Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

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MaggieZaher
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Facebook Username: Manar.Zaher

Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby MaggieZaher » Mon May 28, 2018 11:02 pm

Hello everyone,
I created this account just today as my anxiety level is up the sky at the moment and need some support and perhaps some ideas from your experiences.

I am a 44 year old female,
2 years ago I went through a colonoscopy, as my iron level was low so my GP ordered an occult blood test which came back positive, she referred me to a gastroenterologist who did the clonoscopy which came back all clear. That was a big releaf back then.

Few days ago I started to notice a little visible blood when wiping, then a day later I could see a bright red colour in my stool. I went straight to my GP who examined me and said that was due to my haemorrhoids as I do have 3 of them.

I am still not quite happy and convinced that was really the reason for my bleeding, as I have this haemorrhoids for about 13 years now and it never bleed as well as I do not have any pain in the rectal area.

My question is, can it be a colon cancer or polyp That developed in only 2 years after a clear colonoscopy? Doctors say it takes up to 10 years for a polyp to develop into cancer. But I am still too concerned, as my mum had some polyps in the colon about a year ago and they removed it. So I am kind of having a family history, also her sister had colon cancer.

Sorry for the lingthy post, any advice would be highly appreciated.

By the way I have an appointment with the same gastroenterologist in couple of weeks ( this is the earliest I could get), so till then any support would make a great difference. Thanks

Maggie

child#6
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Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 7:51 pm
Facebook Username: John Smith

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby child#6 » Tue May 29, 2018 7:49 pm

My husband had a clear colonoscopy 2 years ago. Three weeks ago had a GI bleed. Lots of dark and bright red blood which was overtly noticeable for three days. Colonoscopy was done. Had a cancer initially thought to be stage 1. Scheduled for surgery next Tuesday. Please advocate for whAt you feel is right for you. Peace of mind is worth a lot.

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby Rikimaroo » Tue May 29, 2018 8:34 pm

Typically Bright red blood is usually bleeding around the ANUS or outside the anus when you wipe or internal hemorrhoids, which are at the tip of the anus. Darker or tarry stools are in the upper GI tract, which can signify cancer. Streaks on your Stool can signify cancer. I had streaks on my stool and they found a tumor in my rectum. If the colonoscopy didn't show anything your fine. It is Hemorrhoids. I am sure your fine, but good to be concerned.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

MaggieZaher
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 10:35 pm
Facebook Username: Manar.Zaher

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby MaggieZaher » Wed May 30, 2018 5:13 pm

Appreciate your replies, of course I am not going to ignore my symptoms and I will try to push for another colonoscopy as I do have a family history as will as my symptoms. It is just as you know the time is passing so slow and heavy and need to get some reassurance as soon as possible.

Maggie

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby Rikimaroo » Wed May 30, 2018 8:53 pm

I would get another colonoscopy to be safe at this point. I don't know how long my cancer was brewing in my rectum or when it was a polyp even. I just knew when I went to the bathroom I saw streaks of blood on my poop and when I wiped there was bright red blood. I thought it was hemorrhoids and so did my GI who scheduled a colonoscopy and saw a tumor.

The streaks on my poop were not bright red, they were maroon, or darker color. When I wiped my booty is when I saw bright red. I too have internal and external hemorrhoids, so I figured the bright red was from it. Still streaking on the poop is concerning. Go to a GI, I would skip a GP (is that general practitioner). Good Luck and keep us posted. A Lot of knowledge on this board I am a bit newer.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

MaggieZaher
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 10:35 pm
Facebook Username: Manar.Zaher

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby MaggieZaher » Thu May 31, 2018 6:57 pm

Hi again,
I looked back at my previous colonoscopy report which was done 2016, and could see that the Gastrointrologist has taken several samples of my colon, stomach and rectum to be biopsied, at the appointment 2 weeks later, he told me that I have some ulcers in my colon, some inflammation in the stomach as well as hemorrhoids. But no sign of cancer. Can ulcers bleed without pain? And can they mix rectal cancer for hemorrhoids? I started to take some hemorrhoids meds as adviced by the GP until my gastrointrologist appointment in 10 days. Time is going so slow when you want it to fly.

