortunate that he has

>almost no

> > side-effects so far. Tell your husband about this so he will not

>dread the

> > treatment coming up.

> > What kind of surgery did your husband have? Bill still faces this

>about the

> > end of November and we have already been prepared by the surgeon

>and the onc

> > that he will have a colostomy.

> > Jan

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Deb, I am so sorry that your husband is still having pain from the

surgery. I admit that he should be feeling better after this long.

Hopefully he will soon.

When you find out what he is getting for chemo let us know. Also

let us know how he does on it. I think he should be able to tolerate

chemo well. Most here do.

What concerns me is that he still has pain. He needs to talk to the

Onc about this. You need to be there too since your husband does not

seem to like to ask a lot of questions.

I am sending Prayers up for him. Ingrid

> > Deb,

> > I know you said that your husband starts chemo/radiation on

Monday

> but I

> > don't remember seeing which chemo he will have. Bill is

one/third

> of the

> > way thru his chemo/radiation (taking Xeloda bid) and has had very

> small and

> > very few reactions. He mentioned a slight tingling in his

fingers

> yesterday

> > but it is gone today. His biggest problem is the frequent trips

> to the

> > bathroom and I think we have a handle on that now:-) I bought

Gas-

> X

> > (simethocone) and he took it yesterday and had only half as many

> trips! His

> > problem is total lack of knowing if he has gas or a bowel

movement

> when it

> > hits so this has really helped by knocking down the number

> of 'false alarm'

> > times in the bathroom. The doctor told him yesterday that if he

> got too

> > irritated in the rectum from the radiation that she would

> prescribe Anusol

> > with a steroid or he can choose to stop treatment for a week. He

> said 'No

> > Way, lets just keep going " . We feel very fortunate that he has

> almost no

> > side-effects so far. Tell your husband about this so he will not

> dread the

> > treatment coming up.

> > What kind of surgery did your husband have? Bill still faces

this

> about the

> > end of November and we have already been prepared by the surgeon

> and the onc

> > that he will have a colostomy.

> > Jan

[Guest guest]

Tiger, I am so sorry that you are having so many problems sleeping. I

wish I knew the answers.

Have you discussed this with your doctor or Onc? Maybe they can

help you with something. Hoping that you get some relief. And I am

Praying for you. Ingrid

> > > Deb,

> > > I know you said that your husband starts chemo/radiation on

Monday

> >but I

> > > don't remember seeing which chemo he will have. Bill is

one/third

> >of the

> > > way thru his chemo/radiation (taking Xeloda bid) and has had

very

> >small and

> > > very few reactions. He mentioned a slight tingling in his

fingers

> >yesterday

> > > but it is gone today. His biggest problem is the frequent trips

> >to the

> > > bathroom and I think we have a handle on that now:-) I bought

Gas-

> >X

> > > (simethocone) and he took it yesterday and had only half as many

> >trips! His

> > > problem is total lack of knowing if he has gas or a bowel

movement

> >when it

> > > hits so this has really helped by knocking down the number

> >of 'false alarm'

> > > times in the bathroom. The doctor told him yesterday that if

he

> >got too

> > > irritated in the rectum from the radiation that she would

> >prescribe Anusol

> > > with a steroid or he can choose to stop treatment for a week.

He

> >said 'No

> > > Way, lets just keep going " . We feel very fortunate that he has

> >almost no

> > > side-effects so far. Tell your husband about this so he will

not

> >dread the

> > > treatment coming up.

> > > What kind of surgery did your husband have? Bill still faces

this

> >about the

> > > end of November and we have already been prepared by the surgeon

> >and the onc

> > > that he will have a colostomy.

> > > Jan

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

> _________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Hi, Ingrid. Sam talked to his doctor tonight. The doc is going to ask the

surgeon, when he puts the cath port, to take a look with the endoscope to see

what is the problem with his rectum. I am no doctor, but his constipation and

pain is telling me that maybe the place where the colon and the rectum were

attached together is swollen and that is the problem. If it is, maybe the place

can be dilated and give him some relief. Also, the pain from the " failed

epidural " before the surgery may have given him some kind of nerve damage. I

just don't know about that. We will see what the surgeon says. He has Tylenol

with codeine in it for pain, but refuses to take it because he says codeine is

constipating. He is taking extra strength Tylenol, to be repeated every six

hours, but he's not using it on a regular basis. He misses a dose and then

decides that the time is not right to take it, because he wants to take it at

bedtime so he can sleep better. So he is not managing his pain very well.

Thanks for the prayers. I am praying for you all, too.

~Deb from KS

Ingrid Lowe wrote:

Deb, I am so sorry that your husband is still having pain from the

surgery. I admit that he should be feeling better after this long.

Hopefully he will soon.

When you find out what he is getting for chemo let us know. Also

let us know how he does on it. I think he should be able to tolerate

chemo well. Most here do.

What concerns me is that he still has pain. He needs to talk to the

Onc about this. You need to be there too since your husband does not

seem to like to ask a lot of questions.

I am sending Prayers up for him. Ingrid

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[Guest guest]

Deb, I am thrilled that Sam talked to the doctor and

they will try to find out what is causeing his pain. Hopefully he

will get some much needed relief.

Can you talk to him and try to explain it is better to take some

pain medication before the pain sets in. Once the pain starts it is

much harder to control it. This was made quite clear to me from my

surgeon when I too did not want to take pain meds due to

constipation. Hope he listens to you. I will be Praying that they can

find and resolve the problem so he will not have to deal with pain on

top of his chemo treatments. Ingrid

> Deb, I am so sorry that your husband is still having pain from the

> surgery. I admit that he should be feeling better after this long.

> Hopefully he will soon.

> When you find out what he is getting for chemo let us know. Also

> let us know how he does on it. I think he should be able to

tolerate

> chemo well. Most here do.

> What concerns me is that he still has pain. He needs to talk to

the

> Onc about this. You need to be there too since your husband does

not

> seem to like to ask a lot of questions.

> I am sending Prayers up for him. Ingrid

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sending prayers to both of you.

Karima

[Guest guest]

After Sam's cancer diagnosis, I felt many different things. Fear, sadness,

anger. Why didn't we know more about this dreaded disease? Cancer is something

that people don't like to talk about. And don't like to think about. Thank you

for the prayers, Karima. You are in my thoughts constantly. Everyone here is.

Thank you to everyone who can write about these things so openly. It helps

tremendously. I am praying often for everyone.

~Deb from KS

Barbara Gari wrote:

Sending prayers to both of you.

Karima