Hi everyone,
I'm curious as to how everyone first discovered or got diagnosed with colorectal cancer ? I have always thought symptoms only present itself when it's T3 and above or when you are above 50, but I see that quite a number of members got diagnosed at T2 or even T1 and a number of you are also under 50 like myself.
I thought it might be important to discuss how everyone first discover your situation or got diagnosed, what were the symptoms that led you to do a check-up. It could be useful for everyone to help those close to us to spot any of such symptoms moving forward as I believed the specific symptoms varies with everyone. My mum who had colon cancer did not have any physical symptoms except for exhaustion.
Were there any intangible symptoms present that in hindsight should have rang alarm bells ? Those who got diagnosed at T1 or T2 - were there already symptoms for you ?
I'll go first...
I'm 39 and discovered blood in my stool out of the blue during a work trip. Bouts of alternating mild constipation and mild diarrhoea followed which was actually still very manageable. I just assumed I had food poisoning and not once did it cross my mind that I would have colorectal cancer seeing as I'm under 50. The blood in the stool continued for about a week and I quickly went to a General practitioner. He suspected hemorrhoids, looked up my anus but found nothing. He next suspected a small anal fissure and gave me some cream to apply. After applying the cream continuously everyday for about 1.5 weeks, there was still no improvements. Blood continued to be visible in my stool. There was zero pain. Returned to him and he sent me straight to specialist for a colonoscopy.
The first specialist took my situation lightly and assumed it was nothing major and that it's probably internal hemorrhoids instead of external. He even asked if I used the mobile phone a lot while sitting on the toilet bowl as that can cause hemorrhoids !
I guess because of my age, everyone seems to be quite chill about the situation. He had me arranged for a colonoscopy but it wasn't until like weeks before he had a slot for me.
I didn't feel comfortable and decided to seek a second specialist. He poked up the anus and immediately ordered a colonoscopy the next day, clearing all his other prior appointments deeming it as an urgent situation. An MRI + CT on the same day of the colonoscopy confirmed I was T3N1M0. Treatment plan was laid out on the 3rd day.
I am glad that I heeded my instinct and looked for a second specialist who took my situation seriously. Otherwise, it could have been much more dire than just T3,N1,M0 !
In hindsight, there was already other symptoms but it didn't warrant a visit to the GP as yet. I was always feeling quite bloated before my diagnosis but simply put it down to getting older and slower metabolism. I tried eating less and carefully but I still felt bloated (and hungry) all the time. My body just didn't feel right but again I put it down to work stress and modern life ! A few months before the diagnosis I actually discovered a huge patch of bright red blood on the toilet paper (without stool)! I was shocked but then brushed it off as probably early stage hemorrhoids and ignored it. Afterall, there was no pain and I thought I was way too young to warrant the urgency of having anything checked out.