Scary Doctor visit this morning UPDATE

VickiCO
VickiCO Member Posts: 917
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Ok, I was scheduled for round 2 of 5FU this week (5 days infusion, then 3 weeks off). I see the oncologist on Mondays. So I was giving him my list of issues that have cropped up, one being I am having bad pains in my abdomen, feels like it's in the colon up high near my navel. He started poking around, which brought me up off the table at one point. He looked concerned and asked if I would consent to a CT scan. He said it's possibly an abdominal hernia, but isn't sure.

Should I be scared? Is he looking for a tumor? I mentioned a tumor and he said not to get ahead of myself. Now I have to wait for the lab to have room to fit me in, hopefully later this week.

BTW - we went ahead with the chemo. He asked if I wanted to delay and I said no...let's help all we can if it is a tumor.

Not a good day. And of course, it was the first time since early December that I drove myself to and from, and I was all alone to hear this.

Vicki

UPDATE
The scan trip was horrible. They gave me a barium contrast to drink at home first, and I couldn't get it down. Heavy vomiting with every sip. I called and they said just come in and they would give me something else. So in we go, sick all the way. They gave me something that tasted like Tang...good for a while and about 2/3 of the way through, I redecorated the waiting room with orange drink! It was immediate and no way to make it to the restroom. There wasn't even a wastebasket to grab. What a mess! They dressed me up in scrubs, my clothes were toast! So they took me back and decided they had enough still in me to do the scans. Score one.

Then I had to go to chemo. We all decided it was the chemo causing the reaction. Probably should not have scheduled the scan this week. Oh well, it's over. I'll get the results Friday. Once I got to chemo, they decided I was in rough shape (duh!) so they added hydration to the routine. So, we were there 2 1/2 hours instead of 45 min, but it was a good thing. At least **** was with me all day. I am still very sick from chemo and can't keep anything down, even with Zofran. And the wonderful hot sweats are back, all night long.

I tell you, is this cure worth it?

Thanks for listening....Vicki
«13

Comments

  • daydreamer110761
    daydreamer110761 Member Posts: 487 Member
    #2
    so sorry
    I hated hearing things alone. Don't get yourself all upset, just wait until the ct scan. getting upset helps nothing, just take it easy until the results. thinking of you ...
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #3
    daydreamer110761 said:

    so sorry
    I hated hearing things alone. Don't get yourself all upset, just wait until the ct scan. getting upset helps nothing, just take it easy until the results. thinking of you ...

    breathe
    remember Cheryl's first step////take a big deep breath...sorry this has come up Vicki...who needs it. Could be nothing, could be chemo pain..hang on there Vicki

    hugs, mags
  • lmliess
    lmliess Member Posts: 329
    #4
    maglets said:

    breathe
    remember Cheryl's first step////take a big deep breath...sorry this has come up Vicki...who needs it. Could be nothing, could be chemo pain..hang on there Vicki

    hugs, mags

    Try to not worry until you get the facts....
    easier said than done I KNOW...but just wait until you get all the facts and then if need be, get a plan in action. The one good thing about all this is that we are all going to be looked after and scanned so much that if anything comes up it will be handled right away.
    Look how far you have come and hang in there!
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #5
    waiting is the hardest part
    if it helps, i doubt that it's a tumor cause I don't know about YOU, but I had no pain with my tumor! It's probably a hernia or infection from surgery (it hasn't been that long since yours, right?). Deep breath and stop imagining the worst! Time enough to deal with whatever it is when you find out what it TRULY is!
    mary
  • dixchi
    dixchi Member Posts: 431
    #6
    Thinking of You
    and hoping all turns out ok; know it is scarey but you
    just had surgery not too long ago and there could be
    side issues with that or as your doc said maybe a hernia.....
    the last thing I would think of is ca......they ususally
    don't hurt like that. Keeping you in my thoughts.

    Barbara
  • polarprincess
    polarprincess Member Posts: 202 Member
    #7
    hi
    I have had the exact same thing since last week and i was really worried as well.. in fact on wednesday it hurt so bad i went to the emergency room. Whenever the doc would press in that area it hurt horribly..yet all my bloodwork and everything came back ok, and so he didn't order any scans or anything since I had just had a scan in february which i realize doesn't always show things in the colon but...anyway.. long story short in the end i am pretty sure it was just a combination of semi blocked stool and horrible gas because i had eaten chinese food for 2 days straight, and even though i had gone to the bathroom, a couple days later i went like 5 times and then had an episode of diarrhea after that which evidently had been blocked behind the harder stool and after that the pretty bad pain went away and within a couple of days after that all of the pain was gone... so all in all it was about 6 days of pretty significant pain... maybe yours will be something as simple too hopefully.. good luck
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #8
    Hernia
    Hi Vicki,
    Sorry this came up for you, the waiting stinks. I have/had a abdominal hernia. I got it a while after my surgery back in the Fall of 2004. I honestly can't remember how long after surgery I got it, I think it was the following spring. At any rate, I have a rather large protrusion in my gut area. I can see where part of the abdominal wall is herniated. I am sore in that area still. I haven't been concerned about getting it fixed because I have other things to work on but an abdominal hernia can cause pain in the area that you are describing. I would not concern yourself that it could be anything other than the hernia at this point. As others have said, take some deep breaths and try to relax, they can't tell you anything more until after you have the scan so why get ahead of things in the wrong direction.
    Hope you get the scan and great results quickly.
    -phil
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #9
    Thanks
    Yes, I had to take a deep breath. ?the most likely scenario is hernia...my surgery was Feb 4, so almost 3 months. I just was alone and letting my imagination run.

