Seeking advice

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Missworrywart
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 1:50 pm
Facebook Username: Alyssa Moulton

Seeking advice

Postby Missworrywart » Mon Jan 01, 2018 2:31 pm

I think it's best if I start from the beginning.
2 years ago I started having random bouts of blood in my stool it's a lot bright red and sometimes with clots. I was told hemroids
8 months after it started I noticed I was very bloated, my doctor noticed this to and ordered a CT scan. A few things were found from this acites , and I had enlarged lymph nodes .
So I was given a referral to a gi doctor, he then diagnosed me with IBS and colitis . He literally didn't do much but talk to me and give me some antibiotics and put me on a bland diet for 2 weeks. The antibiotics haven't helped .
My uncle was diagnosed with Colon cancer at 24.
I'm 23 and the gi doctor will not do a colonoscopy due to my age. I'm hoping for some advice from possibly anyone who has been through similar :(

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

Re: Seeking advice

Postby Lee » Mon Jan 01, 2018 2:45 pm

Can you find a new GI doc? Sorry butt the GI doc is so wrong. I'm not saying you have cancer, butt something is going on. Anytime you have blood in your stools a colonoscopy should be done. At this moment, this GI doc is making an assumption. What if he is wrong. Your life is worth more than his assumption.

Go back to this GI doc and DEMAND a colonoscopy, tell GI do about your uncle. If GI docs still refuges, find a new one. Have this GI doc check this forum out. There are people here in their 20's dealing with this cancer, while it is rare, it does happen. Also if you do have IBS or colitiis, you should be check, IBS and colitis can cause inflammation. Inflammation can lead to colon cancer.

Keep us posted,

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!

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: Seeking advice

Postby susie0915 » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:41 pm

Blood always warrants a colonoscopy. This is what my GI told me. Also, since it is in your family and your uncle was as your age. Definitely. You need to find another doctor who will order a colonoscopy. I wouldn't stop until I found one. I definitely agree with Lee on this.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

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

Re: Seeking advice

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:42 pm

I'm sorry you're going through this!*hugs* I would try to see another GI if possible and insist on a colonoscopy. I hope you get answers soon!*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! :)

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juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Seeking advice

Postby juliej » Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:37 pm

Missworrywart wrote:I think it's best if I start from the beginning.
2 years ago I started having random bouts of blood in my stool it's a lot bright red and sometimes with clots. I was told hemroids
8 months after it started I noticed I was very bloated, my doctor noticed this to and ordered a CT scan. A few things were found from this acites , and I had enlarged lymph nodes .
So I was given a referral to a gi doctor, he then diagnosed me with IBS and colitis . He literally didn't do much but talk to me and give me some antibiotics and put me on a bland diet for 2 weeks. The antibiotics haven't helped .
My uncle was diagnosed with Colon cancer at 24.
I'm 23 and the gi doctor will not do a colonoscopy due to my age. I'm hoping for some advice from possibly anyone who has been through similar :(

Get a second opinion from another gastroenterologist! Make sure you mention that you have a family history of colon cancer at a young age. Keep pushing until you get a colonoscopy!

I also had to fight to get a colonoscopy. I was told my symptoms weren't severe enough to warrant one and I was too young to have colon cancer. In fact, the last thing the GI doc said to me before they knocked me out for procedure was not to worry, that it couldn't possibly be cancer. Next thing I knew someone woke me up and told me I had colorectal cancer. :shock:

Be as assertive/aggressive as you need to be. Physicians are slow in ordering colonoscopies for young adults because they are unaccustomed to seeing colon cancer in this age group. But there's been an marked increase in colon cancer in young adults lately. Sounds like your doc isn't up on the latest research.
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1


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