I am sure this happens a lot
Hello!
I have a child with different medical needs so I am well versed in how medical message boards work, and I hate to be that person who doesn't have a diagnosis and is panicked, yet here I am!
I am going in for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy next week. I am absolutely frightened. I can't even think straight. I know the stress of this isn't doing my body any favors.
I have two very young children, one born in Dec. 2017. Right before baby was born, I started experiencing some annoying symptoms, bleeding, constipation, hemorrhoids. All very typical pregnancy symptoms. However, after baby was born they continued. I just assumed it was ongoing hemorrhoids. And I let it go on too long. Way too long. I also have a long history of GERD (although this has mostly been controlled by diet over the past decade). Over the past few months those GERD symptoms have increased, along with abdominal discomfort and low back pain, which I thought was post partum related. Two ultrasounds have shown nothing going on with reproductive organs! I finally (after a month wait) was able to see a GI doctor. He told me of course with my age (35) and no history in family and no smoking/drinking and my long time egetarian diet, chances of is being cancer are low. BUT they did mention that c-word quite a few times! Enough to scare the **** out of me. From my research all the symptoms line up. I've spent the better part of the last two days sobbing when the kids aren't looking.
So now begins the long wait (9 more days) before my tests, which I am also scared for. My babies are so young and of course I don't want them to go through any hardships. I want to see them grow up. A friend's husband recently was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and another friend's husband recently passed from bowel cancer. I know these things happen. I know it could be me. And I HATE myself right now for waiting so long and assuming this was a benign thing when it very well might not be.
Of course I hope I get to post here in 10 days and say all is clear. Which brings me to a few questions. When getting these procedures, do you get results right away? Will my doctor walk out with a smile or a nervous look and let me know what he saw, or is it another waiting game afterwards? Funnily enough I don't think the colonoscopy sounds that terrible, but the thought of a tube going down my throat for an endoscopy is horrific. I have always had a terrible gag reflex and to this day I can't swallow pills. Eep.
Any advice or kind words appreciated. Thank you!
Comments
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hello
I am sure that is awful. hang in there and keep your chin up. medicine is geting better by leaps and bounds
I can only imagine how worrisome this is for you and your family
try and be as strong as you can
my wife was in a similar situation and we found out in the ER - she thought it was lingering effects of caesarean
re results - it was fairly quick - less than an hour
most times they don't really tell you much until the dr has had time to review so I wouldnt count on getting the results the day of the test but maybe
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It's okay to worry
Just don't let it overwhelm you. At your age and with your family history, it's most likely not cancer.
If you come out of the anesthesia and a nurse is delivering the news, probably gonna be good news. I woke up to the doctor who performed the colonoscopy standing there telling me that it looked like I had cancer and he was referring me to a colorectal surgeon. Can't be 100% sure until pathology is done, but they've seen it enough times to know. That was the beginning of what I thought was the end. But here I am, over a year and a half later feeling great with no signs of cancer in my body after being diagnosed stage iv and told I would be gone in less than 2 years by several doctors.
A colonoscopy is nothing. I got the day off work for it so that's always a plus.
mountainhiker
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My doctor
As soon as I fully woke up my doctor came to tell me that she was sure it was cancer. The next time I had a colonoscopy, she was there and said that I was all clear.
Before I left the hospital, my doctor had a report printed and ready for me. So I got good or bad news immediately.
Good Luck
k
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Fear
Please, do'nt be afraid!! I am living proof tht Cancer can be beat. At age 77 diagnosed with colon cancer. Currently 86 and NED(no evedence of disease) for last 8 years.
If you have cancer, it may be a bumpy road, but beatable. Take it a day at a time assuming you will go on with your life after all. Good Luck!!!
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Saw mine also.....big red
Saw mine also.....big red blob. Very interesting to watch.
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My heart hurts for you
When I was diagnosed, my first thought was for my boys, and they are adults. It must be 100 times harder, when you have little ones, who actually rely on you, and need your love.
Roll with your feelings. They are real, and you deserve to feel them. The fear is real, regardless of the outcome. Nothing we say will help elivitate those fears.
Try to fill your days as much as you can, though with little ones, thats not going to be hard. Fill those days with fun activities, and try to keep your mind busy. The nights, well, there's no help there. I hated nights.
I hope and pray that our meeting you here, will be brief, and soon you will be on your way with no more fears. Until then, we are here for you.
Tru
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Scared
It's ok to be scared but don't assume from your symptoms that it is anything major. My daughter just went through it last week with major issues, including bleeding, and bathroom issues and it was not cancer. I'm praying for you and waiting for your response right after your colonoscopy, which you get the results right then, to let us know that all is well. I've got a good feeling that you will be fine.
