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Colon Cancer? Please help me - this is new

paula44
Posts: 23
Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 1:11 am

I had a colonoscopy last week and the results came in this week. A semisessile poly 14mm with severe displasmia (sp?). I am scheduled for surgery Tues. My dr. told me he thought I would be clear - that chances are they already got it all in the colonoscopy. But then I read all the "stuff" on the internet and I'm SCARED TO DEATH! Do I have cancer or not? Or at least what are my chances? I can't sleep or eat. I'm so scared right now. Can anyone help?
vinny3's picture
vinny3
Posts: 933
 Joined: Jun 2006
Aug 11, 2007 - 1:33 am

Hi Paula,
To even think of possibly having a diagnosis of colon cancer is frightening. It sounds like you have dysplasia in a polyp. Even if that were cancer it sounds like it would be Stage 0. It should be totally curable. It may just be that there are premalignant cells there. It sounds like you caught it as early as one can and you will be fine. It just will be important to continue to get regular colonoscopies.

Dick
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 7:49 am

Thanks so much. I slept little last night. When I woke up the first thing I did was check here for replies. This helps. Thanks again. I'm so scared right now. . .
lfondots63's picture
lfondots63
Posts: 822
 Joined: Jan 2006
Aug 11, 2007 - 8:08 am

Hi, First take a deep breath. Second HUGS! Did you ask your doctor what this meant? I know sometimes if you were alone, you only hear the first few words when something is wrong and that is hard enough to comprehend. I think Dick is correct. If you doctor said that he caught most of it during the colonoscopy it sounds like polyps. I would say call your doctor and ask him to explain the diagnoses and what the surgery would entail? Not knowing what is going on makes me more panicy. Please come back here and tell us how it goes and sending good wishes to you for Tuesday. I'm actually going for my 2nd colonoscopy on Thurs. since diag.

Lisa F.
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 8:36 am

Thanks again. My H, daughter and mom all went to see the surgeon with me and we asked a lot of questions, but naturally I have a lot more. I think reading all the articles on the internet have made me worse because there's just so much out there. It is a polyp, but without removing part of the colon (and lymph nodes) they can't be sure they got it all, or that it didn't go into or through the colon wall. Only time will tell.

I wanted to add - I'm only 44. . .
jerseysue's picture
jerseysue
Posts: 626
 Joined: Oct 2005
Aug 11, 2007 - 9:00 am

I'm sure everything will work out just fine for you. As for your age you wouldn't believe how many young people on this board have colon cancer. I was dx at 41 with stage IV colon cancer. This disease doesn't care about your age that is the problem the doctors need to start getting that in their heads when they see young paitence male or female. I'm hoping all good news for you!
4law's picture
4law
Posts: 112
 Joined: Dec 2004
Aug 11, 2007 - 9:34 am

Ask your doctor questions and be sure they are answered until you understand everything. It is important to have faith and trust your doctors. I really don't know enough for a medical comment, but it seems as if you are lucky and whatever was found was found at an early stage. I suspect the surgery is to remove the site of the tumor/polyp and surrounding blood vessels and lymph nodes to insure against any spread in the future. Ask questions and expect answers -- don't settle for "don't worry your pretty little head" kind of answers. You came to a great site for support, education and hopefully answers to your questions. We all wish you well. You'll look back at this as a small dip in the road and there is no reason to believe that you will not live a long, fruitful and happy life.

claud1951's picture
claud1951
Posts: 429
 Joined: Jun 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 10:31 am

HI Paula,
Yes...we all understand (on here ) what you are going through and how scary it can be. For one thing...you are right...the internet is scary!! My husband got on line and looked things up and suggested things I could read. He kind of filtered things for me so I wouldn't get so overwhelmed and scared.

I am stage III colon and doing well. Still on Treatment but doing better than I expected to do.

Sounds like you may be even better than that and how cool is that?

Get a notebook and write down all your questions. Once you think of one, write it down then, and don't wait (or you'll forget).

Let us know the outcome. We're here for you.

Hugs..
Claudia
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 10:41 am

Thank you all so much. I can't stop crying. I'm just so scared and my husband isn't not by nature an emotional person, so he's offering what support he can, but it just doesn't feel like enough. The surgery sounds awful. I just want it to all be over.
claud1951's picture
claud1951
Posts: 429
 Joined: Jun 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 4:18 pm

Something else, Paula,

I had 12 inches colon removed (ascending..all the way over to the right side). You know what? They reattached the colong and I'm back to normal now.

You may not have this done, don't know what the doctor told you? You can get through that. One suggestion is after surgery...get up out of bed as soon as they tell you to. The sooner you are up and about, the better you'll be. Trust me.

You will make it just fine. Don't forget to let us know how things turned out?

