Anxiety, Constipation........

[Millie-c]

Hi everyone on this bank holiday weekend. Hope you are all positive and doing well. 

Today I thought I needed to tackle the anxiety head on and practice for when Iv had my op. Iv rested all day while watching tv. I can't believe Iv managed to do it. The night is not over yet but I'm hopeful, fingers crossed. Skyfall is on later so looking forward to that. 

My constipation has been the main reason for me to try this. I took a picolax sachet this morning and thought I must be near a toilet all day as they can be quite evacuating. Success in movement but not as much as normal. And now I have a bit of headache, can't win. 

Does anyone else have experience of picolax?

Also, I'm reading people eating biscuits and ice lollies etc.. But no mention of food, is that enough??

I have had two shredded wheat with milk and sugar, 2 crumpets with lashings of butter and gonna have peas mash and fried onions with gravy for my tea. Three small meals I know but can't manage much more, am I being paranoid I'm not eating enough?? I am vegetarian by the way but cannot stomach veg at the moment. Trying to eat what I fancy. I don't feel hungry just eating because I know I should if that makes sense. 

I'm probably drinking 1.2 litres of water and panicking that's not enough either. 

Struggling eating, drinking and pooing or am I doing similar to you other guys?? I know it won't be the same as before but what's now normal? 

Anyway, back to anxiety. I have had my phone searching the site when I felt fidgety, but so far so good. Thanks for you guys reading and posting it is really helping me pass time in a constructive way. 

Mandy. Xxxxxx

[ValB2]

Hi Mandy, I'm half way through - so done 3 of 6.

For the first week I eat what I feel like - which isn't much, but I know that I will get my appetite back in the 2nd week. Current teacake, baked beans and chips (not together) are top of my list.

I'm struggling with veg - I'm vegetarian too - so I juice as much as I can - which also helps with the fluid in take.

Re the constipation, the anti sickness makes my bowels go to sleep, which does worry me in the first week, but it's not too bad - pears & kiwi are supposed to help - they wake up after a few days. Although I may try Movicol next chemo.

Resting when my body tells me to. Doing way too much when the steroids kick in!

Good luck with it all.

Val

[Millie-c in reply to ValB2]

Thanks val, I tried movicol but didn't work for me. What anti sickness are you on?? as Iv been told it's not a problem to take metacopromide all the time. Maybe this is not helping with the constipation. 

[ValB2 in reply to Millie-c]

Hi, I take cyclizine, but only for3 days after chemotherapy.

I haven't tried movicol. I try not to take medication if I can help it - I figure the chemo drugs are quite enough for my body to take.

Val

[HogwartsDK]

Hey Mandy! 

I was having problems initially and I spoke to the nurse who suggested changing my antisicknesss Meds to Emend and that made a big difference! I still had to drink loads of water and I ate pears and kiwis but the change in Meds really helped with the constipation!!! 

Dx

[Millie-c in reply to HogwartsDK]

Thanks D, kiwis and pears on my menu from now on and I will mention it to the consultant. Wondered if it was that what was causing my anxiety too. It does say it can be a side effect. 

Mandy,xx

[Hidden]

I will add to that menu prunes in juice not syrup and that usually works for me,   I also find that as well as the epsom salts baths helping pains, it would also help me go to the loo.   Plenty of water and perhaps the baby pear juice could also be added in.   Well the more you stress, the more upset and out of tune our bodies get so that doesnt help a lot .  Having said that I was the worst in the world but  did a Mindfulness course which has calmed me a bit.

[Millie-c in reply to Hidden]

A mindfulness course?? What is that and where did you do it?? During chemo?? 

[Hidden in reply to Millie-c]

Hi Millie, sorry for not getting back to you sooner.   I started a Mindfulness course in my local Cancer Support Centre in September,  It was weekly for ten weeks and I check back in once a month.  The idea is that we relax and put our attention to the breath and focus on that.   Any thoughts or ideas that come into our minds we acknowledge them but dont dwell on them,  We learns thoughts can be words without facts.  It did help my mind chill a bit and I find I dont stress now as much as I did.  Ask at your Oncology Unit and hopefully they will direct you to a Maggie support Centre who provide these courses for us Cancer Patients

[Lyndy]

Oh Mandy! I remember it so well from your description eating drinking pooing etc! You poor thing... But you will get through, by the later cycles you will be able to predict what will happen each day. Very soon you will be through and feeling better each day.. So hang on in there, try not to worry too much xx Lyndall

[ellseybellsey]

Mandy hi

I have very stubborn bowels even before I started treatment, I had my first line last Monday and by Wednesday my cancer nurse prescribed the picolax however chemist had to order it so did not get it until last Thursday.

Since taking the 1 sachet last week I have been going 2 -3 times a day with quite severe stomach cramps .

I have changed my diet after getting some great advice of this site, my bowel movement at the movement is quite strange to me after all my life having stubborn bowels, but everything else is going well apart from severe backpain now that's a new one to me. I am learning to take each side effect as a good sign that the treatment is doing what it should be doing.

Ellsey xx

[Jan76]

Oh ! Mandy this brings back memories .... Movicol gave me rash ... You really want something more gentle on your bowel . Try Senna tablets . You really don't want to be. Sitting on the loo all day ... Bless you ... Melon is very refreshing and also water based . 

Water melon is easy to digest if you like it . Stewed apple again is good .... Slides down easily .... Stir a desert spoon ful of brown linseed a into it or yogurt .... Very good !!! 

My very healthy eating went right out of the window while on chemo ... Keep on with the water .... Best thing you can drink while having chemo ... Fruit juice also if you can take it . Another tip try a glass of not too hot water .... Can help to move things too it's also good for wind !!!! Especially after a op !!!!! 

Good luck 

Jan 

[Millie-c]

Thanks for your reply Jan. I do like melon so maybe that's something else I can try and add into my diet. 

It's weird how much time I spend thinking about water and still only manage 3 glasses. I can feel it wishy washy in my stomach.

[Nesie237]

I'll tell you what I do for constipation. It's a pre-existing problem., I talked to a dietician. I've been off chemo nearly two years. She suggested Activia yogurt daily,  combined with an over the counter probiotic - Probiotic 10. I guess you can't eat the yogurt with your diet, but the med, water, and small meals might help. 

I hope at least this problem will be resolved. Good luck to you, Denese

[Millie-c]

Thanks denese,