should I be concerned.: A while back I... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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should I be concerned.

Zetabow profile image
26 Replies

A while back I've been quite constipated and straining to poop due to all the drugs and pain killers and as expected I was noticing some blood.

Changed my drugs and reduced the pain killers and no longer having constipation problems but couple of things are concerning me, When I get the feeling to go, it comes quickly and slight pain when I go I'm not straining anymore as I'm not so constipated but I still seeing blood, looks like faeces is covered in a mix of mucus and dark blood, should I be concerned or is still the drugs messing my insides up.

I see the Oncologist Friday, it's been 4 weeks since I started Zytiga which has helped reduce the pain.

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Zetabow
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26 Replies
Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

Perhaps see a gastroenterologist.

SPEEDYX profile image
SPEEDYX in reply to Tall_Allen

TA does a pet scan pick up cancerous polyps in the colon?

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen in reply to SPEEDYX

You mean an FDG PET scan? I doubt it, but I'm just guessing. It picks us rapidly growing tissues, and I don't think that pre-cancerous lesions have much more uptake than the background colon tissue. I have a colonoscopy coming up soon -- it would be nice if it did.

SPEEDYX profile image
SPEEDYX in reply to Tall_Allen

Yes FDG..It would be nice I have to schedule one soon too.

Schwah profile image
Schwah

A gastro will probably want you to do a colonoscopy and it’s probably the right thing. But I decided to do the home cologuard test. Easy and non invasive. Your dr has to prescribe. My MO prescribed. It supposedly finds most colon cancers. But not pre cancerous polyps like a colonoscopy would. With all the stuff they make us go through I could not face a colonoscopy though.

Schwah

LearnAll profile image
LearnAll in reply to Schwah

Thanks Schwah for info about ColoGuard.

I never had colonoscopy because the risk of colon cancer is very very low in vegetarians. I am life long vegetarian and someone without family history of Colon Cancer or Colitis.

To be careful, I got the biomarker test, CarcinoEmbrionic Antigen which if elevated gives hint about colon cancer. I believe adding ColoGuard to CEA blood test might be almost as good as colonoscopy. If anything comes abnormal, time to go lightly on Colonoscopy.

tom67inMA profile image
tom67inMA in reply to Schwah

I also did ColoGuard for the same reasons. In general, ANY colon cancer screening is better than nothing. But, if you use one of these tests, and they come back positive for cancer and/or blood, it will trigger a colonoscopy to see what's going on.

Zetabow : In your case, since you already have blood, your doctors will probably want to go straight to a colonoscopy to figure out what's going on. Even if it is damage from treatment (my intestines certainly haven't been right since radiation three months ago), I suspect they may be able to do something to stop the bleeding, but I really do know next to nothing about colons and colonoscopies other than Immodium and Milk of Magnesia.

treedown profile image
treedown in reply to Schwah

I did the same thing, think I had enough poking and prodding down there for at least 2 years, but pretty sure I need to get a colonoscopy soon. My primary did express some concern on doing one so close to radiation so cologuard was done and came back negative. I have not had any issues after radiation other than bright red blood for 2 days at the very end of the treatments.

Zetabow profile image
Zetabow

I went this morning and didn't notice any blood or mucus, I'll keep monitoring, also when the spasms that indicate I need to go, they're quite intense.

When I started the Zytiga I also started on the Prednisolon and he also prescribed Omeprazolum to protect my stomach, maybe it's the Prednisolon causing the issue. I'm also feeling extreme fatigue and light headed when getting up, worse getting up from laying down position, at night when I need to pee, I sit on the bed for a few min before actually getting up, just to be safe.

The most positive thing is the pain had improved and I've reduced the Oxycontin from 240mg daily down to 60mg daily, gradually over a period of 3 weeks, still some pain but feel pretty good, nice to have a clear head again lol

I'm keen to get blood results this Friday after the Radium 223 did nothing and my PSA jumped from 0.28 to 600 in 5 months and scan showed progression in Femurs, hips and spine. Just the reduction in pain has given me some confidence in an improvement but I still really want to see those blood results.

