Pain After Surgery

Hi, I was diagnosed with rectal cancer and after a seeing a few doctors, who concurred with the treatment, I had chemo and radiation for 5 weeks, then surgery to remove the tumor. The tumor was too close to the rectum so I had to have a colonostemy, which now I'm getting used to. I had to wear a catheder for a couple months because they cut my urethra during surgery, and I had to let it heal. I just started my 4 months of follow up chemo. My problem is I still have pain where my rectum used to be. I weaned myself off the pain meds after the surgery. My surgeon told me my pain was from the nerves around my scar tissue, and it would get better. After 3 months, I'm still in a lot of pain, especialy when I sit on a hard chair, which I try to avoid. It's causing me to lose sleep. It's been 3 months since my surgery and my surgeon seems to dismiss my complaints about the pain. Has anyone had any experiance with this and is there any thing I can do? Thanks, David

Sometiimes doctors can be so unsypathetic!  Have you told your oncologist?  Maybe tell him about how much pain your having and tell him talking to the surgeon is getting you nowhere.  Other than that all I can tell you is to bug the heck out of your surgeon until he gives you an answer of what to do.  Maybe someone else will have some home remedy or something to help.  I just had a LARGE polyp/mass removed and that hurts I can hardly wait to have the next one after you say this:(  Good Luck, Terry

Definately convey your intense level of pain to the oncologist and demand something for your comfort!

Something else  I can suggest is that you have someone purchase a "donut" pillow for you.  It is an inflateable pillow that looks like a donut.  They are marvelous for women after childbirth and also for people after surgery in the coccyx (tailbone) area.  It keeps the pressure off the area.

Best of luck to you.

Beth

Thank you Beth and Terry for your replies to my message. I saw an onocologist who was filling in for my regular one, and she prescribed an anti -seisure drug that also sometimes works with nerve pain.  It also causes drowsiness, which is great for me, I was only getting 4 hours of sleep a night.  Last night I slept for 7 hours. Also I got a referal to a pain clinic, we'll see what they can do for me, but at least I don't feel so hopeless. Thanks again, David.