The Colon Club

Hello all! I’ve been lurking for a few days and figured I might as well join and ask the questions that I have.
First of all I have NOT been dx.
I have an abdominal ultrasound scheduled for this Friday and my upper and lower endoscopies scheduled in 3 weeks.

Current symptoms: I started noticing mucus about 6 months ago. The last month or so I’ve had intermittent blood on my t.p. that is gradually increasing. Within the last week I had bloody mucus. Blood work showed low hemoglobin, % saturation, low MCH, high RDW (sd), high RDW (cv), low ferritin.
I am also having heart palpitations and easily out of breath. FATIGUE.

Longer symptoms/issues: bile acid diarrhea for 10 years treated with prevalite daily. GERD for the last 3 years. I have actually had rectal bleeding on and off for years that I assumed was hemorrhoids.
I’ve had surgery to remove my thyroid 10 years ago after a large goiter grew. I also had surgery to remove my gallbladder a month later.

I have type 1 diabetes along with some other autoimmune disease/s which is currently being looked at as mixed connective tissue disease.

I had an upper and lower endoscopy 6 years ago after having unexplained weight loss that had no indication of anything.

I do have a brother with ulcerative colitis.

Here are my current questions:
1. Has anyone that has been diagnosed with CRC had bloody mucus as a symptom before diagnosis?
2. What can an abdominal ultrasound diagnose? Will they even see anything in my gi track, or will they only be able to look at other organs?

I’m not freaking out about the possibilities as this point, I just want answers so I can start doing whatever I can to feel better. My internist thinks I have Crohn’s. The GI dr didn’t speculate at all. I know I won’t have any real answers until the scoping is done, I just want to learn what I can in the meantime.

Thanks!

Hi ,
Welcome to the forum . Glad you are getting some investigations done . Have you had a colonoscopy or did I just miss that ? That’s certainly how my mum was picked up and a good investigative tool . There are many reasons as I am sure you are aware for mucus with blood but it has been a symptom that caused some people to get checked out . Getting thoroughly investigated is definitely a good plan and you sound as though you will pursue this .
All the very best ,
Stu

Thanks for the reply Stu.
I had an abdominal ultrasound yesterday and have my colonoscopy scheduled for May 1st.

The waiting part is no fun. I wish the ultrasound tech would have told me what she saw. Not sure when the doctor will let me know the results.

Hoping for some answers soon.

Cndlgrl wrote:...
Here are my current questions:
1. Has anyone that has been diagnosed with CRC had bloody mucus as a symptom before diagnosis?
2. What can an abdominal ultrasound diagnose? Will they even see anything in my gi track, or will they only be able to look at other organs?

For your second question, there was an earlier thread here that discussed the issue:

How good is ultrasound at picking up anything?
http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29275

For questions about Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, you can get some information here by searching past posts of MissMolly for keyword CROHN'S or keywords ULCERATIVE COLITIS. The instruction for how to do this search are found here:

MissMolly's Insightful Posts
http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=58013&p=456986#p456986

I'm glad to read you scheduled your colonoscopy because it really is the best way to see all of what could be going on. Many tests lije ultrasounds just don't answer all the questions so you end up with test after test.
Your symptoms are definitely concerning and I am sorry you are going through this. I hope for you that your colonoscopy is clear and that you can find some relief from your symptoms. We'll be here for you either way. We all want to help you navigate this.

Hugs.
KE

O Stoma Mia wrote:

Cndlgrl wrote:...
Here are my current questions:
1. Has anyone that has been diagnosed with CRC had bloody mucus as a symptom before diagnosis?
2. What can an abdominal ultrasound diagnose? Will they even see anything in my gi track, or will they only be able to look at other organs?

For your second question, there was an earlier thread here that discussed the issue:

How good is ultrasound at picking up anything?
http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29275

For questions about Ulcerative colitis and Chron's disease, you can get some information here by searching past posts of MissMolly for keyword CHRON'S or keywords ULCERATIVE COLITIS. The instruction for how to do this search are found here:

MissMolly's Insightful Posts
http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=58013&p=456986#p456986

Not to be a grammar nazi but it might make searching difficult but it's Crohn's not chron's.

I don't have CRC but I had a lot of bleeding for 6 months prior to getting a colonoscopy (really dumb but I was scared. Dr said I probably would have perforated if I had waited for even a week later. I was very severely ill when diagnosed, 34 day hospitalization, TPN, etc) and I was diagnosed with Crohn's colitis + perianal disease. I eas going 30+ times a day and the blood filled the entire toilet bowl. Hoping you get answers at your colonoscopy. Bleeding can be a lot of things not just CRC

Thank you so much for all the replies to my questions.

I got the results of my ultrasound as being “normal”.

My colonoscopy and upper endoscopy are coming up on May 1st. I’m anxious to just get them done and find out what is going on in my body.

My GERD has been out of control the last several days and I’ve been having to “sleep” sitting up in bed. I feel like I can’t eat anything without feeling like it’s lodged in my throat.

I’m curious how many of you “knew” you had cancer before you actually had your scope done and an official diagnosis?

Any special tips for my prep? I am a type 1 diabetic, so I will have to take some precautions with my insulin dosage during it.