Early Symptoms

Yes you should have a colonoscopy. My father had no symptoms. He just found out he was anemic and because of his age they did a colonoscopy right away. Its doesnt matter if you have family history or not. It could be nothing but its better to get it checked. 41 is not to young for colon cancer. Alot of people on this post are young. I hope all goes well, keep us posted.

Hi!
Yes, you should absolutely have a colonoscopy! I am a 46 year old female with stage 3a colon cancer. I was also anemic, but I wasn't too worried about that since I am also a vegetarian. (I also have heavy periods...so I wasn't too worried about the anemia.) My symptoms were almost like colitis. I thought I had become milk intolerant so when I cut out milk completely from my diet, I also saw an improvement in the way I felt. Luckily, I had scheduled a sigmoidiscope, and luckily the cancer was in the sigmoid colon. So don't settle for a sigmoidoscope, demand a colonoscopy. There often no symptoms for colon cancer. (I also had no "first" order relations with a history of colon cancer.) Be pro-active in your health care... get a colonoscopy.

Dale423 said:

Hi,

You should absolutely insist on a colonoscopy. I had zero symptoms other than persistent anemia. I finally gave in to my Doc and did the colonoscopy. I was stage III and the cancer was in the transverse colon which the sig would never have detected. With blood in the stool, don't take a chance.

Good luck!

Yes, you should absolutely have a colonoscopy, and not just a sigmoid either.

I noticed a small amount of blood around 2001 (I was 22 or 23) and did go to the doctor thinking something was wrong. I had a rectal exam and was told it was hemhroids (can never spell that word) and just asumed this was right as I was healthy otherwise and gradually noticed less blood.

In Aug 2004 I noticed a lot of blood. Being in a new area I went to a local doctor who was rude and blew me off saying a "small tear in the bowel or again the H's." This time I wasn't so easy to put it off and went to a new doctor in Sept who did a full work up and ordered a scope "just to be sure." I was diagnosed with Stage III the day after my 27th birthday in October. Keep in mind, no family history and no red flags. My cancer had developed from a polyp I probably got around age 17 and cancer probably 5 years after that at 21 or 22. If I would have pushed the first time instead of just writing it off, I would have been able to get diagnosed much earlier and life would be much less scary.

I also know a woman online who was diagnosed at stage I or II in Canada simply from anemia during a routine annual exam. Her cancer was much further in her colon and probably would never have given any symptoms other than anemia until it was nearly too late.

This post is not intended to put the fear of God into you. The doctor I saw in Sept gave me numerous reasons that there might be blood from. Unfortunately for me the answer was cancer. You may fall into the previous category and find out that it is something much less scary, I pray.

If nothing else, you need to find out why you are anemic.

Good Luck and I pray for good results.

shmurciakova said:

YES! You should have a colonoscopy! I am 36 and was diagnosed at 31! NO FAMILY HISTORY. My symptoms were blood in the stool, very little and only every so often. I thought it was hemmeroids.
Blood in the stool is not to be taken lightly! Get the test even if you have to put it on your credit card and pay in full. It is a heck of alot cheaper than the alternative and the sooner you find something, if there is anything to find the better off you are!
Good luck and I hope that everything turns out OK. I have to add that there are other reasons that you could be bleeding besides cancer so try not to worry.
Take care and get the test!
Susan.

Speaking of costs, my colorectal guy and I were discussing the cost of a colonoscopy vs. treatment for colon cancer. He said most insurance companies pay around $300 for the scope. Treatment for CA which includes radiation, chemo, and surgery, with a years lost pay figured into the equation equals about $300,000.00

Hmmmmm. Go for the scope.

Barb

Hi Maddy,

I would agree with the rest. Have the colonoscopy even if there are no symptoms. It might be nothing but will keep your piece of mind. I am only 42 and was dx the day before my birthday last year. I had problems but thought they were the IBS that I was told I have a long time ago. Never thought it would be the big C. I am stage 3 colon cancer and doing chemo right now. I wish I had done something sooner but just "poopooed" it thinking it would go away. Sending good vibes that it is nothing. Please tell us your decision.

Lisa

JADot said:

Hi Maddy:

Blood in poop is serious business. Just go get an colonoscopy. Don't even think about it. I am a 39 year old with no history in the family. I had colon cancer.

Early symptoms: diarrhea, fatigue, anemia, pain, a lump in the abdomen.

Please go get tested right away!

Cheers,
Ying

Colonoscopy...definately!It is obvious from posts here that a very common "coverup" of possible cancer is hemarroids. I was dx'd with them in 97(only by a sigmoidoscopy) and it was not until 2003 that I thought the bleeding was worse and went for surgery to fix them. WHALLA....they found 3 tumours! So basically I had cancer back in 97!Back then a colonoscopy would have found them and I would never have progressed to stage 2(now).
Insist on a colonoscopy.....no question...and if the doc won't do it...find another GP!
No-one here wants to scare you but for peace of mind you MUST do this.
cheers, Ross and Jen

unknown said:

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Barb's symptoms sound exactly like mine and I ended up being Stage IV when diagnosed. I went for the colonsocopy when I first noticed some rectal bleeding. But in retrospect I had been having symptoms for a while (changing my food choices, bouts of "indigestion", generally just not feeling great). The symptoms crept up so gradually that as Barb says I became used to them and didn't think of them as abnormal. And, boy was I anemic.

So, please have a colonoscopy. Everything could turn out OK, but if not, better to be caught early than late (much better). So, please DEMAND the test.

Good luck

Betsy