Young Women and Colon Cancer

[blanca]

Hello, my name is Blanca. I was diagnosed last July with colon cancer. I was 22 years old. I went through radiation, chemotherapy, and had surgery. Now I am going through my adjuvent chemo. I know that most people that are diagnosed with this type of cancer are in their 50's or later. I think that there should be some type of awareness for young people to get checked. I neglected my symptoms. Maybe because I didn't think it could happen to me. If anyone knows about awareness information please let me know. Thanks.

[cynnycal]

Hey Blanca,
I don't know about awareness information, unfortunately it's such a subject where young people don't want to think about.
but just to let you know who's here, i'm a 25 yr old woman and was just diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. i'm doing chemo first, and then radiation, then surgery. and i guess more chemo after that.
i just posted about how much it sucks being a young person diagnosed with what is more commonly thought of as an old persons affliction.
it's just not right, but i guess it's just life.
my situation was that it was inherited from my father, and no way around it i guess. I have Familial Polyposis (or FAP)
i didn't have many symptoms, but the few i did have, i also ignored. (figured it was hemorroids or something due to how physically active i am. flipping around and such, also riding horses and whatnot, figured it was just something related to that)
I'm very interested in starting something here in Chicago where I live that would help with awareness, but i have to admit, it's only something i want to do now ony after what i've been through.
if someone had told me to get checked before this (and not given my family history) i probably wouldn't have taken them seriously.

[blanca]

Cynnycal thanks for your response. I know it is very hard to go through all this. There is no history of colon cancer in my family so for me to be diagnosed is very difficult for my family to understand. My cancer was also Stage III and now the fear of it comming back remains. I have gone through various chemo regime but some have made me so sick my doctor has had to change things around. Let me know when your surgery is. My doctor had to remove about a foot of my colon. But thank God I did not a colostomy. I was well prepared if it was going to be neccesary. Good luck and keep me posted on your progress.

[cynnycal]

thanks Blanca.
yea, i don't know yet when the surgery will be but i think it'll be sometime early july.
what chemo regimen were you on? how was radiation for you?
are you free of it now?

I'll definitely be on this mssg board updating everyone whenever i can.

I'm about to post a new thread, but i figure i'll ask you here in this one, how was your hair throughout it? I was told you're not supposed to really lose your hair with this type of chemo...that its not as common as with other chemos, but i've heard it does thin out alot.
what was your experience?

[Holly]

Blanca,

Welcome to the Colon Club and congratulations on your survivorship!

Specifically, what type of awareness information are you looking for?

Be well, know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and go kick a little cancer a#$!

Hugs!

Holly

[michele]

cynnycal,

I am 39 and stage 3c. I am currently halfway through Folfox (Oxaliplatin, 5Fu and leucovorin) plus Avastin.

My hair started thinning out after treatment 2. Now it is very thin to me, but I cut my hair short (and donated the long hair I had), so, most don't notice it too much. Just me. I do miss my hair, but I don't expect to lose it all. My mom's just thinned out. She had the same treatment (finished 2 weeks before me) for the same cancer.

michele

[blanca]

Well I had about three months of radiation and that was the worst for me. The area that was treated got burnt really bad. And since it was further down where the tumor was, my bladder would get really irritated. Before and now, being on chemo has just thinned out my hair. I cut it short and it has grown but I noticed it is not as healthy as it was before. After surgery I was given oxaliplatin luecovorin, and 5fu, going home with the 5fu for 46 hours. Try sleeping with that thing. Well the oxaliplatin was damaging my nerves and the doctor took me off. Then we tried xeloda, and that made me sick. Now I am on 5fu and leucovorin once a week for two six week sessions. I just hope my body can resist this time.

[cynnycal]

man. my hair was thin before this. babyfine hair. ugh.
and now it's coming out alot. everytime i pull my ponytail holder out there's a clump of hair attached to it.
i usually have short hair, i'd just spent the past 2 years or so growing it out to the longest it's been in about 7 years.
i guess it's time to go back to short.
i am very timid with my hair now though. i only wash it every couple of days (where as i used to have to wash it every day, it's so fine it'd get greasy looking after one day). and i get out, dry it, and put detangler in it, but barely even touch it with a comb or brush.
i'm scared to see the hair come out. so i just let it air dry, throw it back in a clip and just try not to think about it.

as for the chemo, i don't seem to have many side effects. i haven't had any neuropathy so far, and no mouth sores or anything.
i'm afraid of the radiation b/c i've had this anal fissure that is really painful (right now, after some botox injections, it's just itchy and sometimes burning. but i can't imagine radiation will be good for that.)

well. what can i do? wait and see how it is i guess

(oh, and i'm also on oxaliplatin for 46 hours...but i can't do it as outpatient. i have to be hospitalized every two weeks. try sleeping with it AND in a hospital bed. really sucks)