Should I go for more testing?

TJ30
TJ30 Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1
I first off want to tell each and everyone of you how great you all are. I have read the posts here for some time and think you are all brave and wonderful folks. And keep you in my prayers.

I have sufferd from anxiety all my life, At points it has been debilitating. This past year it has been Very Debilitating.

This past spring I was running and getting ready for a marathon that I was going to do this month but I had to drop out.

Half way through April My runs were getting longer and I was having to hold my stool. after a few weeks of this I started getting anal pain, After a week or two the pain got so bad I couldnt stand it and went to see my doctor, After a Digital rectal exam he told me I had a hemmorid. He gave me some cream and two days later I was back in his office In so much pain I could barely walk, I had also seen One strip of blood on one of my stools. I have always had great health so I was in a real panic. He could see I was worried and had me go in for a colonoscopy. The results of the Colonoscopy was that I had a Moderate Hemmorid and an anal fissure. I then went to see a rectal specialist and after he took a look in there he told me I had a fissure and needed surgery to repair it. I was Beyond myself in fear, I had never had to have a surgery before. I went thru the surgery (Lateral sphicterotomy) to repair the fissure. I asked him to do an HPV anal pap smear test about a month before the surgery, he told me that he would do it during the surgery. I was so afraid of being put to sleep for the surgery that I begged him to let me stay awake he agreed but wasnt happy. I didnt move a muscle, I did bite a hole clean thru the operating room pillow! After the surgery he came into see me and I asked him if it looked like cancer, He told me that it wasnt cancer. He went to see my parents and my parents asked if it was cancer he told them it was just a tear and was not cancer. A month later I went back for a post op. I had been healing nicely with no more spasms and felt 90% better. His nurse pract did my post op. She said the fissure looked good and she did a digital exam with her finger and said I still had a small hemmroid. I asked her if She thought it could be cancer, She said she has been trained to tell the differance. I then asked about the results of my HPV test. She told me the doctor did not give me a test! I was so worried about why he wouldnt do that when I asked him to! It made me not trust him. She said she would do one right away. Three weeks later she called me back and told me the test was clear. During the time I was waiting for the test I started to develope a small pain in my left shoulder blade when swallowing food or drinking cold water. I then noticed small lymph nodes in my right groin that felt inlarged. All of them were smaller than an M&M but felt kind of firm. I may have had these all my life and just never felt them, I have some in my neck that I have had over 10 years. I went to have the doctor feel them, He orderd a cbc blood test and told me I was fine. After the pain in my shoulder blade did not go away I went to see another doctor told him my concerns and he orderd another cbc and a liver function test and had me go in for an Ultra sound of the liver. The results on the blood were normal and Ultra sound said I had a few gallstones.

So Now I still sit in dread, All along I have had
2 digital exams, 1 colonsocopy, 1 anoscopy, surgery with all kinds of devices put up there to let the doctor see the area well enough to do surgery on it. An HPV test, (although I worry about the accuracy because she did this after a rectal exam in which im sure she had lube on her finger, Although she is the expert). 2 cbc blood tests and an Ultra sound of the liver. I have seen a total of 5 docotors and 2 nurse practs. I have had 3 doctors and 1 nurse feel my lymph nodes. 1 doctor said they didnt feel abnormal to him.

My anal pain is gone I have no bleeding with stools for over five months now, And my lymph nodes have not gotten any bigger or more in number. And I have also talked to people who have had or still have pain in there left shoulder blade when swallowing and they have told me it is muscle related. To put a rest on this anal cancer worry is there another easy test to take that doesnt cost alot of money that I have been missing? I have gone broke with all of these medical tests and my insurance isnt that great. If I dont get any more symptoms I guess my next step is therapy?

Thanks for reading if you got this far, And thanks for any advice. B.T.W. I'm 31 years old Male. In ok health other then panic,and shoulder blade discomfort when swallowing food. Oh and I have gainded about 25 lbs since all this started. I eat when stressed.

Also as a side note to those batteling cancer, Check out Thomas Lodis youtube videos on how to stop making cancer. And Also Kim Tinkhams videos on how the PH miricale cured her breast cancer. I have been useing some of these things just incase.

Thanks again to all of you and God bless.

