had a colonoscopy - freaked out update

sallyjoy · June 2004

Hi all, Sorry it's been a while getting back to the boards... Been pretty busy lately. I do check in from time to time but don't often have the time to reply...
Anyhow... some of you may remember that i got a little freaked a few weeks ago as i was having some rectal bleeding with BM. I am a caregiver to my hubby (stage 4) and know bleeding is not somethng to be ignored so I posted here and got many encouraging replies. Thanks to all of you for being here for me and hubby. Well I finally had a colonoscopy performed on tues. this week and they found no bleeding and colon looked normal, BUT they did find a 3mm polyp in the rectum which they removed. They'll be calling me in the next week or so with pathology reports but say they don't think it is anything to worry about. I am greatly relieved. I don't think I'll have to have another one for 5 yrs...orginally the DR. told me 10 yrs if they didn't find anything. I wonder should I wait 5 years since they found something or go the whole 5 yrs. I guess I'll know more when the biopsy results come back??? Anyone know how this works? Can they tell if it would have become cancer or stayed benign.??? Either way I am so glad I had it done. Knowing they found something even though very small just has me counting blessings. had my hubby not been diagnosed with this disease. I would never have had this done. Who knows what that 3mm polyp would be like in my forties or 50s (I'm 34) Could've turned deadly... may have needed ostomy, etc. I m feeling very humbled tonite. Thank you all for urging me to get it checked out and I urge anyone readng this no matter what your age, if you have bleeding or abdominal pain or any of the other symptoms of this disease - DONT WAIT - DONT THINK IT COULDNYT HAPPEN TO YOU - DONT THINK YOU ARE TOO YOUNG. . GET CHECKED. You'll be glad you did.

Carmen - glad to hear hubby got thru liver surgery well... We'll be doing that sometime in August I think.
God Bless all of you, and thanks again for being here for me. You are all very special...

PS - anyone heard anymore about grandma047 (Judy)? last i heard they had done her surgery... just wondering if she is recovering OK... Thoughts and prayer go out to all....
HUGS....

Sally Jo

cheer3 · June 2004

Good NEWS! I am so happy for you, how wonderful to know everything is OK.
Keep Smiling,
Jean

kangatoo · June 2004

cheer3 said:
Good NEWS! I am so happy for you, how wonderful to know everything is OK.
Keep Smiling,
Jean

Great news Sally Jo---I had 3 tumours--2 benign and 1 cancerous.Now I know that these polyps can become cancerous over time--it just doesn't happen with all of them--but--if it was me I would seek a colonoscopy maybe after 3 rather than 5 years--ok--I am not a doctor, but that's just my opinion from personal experience.
Doctors say that the colon cancers are a slow growing tumour but I would rather be safe with piece of mind.
Say hi to hubby for us and we send our best wishes.
I have posted a reply above re Grandma 047(Judy) for all to see.
huggs--kanga n Jen

littlejulie · June 2004

hi sally,
DON'T WAIT 5 years for your nect colonoscopy!!! My mother went 5 years ago and everything was clear - 5 years later - stage 3 rectal cancer! Talk to your doctor and decide what you think is best!

I'm having my first colonoscpy at the end of this month

julie

jsabol · June 2004

Hi Sally Jo, Soooo glad you had the colonoscopy. I feel like a poster child for baseline colonoscopy: deferrred mine til age 53, and despite NO symptoms, now I'm completing chemo for my 1 postive node. Your are so right; if people have any symptoms, they gotta go and get checked. All my 50-ish friends are signing up...I should get a referral fee!!
Don't know if they can tell which polyps may develop the big C, but I'm so glad you got yours found and out. Keep us posted on the biopsy results; relax and enjoy the weekend.
Regards, Judy

spongebob · June 2004

Great news, Sallyjoy. Stay well and keep that hubby of yours on the road to recovery, too.

- SpongeBob

Unknown · June 2004

Hi Sally Jo:

I too had my first colonoscopy after my husband Bert's stage III diagnosis last July 2003. I would never have gone otherwise as there really was no reason to. What they found were three polyups which were removed and when biopsied turned out that all three were precancerous! Good thing I went or in five years from now I'd be singing a different tune.

I am to go back one year from my exam for another follow-up colonscopy....that would be this October, 2004. If nothing is found, then in three years. If again nothing is found, then in five. Don't wait that long for a follow-up. Stay on top of it and hurry your hubby along to a full recovery :-)

Monika

sallyjoy · June 2004

Thanks to all for encouragement/support. It means a lot to us. I was also thinking not to wait 5 yrs... I think I'll ask the dr about maybe 3 yrs when they call with the pathology report. I will keep you posted. Thanks again!
HUGS!
Sally Jo

LindaJean · June 2004

jsabol said:
Hi Sally Jo, Soooo glad you had the colonoscopy. I feel like a poster child for baseline colonoscopy: deferrred mine til age 53, and despite NO symptoms, now I'm completing chemo for my 1 postive node. Your are so right; if people have any symptoms, they gotta go and get checked. All my 50-ish friends are signing up...I should get a referral fee!!
Don't know if they can tell which polyps may develop the big C, but I'm so glad you got yours found and out. Keep us posted on the biopsy results; relax and enjoy the weekend.
Regards, Judy

Hey Judy,
What type chemo are you taking? I had a colon resection in March 2004 with 1 pos node. I am taking the folfox treatment. Haven't come across anyone with 1 node so any info you can share will be appreciated. How are your treatments going? Hope to hear from you! Good luck to you as well!

Thanks,
Linda

had a colonoscopy - freaked out update

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