Colon polyp question?

[Momof5]

Hi. I am a 29 year old mom to 5 children. In 2013 I noticed I was having blood streaks on my stools. In April 2014 I had a colonoscopy at age 26 (1 month shy of 27) and a 10mm polyp (on a stalk) was found in my sigmoid colon. The rest of my colon was normal and healthy. The polyp was removed during the scope and was sent to pathology. I was called 3 days later and was told the polyp was Hyperplastic and was totally benign and I did not need another scope for 10 years. I went on my happy way.

So now for some reason I decided to start googling my polyp and I found that Hyperplastic polyps are usually NOT OB stalks and are smaller than 10mm. This put me in a panic. I am not questions could my pathology been wrong? Could my polyp really been the precancerous kind? I also will share I suffer from extreme health anxiety and cancer phobia so I tend to over think things but since I had s polyp that was on a stalk and 10mm should I push for another scope.

It's been 3 years exactly since my last colonoscopy.

Also I have zero family of colon cancer however my grandparents have had benign polyps removed.

Thanks so much for all the help.

Sincerely,

A scared mom of 5 beautiful kids

[Momof5]

Anyone??

[weisssoccermom]

Please....calm down. I have had rectal cancer and have had subsequent scopes that have contained one polyp.
The first post-treatment scope had one benign polyp BUT....one that 'could' have turned cancerous. Thankfully it was removed and danger gone.
The second post-treatment scope had one benign hyperplastic polyp and I was told that these are almost always not a problem. Here is what I found that hopefully will put your mind at ease.

"Nearly 90% of all colon polyps are hyperplastic polyps, which
are usually harmless. Some researchers believe, however, that
in a very small number of patients who have many family
members affected by hyperplastic polyposis (multiple
hyperplastic polyps), the polyps may lead to colon cancer.
Other types of polyps include adenomatous polyps, from which 95% of colon cancers arise. These
polyps are larger than hyperplastic polyps. Hamartomatous polyps and inflammatory polyps are two
other types of benign colon polyps."

I understand your concern but seriously you have to trust what the pathology report says and stop fretting about it. In addition, STOP GOOGLING, particularly when you have been told GOOD news. You have more important things to be concerning yourself about than worrying that you have cancer....you have 5 children who are likely very young. If you allow this 'cancer phobia' to control your life, you're taking important time away from your kiddos.

Get your scope in another ten years but obviously be vigilant about any changes in your bowel/GI habits. That being said, don't allow your 'extreme health anxiety' to be running to the doctor about things that aren't really there. As for another colonoscopy, your insurance almost certainly would not cover it NOR would you find another doctor who would even order it since you just had one and NOTHING serious was found. I'm not sure where you got the idea that hyperplastic polyps aren't on a stalk....they usually are. Yes, they tend to be smaller but seriously a 1 cm polyp isn't that unusual and just because something is bigger doesn't mean it is cancer. My best friend had a super teeny polyp and I was there with her when the GI came in and told her that it was so small and not to worry about it (because of it's size). Turns out that teeny tiny polyp was precancerous (and btw, I laid into the doc in the recovery room for making a judgement call about a polyp based on its size).

Please, calm down. Enjoy life. You did the right thing to see the specialist and kudos that you were persistent to get a scope. Now that you've done that and have been given a clean bill of health, take comfort in knowing that everything is all right. On the other hand, you can literally make yourself ILL (not cancer) by your extreme anxiety....try to relax and enjoy your kids.

[Momof5]

I so very much appreciate your comment and I have read it over and over again. You are so wise and you are correct my children are ages 10, 8, 7, 5 and 3 months. The thought of anything taking me from them is extremely overwhelming and the colon polyp is very scary for me to think about.
My husband also thought I was being totally silly being concerned about this.

I guess google scared me when I read Hyperplastic polyps are usually without a stalk.

Again I so appreciate your words of wisdom.