Helping others dodge the C bullet

for yeah! And now this man
for yeah! And now this man should tell 10 people, who will tell 10 people and on it will go!

butterfly23 said:

Hi
I'm still amazed they haven't changed the age to get tested! I was diagnosed at the age of 38, with no history, symptoms besides a lymph node in my neck, by then it had already spread. There are toooo many people on this site and others that have no family history or symptoms! I truly think they should change the age limit!
Karyn

I agree
I've read in more than one place, that 90% of colon cancer is in persons over age 50. I'm sure not finding that in my own dealings.

The new colon cancer support group here had 5 people attend the first meeting (I couldn't make it). 3 of the 5 were younger than me. So that means 4 of 6 younger than the age 50 screening point. Craziness!

I highly doubt they'll lower the age below 40 anytime soon, but we need to fight to get it dropped - doing it in increments if necessary. It should at least be as low as 40 or 45 from what I am seeing as ages for those with colon cancer. I know they will never drop it low enough to get the outliers. But if supposedly 90% are over age 50, they need to REDO those numbers with RECENT data, and lower the screening age to include 90%. I bet we'd see it drop below 45.

I'm glad they've dropped the protocol to screening 10 years prior to dx of a first-degree relative. This means my brother and sister are able to schedule theirs (they are both younger than me).

thready said:

Test earlier
I am new, but I have reading many of the posts and bios. It seems there are soooo many here that are under the age of 50. They really need to change the age to 40, and they need to decrease the years between tests, and Dr's need to realize not everyting is a hemorrhoid. (Sorry I am getting on my soap box.) My cancer was found incidentaly, I went to the Dr with stomach pains, he wanted to do an endo and because I am at that magic age he did the colonoscopy, the stomach was fine, but there was a surprise in the upper part of my decending colon. I like surprises as long as they sparkle or they come in pretty blue boxes. This was an ugly thing that the GI guy found, I did not like that surprise.

The fellow who had the "precancer" polyp removed, had it removed, but they marked where it was. Does he need to have further follow up? I appreciate all of your thoughts.

Another scary thing is there is a small ground swell of people who think we test too much. That the technology used today is giving too many early results of cancer. Yikes!!! Where do these people come from?

Had it at 40
I had it at 40, but it took 3 more years before they would refer for a colonoscopy (HMO).

By that time...well

40 may actually be too late, there are several here who got it UNDER the age of 40, but $$$ and Politics play such a big role.

The only thing I could say is for now, just pay Cash if the insurance won't pay. Wish I would have been smarter, but like so many of you had been healthy up till then, but the doctors ignored my sympoms for 3 years, so he was negligent in his "practice."

-Craig

Jimbob- said:

When to Test.
I had my Colon cancer diagnosed and surgery performed when i was 62. Doc toldmy Son that he shouldstart having colonoscopies 14 years ahead ofthe date that I was diagnosed. That would make him 48 when he should start, before 50 by two years.

Personally I thik it is never too early,especially if you ahve a Family history.

Jimbob

so then how....
would anyone convince their brothers to have one? Both are 44 and 45 I think, and my doc sugests I talk them into it. Considering my grandmother died from it (although in the 60's), and I got it, my father has a history of polyps, and my latest colonoscopy showed more polyps (1 of the unsure recheck in 6 month type). I'm not talking to one of my brothers, but have told my father not to let up on him, and the other, have convinced his wife to talk him into it. As for insurance, I believe that if they can show a family history that insurance would cover it (don't make me swear to that). That Also puts my kids at about the age of 35 having to have one - maybe by that time the "rules" will change.

I've managed to convince about 3 other people to have a colonoscopy, now if I could convince my mother to have a mammogram.....

daydreamer110761 said:

so then how....
would anyone convince their brothers to have one? Both are 44 and 45 I think, and my doc sugests I talk them into it. Considering my grandmother died from it (although in the 60's), and I got it, my father has a history of polyps, and my latest colonoscopy showed more polyps (1 of the unsure recheck in 6 month type). I'm not talking to one of my brothers, but have told my father not to let up on him, and the other, have convinced his wife to talk him into it. As for insurance, I believe that if they can show a family history that insurance would cover it (don't make me swear to that). That Also puts my kids at about the age of 35 having to have one - maybe by that time the "rules" will change.

I've managed to convince about 3 other people to have a colonoscopy, now if I could convince my mother to have a mammogram.....

Insurance does pay now for
Insurance does pay now for first-line family members (siblings, children) within 10 years of when you were dx'd. So if you were 45, they will pay for your siblings at 35 and same for your children under current guidelines. I expect these guidelines to change to checking even earlier. But for now protocol is 10 years, so that is what they cover. Now if you have other issues like genetic testing and find out you have Lynch Syndrome, those guidelines change.

My brother just made his appointment for this Friday. He is 45. I am SO HAPPY he is going in. I hate to say it, but I hope they find a small little benign polyp - just something enough to make him remember it is important to KEEP getting checked on a regular basis. Otherwise I'm afraid he'll say "all clear" and not go back for a long time.

I'm still waiting to hear from my sister. She is 44, and her husband is a chiropractor that often balks at traditional medicine. I'm afraid he might be part of the reason she hasn't made her appointment yet. Considering there is a good chance our maternal grandmother may have had colon cancer in her 50's (died at age 56 back in the 60's with dx of liver cancer - but it could have been something else that metastisized to the liver), and our mother has had several polyps removed over the years (the type that can turn to cancer left untreated), and now me with a definite dx of cancer at 47 (although I know for certain I've had it since 45 due to symptoms, but probably much longer due to tumor size), it is VERY important my siblings get their butts in for a scope!

Three of my friends that had been putting theirs off just scheduled! Now I just need to get my husband in. I told him since he turned 50 this year, and we've hit our family maximum out of pocket after my 3 surgeries and more medical appointments and tests than I can count (including CT, PET, MRI, and expensive genetic testing), now is the time for him to get in too.

Keep pushing those friends and relatives. Make them understand they don't have to go through what we do if they get detected early!