Adhesions, radiation enteritis, and low-residue diet

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Sun Nov 28 16:05:27 1999

I just received a letter from an email friend, who told me that, besides surgical adhesions, she just found out that she has radiation enteritis. She said, "Would you happen to know anything about this illness?" I have never heard about radiation enteritis.

She told me that seven years ago she had been diagnosed with stage three endometrial cancer. As a result she had to have a radical hysterectomy followed by a month of radiotherapy.

She was doing very well until May of this year when she started having excruciating stomach cramps. She said: "Once the pains start, I cannot eat. My stomach gets distended; I'd vomit and have bouts of nausea. The pains were so intense I'd break out in cold sweats and turn pale. To relieve the pain, my doctor usually injects me with 1 cc of demerol. I'm awfully thin now. I've lost 10 lbs. since May of this year. I have been hospitalized for four times since May."

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Since I did not know anything about radiation enteritis, I decided to search the Internet for information about it. The following web sites are the result of my research for radiation enteritis and related information:

* Radiation enteritis -- This information is intended for use by doctors and other health care professionals -- excellent information about nutrition for people who have this condition.

http://www.graylab.ac.uk/cancernet/304093.html

* Radiation Enteritis -- At the upper left corner, type in: radiation enteritis. Then scroll down and click: Radiation Enteritis. NOTE: For more information at this site, click the following words: enteritis - swelling - radiation therapy - cancer. When referred to other web pages, click the words which are shown in blue.

http://www.healthanswers.com/

* Ask the Mayo Dietitian: Low-residue diet

http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/askdiet/htm/new/qd980318.htm

* Re: After effects (from surgery/radiation)

http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/gastro/archive/1679.html

* Radiation Therapy Patient Information -- Skin Care, Fatigue, Pelvis Radiation Therapy, Diarrhea (Low Residue Diet), Constipation, Steroids -- Then scroll all the way down to: "Index - Radiation Therapy Patient Information."

http://www.rooj.com/Patient_Info.htm

My purpose in sharing this information here is to make it available to others who may also be going through similar circumstances as a result of radiotherapy or radiation treatment. 

--
The 15th century proverb which summarizes the purpose of medicine is:
* To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always. *

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