Tests, More Tests, and a Couple Questions

[TheLadySkye]

It seems like I have spent the last few weeks going from one test to another or knocked out with anesthesia. Yikes.

It's been a year since surgery, so it was colonoscopy time (even though my tumor was in the small intestine). Everything looks good! I do have a hemorrhoid that was described as "fibrous" in nature (not like other ones? What? Even my hemorrhoids are weird?). Nothing to worry about, but a likely (benign) cause of the narrowing stool I've been having.

The nice GI doctor also repeated the endoscopy going into the small intestine to check out the surgical site. He saw nothing of concern, but took a couple biopsies anyway just to be sure. Is it weird that I'm nervous about those results even though nothing untoward is expected?

Got the boobs squished (mammogram time) and all looks good. Alas, my pap showed "atypical cells." My GYN promises if she was concerned, that she would be the first one to tell me so. She says it's not cancer. It's not pre-cancer. It doesn't even look like anything that some day maybe wants to BE cancer. She suspects it's because I finished chemo less than six months ago and probably ALL my cells are a bit atypical at the moment. She'll be repeating the test in six months. Still, it's hard not to worry and be oversensitive to this. Have any of you ladies ever had an abnormal pap during treatment? Not to be prejudiced. Gentlemen, if you want to weigh in too, that would be just fine.

I have also been having issues with my right hip. It began during chemotherapy. Some pain at the front of the hip, difficulty holding weight, though I could usually walk around and loosen it up and it was okay. Oncologist did not seem overly concerned at my repeated mentionings and indicated that joint pain was pretty common during chemotherapy. Alas, it has not subsided (though chemo did at the end of April) and continues to worsen. The pain is near constant now, I can no longer loosen or lessen the pain with activity, and I am often stumbling around because I can't put full weight on it. Is this a chemo gift? Temporary? Permanent? I see the oncologist next week. Is there anything in particular I should ask for in terms of testing or expectations?

Thank you all for your thoughts and insights. You guys are the best!

[betsydoglover]

Regarding the PAP - my oncologist says she has constant arguments with gyns. A pap is often abnormal during or shortly after chemo. The gyn always says to wait and check again. My onc is of the opinion that it should not be done during chemo, because it just worries patients and nothing is done about it at the time of the test.

Whether the hip is related to chemo or not, see an orthopedic surgeon - he/she can tell you what's going on regardless of the cause.

Take care,

[WifeOfMike]

Well gals

I am in similar boat, but don't have Cancer/ chemo....
I went thru full under the hook check up:
Family Dr, Colonoscopy, mammogram.... held my breath when pap came back abnormal
I was sent in for a Colposcopy, they found Nothing butt want me to do pap's every 6 months
Not quite sure how to fit me in the schedule.... had 16 DR appts this month alone- 5 for family and the rest for hubby
Now a year has rolled by.... and I HAVE to fit it in next month

Thanks for bringing this up as a reminder
hope you both turn out OK
Vicki

[orcasres]

First the abnormal PAP is VERY normal for as many as two years or more after chemo. Normally they do an HPV test just to be sure, but it is really nothing to worry about. My PCP (I do not have a separate GYN (small island life)) did do another PAP the following year after my first one came out abnormal instead of the normal three year interval and that one came out normal. The abnormal one came back about 5 months after I finished chemo.

About the hip, I have been sort of one walking ache and pain since chemo ended over three years ago. First it was the shoulder (physical therapy), then the piriformis, back spasms, and outer thigh (piriformis might be your hip problem) treated with more physical therapy and acupuncture, and I am going in today for another hip issue. The onc and PCP claim it is not chemo related, but I never had any orthopedic issues before. I now have also been diagnosed with arthritis in my toes (probably neuropathy related). I have found lots of relief from both PT and acupuncture, and I just need to keep trying things till I get something that works. One thing that helps is to keep doing the exercises the PT gives me long after I have finished the PT.


Lois

[michelle73]

All very good information! Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am about to begin chemotherapy for, as of now, an undetermined amount of time, for a liver metastases from colon cancer, and will undoubtedly run into these same problems I'm reading about here. I've just joined the Colon Club to follow discussions like these.

[mstults]

Welcome Michelle. Many of us have liver and lung mets.

[WifeOfMike]

Michele
I am sad you are here, but at the same time welcome you with open arms
GREAT place to be if you are in the "Club"

Vicki