Hello,
My husband, 41 yr old male was recently diagnosed with rectal cancer, is in chemo/radiation therapy, he has had 11 treatments, and is having severe burning and pain, in his rectal area> oral pain meds have helped some, but was wondering if anyone has suggestions for other treatments for relief> could sure use some advise. thanks dg :angel:

Ahhh yes, I too walked bow-legged for a while. Sunburn medications worked , such as solarcaine though this should be washed off prior to a treatment and reapplied afterward for some reason.

I was also given a steroid cream like neo-sporin but more concentrated, to speed healing. Still took a week plus to go away though. Your hubby must be about done with the radiation treatments is he?

For me it started to fade about one week after. Within 2 week it became manageable and by 3third week, it was almost gone. Nothing helped me during the time it was there.

Some tips are.
- Do not use regular dry tissue paper, use non alcoholic baby wipes
- Beter still, get a squirt bottle and use it instead.
- Try putting vaseline or A&D cream (ask doctor first).

Believe me, he will fell beter from the very next day of his last radiation.

actually,he likes 2 more weeks of treatments, we have also just found out that the combination of the radiation and chemo (5 fu) has caused his chrons dz to become active in the rectal area, so this is also complicating things, so its looks as though he has very though couple of weeks ahead, most of his pain and burning is internal. thanks for your reply/

I too had internal pain - very bad during radiaiton/5FU. (I have rectal cancer t2, and also have Crohn's). I took percocet and that helped the internal pain a bit. I also had some prescription foams and creams, aquaphor, sitz baths, etc. He WILL feel better soon...it is hard to imagine now, but it does heal. In the meantime, try to ask for a perc prescription...(take w/food!)

Good luck ....hope things go OK...is he due for surgery soon? I am assuming this is pre-op treatment.

OH, with the crohn's he may need a steroid to help the inflammation. I would check with your colorectal specialist...he may need to take a break from treatment to let things settle down.

Take care,
Cats

Doc told me sitz baths with epsom salts but that was for the stitches(I'm sewed up in back)

I too had internal pain - very bad during radiaiton/5FU. (I have rectal cancer t2, and also have Crohn's). I took percocet and that helped the internal pain a bit. I also had some prescription foams and creams, aquaphor, sitz baths, etc. He WILL feel better soon...it is hard to imagine now, but it does heal. In the meantime, try to ask for a perc prescription...(take w/food!)

Good luck ....hope things go OK...is he due for surgery soon? I am assuming this is pre-op treatment.

OH, with the crohn's he may need a steroid to help the inflammation. I would check with your colorectal specialist...he may need to take a break from treatment to let things settle down.

Take care,
Cats

Thanks for your information, it is good to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, they have put him on a medrol dosepak in addition to his daily dose of prednisone 10mg daily, they held his 5fu for one week, and he is better this week, but goes back on it next week, he has 7 more treatments to do, then will wait 3 weeks to have a colostomy done. he is actually looking forward to getting to that point. he has had 2 colon resections in the past for his chrons, so we are concerned about what will be yet to come. how long ago did you go thru this? thanks :confused:

I was diagnosed 7/20/05 w/rectal cancer (T2). I had radiation/continuous 5fu for about six weeks (late August to early October of last year). Nov. 17 I had a total mesorectal excision, coloplasty, total hysterctomy, appendectomy and a temporary ileostomy (7 1/2 hours!). I spent 20 days in the hospital because I had an ileus (bowels essentially shut down due to the trauma of the surgery)...I finally got home Dec. 7 and but was still unable to eat or drink so I was on tpn (iv nutrition) 12 hours a day. Then I started FOLFOX in January. After three treatments I had to stop the oxaliplatin due to vasculitis which was causing my whole left side ot go numb..eventually had to stop all iv chemo for that reason...I was at very high risk to having a stroke or heart attack if I continued. I am now on Xeloda and tolertate that much better - just have some sore feet, tired, a bit of nausea...BUT I can function very well. I have one more cycle to go (start up tomorrow)...then I am off to have my reversal in mid July.

It has been a very tough journey...lots of ups and downs, but I take it one day at a time...and today I feel pretty good...though I am dreading starting up the pills again tomorrow...BUT it is the last cycle! Yee-ha!

Best of luck to your husband. It is hard on both of you in so many ways. Having Crohn's alone is complicated... Best wishes to you. End of treatment is almost there!!! He WILL start to feel better soon.

Take care,
Cats