Bowel Symptoms, Post Surgery 10 weeks, started pre-chemo and continuing/evolving

[Emcee71]

Hello again lovely ladies.

I had my first Carbo/Taxol infusion last Thursday.

The day before I had to go to the dentist as I had bad jaw ache and thought it must be a tooth infection. It wasn't luckily. (I think I had had pre-chemo nerves-related nightmares the previous two nights and had been grinding my teeth..!)

Anyway, due to this, I forgot to mention to the McM Nurse Team that I had not been for a no. 2 for 4 days leading up to chemo. No constipation, just.. didn't go. I also had slight crampy pelvic pain before weeing while not having pain on weeing but that doesn't happen anymore . I did go fora No. 2 on the morning of chemo, as I took mild laxatives the night before. I have been going since, with help of said laxatives. I did mention this to the chemo nurse who didn't seem too worried.

Since chemo last Thursday, I have now been going but have had a few spots of fresh blood on the loo roll after wiping 2 days in a row. I also have intermittent pelvic pain, in various places all around , including in my lower back and ouchy in my vagina. Kind of stabby but low level. Reminiscent of period cramps at times. It seems to be getting a bit more constant, 3 days in. Has anyone else had this and if so what was the outcome??

I have called the special chemo helpline a couple of times. I did mention the pains as well as the blood and that it's uncomfortable but not bad enough to warrant pain killers. They think it could be a small tear inside and/or piles and said unless it gets really bad, to go to the GP on Monday and get an exam. But I'm not so sure I'd get pains all over my pelvis with that, would I?

I guess really, I am concerned as my tumour was slightly stuck to the bowel (sigmoid colon) so what if in the 10 weeks between surgery and chemo starting something's grown and causing these symptoms?

Plus, if I did have a tear in my rectum, I am not far off heading into low platelet zone (I'm now day 3). Surely any bleeding is bad news? Am I being unduly worried?

Sorry to share all this, but I feel amongst friends! Hope you are all OK X

[SuffolkJen]

Hi Emcee71

Try not to worry too much. Like you my ovary (tumour) had attached itself to the bowel and had to be separated during surgery.

I had to work very hard during chemo to not get constipated I took Laxido and ate raisins and tried to up my water intake.

Those pelvis pains you mention sound quite familiar to me as effects of chemo. I also got the feeling of terrible cystitis although they tested me and I didn’t have it it was just the chemo blasting it’s way through my body.

I also had a couple of occasions where I got light ‘spotting’ but this was put down to still recovering from the op..

Coincidentally at the that time I was sent a FIT test, when I got the results that it was negative that put my mind at ease.

Like all things if something doesn’t feel right or gets worse then speak to a Dr but hopefully it’ll all settle down soon.

Wishing you all the best xx Jen

[Emcee71 in reply to SuffolkJen]

Ah Jen thank you. Your voice is always reassuring to me!

I did just read up a bit more on experiences and side effects, but hearing you had this too has reassured me, though sorry you had to suffer it! I have taken some ibuprofen now since I feel a bit less worried about masking the symptoms.

(On the bowel wrapping.sticking issue, I think they have honestly freaked me out by staging me at 'provisionally' 2B 'out of caution' when there was no visible disease either on the surface of the ovary or on the surface of said bowel or anywhere else. I'm sure they have my best interests at heart, or are paving the way for maintenance treatment just in case the scarring was in fact due to microscopic spread, but my head simply cannot compute it!!

Have a lovely day today Jen. It's sunny here in Kent, hope it is in beautiful Suffolk. I did 6 weeks filming there once, staying in gorgeous Southwold. XX

[SuffolkJen in reply to Emcee71]

Ahh glad that I’ve reassured you I’ll always try to help you if possible.

I’m celebrating a year since I finished chemo on the 30th January 💃 but I can still vividly remember each and every chemo treatment.

I did have a LOT of pelvic aching and pain along with bone and muscle pain., I found hot water bottles or hot baths helped. I got neuropathy from the first infusion and sadly still have it in my hands and feet so was probably unlucky although I didn’t get sickness or sore mouth during chemo so am thankful for that.

My onc explained to me that the operation I had took away all the ‘scaffolding’ that has been supporting the bladder/bowel etc and that it takes a while for everything to shift round and get comfortable again, added to that a big dose of poison in the mix. I was convinced I had bladder cancer when I kept getting the cystitis burning but it all sorted itself out in the end 🤩

I live about 20 minutes drive from Southwold and visit it regularly like you say it is gorgeous, and it’s very sunny here today.

1 down 5 to go - you’ve got this! xx Jen

[Emcee71 in reply to SuffolkJen]

Gorgeous woman, sorry you've still got the PN. This all makes so much sense, as do you. Your family are lucky to have you! And thank you. X

[Lyndy]

Hi Emcee71

I do remember that everything took a while to settle inside after my debulking surgery and as I went back to chemo afterwards, I remember that this was often accompanied by a bit of pain.

You have done all the right things in reporting it but your team don’t seem worried, so take their lead and allow it to be for a few days. You may find it all passes nicely but if it doesn’t then I suggest you talk to your CNS or oncologist xx

[Emcee71 in reply to Lyndy]

Lyndy thank you for sharing that, Hope you're doing good. X

[bananayo]

Hi, I do remember getting pelvic pains during chemo, actually 4 days after each cycle I felt like I’d been hit by a bus and every bone in my body hurt, even my jaw!! I used to have a hot bath with Epsom salts which did seem to help.

[Emcee71 in reply to bananayo]

Yes me too, came on Day 4 , yesterday quite bad and it persists today. Sadly I'm used to it as I have some kind of undiagnosed auto immune thing which knocks me down a few times a year 😔 Bath helped me today, thank you B xx

[bananayo]

I also bought some Lavender magnesium spray from Holland & Barrett and put it on my legs at night to try and help the pain, hope you get some relief soon xx

[Emcee71 in reply to bananayo]

Thank you that's a great idea 💡☺️

[delia2]

Hi. You have to stay on top of constipation during chemo by taking stool softeners regularly and laxatives if necessary. As far as the pains go I think most people experience them. For me they were shooting pains in my abdomen on day five in particular. We like to tell ourselves it’s the chemo killing the cancer. I think it was worse after the first three treatments.

[Emcee71]

Thanks DeliaXx