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Anyone have rectal pain after radiation? What helps?

Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Jun 4 1:52pm | Replies (32)

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Profile picture for heavyphil @heavyphil

Not a sob story - YOUR story - And I feel for you to have to go thru this with all your other problems.
Speaking of which, proctalgia fugax is a very nasty syndrome and did anyone think to link the sudden diarrhea to this? Has it ever happened before radiation?
I’ve never experienced it myself but I do know that it is related to spasms in the anal musculature. I came across it when I was researching ‘anismus’ - the inability to have a BM not caused by constipation - following prostate surgery. Suffered with it for almost 6 years.
Oddly enough, since completing 25 sessions of salvage radiation my bowel habits are VERY MUCH improved! So whatever the hell made me ‘normal’ again has given you diarrhea…go figure.
Mention this to your RO and you’ll get an eyeroll or ‘that look’. Most of my docs -, GI, RO, Uro all think I’m crazy and think I don’t know the difference between constipation and a total inability to move my bowels after 70 yrs of life. But just finding the medical term (anismus) for what was ailing me proved that I was not insane…It was real.
I am sorry to say that I don’t think the drs will be much help. They’re not trained in the weird or the rare exceptions. If you do get the gel spacer it might help 🤞but there’s only one way to find out…Best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress.
Phil

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Replies to "Not a sob story - YOUR story - And I feel for you to have to..."

I’ve had this proctalgia fugax for over 20 years, never caused diarrhea but it has caused constipation. I’ve been diagnosed by three colorectal surgeons. No cure just treatments that never helped. I had a colonoscopy before radiation no problems. I’ve been reading on here about the gel spacer and they don’t sound too promising. Thanks for your help and interest. 😊🙏