30 and scared

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mamaof31991
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30 and scared

Postby mamaof31991 » Mon Nov 30, 2020 8:24 pm

I'm a 30 year old female. I first started to feel symptoms last year, which I stupidly chalked up to IBS. There was no blood in my stool at the time, so I wasn't worried. Just a feeling of pressure in my butt, and a feeling of incomplete evacuation occasionally. Like still feeling a need to push, even after having a BM.
Fast forward a few months and I fell pregnant with my third baby. I noticed a bit of blood in my underwear, definitely from the backside. Since then, I began to scrutinize my stools. There was never any noticeable blood until I gave birth to my third baby, and a few weeks later had mucus and blood on the stool. 6 weeks postpartum, and again, blood is on the stool and also looks to be inside the stool but yet there is nothing on the toilet paper?! I have read this is an onimous sign and I am fearing the worst. I also have a never ending pressure in my butt, even when I pee, I can feel pressure in my backside..
I have a GI appointment but it isn't until the end of January. I obsess over this all day. All I can think about is leaving my children motherless. Please, how do you cope? How do I live life normally while waiting for answers? thank you for reading and please take care.

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beach sunrise
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby beach sunrise » Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:21 am

Well, the end of Jan is way to long to wait. Get that appt asap so you will know one way or the other what is going on.
Be your own advocate!
8/19 RC CEA 82.6 T3N0M0
5FU/rad 6 wk
IVC 75g 1 1/2 wks before surgery. Continue 2x a week
Surg 1/20 -margins T4bN1a IIIC G2 MSI- 1/20 LN+ LVI+ PNI-
pre cea 24 post 5.9
FOLFOX
7 rds 6-10 CEA 11.4 No more
CEA
7/20 11.1 8.8
8/20 7.8
9/20 8.8, 9, 8.6
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11/20 8s
12/20 8s-9s
ADAPT++++ chrono
CEA
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2023
1/5 17.1
1/20 15.9
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roadrunner
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby roadrunner » Tue Dec 01, 2020 10:53 am

Just to provide some perspective that may be reassuring, there are a number of conditions that can cause the symptoms you report, hemorrhoids being the most likely I believe. While rectal cancer rates in younger people have increased in recent years, rectal cancer in someone under 30 is still quite rare. And keep in mind that a tumor would likely have to be bulky to cause tenesmus, and you have had these symptoms for at least a year. That means you would have had to have significant disease in your mid-twenties. Finally, even if you are the exception to the rule, colorectal cancer is by no means a death sentence. In most cases it is very treatable and curable. So even if you have a problem, it is best not to jump to worst case scenarios at this point. Your GI doctor will be able to address all these issues. I understand that symptoms like this can be nerve wracking — trust me — but in your case you still have the heavy weight of probability on your side. It’s definitely worth checking out, but I would try to avoid catastrophic thinking at this point.
7/19: RC: Staged IIIA, T2N1M0
approx 4.25 cm, low/mid rectum, mod. well diff.; lung micronodule
8/19-10/19 4 rds.FOLFOX neoadjuvant, 3 w/Oxiplatin (reduced 70-75%)
neoadjuvant chemorad 11/19
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ncCR 10/20; biopsies neg
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utahgal7
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby utahgal7 » Tue Dec 01, 2020 11:32 am

I would agree with roadrunner. Try not to panic until you have definitive results. Sometimes, our minds play tricks on us and we tend to think the worst.

Good luck to you. Try to remain positive. Stay off of Google...it won't help.
02/20 Rectal Cancer dx - 4 cm mass; located 9 cm from AV
03/20 CEA 2.7; 0.9; 1.4; 0.9; 0.9; 1.2; 1.0; 0.8; 1.1; 1.0; 1.1; 1.7; 1.8; 1.8
1.9; 2.4; 2.3; 2.8; 2.2, 2.8, 3.2; 3.0; 1.6; 2.0; 1.2
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DarknessEmbraced
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:21 pm

I'm sorry you're going through this.*hugs* Maybe you could be put on a cancellation list so you could be seen sooner. I hope you get answers. I know what it's like to have long waits for appointments. I would definitely stay away from Google.
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
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NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
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Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

msusta
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby msusta » Tue Dec 01, 2020 1:35 pm

If you cannot change your appointment to an earlier date, maybe you can have some blood tests to measure your CEA, CA 125 and CA 19-9 tumor markers. Probably any hospital can do those tests in a few days and the results can give some hint for the problem. I know CEA levels do not always rise up but it will still give some hint.

Lee
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby Lee » Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:01 pm

I agree with roadrunner & utalgal7 especially at your age. Very rare at your age, unless colon cancer runs in your family. Is there a family member you could ask about prior relatives with a cancer history?

Around here, Arizona, 3 months just to see the GI doc especially for that 1st visit is not uncommon. Unless you get some type of doctor to doctor referral.

IF, and that is a big IF, you do have this cancer, it is probably a very slow growing cancer at this stage. They figured I had my cancer for about 10 yrs before it was diagnosed. That was 16+ years ago & I am very much alive & kicking today. What this means, you should have been growing polyps in your body in your early 20's or late teens. VERY RARE unless colon cancer runs in your family.

Agree, avoid Dr. Goggle!! You can diagnose yourself with anything with Dr. Google. A lot of information out there is out of date or just plain wrong. Unless you know where to look. Come here for questions & support. There is a wealth of information on this forum.

