A side effect of my chemo has been a dry mouth, loss of taste, and a lack of desire to drink much fluid. I began to note my bowel movements resembled small marbles, which passed without difficulty. However, for a few days prior to last Saturday, (May 7), nothing. No urge to go, no abdominal discomfort. I began to take oat bran, Metamucil and Colace. Still, nothing.
Saturday morning, I finally felt the urge to go. Into the bathroom, seated on the toilet, and the struggle began. I am trying to push out a solid rock, hard as steel, painful and immovable. With due respect to all women who have delivered a baby, this must be as close as I can ever come to that. I wanted an epidural. I would have cheerfully done an episiotomy on myself if I could. It got to a position, halfway in, halfway out, and got stuck. I trained in ob/gyn as a resident for 6 months. I wanted to try obstetrical forceps. After about half an hour of pushing, finally, success. I was bleeding. My rectum was on fire, I grew hemorrhoids I never knew I had. They still have not gone away, 4 days later. Every visit to the bathroom gives me a chance to relive this experience. I visited Dr. Flam this morning. He has a cold and wore a mask and sanitized his hands. I hope I don't catch anything. All is going well.My white cell count has risen from 3.8 to 6.6 thousand. My platelet count has improved from 67 to 116 thousand. However, there has been a small drop in my hemoglobin from 11.7 to 11.2. I suspect this may be at least in part from my forcing fluids to keep from mixing more concrete in my colon.
Other symptoms include dry mouth, inflammation of the gums and nose, and leg cramps. The leg vramps seem to effect new muscles in the side of the calf rather than the usual calf cramps. They don't respond well to external squeezing, but seem to improve with walking and a heating pad.Dr Flam recommended
CO-Q 10, 200 mg for this. I will start with 100 mg.
I am also taking Colace, a fiber laxative and will try prunes.
I have to say that if I didn't know I have cancer, life would be pretty good right now. I am not working and am enjoying spending time in a non-productive way. I am still going to the bridge club and I have confirmed on the ACBL Web Site that i have attained the rank of Gold Life Master. On Monday afternoon, Bert and I came first of 11 north/south pairs.
All this has taken a toll on Judy who composed this small essay to describe her feelings.
FIND THE TIME
You're so busy.
Never enough time to do all the things you need to do.
Running here, running there, wishing you had more free time.
And then your life changes.
You're diagnosed with cancer.
Suddenly you have the time to run from doctor to doctor, being poked, X-rayed, Radiated and getting chemo.
Amazing how life suddenly changes and all those important things that kept you so busy
Can now so easily
Be put on hold.
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteSorry you are having such a difficult time with the ole bowels. It's funny how we don't feel shy about talking about this stuff while enduring cancer treatment. I do have to say that Scott never experienced constipation during and after chemo. As a matter of fact, it was just the opposite and the chemo "runs" were horrendous at times. We were warned that he would experience bad "trots" and he did. During transplant with high dose chemo it was even worse. Just a suggestion that you HAVE to drink a lot of water.... I mean A LOT ... during chemotherapy. The clinicians, doctors, etc., also have to make sure you are properly hydrated during infusion .... not just a bag of saline during treatment. We pray that you feel better soon. The taste bug problem could linger. I remember running to the store for one of Scott's "chemo" cravings. For two months, he ate nothing but Red Barron frozen pizzas. The next cycle it was marinated Greek Chicken. We feel your pain ... this too will pass.
With faith and hope,
Diane and Scott
caringbridge: scotthammond