Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

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luckywilson
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Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:02 pm

Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby luckywilson » Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:11 pm

I'm a 38 year old female. I'm trying not to freak - but my father was diagnosed with colon cancer at 44 - actually he was misdiagnosed with hemorrhoids for 1 year then diagnosed with colon cancer at 45, he had surgeries and chemo and radiation and died at 54. My mother also dies, though of ovarian cancer at 59.
Two days ago I went to the bathroom to pee and when i wiped there was a lot of mucus with blood in it on the paper - I couldn't work out where it was coming from - but I worked out it was the back not the front. Later when I pooped there was blood on the stool. Since then I have had nothing. I have been exhausted for a month - but I thought it was the side effect of a new antidepressant I'm taking. I have never been this tired in my life. Everyone is saying - it's just internal hemorrhoids, like I shouldn't be worried, but I am. If it was cancer would I be bleeding all the time? Today I had a bowel movement with no visible blood. I don't feel well, but I can't tell if that is panic/anxiety. I saw my regular dr yesterday, she couldn't see anything, she did a digital rectal exam and felt nothing. Am I being ridiculous?

esk2poo
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Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:17 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby esk2poo » Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:52 pm

Sorry for your losses and the way you are feeling. To put your mind at ease, find a good gastroenterologist and demand a colonoscopy. The recommendation is for you to have one ten years before your parents were diagnosed so you are overdue. Stay away from google and get an appointment.
Good luck,
Allen
Dx 8/23/11 stage 3b crc
3 of 11 LN's
resection 9/15/11
folfox start 10/31/11 12 sessions
De-ported 6/2012
clear CT 7/2012
Clear colonoscopy 9/2012

luckywilson
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Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:02 pm

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby luckywilson » Fri Apr 08, 2016 6:51 pm

Thank you Allen. You are right Google has not been my friend these past 48 hours :| I have made an appt to see a gastroenterologist on Monday morning - hoping she can do a colonoscopy soon...

orcasres
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Location: Orcas Island, WA

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby orcasres » Fri Apr 08, 2016 7:18 pm

You definitely should get a colonoscopy as soon as possible. It is the only way to be sure o things and with your family history you are definitely due. You should have been eligible for one by current guidelines at age 34 or 35 at the latest. Get that scope and get back to the forum to let us know how you are doing. Lois
63 yo F
Colon resection Sept. 2010
pT3N0M0 Stage 2A
Medullary Tumor 6.5cm long
Lymphovascular invasion
Lynch negative
12 FOLFOX 11/2010 to 5/2011 8 w/Oxi
NED so far

jhocno197
Posts: 817
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 9:33 pm

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby jhocno197 » Fri Apr 08, 2016 9:13 pm

I'm surprised they haven't done a colonoscopy on you sooner, given your father's young age at diagnosis! Definitely demand one ASAP!
DH - dx Dec 2014, stage IV with bladder & peritoneal involvement - non-resectable
Colostomy
FOLFOX failed
FOLFIRI failed
Tumor actually distending pelvic skin
Not a candidate for last-ditch pelvic exenteration
Stivarga finally begun 2/19/16
Tumor growing/fungating
Lonsurf started 11/18/16
Died 3/10/17

Lydia666
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Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby Lydia666 » Fri Apr 08, 2016 9:18 pm

No, cancer does not always bleed- mucus is suspicious. Please get a colonoscopy, it is the only thing you can do right now. It could be just a polyp, they can give the same symptoms.
Oct 2012- thyroid cancer
June 19, 2015 Dx@39 yrs- CRC-T3N1M0
No vascular, no perineural invasion
Aug-Sept 2015- 28 rad/5FU
Oct 28, 2015- LAR- temp ileo, neg. nodes- 0/11
March 2016- 6 rounds Xeloda/positive CHEK2 mutation
August 2016- DCIS and decided post prophylactic double mastectomy
May 2018 - clean CT
Sept 2018-clean scope
Devastation, total shock- oct 2018, invasion of peri mets
Dec 20 - 2 round of folfox
Mom to 4 & 7 yrs kids - at least i brought them to this level of independence.

peanut_8
Posts: 2340
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 1:31 pm

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby peanut_8 » Sat Apr 09, 2016 1:00 am

Hi luckywilson Welcome to ColonTalk.

I can certainly understand why you would be concerned. You need a colonoscopy. With your Father having colon cancer at age 44, ideally you would have had your first colonoscopy at age 34. It is an additional concern that your Mom had ovarian cancer. That makes me suspicious that you may have a genetic condition called Lynch 'syndrome, which would make you susceptible to a few different cancers. You are not being ridiculous. Please insist on a colonoscopy, and then potentially genetic consulting. And keep us posted on your progress.
Best Wishes, peanut
female, diagnosed Jan 14, RC stage 2a, age 56
MSS
April 14, 28 chemo/rad with Xeloda
June 14 adjuvant Xeloda 6 rounds
currently NED

Nik Colon

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby Nik Colon » Sat Apr 09, 2016 1:46 am

Didn't read the replies yet, but you should have had a colonoscopy at 34, 10 yrs b4 your dad's dx, that is protocol. Please go in