If you need inspiration/support, read this thread, it's a bit long, butt you will find many long term survivors who have moved on, butt come back on occasions to post on this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10574&hilit=stage+III+how+long

I know you are scared, it is best to get it checked out butt believe/know in heart you are going to be okay.

We are here if you need us, even if just to vent.

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!

boxhill
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby boxhill » Wed Dec 02, 2020 10:54 am

A minimal amount of googling shows that there are many conditions that can cause such symptoms, the least likely of which is probably cancer.

A more likely candidate is IBS. Why did you dismiss it as stupid? Have you discussed IBS with a doctor?

I assume you have been seeing your ob/gyn: what does s/he say about it?
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Green Tea
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby Green Tea » Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:37 pm

mamaof31991 wrote:... I have a GI appointment but it isn't until the end of January...

What kind of GI appointment is this going to be? What is the doctor likely to do? Is he just going to fill out your Medical History form and listen to your list of symptoms and then tell you that you probably have IBS?

Or is he actually going to do an exam?

He could probably do a sigmoidoscopy right there in his office because that procedure doesn't involve sedation and doesn't require a certified anesthesiologist to be present. But if he is going to do either a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy then he has to give you instructions for doing a colon-cleansing prep the day before. Has he done that?

To resolve your various issues I think you need to have a proper colonoscopy done.

mamaof31991
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:55 pm

Re: 30 and scared

Postby mamaof31991 » Sun Feb 14, 2021 4:51 pm

Thank you all for your words and advice. I've gone back to this post many times for reassurance and to calm my fears a bit. I had mt first GI appt. and he didn't do so much as examine me and barely glanced at my photos. He said the only way to know for sure would be a colonscopy but at the moment all the beds were full due to covid. So for now I did blood work, stool sample and will be doing an U/S and an xray.

However meanwhile I am still struggling with extreme anxiety over this. This morning was especially bad. My poop was a really obvious reddish brown. Im not sure if it is because of the magenta iced cupcake I had last night although I only had 1. Would anyone be so kind as to tell me how blood would present itself? Would it turn the toilet bowl red because in my case it was just the poop itself. Would the blood be able to be removed from the poop? in my case my poop is actually red. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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JJH
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby JJH » Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:43 am

There is a book that has a section on poo color (see below, pages 71-73)
https://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?t=56460&p=446730#p446730
"The darkest hour is just before the dawn" - Thomas Fuller (1650)
●●●

Nicknack
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Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:48 pm

Re: 30 and scared

Postby Nicknack » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:50 pm

mamaof31991 wrote:Thank you all for your words and advice. I've gone back to this post many times for reassurance and to calm my fears a bit. I had mt first GI appt. and he didn't do so much as examine me and barely glanced at my photos. He said the only way to know for sure would be a colonscopy but at the moment all the beds were full due to covid. So for now I did blood work, stool sample and will be doing an U/S and an xray.

However meanwhile I am still struggling with extreme anxiety over this. This morning was especially bad. My poop was a really obvious reddish brown. Im not sure if it is because of the magenta iced cupcake I had last night although I only had 1. Would anyone be so kind as to tell me how blood would present itself? Would it turn the toilet bowl red because in my case it was just the poop itself. Would the blood be able to be removed from the poop? in my case my poop is actually red. any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Hi @mamaof311991 - Have you heard back or learned anything new here? I'm sharing similar worries and my bloodwork was just sent out on Friday. Thank you.

CancerBum21
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby CancerBum21 » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:13 pm

I’m not sure how accurate these test are, but if your worried about blood I’m your stool, you could always pick up a test kit from your local drug store, CVS, Walgreens, etc. It’s usually something that you put in the toilet after a bowel movement and will chance color if there is blood present.

When I had blood present it was on the toilet tissue when I wiped. I saw some along the sides of my poop. But I had rectal cancer so it’s really close to the exit. I guess if it’s in your colon your stool would be black.
34/M
DX:(Rectal Cancer) 2/15/21
Stage: T1N0M0
TAMIS Surgery 3/10/21
Pathology: T1NxM0 - LIV positive, 1/1 lymph positive Stage IIIA
FOLFOX 6 rounds
Radation & Xelota 5 weeks

NoVA21
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Re: 30 and scared

Postby NoVA21 » Sat Apr 03, 2021 2:34 pm

Have you had any update on your diagnosis?
I get it. The anxiety alone can be very difficult. I have been there. Do not get discouraged. There are so many advancements in cancer treatment these days if it is even cancer.

That said; In my personal experience, the blood was in the stool itself. It was not dripping like hemorrhoids would be nor was it on the toilet paper.
Dx Jan 2015
Colon Resection Feb 2015 stage 3B
Folfox started Mar 2015
Could only finish 11 out of 12 rounds
Mar 2016 dx mets on both lungs - officially stage 4
Apr 2016 double lung resection
By the grace of God, am still clear today.

mamaof31991
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:55 pm

Re: 30 and scared

Postby mamaof31991 » Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:18 pm

NoVA21 wrote:Have you had any update on your diagnosis?
I get it. The anxiety alone can be very difficult. I have been there. Do not get discouraged. There are so many advancements in cancer treatment these days if it is even cancer.

That said; In my personal experience, the blood was in the stool itself. It was not dripping like hemorrhoids would be nor was it on the toilet paper.



I have a colonoscopy scheduled for the end of the month finally. I'm absolutely terrified. About everything. The prep. the procedure. being put to sleep. And of course the news they will tell me at the end.
was the blood you were finding in your poop dark red or light red?


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