Seeking Advice - Abdominal Pain After Colorectal Cancer Treatment

Question

Hello everyoneNot sure if this is the right place to get an answer but I am hoping to get feedback. For the past two weeks, I have been having a bad upper right abdominal pain. It is just below where the chest cavity ends. I had scans and X-rays and there are no signs of a hernia or anything major except for gaseous bowels. It causes me a lot of discomfort, especially when I sit. I also have been having a running stomach for about the same period.Has anyone with a permanent colostomy experienced the same? I am 8 years past my treatment for colorectal cancer. I have been prescribed antibiotics and zinc tablets for a possible stomach bug.I look forward to hearing from you good people soon.Much love and respect from FijiJabid

Bill · Answer

Hello Jabid. 
Thank you for your post in which you share your experience of pain. Periodically, I get the same sort of excruciating pain and have (in the past) tried to explore the possible cause or causes.
Sad to say, despite a lot of investigation and speculation I came up with nothing specific that could definitely identify its causation. However,having eliminated the possibilities of things like cancer, gallstones, and other more serious conditions, I thought it might have something to do with my hiatus hernia perhaps causing an unusually excessive blockage of wind. I never did find out whether my deliberations on the subject were correct, but with a change of diet and less wind, the problem did eventually subside for a while. Sometimes, I convince myself that some of the copious amounts of medication I am taking, does not help in this recurring sort of problem, but maybe that is more to do with the fact that I don't like taking it, than the side effects it is having. 
Sorry I cannot be of more help in this matter other than sharing with you that 'you are not alone'.
However, If there are people on here that have a definitive solution to this problem, jabid and I will be eternally grateful.

Best wishes
Bill

Puppyluv56 · Answer

Hi Jabid,
Since scans are good, I think I would experiment with food types to see when the pain occurs, what food did you eat. Maybe keep a log. Strange the things that cause pain now that never bothered us pre-surgery.
Good luck,
Puppyluv

bowsprit · Answer

What Bill has said might be the cause. Watching your diet would also be a good idea. Hope it gets better soon. Best wishes.

Lily17 · Answer

Good evening, Jabid.You mention being on antibiotics...some of them can really mess up your GI bacteria, especially the longer you take them. Antibiotics kill GI bacteria, flora - and they don't discriminate. All GI bacteria are affected.Consider adding probiotic foods to your diet - start with small amounts. Eat the probiotic foods (yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and other fermented foods) about an hour after each dose of the antibiotics. If you consume the probiotics first, and then take the antibiotics, the drugs will only wipe out what you just ate, so rather a waste.Check food labeling: you want to see something akin to "Contains Live and Active Cultures" listed on the packaging.I hope you're feeling much better soon, Jabid! :)Lily17

Seeking Advice - Abdominal Pain after Colorectal Cancer Treatment

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