can radiaton cause blood in stool

Hi everyone: Yesterday Rob told me that when he went to the washroom there was blood in his stool and the water in the bowl was pink. This is the first time this has happened. He is regular and except for the odd time has no problem going. I read that sometimes if the platlets are low this can happen, as well as bruising lasting longer. This has happened since his last chemo. Bruises are taking longer to disappear. I also read that radiation of the pelvic area can also sometimes cause this. My question is after all of the radiation he has had is this possibly the cause. He is scared but does not want me to call dr. yet. Wants to wait and see what happens next time he goes to washroom. Except for being tired from chemo, moody, etc.. he is okay. He's terrified that the cancer is now there. Does anyone know if prostrate cancer ususally goes to the colon. Any info would be so much help. Trying to keep his spirits up but between moodiness and what i call depression it's getting harder and harder. He still has no real use of his hands. While his left one can squeeze somewhat harder, that's about it. His right one which i thought had improved hasn't.  It's still the same as before. So much for the drs. saying the radiation would work. On the up side his psa after only 2 chemos dropped from 700 to 330. I've asked for another psa test when he has his 4th chemo this Wed. Even this didn't make him smile. His lost of function with his hands seems to be keeping him down. He is also foggy. He can't seem to think clearly. He said it feels like he is always in a fog. His pain meds have been dropped to only 9mg. of Hydromorphone Contin per day as requested by Rob since he is pain free. He was sure that the pain meds were the reason for the fogginess. Now don't know. Our 2 1/2 yr. old grandson was over a few days ago. All Rob did was watch and wait for him to do something wrong. He frowned the whole time and he was cross. This isn't like him. Rob used to be so good with him. Now he seems to have no patience and when the little guy does something wrong or challenging like most toddlers do Rob doesn't let it go. Now I feel like this cancer has taken something else from me. I spent the whole time with knots in my stomach so my visit with him wasn't the greatest either. I was on pins and needles the whole time.  We had a fight about this. He should be embracing family not reacting like he is. I just don't get it and I know I sound like a horrible wife but I'm resenting Rob more and more.  Life now is just me making sure he takes his meds and supplements, helping him get dressed etc... Gone is the husband and wife and family aspect of it. One day just rolls into the next with a big empty space inbetween. My youngest daughter doesn't understand what i feel about the grandchildren since she isn't a child person. She says everything should be put aside for Rob and i should just go by how and what he feels. I do put him first, always have. I just miss at least the fun of having the grandchildren especially the little guy over. He makes me forget this whole cancer thing for a little while and i feel like life is somewhat normal. He's my escape from reality for awhile. Then comes the guilt for how i feel. No matter how i think or look at it, the guilt comes so strong especially when i look at rob and i'm angry. We barely talk now and i'm either mad or crying. My name is on the list for seeing a cousellor. I finally know i need one. Sorry for babbling. I really do put him first.  I guess i'm just tired of losing so much to this disease, again feel selfish saying this when he is the one who has it. Anyway, any info about the above would help.  Thanks people. Lifeline 

I have a friend who recently went through chemo, and he and his wife refer to his "chemo brain" - loss of memory and fuzziness.

-Les

Lifeline - I see the men here addressed some of Rob's side effects and Lee, as always, has given you some good advice and love.

I noticed that you have your name on a list for counseling and that's good. But after reading through your post twice it seems apparent that you very much need help right now. Right now. I did a search for online counseling and came up with a site by the name of "Cancer Care". They offer online, telephone or face to face counseling for the person with cancer, for the loved one or for the professional. Please give this a try - here's the site - you can copy & paste into the address bar:

http://www.cancercare.org/get_help/counseling.php

You need someone outside your family to talk with and who can give you the feedback in a regular conversation. I think you know we all care about you here but right now you need more. I hope you can bring yourself to do this - since you are with Rob every day you need (have) to take care of yourself, as Lee pointed out. Do this for yourself and it will benefit both of you.

Please let us know what happens,
Susan

Thanks so much everyone for your quick replies. Myman, thank you and i will look into the website about counselling you sent me. Bluebird, thanks so much for your words of encouragement and help. Gordy, you are my hero. Don't know what it is about you, but i gain such strength and hope from you. (hope i didn't make you blush, ha, ha) Again, without you guys i know i couldn't deal with this. You have no idea how much your continued words of support, encouragement, hope and wisdom mean to me. I can feel your arms around me holding me up when i am near the bottom. I am so truly blessed to have found friends like you. My sister offered to stay overnight anytime i would like to spend the night at one of my daughters homes so i can just enjoy the kids and try to relax. Now the hard part is not feeling guilty if i do this. I don't want him to think that i need to get away from him, and i know him, this is what he'll think. It seems that when i go into town with my daughters or sister the odd time to shop, he is always on my mind and i really don't relax and enjoy myself because i am worried about him or i feel guilty leaving home alone. (i only do this when i know he is doing well) We live in the country and i know he gets restless being home so much. He is still so limited without the use of his hands. He so misses puttering around in the garage like he used to. I sure wish the drs. had been right and the radiation had worked. While there is some strength in his left hand it's still hard to function and there is still no improvement in his right hand. Don't know if anything else can be done. When i asked about surgery, rad. dr. said no. Anyway, thanks everyone and you are always in my prayers. Hugs reaching out to you all from your friend Lifeline

 

Lifeline,

As others have said, it is common. I just had a colonoscopy on Monday because I was experiencing blood also. The report came back that it is a reaction of the chemo on the scare tissue from the radiation. I had the radiation two years ago. It was scary, but knowledge now has removed my fear. Still ugly, though.

Once again Les has nailed it! My wife is my strength. She sees me and my ups and downs before I do. She always steps in to make the downs go away. Thanks, Les.

Still praying for you both.

Walt 

Walt-

Thank you.

-Les