Radiation Proctitis - HELP!

It seems like I might finally have an answer to the problems  I have been experiencing since my radiation therapy.  I went to my family doctor yesterday and she has referred me to a gastroenterologist for possible radiation proctitis.  Has anyone had this?  Do you know what the testing and treaments are like?  Are they usually successful in curing the problem?   I feel so frustrated b/c it just seems like one thing after another and I can't just get better.  My cancer is in remission though, so that is great news.  I worry that this rectal bleeding is colon cancer (metastatic) rather than proctitis...HELP!

I too have radiation proctitis and cytitis, have had for about 3 years and have had various treatments.  The latest suggestion is hyperbaritic oxygen therapy.  Get to a research hospital for treatment.  You need the latest information.  Don't worry about it being cancer,  but it is a side effect of radiation.  I have been being treated by a gastroenterologist, colorectal surgeon and urolo9gist.  Its a long haul.

On 12/2/2007 Adoyle wrote:

It seems like I might finally have an answer to the problems  I have been experiencing since my radiation therapy.  I went to my family doctor yesterday and she has referred me to a gastroenterologist for possible radiation proctitis.  Has anyone had this?  Do you know what the testing and treaments are like?  Are they usually successful in curing the problem?   I feel so frustrated b/c it just seems like one thing after another and I can't just get better.  My cancer is in remission though, so that is great news.  I worry that this rectal bleeding is colon cancer (metastatic) rather than proctitis...HELP!

 

Thanks very much for your reply. Since my last post I have seen a gatroenterologist and the diagnosis is indeed radiation proctitis.  He tried a colonscopy procedure where he planned to use an argon plasma coagulator to seal the bleeding vessels but my tissue was in very poor shape and he did not want to make the situation worse.  So, I have been on Canasa suppositories for about 10 weeks.  They are going to try another colonoscopy this Tuesday and see if there has been enough healing to use the argon coagulator.

I have had some relief of symptoms with the Canasa, less urgency, etc.  But, I the bleeding is just as bad as it ever was and my hemoglobin count keeps dropping, now at 9.7.  The dr. said they would need to transfuse at 9.0.

Did you have any experiencce with the argon plasma coagulator?  If so, was it successful?  I have read about hyberbaric oxygen therapy online but it has not yet been suggested in my case.

 Also, an incidental finding popped up - I now need thyroid surgery to remove an extremely enlarged thyroid (which appears benign).   Yuck!

One thing after another, I tell you.  Thanks again for your reply and please share any information you have on radiation proctitis.

 Warm Regards,

 Angi 

On 1/31/2008 nancysews45 wrote:

I too have radiation proctitis and cytitis, have had for about 3 years and have had various treatments.  The latest suggestion is hyperbaritic oxygen therapy.  Get to a research hospital for treatment.  You need the latest information.  Don't worry about it being cancer,  but it is a side effect of radiation.  I have been being treated by a gastroenterologist, colorectal surgeon and urolo9gist.  Its a long haul.

On 12/2/2007 Adoyle wrote:

It seems like I might finally have an answer to the problems  I have been experiencing since my radiation therapy.  I went to my family doctor yesterday and she has referred me to a gastroenterologist for possible radiation proctitis.  Has anyone had this?  Do you know what the testing and treaments are like?  Are they usually successful in curing the problem?   I feel so frustrated b/c it just seems like one thing after another and I can't just get better.  My cancer is in remission though, so that is great news.  I worry that this rectal bleeding is colon cancer (metastatic) rather than proctitis...HELP!

 

 

I had radiation proctitis after having cervical cancer. I had a bad case of it kept on bleeding from the backside. Doctors later realised i had a kink in my bowel and another part was stuck to my uterus. i had never been in so much pain. Later I  ended up bleeding so serverely I had to have three blood transfusions in total, nearly didn`t make it and glad to be alive. Because of this I was hardly able to go no2 sorry. I started taking laxitives to help me go. I dropped from 7 stone to 4 stone 4 pounds. After spending a month in hospital they finally gave me a illeostomy bag. It took me a while to get my life on track but now I`m fine and feeling so much better.

i am a female 53yr old i had radiation and chemo for rectal cancer in 2006 i have no cancer now and very thankful and feel bad to complain but the radiation procitis is keeping me confind to the house has anyone had the o2 therpy and did it work the bleeding dose not bother my as bad as the loseing control i understand about it one thing after another i also have vangial scaring

   vita

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 11/16/2008 vita55 wrote:

i am a female 53yr old i had radiation and chemo for rectal cancer in 2006 i have no cancer now and very thankful and feel bad to complain but the radiation procitis is keeping me confind to the house has anyone had the o2 therpy and did it work the bleeding dose not bother my as bad as the loseing control i understand about it one thing after another i also have vangial scaring

   vita

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 12/2/2007 Adoyle wrote:

It seems like I might finally have an answer to the problems  I have been experiencing since my radiation therapy.  I went to my family doctor yesterday and she has referred me to a gastroenterologist for possible radiation proctitis.  Has anyone had this?  Do you know what the testing and treaments are like?  Are they usually successful in curing the problem?   I feel so frustrated b/c it just seems like one thing after another and I can't just get better.  My cancer is in remission though, so that is great news.  I worry that this rectal bleeding is colon cancer (metastatic) rather than proctitis...HELP!

 

Last year, my 84-year-old Dad had radiation for aggressive prostate cancer. He was cured of the cancer, but the radiation proctitis that began several months after the radiation treatments ended left him essentially housebound. Over the past 13 months, he tried dietary changes and argon gas treatments, but neither gave him much relief. Today, he had a Formalin treatment, which seems promising. Formalin is applied with cotton swabs to the inside of the colon; with one or more treatments, rectal bleeding usually ceases. Good luck to you!

our experience is this: still bleeding (three wks) from vag due to hyperbaric trx after having colonostomy and a hole in bladder! radiation is NASTY stuff to say the least.

 either we are happy for life or not. no matter what our condition. 

 there is always someone suffering more and soon your suffering will change too.