Maggie
Last edited by MaggieZaher on Thu May 31, 2018 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby Lee » Thu May 31, 2018 7:55 pm

MaggieZaher wrote:

I am still not quite happy and convinced that was really the reason for my bleeding, as I have this haemorrhoids for about 13 years now and it never bleed as well as I do not have any pain in the rectal area.

My question is, can it be a colon cancer or polyp That developed in only 2 years after a clear colonoscopy? Doctors say it takes up to 10 years for a polyp to develop into cancer. But I am still too concerned, as my mum had some polyps in the colon about a year ago and they removed it. So I am kind of having a family history, also her sister had colon cancer.

Maggie


By any chance, are you going through the change in life? Menopause??? That was when my hemmys started to bleed, itch, you name it. Prior to that they were very quite and no problem.

Generally it takes a polyp about 10 yrs to go cancerous, butt there are a few genetic conditions when it can happen faster. How old was your aunt when diagnosed with colon cancer and what stage?

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!

zephyr
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 7:31 am

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby zephyr » Thu May 31, 2018 9:22 pm

Push for the colonoscopy, especially if you have a family history. You need to be your own advocate. Chances are that everything is fine, and once you find that out, you can get back to your life. My circumstances are very different because I was diagnosed with Stage 1 colon cancer during my first screening colonoscopy when I turned 50, and had regular follow up colonoscopies thereafter. I went from "clean and clear" to Stage IV in 3 years. I probably had circulating tumor cells BUTT still ... the chances of something like that happening to you are slim, very slim ... but get a colonoscopy to put your mind at ease. That's what I would do.
Nov-2009 Early stage CRC, routine colonoscopy
2010-2014 F/U colonoscopies, all clear
Jun-2016 CRC during F/U colonoscopy, surgery, Stage 4, KRAS, MSS
Aug-2016-May-2018 Folfox, 5FU, Folfiri & Avastin
Aug/Sep-2018 YAG laser surgeries (Germany), 11 nodules removed
Nov-2018 clean CT scan
Mar-2019 New lung nodules
Apr-2019 Dec-2020 Xeloda/Avastin, SBRT, cont. Xeloda/Avastin
Mar-2021 Forfiri/Avastin
Mar-2022 Ablation & Thoracotomy
Feb-2023 Folfiri & Avastin
Nov-2023 Xeloda & Avastin

MaggieZaher
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 10:35 pm
Facebook Username: Manar.Zaher

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby MaggieZaher » Thu May 31, 2018 9:33 pm

Thanks Zephyr for your reply, this is my plan to push for a colonoscopy, it is just for someone waiting and does not know what the future will hold, it is very difficult

MaggieZaher
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 10:35 pm
Facebook Username: Manar.Zaher

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby MaggieZaher » Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:42 am

Thanks Lee,

Well I am 44, so I might be going through the menopausal stage at the moment.

My Mum had her polyps out when she was 77, My Aunt was diagnosed when she was 65 or older and I believe she was stage 2, as she did not need any chemo or radio, just the surgery.

Maggie

MaggieZaher
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 10:35 pm
Facebook Username: Manar.Zaher

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby MaggieZaher » Fri Jun 29, 2018 10:24 pm

Hello everyone, just an update,

I have done my colonoscopy, and it showed proctitis, still waiting for the biopsy results tho. I don’t know if I should relax a bit until the results or there might be some more nasty surprises as I am still bleeding until this very moment with every single bm, so annoying.

Maggie

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

Re: Hemorrhoids or colon cancer??

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Mon Jul 02, 2018 1:36 pm

I hope that you won't have to wait long for biopsy results!*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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