New to this board and colon cancer

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Downbutnotout
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:57 pm
Facebook Username: Susan Lazar Nelson

New to this board and colon cancer

Postby Downbutnotout » Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:11 pm

Hello, all. I'm Sue. 50 year old female. In June I went for a routine colonoscopy where they found a large adenoma. Pathology results showed precancerous but they said the adenoma had to come out.

On July 26th, they removed the adenoma by colonoscopy with EMR but said it was highly suspicious for cancer.

Pathology confirmed that it is stage 1 invasive adenocarcinoma.

On August 17th (2 weeks ago today), they did a bowel resection and removed 10 lymph nodes. My intestines were also "stuck" to other organs (spleen, bladder, etc) from adhesions due to prior abdominal surgeries. Pathology results indicate that they got all of the cancer).

I'm home from the hospital for about a week now and really struggling with pain, eating and depression.

While I'm rejoicing in the fact that they got all of the cancer, I'm struggling and oddly terrified about having the Staples removed next week.

I tried to eat yogurt with granola in it today but apparently my body isnt ready for granola as I'm in awful pain now.

How long until the pain subsides? Did you experience depression after? If so, for how long? How often will I need colonoscopies after this?

Thank you, in advance, for your support and guidance.

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

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby WriterGirl1969 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:24 pm

Hi Sue. So sorry to hear, but so glad to see that it was fairly early and that they feel they got it all. That's great news.
As a woman of 48 and a Mom I can identify with all the crazy feelings. My surgery went fairly well and they used surgical glue vs. staples, so I can't speak to that part, but I will pray that you heal quickly and get some relief from your pain.

Smiles, hugs and prayers,
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.”

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby NHMike » Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:29 pm

I'm sorry for your current condition but happy that you're cancer-free now. We've had a few threads here recently on problems with resuming normal food to quickly after surgery and threads on going more gradually to solid foods after surgery. There should have been some post-surgical guidance on getting back to normal with food before discharge. Perhaps you could speak with someone at the hospital to discuss resuming nutrition too.

On colonoscopy frequency - perhaps you could discuss that with your GI person. I have one now and I'm sure that I'll be seeing him on a regular basis in the future.

I feel that depression - of the clinical sort, should be treated by a professional. I have been depressed on and off with this stuff but I wouldn't call it clinical.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

KimT
Posts: 695
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:53 pm

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby KimT » Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:07 pm

One week out from surgery is still rough. Take your pain medicine and move around. I've had a total of 4 abdominal surgeries and the 2 week mark has been a turning point for me each time pain and recovery wise. Don't sweat the staples. You will feel better once they are out. I only had staples once out of the 4 surgeries and it was the most painful. I recall it felt so much better once they came out.
2/10 dx colon cancer
right hemicolectomy 3/19/10
Stage 2a 0/43 nodes
Lynch syndrome
3/14/10 colon resection/ removal of metal clips
Nov 11 dx ovarian cancer

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LeonW
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun May 03, 2015 4:59 pm
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby LeonW » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:48 am

Downbutnotout wrote:I'm struggling and oddly terrified about having the Staples removed next week.

I was terrified about the removal of the staples too. Had plenty after the liver resection - must have been 25 or 30 or so.
It turned out not bad at all - all fear subdued once the first 3 or 4 went out easily.
Dec 2012 - CC 2 unresect liver mets, CEA 41.8 (MM 65yrs)
Jan 2013 - colectomy @ spleen 2/26 nodes IVa T3N1bM1a
Feb-Jul - 1x Xelox-7x Xelox/Avastin, shrinkage from #3
Aug - 2x PV embolization (both failed)
Sep 2013 - R liver resect, 25d hosp (liver failure/delirium, lung emboli, encephalopathy), no living cancer (pCR)
2014/15 - recovery, scopy: 2 polyps
2016 - new town/life
2018, scopy: 2 polyps
2018/20 low (1.0-1.4) CEAs/clean CTs: 4x2014, 6x2015-17, 3x2018-20
next June 2021!

