Explain CEA and colonoscopy bags

idlehunters
idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Can someone please explain this CEA that ya'll talk about. I am assuming it has something to do with the immune system??? I wonder why my doc (or any doc I have been to thus far) has never mentioned it

Jennie

Comments

  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #2
    blood test
    It's a blood test that may or may not be a good indicator of whether cancer has returned (it's a good indicator for some). I have it done every 3 months.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    #3
    cea
    cea is a blood test for some types of cancer.A colostomy bag is sometimes temp.or permanant.There are different types of bags ,some are 1 piece ,or 2 piece.There are disposable ones that you discard every day,and the ones that you can rinse out,and change every few days.They attach to a flange(waffer)that sticks to your skin with an adhesive that you also change every few days.I use coloplast brand ,and they deliver right to your door every month.You can get them pre-cut to fit around the stoma which will stablize in about 4 months,in size.A good colostomy nurse should explain it all after surgery.I had mine placed under the belt line,so i could wear a belt,and it would sit low,and you couldn't tell.
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #4
    karguy said:

    cea
    cea is a blood test for some types of cancer.A colostomy bag is sometimes temp.or permanant.There are different types of bags ,some are 1 piece ,or 2 piece.There are disposable ones that you discard every day,and the ones that you can rinse out,and change every few days.They attach to a flange(waffer)that sticks to your skin with an adhesive that you also change every few days.I use coloplast brand ,and they deliver right to your door every month.You can get them pre-cut to fit around the stoma which will stablize in about 4 months,in size.A good colostomy nurse should explain it all after surgery.I had mine placed under the belt line,so i could wear a belt,and it would sit low,and you couldn't tell.

    Bag
    What if you have to go more than what the bag holds. I do not have a bag but I am just curious
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    #5
    idlehunters said:

    Bag
    What if you have to go more than what the bag holds. I do not have a bag but I am just curious

    bag
    You may have a mess, Angel liked his beer so the bag would fill up alot i would come and empty it with the urinal because if he stood up the bag would come loose and leak out and we would have a mess and that happen alot in the beginning but he knew he would have to empty it before it got to full, and you will no too good luck don't worry.

    michelle
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    #6
    angelsbaby said:

    bag
    You may have a mess, Angel liked his beer so the bag would fill up alot i would come and empty it with the urinal because if he stood up the bag would come loose and leak out and we would have a mess and that happen alot in the beginning but he knew he would have to empty it before it got to full, and you will no too good luck don't worry.

    michelle

    bag
    When the bag gets about half full or so,you empty the disposable ones then replace them with a new bag,or you empty ,then rinse the reusable bag,then put it back on,but you still have to replace them every few days.You also have to replace the waffer every few days.There are also different size bags for different needs.If you do the irrigation method you only have to go every few days,but it takes about 45 minutes to do it.It's basically an enema,and you have to have the equipment,which comes from the ostomy supplier.The ostomy nurse shows you how to use it.
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #7
    karguy said:

    bag
    When the bag gets about half full or so,you empty the disposable ones then replace them with a new bag,or you empty ,then rinse the reusable bag,then put it back on,but you still have to replace them every few days.You also have to replace the waffer every few days.There are also different size bags for different needs.If you do the irrigation method you only have to go every few days,but it takes about 45 minutes to do it.It's basically an enema,and you have to have the equipment,which comes from the ostomy supplier.The ostomy nurse shows you how to use it.

    cea is tumor markers. It is
    cea is tumor markers. It is supposed to be an indication of how active your cancer is but some people have multiple tumors and a low cea count so alot of people think it is not always a good indicator. But , in theory it is supposed to be an indicator of tumor activity. Mine started out in triple digits which is supposed to be very high but some people get it in the thousands and become cancer free. So, basically, who the heck knows?
    A high cea pretty much just means you have cancer. To give you an indication normal is supposed to be 6 or less.

    Eric
    (:.)
  • Paula G.
    Paula G. Member Posts: 596
    #8
    eric38 said:

    cea is tumor markers. It is
    cea is tumor markers. It is supposed to be an indication of how active your cancer is but some people have multiple tumors and a low cea count so alot of people think it is not always a good indicator. But , in theory it is supposed to be an indicator of tumor activity. Mine started out in triple digits which is supposed to be very high but some people get it in the thousands and become cancer free. So, basically, who the heck knows?
    A high cea pretty much just means you have cancer. To give you an indication normal is supposed to be 6 or less.

    Eric
    (:.)

    CEA
    I had John ask the same question. He said that they can't always go by the CEA test as other's have mentioned. John's CEA was 25 and he has multiple tumors.He said they go more by how the person is feeling.You all know what I think about his soon to be NOT doctor.
    Paula G.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #9
    karguy said:

    bag
    When the bag gets about half full or so,you empty the disposable ones then replace them with a new bag,or you empty ,then rinse the reusable bag,then put it back on,but you still have to replace them every few days.You also have to replace the waffer every few days.There are also different size bags for different needs.If you do the irrigation method you only have to go every few days,but it takes about 45 minutes to do it.It's basically an enema,and you have to have the equipment,which comes from the ostomy supplier.The ostomy nurse shows you how to use it.

    Ostomy
    There are two different types of ostomies, one is a colostomy which is made from the large intestine and placed on the left side of the belly button and the other is an ileostomy (which I have) that is placed on the right side of the belly button and made from the small colon. I change my pouch every five days whether it needs it or not. The more I drink the faster it fills since I don't have the large colon right now to absorb the liquid. I, too, have to be careful of what I eat so I don't get any blockages (no corn, popcorn, peanuts, apple skins, tomato skins, celery, no Chinese vegetables, etc) so that is the basics.

    I'm still learning about the CEA's meaning. I just got mine back this morning, and thank God, it was normal. You might have gotten one, which I'm sure most cancer patients have because that is a big indicator of cancer, but you just might not know you had it taken. If you get your lab reports look at the blood work and see if you notice "CEA".

    It's surprising what we all have to learn during this process - unfortunately a lot more than we ever wanted to know and a lot more terminology than we wanted in our vocabulary.

    Kim

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