Colorectal Cancer

[Jem80]

Is there anyone else here supporting someone through colorectal cancer? My brother has just been diagnosed and I would like any advice. Cheers.

[sch]

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about your brother.

I've had colorectal cancer in the past.

How is your brother?

Have they given any diagnosis and any information about treatment?

[Jem80]

Hi,

Thanks. He is stage 4 and is going to be having chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He finds out more next week. What treatment did you have?

[sch]

Hi Jem80.

I had a colectomy and 12 rounds of chemo (FOLFOX).

No radiation for me, so I'm afraid I can't help you there.

Is he going to be having surgery?

and how are you feeling? Are you coping OK?

Is there someone you can talk to?

-s

[Jem80]

Hi sch,

Thanks for your message.

I'm not sure if he is going to be having surgery. He has to have another scan first before they can start treatment. I feel devastated for him, especially since he has a diagnosis of stage 4 as the starting point. I am coping, and I have some counselling lined up tomorrow. I also have my partner to talk to about this, but it still feels awful. How did you cope with chemo?

[sch]

Chemo is good and bad, like anything really.

It will depend on the persons cirumstances and treatment.

For the first 2/3rd's of the treatment I sailed through (apart from fatigue).

The last 1/3 of the treatment was marked with infections and neuropathy. It was a bit unpleasent, but what can you do?  I didn't feel that I had too much to complain about. (stage 2a bowel cancer)

My recovery from surgery (I had surgery before I did chemo) was a bit full on. I was very sore post surgery (I had a total colectomy) and I had to wait a few months for my body to recover before I started chemo.

But your brother might have surgery or he might have chemo first. That's something that I think will be decided by his treatment team.

I'd recommend that someone attend the appointments with him.  The information can be a bit over overwhelming. I'd recommend note taking or recording the meeting so that your brother can go back and refer to it later.

Best of luck and let me know if you have any other questions or queries.

-s