    I appreciate all of the support. Whatever it is, we can fix it.

    Many hugs, Vicki
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #10
    deep breaths
    Hi Vicki,

    Take deep breaths! I'm sorry you're having a problem. It is apparently something- but I doubt it's a tumor. A hernia doesn't sound fun either, but it's better than a tumor, of course.
    I'll keep you in prayer-

    Take care,
    Lisa
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #11
    VickiCO said:

    Thanks
    Yes, I had to take a deep breath. ?the most likely scenario is hernia...my surgery was Feb 4, so almost 3 months. I just was alone and letting my imagination run.

    I appreciate all of the support. Whatever it is, we can fix it.

    Many hugs, Vicki

    The runs...
    My imagination has run many marathons over the years about this kind of stuff.
    -phil
  • Hatshepsut
    Hatshepsut Member Posts: 336 Member
    #12
    All my good thoughts are with you

    I'm so sorry you are having this scare.

    My husband had major surgeries in 2006 and 2007 (and a minor surgery in 2008) and has had some really painful incidents relating to scar tissue since those three surgeries. When that happened, I was very frightened and, of course, thought the worst. As it turned out (thankfully), the doctors were correct and he was having (and continues to have) temporary scar tissue issues. When it happens it is awful, but it does abate.

    I hope your problem turns out to be something minor or (another way to look at this) something early that your doctor can address.

    I'm a person who reacts dramatically to health issues that arise with my husband since his colon cancer diagnosis. Scan times make me physically sick. But, I do realize that many issues turn out to be something other than a cancer recurrence and when cancer does sometimes recur early detection of problems is vastly superior to finding problems late in the game. Either way, you are going to win.

    Sleep well tonight and relax.

    Hatshepsut
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #13
    Sending positive vibes
    Oh, Vicki. I'm sorry you were alone to get scared like that. I am praying it's not a tumor. If you remember some of my posts about the pain I've had since my surgery, you will recall that I've had several episodes severe enough for emergency room visits and hospital admissions. Scar tissue has been causing quite a ruckus, and the pain can be off the charts. So, it is quite possible that it's not a tumor!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #14
    Don't worry!
    Hey Vicki... here I am with the "Stop what you are doing and take some deep breaths!" Ok, not too deep... it's probably an abdominal hernia so if you take huge breaths, you might hurt yourself (grin).

    Sounds to me like it's a hernia! I say that because (grrrrrr) I have one too! Mine showed up about 3-4 months after my surgery. I had started my chemo about 2 months after the surgery and had had a couple of treatments when I noticed my stomach looked "different". It was like this rounded mound just above the belly button... which I had never noticed before. So I told my GP. He looked at it and said that he was going to send me for an ultrasound. I happened to see the ultrasound requisition that he had filled out and (yikes!) it said... "check large mass above stomach". Large mass??? Of course those two words are enough to send anyone into a tizzy.

    Lucky for me, the ultrasound was the next day... and sure enough, the "large mass" was a hernia. Mine doesn't hurt... although, when I cough I can feel it. But, visually, I don't like it... makes my stomach look even larger than it already is ;)

    And no, they are not going to do surgery on it. Because of the two surgeries, the muscles are not strong enough so if they did a hernia surgery, it would just come undone. Plus, they don't want to do any surgery on me so that we can save it until we might really need surgery.

    Soooooo... don't worry, you are going to be fine! Besides, a tumour would no have grown that fast in between the scans you have had. And remember... with colon cancer, one of the problems is there are no symptoms.

    You'll be fine!!

    Huggggggggs,

    Cheryl
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #15
    CherylHutch said:

    Don't worry!
    Hey Vicki... here I am with the "Stop what you are doing and take some deep breaths!" Ok, not too deep... it's probably an abdominal hernia so if you take huge breaths, you might hurt yourself (grin).

    Sounds to me like it's a hernia! I say that because (grrrrrr) I have one too! Mine showed up about 3-4 months after my surgery. I had started my chemo about 2 months after the surgery and had had a couple of treatments when I noticed my stomach looked "different". It was like this rounded mound just above the belly button... which I had never noticed before. So I told my GP. He looked at it and said that he was going to send me for an ultrasound. I happened to see the ultrasound requisition that he had filled out and (yikes!) it said... "check large mass above stomach". Large mass??? Of course those two words are enough to send anyone into a tizzy.