DarknessEmbraced
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Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sun Apr 10, 2016 12:51 pm

I agree with everyone else that it's best to get an appointment with a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. Sorry about your father and mother.*hugs* Please let us know how you make out.*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

crazylife
Posts: 256
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Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby crazylife » Sun Apr 10, 2016 1:26 pm

Yes, please go. My husband was diagnosed at 41 and my children will start screening at 31.
Wife to DH, 41 years old, diagnosed 11/15
Stage 4, Mod diff, 13/24 LN, 1 liver met
Colon/liver resection at MSK, 11/15
8mm lung met (not confirmed) and enlarged lymph nodes 1/16
12 rounds of folfox (9 with Oxi) 6/16
NED - July 2016
NED - October 2016
3 lung mets - March 2017
7 lung mets, May 2017
RFA to largest met, June 2017
Lung mets growing slowly, October 2017 (off treatment since June 2016)
Right lung surgery, November 2017
Left lung surgery, January 2018
NED - May 2018

del
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 11:21 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby del » Sun Apr 10, 2016 6:15 pm

luckywilson wrote:If it was cancer would I be bleeding all the time? Today I had a bowel movement with no visible blood.


No, bleeding from bowel cancer can be intermittent (it was in my case). There are lots of things that can cause blood & mucus in your stools but the only way to know for sure is a colonoscopy. Try to stay away from Dr Google for now too, you will have plenty of time to research once you find out what it is but right now it will only give you added stress. Best wishes and please let us know how it goes!
Male, 33 @ dx, stage 1 RC (T1N0M0 mod. diff. 0/29 LNs)
2016-02 - Cancerous polyp removed during colonscopy, 0.5 mm margin
2016-03 - ULAR & TME surgery, temp ileostomy
2016-04 - DVT, pulmonary embolism
2016-11 - Ileostomy reversal
2018-10 - Another DVT & PE
2021 - 5 years of clean scopes/scans/bloods

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WriterGirl1969
Posts: 524
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:48 pm
Location: Central NY

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby WriterGirl1969 » Sun Apr 10, 2016 7:46 pm

luckywilson wrote:Thank you Allen. You are right Google has not been my friend these past 48 hours :| I have made an appt to see a gastroenterologist on Monday morning - hoping she can do a colonoscopy soon...


I see that folks here have already left you some wonderful responses and advice. As a newly diagnosed, I can tell you that the information here is absolutely invaluable. Like they said, try to stay off google. Most of what you read is outdated or just plain not right, as various threads here have posts on. You're doing just the right thing getting to a GI. Stress the age of your father's diagnosis. That should be the trigger to ensure they do the procedure. If not, go to another one. Don't give up. And don't freak out. It could be a lot of different things. You are doing what you need to and getting checked now vs. waiting, which is great no matter what.

It's terrible to hear you had to lose your parents so young. My heart and prayers go out to you. Deep breaths, keep us posted, and lots of hugs.

--Tracy
DX 3/4/2016 Colon Cancer; age 46 Mom of then 4-yr-old
Stage IIIB: T3N1M0
3/31/16 Surgery
4 to 10/2016: Xeloda Monotherapy
CEA: 10/16 0.56, 1/17 0.54
CT CLEAR: 3/6/17; 4/17/18; 4/16/19
NED 3 years
“If I can help somebody as I walk along, then my living shall not be in vain.”

luckywilson
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:02 pm

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby luckywilson » Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:39 pm

Thank you all so much for your posts, advice and good wishes so far. I have an appointment with a gastroenterologist in the morning - I will keep you posted. Your support and info these past few days have been invaluable. I have 2 young kids so I can't talk about it really, it's been so helpful to have this space as it's been really hard to put it out of my mind. X

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WriterGirl1969
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Location: Central NY

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby WriterGirl1969 » Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:33 pm

luckywilson wrote:Thank you all so much for your posts, advice and good wishes so far. I have an appointment with a gastroenterologist in the morning - I will keep you posted. Your support and info these past few days have been invaluable. I have 2 young kids so I can't talk about it really, it's been so helpful to have this space as it's been really hard to put it out of my mind. X


The not knowing and worry are the worst, for sure. My little man will be 5 in about 2 weeks, so I get the Mom part. Truly. Deep breaths, wait to find out more, we're here if you need us.
DX 3/4/2016 Colon Cancer; age 46 Mom of then 4-yr-old
Stage IIIB: T3N1M0
3/31/16 Surgery
4 to 10/2016: Xeloda Monotherapy
CEA: 10/16 0.56, 1/17 0.54
CT CLEAR: 3/6/17; 4/17/18; 4/16/19
NED 3 years
“If I can help somebody as I walk along, then my living shall not be in vain.”

luckywilson
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:02 pm

Re: Blood from my rectum/bloody stools - father diagnosed with colon cancer at 44

Postby luckywilson » Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:25 am

I saw a gastroenterologist this morning and she was able to fit me in for a colonoscopy on Friday - so I am grateful it is not a long wait. I will keep you posted. Thank you for your kindness and support.


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