KElizabeth
Posts: 400
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 12:41 pm
Facebook Username: KElizabeth
Location: Omaha

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby KElizabeth » Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:12 pm

I just wanted to say welcome to the club. I don't remember how I felt after surgery, it's all just a blur. It turned out okay. Hopefully it is forgettable for you too.
Female age 39- ,2 teens.
Colon Cancer - DX March 2013
Age 34 at DX - Stage III B
Resection surgery -May 2013
FOLFOX - June, 2013 to Sept, 2013
5FU plus leukavorin Sept, 2013 to Dec, 2013
METs liver and lungs discovered Sept, 2015
KRAS - MSS
FOLFIRI plus Avastin - Sept, 2015 - July 2017
Durvalumab and Cediranib Sept 2017 Dec 17
FOLFOX with desensitization protocol - current

Chickspeed
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2017 5:16 am

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby Chickspeed » Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:19 pm

Your talking about staples
I have to plead ignorant
Just what are they?
12/15/2016 Mod Diff tumour 5-6 cm 10-12 cm fr AV T3 tumour cea 1.4
12/29/2016 CT no spread ln normal
1/19/2017 MRI confirms mass and shows 3 enlarged LN (suspected to be infection draining)
3/6/2017 25 sessions chemoradiation
6/20/2017 LAR with temp loop ileo
7/10/2017 Path 20mm margins tumour 0.1 CM with microscopic invasion of submucosa
aug-dec 2017 6 rnds xeloda
1/9/2018 CT all clear
1/18/2018 Colonoscopy clear
3/27/2018 ileo reversal
CEA continues to be normal

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby Lee » Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:38 pm

Can I assume they cut you open? I was, I had many staples in my stomach area. It did not hurt to have the staples removed. In fact, they had some teck person doing it for the 1st time on me.

Did they put you on any type of diet? If not. You might want to look up "low fiber" diet and follow that for a while. At least for a few weeks, then reevaluate. Yogurt is a good item, granola maybe not.

If you were cut open like me, it's gonna be a month before you feel something close to normal. Then you notice improvements almost daily. At the 6 week mark I was probably 95% normal. This is major surgery, I had someone tell me once, the only thing worst is a gun shot wound to the stomach area.

Most people feel depression when diagnosed with cancer. It's a scary diagnoses, and what you are going through is normal. I believe I had some form of depression for several weeks following my diagnoses. If you want, you can ask your Dr for a presc of antidepression pills for a few months.

Feel free to vent, cry, or whatever here. Believe me, we have all walked in your shoes, and know what you are going through right now. You are not alone here.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Sep 06, 2017 3:31 pm

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time!*hugs* I find that heat helps with cramping. Walk as much as possible to help with gas and bloating. I keep a food journal to track what I eat the associated symptoms. I hope you feel better soon!*hugs* I was scared of getting the staples out too but it doesn't hurt. *hugs* My doctor put steri strips on after removing the staples. I followed the doctor's instructions for when to remove the steri strips. Removing the steri strips caused me a lot of pain. It would have been better just to let them fall off on their own. I hope getting your staples out goes well!*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! :)

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby Lee » Wed Sep 06, 2017 3:40 pm

DarknessEmbraced wrote: I followed the doctor's instructions for when to remove the steri strips. Removing the steri strips caused me a lot of pain. It would have been better just to let them fall off on their own. I hope getting your staples out goes well!*hugs*


I've always been told to let them fall off naturally. It's okay to trim them down as they separate from skin, butt do not pull from skin as it could reopen a wound. Interesting that your Dr had instruction for doing that.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Wed Sep 06, 2017 3:46 pm

I thought it was strange too. I learned my lesson.
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! :)

Basil
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: New to this board and colon cancer

Postby Basil » Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:53 pm

I had the glue and had no interest in touching or removing it for fear of doing so prematurely. Couple of weeks after surgery my PA said I could start taking it off. I let it fall off on its own.
40 y/o male (now 46), kids 11 & 14.
Dx 3/16/17, rectal cancer s3,t3,n1,m0
PROSPCT trial (FOLFOX in lieu of chemorad)
FOLFOX 4/5/17 - 6/26/17
LAR 7/31/17, temp ileo
pathological complete response
Adjuvant chemo cancelled (IDEA Study)
Ileo reversed 9/25/17
NED
1 year scans - clear
2 year scans - clear
3 year scans - clear
4 year scans - clear
5 year scans - clear (considered cured)


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