Bowel issues during radiotherapy

User

Posted 31 Mar 2024 at 18:53

Hi.. I am just over half way through my RT treatment and have just developed bowel issues which are not pleasant at all. These include stomach cramps, excessive wind and the feeling that I need to 'go' all of the time.

Has anyone else on here experienced this? What did or do you do to minimise the discomfort? It's really getting me down!

Any advice ore comment would be gratefully received

User

Posted 01 Apr 2024 at 01:27

This is pretty normal, except maybe the stomach cramps unless they're just wind too. Also mucous farts, as my oncologist referred to them, and loss of the sense of solid, liquid or gas waiting to come out.

The sense you need to do something when you don't is called Tenesmus. It's important you don't try forcing as this increases the chances of rectal bleeding, which is also common.

Another one is loss of independent control of #1's and #2's, which might come as a surprise if you unexpectedly do a #2 while you were only expecting to do a #1.

These all usually sort themselves out afterwards.

User

Posted 01 Apr 2024 at 08:29

I would speak to your Oncology nurse(assuming you have one, I met with her every week) to see if there is anything she can give you to help.

User

Posted 01 Apr 2024 at 10:42

Sorry to jump on this thread but it's opportune timing for me.
I have to go for the prelim scan/tattoo session but they want me to evacuate beforehand and the appt is at 9am - no way do I ever poop before 11am so does anyone know how important this is?

On the OP subject - is it necessary to wear any protection during RT for leaky bum or is it more of the case of only farting in the loo just in case?

User

Posted 01 Apr 2024 at 10:53

It's important to have an empty bowel for the tatoos and all treatments this is so they can line up exactly to your prostate on every occasion.If your bowel is full it will cause a deviation. Also there is more chance that your bowel receives more radiation.

Suggest you look at using a mini enema at first... After a few sessions you'll find that you can almost poop at will......

User

Posted 03 Apr 2024 at 11:27

When I started my radiotherapy I was given a pack of suppositories. Fifteen minutes after insertion, my bowels erupted! Never any problem with that! But ensuring a full bladder was not so easy, and after each treatment the next (urgent!) stop was the toilet!
Hope your treatment goes well.

Hermit

User

Posted 03 Apr 2024 at 13:15

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Steve, didn’t you say they didn’t use enemas in France? If so, they surely can’t expect you to perform miracles! I would say have a curry the night before but that’s going to give you wind. Or fruit for breakfast?

I can’t speak for the Radiographers in France but mine were simply wonderful, even one day when I just couldn’t hold on to my bladder. They counted me down and were there with a bowl as soon as the machine finished😊

for a while I was using Tena Men pads reversed to cover my bum just in case. When I had the sessions a just had to lower the front of my shorts(good idea to have elastic waist shorts or trousers) to expose the tattoos. They then put a cover over my delicate bits to stop them zapping my Willy.🤣🤣

The whole experience was straight forward and not stressful at all. You’ll be nervous on your first session but hopefully the lovely French Radiographers will be as nice as they are in the UK.

User

Posted 03 Apr 2024 at 15:20

Thanks all - I'll have to see if I can get something out beforehand however I'm now thinking why not use an enema for the initial scan/tattoo as there is no radiation involved - just the CT machine.
I'll be able to select a time slot for subsequent RT sessions so will choose something closer to midday so I know I will have been for a movement.

Yes, those French nurses and radiographers are something else :)

Also, ddid you shave your stomach before hand? I have a fair amount of body hair so wonder if they will be able to tattoo ok (and see it subsequently) or maybe a shave beforehand will help?

Edited by member 03 Apr 2024 at 15:22 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 03 Apr 2024 at 15:51

From what I remember they used a small electric shaver on me before the tattoos. I don’t have much hair though but I would have thought they would tell you beforehand if it was required. I got one tattoo on each hip and one in the centre. They’re actually very difficult to see anyway.

When I had the CT planning scan they wanted my bowel and bladder in the same state as when they do the RT. Makes sense! So I followed exactly the same procedure. Enema, empty bowel and bladder, drink 3 cups of water then wait with legs crossed for 30mins.🤣🤣🤣 I only had to use enema for 10 sessions as after that your bowel tends to go into overdrive.

Hopefully you’ll not have to do the ‘Walk of Shame’🤣🤣🤣

User

Posted 26 May 2024 at 11:06

To the original post by Atlas Al - I have exactly the same issue; I'm now 13/20 RT sessions and am now spending a lot of time in the loo, never sure what's going to come out - solid, liquid or gas! My first 10 sessions were uneventful and I carried on life as normal but since then I make sure I'm close to the loo. This is all described in the side-effects literature we get but it is alarming when it happens to you; the excellent staff explain that everyone's experience is different but I have cancelled any arrangements for the next month as the peak for these side-effects is 2 weeks after the end of RT. Yesterday I made the mistake of eating baked beans - talk about Russian Roulette!

User

Posted 26 May 2024 at 11:39

I finished RT on yesterday. From 2nd half of treatment onwards I was on the toilet 4 or 5 times a day with the squits. Still am. Went to a dinner party last night and took Imodium before 2 hours before I got there. That did the trick ! No problems when there, but back to non-normal now.

User

Posted 26 May 2024 at 11:40

Hi AtlasAl here. I am now a few weeks post treatment and am pleased to report that everything is back to normal.
I strongly recommend that you steer clear of any high fibre foods so no brown bread, weetabix etc. Stuff that they normally say we should eat! My main problem was excess gas ( I couldn't trust a fart). One of the radiotherapists recommended mint tea.. It worked!
I know it seems a bit bleak when you're sitting there in your bathroom but take it from me it does get better!

User

Posted 26 May 2024 at 20:21

Good new Atlas!

In my case things weren't bad during (salvage) RT, but I followed their advice about avoiding green veg. And taking mint tea, not my favourite but it did help. The other thing that may have helped me, the oncologists gave me some mild laxatives to take throughout RT.

Since treatment though I do sometimes get cramps from "trapped wind". My colon doesn't seem to be able to deal with farts in the nonproblematic way it used to. Happily those cramps mostly happen in the first half hour or so after getting out of bed (vertical from horizontal) so I am always close to a toilet. However a friend I made when we were co-patients (is that a word?) in the waiting room for RT has had worse ongoing problems, we are all different.

User

Posted 26 May 2024 at 21:10

Pleased to hear that things have cleared up for you Atlas. I didn’t really have any issues during RT except a raw bum due to the enemas which was cured by some cream. I also had a couple of accidents out walking even after treatment finished so carried around an emergency kit just in case.

I do have an occasion slightly wet farts and certainly they are now loud enough to waken the dead!

Derek

User

Posted 27 May 2024 at 10:23

Just in case it helps anyone, I have never been 'regular' and so the start of RT was a bit concerning as the instructions said empty bowel and full bladder. Also here in France they don't want you using enemas due to the potential bowel irritation.
So after my first scan where they had to give me a mini-enema to empty, they prescribed me MOVICOL - a white powder that you mix in a large glass of water and it doesn't taste bad.
Anyway, I have been using this for my last 3 RT treatments and it has worked perfectly - I take it at 9am, I empty at 10:30 and have my RT at 13:00.

I think it's an OTC medication and the only other instructions were to stop using it if the movement became too liquid - so far not a problem.

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