Kim
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Welcome, they ordered both
Welcome, they ordered both scopes for me, and the endoscopy was more annoying, you have a big plastic mouthpiece and they generally put you half out-of-it so that your aware but not real sharp following the process, unless you refuse the meds. They'll indicate if something doesn't look right at the end of the test, when you're gathering your wits. I've had over a dozen colonoscopies and the worst part is drinking the prep. Keep your mind focused on your day as much as you can, worry is useful to a point, since it drives us to do what we need to. Unrelieved fear does nothing good, and to a great extent, controlling your mind and emotions is the big battle in life, cancer, or the risk/threat of it just throws you into the deep end of that game. Best of luck to you......................................Dave
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Not easy
When you get a health scare. It's perfectly normal to be afraid, the good Lord knows how terrified I am. I had both tests run and they found some precancerous poloyps again. I also had grad 3 internal hemmorids which I had banded. 4 weeks ago I had horrific abdominal pains and a lot of blood. Went to ER since it was so much blood, not like I typically get from hemorrids and was told it was diverticulitis. Again last week more blood very heavy. With my husband having such advanced cancer, I can not help but to think the worse. Maybe they missed something, It's not diverticulitis it was treated. Who knows! I have to wait 2 more weeks to see my GI doctor. Naturally my mind is all over the place! I also suffer from an autoimmune disorder which causes me to swell for no reason, my hands, face, neck my small bowel and even my throat swells. It used to not bother me so much, but now knowing my husband is ill, each swell I begin to panic that this will be the attack that kills me, a possibility that has always been there, but now too real.
The coloscopy isn't bad, niether is the upper GI. I have many of them because I have to have them done annually. For me the prep sucks. Hold your breath and chug it! The upper GI, they have you bite into a mouth peice and strap it around your head. I joked that I felt like they were treating me like Hanibal Lector! When you come to, you will have a little bit of a sore throat, but nothing horrible. The worse of it is now. The thoughts, the mind racing, the unknown. Good results I pray for, but if heaven forbid it's not, you will cope and will have tremendous support from this fine group of people.
Try to stay focused on something else, anything else for now. Easier said then done I know, but KNOW you are being proactive and have youth on your side for whatever you shall face. Prayers!
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I'm hoping for the best for
I'm hoping for the best for you. I had two colonoscopies. The first one he didn't say anything and his office called me to come in for my results and booked me on Dec 31, New Years Eve day. He told me I had cancer. The second one was done before my surgery and I did see the tumour. When my husband went to the same guy for a colonoscopy a couple of years later the doctor told him at the time. He had a couple of small polyps they removed but that was it.
So I'm not sure if you'll be told right away or not. Depends on the doctor.
Good luck!
Jan
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Hoping for positive results
...on your colonoscopy. I haven't had one yet, just had CT and PET scans. I think the waiting, the anxiety, and the fear is really worrisome. I don't think anything I can say can ease your worries but perhaps while waiting just continue to pray that the results will be good.
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Hopes and prayers
Although I'm a bit older it doesn't matter how old a person is when they are told anything remotely life threatening. Come to think of it. I bet they are much less likely to chase down something like that in someone who's under 50 or so. There was someone on here who was only 18 or 19 diagnosed with it so it can strike anyone.
When I first caught the symptoms it was kinda gross and unavoidable. Went to the ER and they did some tests and the head nurse guy told me I was as healthy as a 20 year old. Everything came back negative, except cancer which I had to pry out of him.
Did the colonoscopy a couple weeks later and between the two days the wait was agonizing. Once done the doc just popped his head in the curtain and said "we found a tumor but I believe it's curable" that was pretty much it. From that point on I was going in and getting cured. That was just over a year ago. I saw a very old article about cure rates for this. Be glad that if it is CRC that you got it now and not 30 years ago. Back then, stage 1 only had a cure rate of 70% while stage 4 was under 6%. It didn't say what 2 and 3 were but it couldn't have been great. Now, the odds are much better in our favor. Hell, even stage 3 is up to 80% curable. A lot of that 20% is because people don't do their radiation, get scared and run away, or stop taking their chemo pills. Don't be that 20%
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Wanted to update and thank
Wanted to update and thank everyone for the well wishes! I am relieved to say no polyps or anything were found. An internal hemorrhoid, reflux, and a hiatal hernia seem to be the culprits, all leftover gifts from two pregnancies. I am so thankful for all the prep advice I found here and for everyone who made me feel better about going into these procedures.
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Awesome
That is wonderful news. Thanks for letting us know how it went. So happy for you and now you can enjoy your family and life again.
Kim
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I think your news deserves..
our special little Happy Dancing Man
This is the forum where we are happy to say 'I hope we never see you here again'.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to post this wonderful update. May you enjoy life, and get your other medical problems sorted soon.
Tru
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