Ok - it’s not a pleasant topic, but I’d like to get to the bottom of my problem…
hohoho
I’ve completed my 6xFEC and along the way collected an assortment of ‘interesting’ side-effects. But one problem that has given me daily agony is hemorrhoids. I have had profuse bleeding and sheer agony every day since week 2 of my first chemo.
I was using the usual steroid pessaries and cream to no avail and have ceased using them becuase of 3 concerns:
prolonged use is not recommended due to the risk of ‘thinning’ of skin…which sounds like a bad idea!
I had been diagnosed (eventually!) with Steroid Psychosis and had my steroids withdrawn and replaced with an alternative antiemetic.
my blood sugars were very high. I wanted to eliminate the possibility that steroids were a contributory factor.
I glug down the awful Lactulose (gagging every time).
I try and eat plenty of fruit, veg and roughage, nausea permitting.
I drink plenty of water.
My ‘stools’ (urgh I hate that word… much prefer ‘poo’!), are soft, yet ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!
If anyone has a good suggestion - please do get in touch.
I am a fellow sufferer and it has been one of the worst side effects of FEC and Tax for me. The doc has given me some hydrocortisone cream to reduce the swelling. The bleeding is something we have to put up with. It seems to be what ever your weakness the chemo will find it. Because it does healthy and ill cells i think it creates more bleeding than usual. If you want the name of the cream drop me a pm. My blood sugars went up with the steroids but a few days off of them it comes down again. I have been given metaformin but havent taken it yet due to the side effects that can happen didnt want to trigger off the haemaroids again. round and round we go.
Hope all sorts out for you.
Sallie
Hi. i have had 2 rounds of FEC so far and this has been my worse side effect. no constipation (i eat masses of fibre so no problem there) but get symptoms for 2 weeks after then just getting right when due for next go. i have found that taking nurofen (for the pain of the inflamation), anusol supposotories, anusol cream regularly, and sitting in warm bath have all helped me to reduce the discomfort.
I suffered horrendous piles during my treatment ( but had done pre cancer at times too) I drank movicol even though I included lot of fibre in my diet , its not that awful to drink and has a slight lemon taste. I also gave germolene a go and it was amazing it has a local anesthetic in it which does take the edge off the pain. Though i still felt as if i was walking around with a few plum stones between my cheeks
Hi. Sorry my brain feels like it’s a mile behind me. it’s not nurofen i’ve been taking, it’s ibuprophen. Takes about an hour to kick in but once it’s working i can forget all about them and actually get comfortable.
ive just called my gp to prescribe some proctocydle cream, ive had operation on ‘mine’ but they tend to play up when constipated or go too often, i swear by it
