My Colonoscopy

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deneenb
deneenb Member Posts: 130
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi All,

Well I had my 2nd colonoscopy in less than 2 years. I have to say they were as different as night and day. I felt everything during my 1st scope and was in the hospital all day waiting for my blood pressure to come back up so they could release me. I felt NOTHING this time and I do not remember the conversation with the Dr. following the procedure. My mother said I asked him a ton of questions. I asked her if I sounded drunk. She said no that I sounded perfectly normal and knew exactly what I was talking about. I remember none of it.

I did have 1 hemoroid ( I don't think anyone knows how to spell this word)which they feel is definitely what was causing the blood in my stool. Here's my question for you guys. They found 1 polyp during the first scope 16 months ago and removed it. They found 2 polyps during this scope. Should I be concerned that they grew in that short a time? Does this mean that I will need to be scoped every 2 years to keep things under control?

I hope everyone is doing well.

Best Wishes,
Deneen

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
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    This time you were probably given that cool drug that this chemo brain can't remember. It erased short term memory. According to my doc, I screamed in pain through the whole proceedure (2 inch tumor, 6 inches in, had to pass by it the whole time she did rest of colon). I don't remember a thing.
    My beau had one, and afterward had same drug. We stopped, at his insistence, at a health food store to buy licorice to settle his stomach. He ate the whole package. 10 minutes later, he said to me "So, are we going to stop for licorice or not?". I told him ANYTIME he gets this stuff, I have NO PROBLEMS taking care of him, QUITE an entertainment value!!!
    Seriously, glad this one went better. I'm going to my first after-cancer colonoscopy in April. So I'm not much help with your question about polyps.
    Hugs,
    Kathi
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
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  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
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    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    You probably told them 5-10 times! hehehehehe!
    Kathi
  • lfondots63
    lfondots63 Member Posts: 818 Member
    #5
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    Hi Deneen! Congrats on the clean scan! Thank goodness it was only the hemroid. I am unsure about the polyp but it sounds like you need to talk to your onc about that. I would say also that you just want to catch them before they become cancerous. Take care!

    Lisa
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #6
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    lfondots63 said:

    Hi Deneen! Congrats on the clean scan! Thank goodness it was only the hemroid. I am unsure about the polyp but it sounds like you need to talk to your onc about that. I would say also that you just want to catch them before they become cancerous. Take care!

    Lisa

    Isn't it always a relief to get thru those scopes Deneen....then even better knowing that most of the time you remember nothing. I like that idea.I guess that even tho they are invasive and the prep. is horrid at least with todays technowledgy polyps can be caught early before they change. Better to suffer the prep. than have to endure surgery later.Great to hear you got thru this with good results, cheers, Ross n Jen
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #7
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    What great news, Deneen. My gastro doc told me that many docs want a scope every 3 years but he feels that every 2 years is a much better approach for a patient who has already developed CRC in the past. So I am definitely on the two year schedule - not a fun test, but WAY better than surgery, chemo etc.

    Glad it wasn't so tough this time.

    Betsy
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #8
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    Hi Deneen,
    Glad they only found a little one before it had time to grow up. I have had 7 scopes in 8 years. They keep finding small polyps so I am on about an 18mos turnaround now. My Gi said that they won't normally turn nasty in under 3 yrs but she did say with highly aggressive cancers there are exceptions so stay vigilant and stick with the program. Ps I have watched them remove the polyps on two occasions but I have never remembered the trip home,Cheers Ron.
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #9
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    Great news, Deneen! Always a good thing when you can catch 'em small and nip 'em in the bud.

    I had a scope two years ago which was clear. I had another scope 9 months later that had a number of polyps. Since I have HNPCC and I'm over 40 (JUST BARELY) I have a scope annually (that's anNUally - of course we all know how the scope is used... you drop the NU!)

    Anyway, certanly worth discussing with your doc - sounds like you may be a candidate for an annual scope as well.

    - SB
  • nanuk
    nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    #10
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    spongebob said:

    Great news, Deneen! Always a good thing when you can catch 'em small and nip 'em in the bud.

    I had a scope two years ago which was clear. I had another scope 9 months later that had a number of polyps. Since I have HNPCC and I'm over 40 (JUST BARELY) I have a scope annually (that's anNUally - of course we all know how the scope is used... you drop the NU!)

    Anyway, certanly worth discussing with your doc - sounds like you may be a candidate for an annual scope as well.

    - SB

    nip'em in the bud...? I beg you're pardon..
  • taunya
    taunya Member Posts: 390 Member
    #11
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    Deneen,
    I am happy to hear that your scope was clean! Wonderful news. If you are worried, push for the scopes as often as you think you need them. I remember coming home from one with my mom-in-law in tow to 'watch' me. I said, "It's nice of you to come over, but I am just not sure why they wanted someone to stay with me." She replied "Let me show you." and reached over to turn off the burner on the stovetop. I had intended to make hot tea, turned on the burner and started walking back upstairs without having put the kettle on!!!! Thank God for Mothers-in law!!
    Cheers,
    Taunya

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