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Once again, it's March and that means it's colorectal cancer awareness month. If you're over 50 and haven't done so, please contact your health care provider and find out if you need to be scoped. If you're 40 and have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should speak to your HCP and ask for his/her recommendation.
I'm a colon cancer survivor. Five years ago, I had surgery and chemo for cancer in my ascending colon. They took out the tumor and a third of my plumbing. Fortunately, it wasn't necessary to have a colostomy. Today, I do everything I did prior to the diagnosis and surgery. Wait. What?...Oh, well, I can do everything I did prior. I just don't do it all.
My cancer wasn't diagnosed by colonoscopy. I had my first, and polyps were removed. Three years later, after having some - ahem - digestive problems, I had my second. No abnormalities noted. But my problems persisted and a year and a bit later, when I reached the point where I couldn't walk from the living room to the kitchen without sitting down to rest, I had blood work and a stool culture done. I was admitted that day, another scope was done, and the tumor biopsied.
Since colorectal cancer is one of the easiest to be cured, early diagnosis is key. If you are in the age group that should be looked at, please get looked at.
Where I live, Luzerne County PA, the incidence of colon cancer is 20% higher than the state average and 24% higher than the national average. If you live here, go, now, get scoped.
Wherever you live, you can be sure that someone in your circle - family, friends, co-workers, neighbors - someone will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Try not to let it be you.
The 24 hour clear liquid diet followed by a laxative is really a minor annoyance compared to the annoyance caused by major surgery and chemo. The procedure itself is nothing. They'll sedate you and while you're "not there", they'll poke around and look for anything that seems suspicious. When you get back from "not there", they'll give you a cup of coffee and a snack and send you home where you'll eat a meal and take a nap. Other than dozing off and on, you'll never know anything happened.
Don't do it for me, do it for you and all the people you love.
I also want to note that, while rare, people under 40 can and do get colon cancer. 20-29 year olds have seen a dramatic increase in colon cancer incidence since the early 90s. Young Colon-Cancer Survivor Searches for a Cure - ABC News
If something does not feel right for more than 2 weeks, no matter what your age, go to the doctor. They've seen it all so don't be embarrassed!
No one in my family had EVER had colon cancer or any cancer except skin so I took my time getting it done. When I was 62, someone's ex had stage 4 colon cancer so I went for the colonoscopy. Good thing, too, as I had 2 precancerous polyps. Removed them and went again in 4yrs - no polyps. due to go again soon.
Once again, it's March and that means it's colorectal cancer awareness month. If you're over 50 and haven't done so, please contact your health care provider and find out if you need to be scoped. If you're 40 and have a family history of colorectal cancer, you should speak to your HCP and ask for his/her recommendation.
I'm a colon cancer survivor. Five years ago, I had surgery and chemo for cancer in my ascending colon. They took out the tumor and a third of my plumbing. Fortunately, it wasn't necessary to have a colostomy. Today, I do everything I did prior to the diagnosis and surgery. Wait. What?...Oh, well, I can do everything I did prior. I just don't do it all.
My cancer wasn't diagnosed by colonoscopy. I had my first, and polyps were removed. Three years later, after having some - ahem - digestive problems, I had my second. No abnormalities noted. But my problems persisted and a year and a bit later, when I reached the point where I couldn't walk from the living room to the kitchen without sitting down to rest, I had blood work and a stool culture done. I was admitted that day, another scope was done, and the tumor biopsied.
Since colorectal cancer is one of the easiest to be cured, early diagnosis is key. If you are in the age group that should be looked at, please get looked at.
Where I live, Luzerne County PA, the incidence of colon cancer is 20% higher than the state average and 24% higher than the national average. If you live here, go, now, get scoped.
Wherever you live, you can be sure that someone in your circle - family, friends, co-workers, neighbors - someone will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Try not to let it be you.
The 24 hour clear liquid diet followed by a laxative is really a minor annoyance compared to the annoyance caused by major surgery and chemo. The procedure itself is nothing. They'll sedate you and while you're "not there", they'll poke around and look for anything that seems suspicious. When you get back from "not there", they'll give you a cup of coffee and a snack and send you home where you'll eat a meal and take a nap. Other than dozing off and on, you'll never know anything happened.