    Lucky for me, the ultrasound was the next day... and sure enough, the "large mass" was a hernia. Mine doesn't hurt... although, when I cough I can feel it. But, visually, I don't like it... makes my stomach look even larger than it already is ;)

    And no, they are not going to do surgery on it. Because of the two surgeries, the muscles are not strong enough so if they did a hernia surgery, it would just come undone. Plus, they don't want to do any surgery on me so that we can save it until we might really need surgery.

    Soooooo... don't worry, you are going to be fine! Besides, a tumour would no have grown that fast in between the scans you have had. And remember... with colon cancer, one of the problems is there are no symptoms.

    You'll be fine!!

    Huggggggggs,

    Cheryl

    Thanks Everyone!
    Yes, I overreacted yesterday. Tumors don't hurt, and there was nothing there in October, so it surely couldn't be large enough to feel by April! It's just that I am so darn close to the end, hopefully, and this crops up. Plus no of my support team (husband DD DSIL) were there to talk me down off the ledge. So I built it up in my head and started down that dark path again.

    Good news is that they took me off Fentynal. Now I am just on Vicodin for pain (and do I have pain now!You are right Cheryl, really deep breaths hurt!)

    Thanks for always being there, folks. i know I can count on reason and reality from you guys.

    Vicki
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #16
    VickiCO said:

    Thanks Everyone!
    Yes, I overreacted yesterday. Tumors don't hurt, and there was nothing there in October, so it surely couldn't be large enough to feel by April! It's just that I am so darn close to the end, hopefully, and this crops up. Plus no of my support team (husband DD DSIL) were there to talk me down off the ledge. So I built it up in my head and started down that dark path again.

    Good news is that they took me off Fentynal. Now I am just on Vicodin for pain (and do I have pain now!You are right Cheryl, really deep breaths hurt!)

    Thanks for always being there, folks. i know I can count on reason and reality from you guys.

    Vicki

    Glad you are feeling better
    Time has a way of bringing a bit of clarity! Funny that you prefer to have support with you if you receive potentially bad news. I guess because I've been in this a bit longer than you have and have been dealing with multiple recurrences, I actually ALWAYS go to consultation appointments alone! If I receive "bad" news, I want time to process it myself and decide what I am going to do and what I am going to tell my loved ones. I do know that they have a stake in how I deal with this, but I also know that I am the one in charge of making the tough decisions and I have to do what is ultimately the best for me. Plus, time gives me the ability to present the news in a way that might not be so shocking to them! It gives me a small amount of control in this battle and from my perspective, that's a big plus! I certainly go to my loved ones for support when I need it and I don't try to internalize everything like I did back when this began, but I have always been rather independent and this just works for me the best!

    I sure do hope you are able to get that pain under control soon, I know it can be terribly draining! And bring that needed pillow into public with you, I bet you'd get the good seats and the good tables every time! People love a chance to help another who is in need, especially when it's related to something everyone dreads, such as cancer! Play the card you've been dealt, sometimes it has advantages!
    mary
  • FAPMom47
    FAPMom47 Member Posts: 68
    #17
    Vicki
    I had the same pain 3 weeks ago and went to the ER. They did tests and it came back good, only thing they came up with was alot of air pockets, so they said gas. It hurt bad not like gas. I hope everything gets back on track for you.
    Many Prayers
    Jackie
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #18
    VickiCO said:

    Thanks Everyone!
    Yes, I overreacted yesterday. Tumors don't hurt, and there was nothing there in October, so it surely couldn't be large enough to feel by April! It's just that I am so darn close to the end, hopefully, and this crops up. Plus no of my support team (husband DD DSIL) were there to talk me down off the ledge. So I built it up in my head and started down that dark path again.

    Good news is that they took me off Fentynal. Now I am just on Vicodin for pain (and do I have pain now!You are right Cheryl, really deep breaths hurt!)

    Thanks for always being there, folks. i know I can count on reason and reality from you guys.

    Vicki

    Vicki
    You are in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sure it is nothing and you have been staying on top of everything. It is a good thing that the doctor is being proactive with things too

    Keep us updated. Kim
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #19
    Well, scan is set
    I have my CT scan scheduled for 9am tomorrow. we should have answers by Friday...

    Vicki
  • lmliess
    lmliess Member Posts: 329
    #20
    VickiCO said:

    Well, scan is set
    I have my CT scan scheduled for 9am tomorrow. we should have answers by Friday...

    Vicki

    Good luck!
    I'll say an extra prayer for you tonight.
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #21
    lmliess said:

    Good luck!
    I'll say an extra prayer for you tonight.

    THANKS
    I added an update to my post...

Discussion Boards