Hey Becca, I am hurting for you...been there and a lot and much tooo often...I found that a chewable baby/childrens gravol taken often and with sips of water helps... it is a lower dosage than the others but it slows the spasms and cramping as well as the output and eeverything else...it is a much lighter dose so less sleepiness too, the adult kind is just too strong....lots of hot tea and herb teas helped me with the diareah and all of the acid in the liquid output...yes strait drain helps a lot at night and when I am too tired of intubating but it also means that you are loosing all of your minerals because nothing is staying around long enough to be absorbed....honey helps a lot and yes sea salt is great too and I agree with the heating pads as well..I tend to hide in a hot bath from time to time to ease the cramping and the back pain when that happens...does Spasfon exist out over where you are?? Great for grams of all kinds ( have you tried mydol?) PMMS stuff works really well too..My favorite for calming the D is rice. works like areal sponge on it all and use a diaper rash barrier cream around the stoma for acid protection....
I just feel horrible for you, hand in there.
sharon

Oh Becca - our Colondar Girl! I'm so sorry you're going through yet more crap! And it looks like you're doing it just like you do everything - with grace. I wish I had the magic bullet for you. The only 'magic' I have available is sending you the heaviest-duty healing vibes. My thoughts are with you that this newest wrinkle will be short-lived and you'll be back enjoying life very, very soon.

Biggest hugs and kisses to you - kathy

oi freakin' vey.

i have been absolutely miserable all week. it's just these damned cramps.

okay. just took a bentyl. we'll see how that goes. the output really isn't all liquid now. it's just the cramping.

sharon, gravol, as in dramamine? the motion sickness stuff? hrmm...

I'm a huge fan of teas, so that won't be a problem. i don't have a heating pad. i used to right after surgery, and after moving this fall i don't know where it is. but i do have an electri blanket. wonder if i could try that. i'm not big on baths in the bathtub we have. (i rent) i dunno...it's just my own wierdness.
Holly i found something similar to the stamina stuff you mentioned at wholefoods. i haven't tried it yet.

3rd world country remedy for cramping after and during diarrhea is to boil white rice and then once the rice is cook - drink the starchy water. And, you can enjoy the rice when you're ready to eat. I always wrench long after vomiting and have cramping long after diar stops so this helps.

How do you drink starchy water that has all evaporated during cooking the rice?

You make the rice with extra water so it is sort of soupy and all the water is not asorbed but is full of the starch. You can make the rice with chicken bouillion for extra flavor and the salt is helpful for dehydrations as well. I used this method several times with me and my children. It works. My kids are happy to slurp it up from a soup spoon if I make it with the chicken boullion.
I hope you are feeling better soon Becca. I am sorry you are faced with this.

Becca,
I hope the Bentyl helps and you find some relief soon. I'm very sorry to hear that your cancer has returned. You've been through a lot, it sucks that suddenly you are thrown into it all again. I'm thinking of you and praying for you. Your strength and your story inspires a lot of people. Take care.

Becca, I met you in Baltimore and I am so sorry to hear the cancer has returned. Just wanted you to know you have helped and continue to help many people with your wonderfully sassy attitude. I send you healing thoughts and prayers.

Hey carlag...
refresh my memory? is your name carl?
anywho, thank you for the well wishes and thoughts.
hope to keep everyone updated.

As far as chemo-diarrhea goes. it FINALLY died down (the cramping that is. the liquidyness sorta died down days earlier than this)
but it finally died down around sunday. i stopped taking the bentyl round then.

but, i go back in for chemo again tomorrow. so it'll just come right on back.
yay.

thing i'm trying to figure out is how to make it NOT so horrid. i was thinking of putting the constant drain in. the catch is, chemo also inflames the entire stoma and valve.
it is kinda shrunken up. i went from using a 30fr waters cath, to a 27fr (i think) marlen, to finally at its worst a 24fr (it was the smallest i had. a pediatric one).

the actual diameter of the stoma is much smaller. and the valveway seems tighter, it doesn't just slip in with the lube, takes longer.

and, as seems to be my usual problem, i cna't get the catheter all the way in. as in, i can only get it maaaybe like 4 or 5 inches, as opposed to 6 or 7 like it should. stuff empties out, so it wasn't a huge concern, except that i'm pretty sure i wouldn't be able to get the catheter in far enough to put the constant drain on and have it successfully stay.

plus, if i had constant drain in, wouldn't i just lose too many minerals and nutrients without having a chance to replenish in time?

anyway. suggestions, thoughts, are appreciated.

Becca
I think by keeping the constant drain in, you may be irritating the inflamed valve less. You will just have to be really good about 'replenishing' your body.
I'll be thinking of you today.

Becca, Chris did the constant drain for a long time. He clamped it instead of hooking to a leg bag.
Used the clamp from a foley bag.
Did you ever find the stamina? You can get it on line. I forgot to ask Marisa where she got it in IL.
I will.

nope. i went to GNC and didn't have it there. though now i have these nifty electrolyte freeze pops. helps since it's like 90 out

chemo has started today. wish me luck.

I e mailed you a link. Marissa bought it on line.

Wishing you the very best luck with the chemo!

You might want to try Vitalyte. It's truly amazing. It's good for everything from dehydration to hang nails. I drink the citrus because it has no added color and very little flavor. It's great with sparkling water.

Please let us know how you're doing - some of us get sorta scared if we don't hear from you.

kathy

Just wanted to let you know Becca that I've been thinking about you.