Don't do it for me, do it for you and all the people you love.
thanks for reminding others the simplicity of such an important test. I had 8 polyps removed and 5 were pre-cancerous. What I don't understand about your situation theatergypsy is why the cancer you has was not discovered with 2 colonoscopies. Or am I missing something? Glad/elated you are a Survivor!!!
thanks for reminding others the simplicity of such an important test. I had 8 polyps removed and 5 were pre-cancerous. What I don't understand about your situation theatergypsy is why the cancer you has was not discovered with 2 colonoscopies. Or am I missing something? Glad/elated you are a Survivor!!!
You know the old saying - if you want something done, do it yourself.
One can be scoped and not diagnosed, if there's nothing big enough to see. My first scope was done because it was on the list of tests to be done when one reaches a certain age. Polyps found, removed, and done.
Several years later, some vague symptoms led to another battery of tests - including another colonoscopy - and nothing turned up except for gall stones, diagnosed by ultrasound.
Almost two years later, still sick and getting sicker, is when a stool culture showed occult blood and severe hemoglobin deficit which led to hospitalization and discovery of the tumor. A very aggressive type of cancer, which could have done me in.
Since that discovery, I have had three additional scopes, and am told I don't need another for four years.
That's the timeline. I don't think I've missed anything. Except to reiterate the importance of having a colonoscopy. Colon cancer doesn't usually present with well-defined symptomatology. That's why it's important to let someone look around in there to see if something is amiss. Hope that clears it up for you.
You know, my father was found to have colon cancer at age 72. He passed away back in 1995. He had never had one colonoscopy. I have no idea why his dr never ordered one, and back then, I was 20 and I never thought about asking about anything like that. I probably didn't know anything about it.
What I did know is that my dad had a sore on his neck that just would not heal and he finally went to the dr and got it checked out. You know my dad was at the dr all the time and it was never noticed and he never mentioned it.
The colon cancer didn't take my dad, but the next year, lymphoma did. My doctors wanted me to have it done between the ages of 35 and 40 and I was dreading it.
I had it done two years ago because of severe iron deficient anemia. They just could not figure out my problem and were looking for bleeding. They found no bleeding but what they did find was two precancerous polyps that were removed.
I am due back in June. I am not really dreading it. It is a nuisance at most. Those two pre cancerous polyps at age 37 was an eye opener for sure and I will not hesitate to have it done again in precisely two years.
I feel it was a blessing in disguise that I had that issue going on if it led the dr to something like that.
You know, my father was found to have colon cancer at age 72. He passed away back in 1995. He had never had one colonoscopy. I have no idea why his dr never ordered one, and back then, I was 20 and I never thought about asking about anything like that. I probably didn't know anything about it.
What I did know is that my dad had a sore on his neck that just would not heal and he finally went to the dr and got it checked out. You know my dad was at the dr all the time and it was never noticed and he never mentioned it.
The colon cancer didn't take my dad, but the next year, lymphoma did. My doctors wanted me to have it done between the ages of 35 and 40 and I was dreading it.
I had it done two years ago because of severe iron deficient anemia. They just could not figure out my problem and were looking for bleeding. They found no bleeding but what they did find was two precancerous polyps that were removed.
I am due back in June. I am not really dreading it. It is a nuisance at most. Those two pre cancerous polyps at age 37 was an eye opener for sure and I will not hesitate to have it done again in precisely two years.
I feel it was a blessing in disguise that I had that issue going on if it led the dr to something like that.
Pik, I have my fingers crossed for you and a good report in June. I always joke and say that the prep is a pain in the a$$ while the colonoscopy isn't. Of course, I'm the only one who thinks that's funny.
Do not put off getting a colonoscopy and endoscope. I went last summer, and also had an endoscope because I was having problems with food sticking in my esophagus. The gastro doc found a polyp in the colon which fortunately was not cancer but the ulcer like lesion in the stomach was aggressive signet ring cancer. Luckily they found mine in Stage 1A and, with surgery, it's gone and I don't have to take chemo.
Be kind to yourself. Don't be afraid to get a colonoscopy and endoscope. It may save your life!
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