Over the past couple of years I have had ongoing issues with my stomach/bowel - since around 2010 I had on off symptoms such as cramping, constipation and diarrhea. These symptoms from around 2010 to 2015 would come and go in small bouts and I didn’t really pay any special attention to them – just thought it was my eating habits. However in 2015 my symptoms got worse where I had excess mucus in the stool as well as needing to rush to the toilet every time I eat and eventually blood in the stools.
I went to the GP and complained about this but it was just passed off as severe IBS and they said I was too young to get bowel cancer. I carried on as normal with symptoms coming and going until around June 2016 where I experienced severe symptoms ie: alot of mucus and blood in stools. I again went to the GP and demanded a diagnostic colonoscopy and did not leave the surgery until they booked me in for one. Two months later I had the procedure and they found two lesions - one 4cm polyp and a small 1cm one which biopsies were taken and results later confirmed both to be cancerous.
I had a meeting with the lead gastro surgeon and he confirmed to me that the best strategy to have the highest cure rate would be bowel surgery (left hemicolectomy) and then the diseased part of the bowel would be sent off to the labs for analysis to see how far the cancer has actually spread. In September 2016 I had the procedure which was relatively straightforward but the recovery was quite hard in terms of walking and eating – I was out after the op for around 6 weeks and only fully feel better now (4 months after the op).
Results from the lab came back and showed that the cancer was very early (T1 and T2) where one lesion was contained completely within the bowel walls and the other was slightly touching the muscle of the bowel wall - all had been removed with the operation of the bowel. I thank god that this was the case and that I didn’t not need chemotherapy – none of the lymph nodes were infected either. Going forward I am checked every two months by the surgeon who conducts a physical and a blood test and I have to have a yearly colonoscopy.
This is my story and I just wanted to share it with people so that if they have similar symptoms they can relate it to someone else – I wanted to stress the fact that you shouldn’t wait and get it sorted because you never know what is going on inside of you. I am grateful my situation turned out the way it is and I hope I stay cancer free for the rest of my life and I hope I can help anyone who reads this.
I'm so glad it was caught early that's great news. Just wondering how old are you?
Sorry I just seen your other comment where you posted your age. That's very scary, I'm 26 will be 27 in 2 weeks I've had change in bowel habits, consistency for a while but never thought much of it since November I've had constant abdominal pain and rectal bleeding I can't get in to see the specialist until March I hope I can get my colonoscopy soon after the appointment. I'm very worried about colon cancer
Hi Mel, you are doing the right thing in getting it checked out but please remember in most cases of our age group it is unlikely that it is anything serious - maybe if you have the money try and go private to get it seen earlier (costs about £2k - alot i know).Main thing is to get it checked and don't leave it.
Let me know how you get along.
Gracias por su historia. Tengo una sigmoidoscopia flexible programada dentro de dos días. También he tenido problemas con mis intestinos durante muchos años. Estoy estreñido o tengo diarrea todo el tiempo. Hace unos años me extirparon las hemorroides externas y han vuelto; así que cuando fui a ver al médico por sangre en mis heces, se descartó como hemorroides.
Me hice un análisis de sangre para un nuevo médico de cabecera y mis resultados fueron increíbles. Anemia, hígado graso (más tarde diagnosticado mediante ecografía y tomografía computarizada), quizás diabetes, no veo al médico por eso hasta que vaya a mi flexi.
Las enzimas del hígado están altas. Soy un desastre. Mis heces parecen cintas, son bastante planas y estoy muy preocupado por todo. La flexi que voy a hacer porque al menos un médico no se preocupó por mi edad.
Utilizo el hospital de veteranos y tardan un tiempo en atenderme, así que intento distraerme. También tengo artritis en la espalda, pero como tengo 39 años, los médicos me dicen que soy demasiado joven para esto o aquello; hasta que insisto con las pruebas y se dan cuenta de que no estoy bien.
¡Gracias de nuevo!
I'm in Australia not sure how much it costs here to go private but I know I can't afford it lol so I have to wait. I'm seeing my gp tomorrow who works with the colorectal specialist during surgery (gp is also an anaesthetist) so I'm going to see if he thinks it's more urgent he may be able to get me an appointment sooner. My bleeding seems to be more frequent and in more volume I'm very worried I just want to be healthy!
Hola, me interesó leer que se revisa cada 2 meses. ¿Es con el NHS? ya que a mi esposo solo le revisan cada 6 meses.
Hi Merly have you gotten the results of your Flexi sigmoidoscopy? Please let me know how you got on x
El flexi es mañana y estoy nervioso. Hace aproximadamente una semana fui a urgencias por dolor abdominal y hoy fui a recoger una copia de mis resultados. Tengo una hernia inguinal izquierda con grasa debajo. También tengo un quiste o tumor (aún no sé cuál) en el hígado. El hígado está inflamado. El bazo también está inflamado.
Tomé la medicación para prepararme para mi flexi y no pasó nada durante horas. Ahora mis heces son oscuras.
¡Mañana publicaré los resultados!!!
Gracias por preguntar.
Saludos.
So since this started I have seen two GPs. today I got my bloods from the second dr my iron levels have dropped a few points only within a few days which I find alarming, my GP today was not very helpful at all he rushed me in and out so I'm feeling upset and confused. I will list some of my results from both Drs and would love any input if you have any 😊
28.12.16
Iron:9.9
Ferritin 161
Platelets 403
ALT:69
3.1.17
Iron:7.9
Ferritin:126
Platelets:446
And my very high CRP: 16.1
Now I'm even more worried about cancer
I will be thinking about you, I hope all goes well xx
Gracias mel15596. Ayer tuve mi flexi y aunque estaba preocupada por el dolor, fue pan comido. Sin embargo... encontraron un pólipo plano; lo extrajeron y sabré los resultados el viernes a más tardar.
Tenía programada una colonoscopia completa en 2 semanas... Estoy nerviosa porque pensé que todo terminaría ayer.
No sé qué pensar y por eso no pude dormir anoche... ugh.
¿Te dieron los niveles normales para comparar? Espero que te sientas mejor.
Yes they gave me the normal levels, there were the abnormal levels
The colonoscopy will be done as a polyp was found and they want to make sure they don't miss anything. I hope you get your results back on Friday and they don't keep you waiting, no worse feeling then waiting, but try not to stress keep yourself busy! Please keep me posted how you go xxx
Gracias. Lo haré. Pronto abriré una oficina, así que estoy muy ocupado, pero hay momentos en los que es difícil. Que tengas un gran día.
How did you go with your colonoscopy?
En realidad tuve que reprogramar hasta el 18. El día antes de la colonoscopia me dio gripe. Publicaré los resultados pronto. Gracias por preguntar.