LearnAll profile image
LearnAll in reply to Zetabow

With details provided by you above, possibility of Colon Cancer drops way down on my list of causes. Prednisolone is a very strong anti inflammatory drug which normally used to suppress colon inflammation. But it also sometimes can cause ulceration in colon. Any bacterial , amebae or viral infection can cause temporary passing of blood stained mucus. Take a sigh of relief and keep checking stool every morning. Besides noting amount of blood...also note the color of stool. If color is brown, blood is coming from higher end..possibly from small intestine. If color is bright red, it is likely coming from lower end of colon. If the blood makes a line on side of stool, you might have a anal fissure. A lot of mucuc and froth points towards infection and /or inflammation.

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen in reply to Zetabow

The amount of prednisolone you're taking is just to replace whatever the Zytiga takes away - it should have no net effect. The dried blood shows there's bleeding farther up. I don't think you should delay in seeing a gastroenterologist.

in reply to Zetabow

Whoa nelly! 🏇🏿

RalphieJr64 profile image
RalphieJr64

There really is no such thing as a normal crap in this group. Side effects from any treatment usually includes gastrointestinal problems. It wouldn't hurt getting a colonoscopy. I got one directed by my Oncologist when I started to have bigger problems than usual. They found one benign polyp. Peace of mind

DeanNelson profile image
DeanNelson

Today is 30th day without ANY opiates/pain meds .... stop them cold turkey.... won’t lie ... first 3 days where horrific.... but I smoked a lot of cannabis and today I feel better than I ever have!!!!!

Kaliber profile image
Kaliber in reply to DeanNelson

It’s good to clean up now and then to clear everything up. Still if you are palliative advanced S4 there is no reason to be uncomfortable very long , as well. A good balance is the best choice ...

Just say’in 💪💪💪✌️✌️

in reply to DeanNelson

Hurah!

arete1105 profile image
arete1105

I used to have firm stools, lots of straining along with some blood( hemorroid probably) and plugging up the system to where I had to plunge it. Corrected all those problems by taking a colon cleanse tab at night before sleep. Now I have the softest stools, greatest ease of going and no more plugged toilets.

tetech profile image
tetech

That far up they may give you the pill camera. At Kaiser they are flushable/disposable. You wear an RF pill data collector for a day or two. They were going to use it on me for loosing iron/blood; but adding a lot of well (pressure) cooked Lentils has helped a lot with regularity and the IronSorb is bringing my ferritin up from undetectable.

doc1947g profile image
doc1947g

If you had any RT, that would be one of the SE.

ck722 profile image
ck722

Oatmeal.

John438 profile image
John438

Have you had radiation? I had a prostatectomy followed by radiation. About 6 month later I started having fatigue and recital pain and bleeding, turns out it was radiation proctitis. So go see a gastroenterologist and see what they say.

Take care.

Zetabow profile image
Zetabow

I've not had any Radiation, they stopped the Radium 223 as it didn't do anything and I had a rapid rise in PSA up to 600. PET scan showed progression in Femurs, hips and Spine. Oncologist put me on Zytiga, it's been 4 weeks and will see him Friday, I hope we get some indication that it's back under control

in reply to Zetabow

Good luck Friday!

dadzone43 profile image
dadzone43

Your oncologist cannot help you with this. Hemorrhoid leaking or a rectal fissure. GI specialist should check you if your PCP can't/won't.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

Get a colonoscopy.... put your mind (and ours) at ease.....

Remember the days we used to talk about women and sports?...... Now it's all about crap....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 10/13/2020 8:08 PM DST

Zetabow profile image
Zetabow

Got results from blood tests, all looks good apart from Hemoglobin, my PSA has gone down to 80 which I'm very happy about.

He thinks the blood in stools is all the drugs and the fact that I had constipation issues for couple of months, he ordered colonoscopy just to be sure, he will call me when I need to go to hospital.

Very happy that Zytiga is doing it's job.

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