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    TJ30
    I'm not sure I can answer your questions, but it sounds like you have had about every exam possible to detect cancer except for a scan, which would be quite an expense if your insurance would not cover it. I was told I had anal cancer by my colorectal doctor upon her first anoscope--she was absolutely sure I had cancer. Two days later, I had a colonoscopy with biopsy, which confirmed her diagnosis. I am going to give you a list of the symptoms I had prior to diagnosis. If you have any of these symptoms, then you will want to keep pursuing answers. If not, then perhaps what you had was indeed a fissure and hemorrhoid. My symptoms were:

    1) Chronic constipation
    2) Abdominal bloating and cramping
    3) Unexplained weight loss
    4) Narrowing of stools
    5) Feeling of never being emptied out after a BM
    6) Pain with BM's
    7) Blood in stool

    Please note that I had all of the first 6 symptoms before I experienced #7, blood!

    I wish you the very best in getting some peace of mind with your issues. I hope you have no more problems and are recovered from your surgery.

    Martha
  • TJ30
    TJ30 Member Posts: 11
    mp327 said:

    TJ30
    I'm not sure I can answer your questions, but it sounds like you have had about every exam possible to detect cancer except for a scan, which would be quite an expense if your insurance would not cover it. I was told I had anal cancer by my colorectal doctor upon her first anoscope--she was absolutely sure I had cancer. Two days later, I had a colonoscopy with biopsy, which confirmed her diagnosis. I am going to give you a list of the symptoms I had prior to diagnosis. If you have any of these symptoms, then you will want to keep pursuing answers. If not, then perhaps what you had was indeed a fissure and hemorrhoid. My symptoms were:

    1) Chronic constipation
    2) Abdominal bloating and cramping
    3) Unexplained weight loss
    4) Narrowing of stools
    5) Feeling of never being emptied out after a BM
    6) Pain with BM's
    7) Blood in stool

    Please note that I had all of the first 6 symptoms before I experienced #7, blood!

    I wish you the very best in getting some peace of mind with your issues. I hope you have no more problems and are recovered from your surgery.

    Martha

    Thanks Martha....
    The only symptoms I had were pain, and blood once. Since the surgery I have had no pain, or blood. Thanks again for your help.
  • sissy310
    sissy310 Member Posts: 300
    TJ30 said:

    Thanks Martha....
    The only symptoms I had were pain, and blood once. Since the surgery I have had no pain, or blood. Thanks again for your help.

    Hello TJ30...I really cannot
    Hello TJ30...I really cannot add any more than Martha did about symptoms - she covered it all - and agree that you have had some pretty good testing to detect any type of anal cancer except for the scans. I can add though, as a fellow sufferer of anxiety (I take medication for panic disorder and anxiety attacks and have learned deep breathing techniques - have had them since 1979) that I understand what you must have gone through wondering and worrying about all the symptoms. Do you take any meds for your anxiety or do any relaxation to help lower or alleviate the anxiety? Anal fissures are pretty painful as are hemi's in some cases. Since your surgery you said you no longer have pain and bleeding which is a good sign and I was happy to hear that for you. I hope that you continue to have no pain and bleeding. Take care, Marilyne
  • TJ30
    TJ30 Member Posts: 11
    sissy310 said:

    Hello TJ30...I really cannot
    Hello TJ30...I really cannot add any more than Martha did about symptoms - she covered it all - and agree that you have had some pretty good testing to detect any type of anal cancer except for the scans. I can add though, as a fellow sufferer of anxiety (I take medication for panic disorder and anxiety attacks and have learned deep breathing techniques - have had them since 1979) that I understand what you must have gone through wondering and worrying about all the symptoms. Do you take any meds for your anxiety or do any relaxation to help lower or alleviate the anxiety? Anal fissures are pretty painful as are hemi's in some cases. Since your surgery you said you no longer have pain and bleeding which is a good sign and I was happy to hear that for you. I hope that you continue to have no pain and bleeding. Take care, Marilyne

    Thanks Marilyne....
    I do not take meds. I'm going to meet with a therapist to see what they think I should do. I think this whole ordeal has been the last straw for me. Even a good day of feeling good can be ruined if I hear about someone elses health crisis. And I seem to get more panic and think there is something wrong with me.