Colon cancer and probiotics

[Noraise]

Hi all,
please can anyone advise. My lovely Dad was diagnosed with colon cancer this week. The treatment plan is that he will start radiotherapy in a few weeks and then have surgery. He’s 82.

One of his big symptoms is frequent diarrhoea. He has been allowed to take some immodium although not too many. Can anyone help with advise about taking probiotics. I’ve read that they are good . He’s seeing the oncologist on Friday.
This is such a horrible time and I want to do anything I can to help him .
Thank you .

Take advice from the oncologist, not from anyone on here, who doesn't even know what type of colon cancer your father has

Sorry to hear about your dad , probiotics in general makes stools softer so I wouldn’t give them to someone that has diarrhoea.

Thank you . I just don’t know what to do. I just want to help him.

The pro-biotics are unlikely to make any difference one way or the other.

Currently he most likely has diarrhoea because that's the only way poo can get out. With radiotherapy he may have diarrhoea because everything is inflamed by the treatment.

I know how you feel wanting to be able to do something, anything to help but honestly the most helpful thing you can do is just be there for him, spend time with him and look after him.

Sorry you're going through this with your dad op. I also have colon cancer related diarrhoea and my nurse suggested a very low fibre diet such as the diet you are given pre colonoscopy. I found eating too late in the evening meant I was getting diarrhoea in the night so I don't eat anything between 6pm and 9am and find it really helps to give my gut a break. Lactose could be an issue too. I still have dairy but very small amount- milk in tea and the odd cheese sandwich.

Check with his oncologist. I'm not sure probiotics are wise during treatment and they may reduce efficacy.

Does he have access to a nutritionist? Can you get an appointment with them?

There's so much bad advice on the internet, so be careful. My close friend had bowel cancer and she ended up tying herself in knots over diet and lost weight even more rapidly than expected with cancer as she was limiting herself to a really strict diet. If I remember correctly, the oncologist just said a low residue diet was best.

You can buy regular cow milk and cheddar which has had the lactose removed.