Thinking of you
claudia
apache4's picture
apache4
Posts: 272
 Joined: Jul 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 10:46 am

I agree with everyone else...how lucky that you got that colonoscopy! Even if it is cancer, it is so curable at that stage that your chances are outstanding! At Stage IV with many liver mets, the largest of them are 3cm, I was and still am pretty scared. I can relate to your emotions...keep in contact with us all as we can help you through whatever may lie ahead. I sincerely hope that it is not cancer...'will be thinking of you.
ron50's picture
ron50
Posts: 1729
 Joined: Nov 2001
Aug 11, 2007 - 7:57 pm

Hi Paula,
During my last scope(nov2007)I had two 2mm sessile polyps removed. One showed displaysia which my gi described as pre-cancerous changes. It had not developed as a cancer and now it never will. It has not effected the frequenccy of my scopes they are still every two years. I know it is hard not to worry. I was dx in 1998 st3 colon ca with 6 nodes involved. I'm still here ,still ca free. I just make sure I have the scopes. Good luck,Ron.
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 11, 2007 - 8:34 pm

Thanks again everyone. And yes, they've already told me they would remove about a foot of my colon andr reattach it, along with 10-20 lymph nodes. I'm terrified of the surgery . It sounds awful. And I'm more terrified of the results.

Thanks for taking the time everyone - it helps.
apache4's picture
apache4
Posts: 272
 Joined: Jul 2007
Aug 12, 2007 - 10:08 pm

Hi, again.
They removed 18 inches of my colon about a year ago and everything "works" very well. The only thing that messed up the system was the chemo, but it still worked better then I could have imagined. The surgery is surgery...no walk in the park...but, it really wasn't that bad. I didn't have any warning or worry time as they did the scope and had me admitted right away and in surgery the next day. Maybe that helped me not to worry. I was numb from shock. Worry is not a good thing...the surgery will be a good thing as you will be on the road to a good recovery. When is it scheduled for? May I ask about your "44" with your name? I was born 4/4/44 and always use the "4's".
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 13, 2007 - 1:46 pm

apache4 -

I was also born 4/4! But my year was 1963! I'm 44 years old.

To everyone else - thanks so much. I feel better reading on here. My surgery is TOMORROW MORNING. I am terrified. I've had surgery before - I've had 4 abdominal surgeries (3 of them major) for "female" problems, but never anything like this. My surgeon has already told me that chances are I'm cancer free right now, but there's no way to know with "these things". He said my polyp has some benign cells but also some malignant ones. He said it either hasn't turned to cancer or it's just turned - it's very early. So removing 12" of colon and 10-20 lymph nodes seems awful invasive, but he assured me it's the best way, just to be sure. I welcome everyone's comments and experiences. It helps so much. Please pray for me. I'm so scared. Thanks!
4law's picture
4law
Posts: 112
 Joined: Dec 2004
Aug 13, 2007 - 3:56 pm

Scared? Who wouldn't be scared? We were all scared. I woke up with a ileostomy bag -- thankfully it was removed a couple of months later. The best advice I had came from this group: get up and push yourself to walk as soon as possible after surgery. It seems as if your surgeon is on target -- he is removing a portion of your colon and adjacent lymph nodes to insure a clean cut and insure against possible spread. Look at the bright side: you are lucky to have this taken care of at this early stage. You will be fine -- get back to us and prove us right.
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 13, 2007 - 4:01 pm

Thanks so much. I appreciate your help. I'm just ready to do it now.
KathyMH
Posts: 4
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 27, 2007 - 7:46 pm

Hi Paula! I just turned 43. I had small amounts of blood on toilet paper after bowel movements and went to the dr. in a few days. Saw GI and had a colonoscopy at the end of June. I was very freaked out, I didn't know what to expect. My biggest fear is that I have twins that are only 9 mos. old and I have to be here for them!

I was referred to 2 surgeons to talk about the resectioning surgery, and both Drs. said I would be OK, and to follow up with a colonoscopy, CEA tests, PET Scan and CT scan in November.

Part of me still feels like something wasn't right . . . even though my polyp was up higher and the surrounding tissues were normal, the whole thing just makes me nervous.

I can easily see how people "miss" this in its entirety. Especially being a woman, I could have thought the blood was spotting, etc.

How was your surgery?

Kathy
Moesimo's picture
Moesimo
Posts: 1080
 Joined: Aug 2003
Aug 13, 2007 - 5:49 am

I remember how scared I was when i heard that I had cancer. You will get through this. Take a deep breath. Make a list of questions for your doctor. then you won't forget anything. The surgery is not a walk in the park, but you will get through this. I never thought i would feel better again, but i do.

I lost 10 pounds the week I was diagnosed, because I couldn't eat.

If you have any specific questions, just ask.

Welcome to our group.

Maureen
paula44
Posts: 23
 Joined: Aug 2007
Aug 13, 2007 - 3:59 pm

Thank you so much - thanks to everyone. Please keep me in your prayers - my surgery is tomorrow.
crg123's picture
crg123
Posts: 80
 Joined: Mar 2007
Aug 13, 2007 - 9:56 pm

Prayers are the BEST......and are headed your way! God grant you healing and strenght!
Cheryl
ninthave
Posts: 12
 Joined: Jan 2007
Aug 23, 2007 - 6:11 pm

we all understand that fear, there is nothing else like it. sounds to me like they found it very early, cure rates at your stage are close to 100%.

I had a tumor 5cm, stage 3, lymph nodes, all that, in the rectum, and I'm still here cancer free. If yours is high enough and your rectum is preserved you'll probably function pretty normal after surgery too.

hang in there, and keep talking to people, dont spend too much time alone.
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