Colon Cancer - Symptoms for too long - too late?

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
guest

Colon Cancer - Symptoms for too long - too late?

Postby guest » Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:05 am

I have been having symptoms of colon cancer for a long time, about 7 years. I've had pain in my left side for 6 years. I now found occult blood from a home test. This is what began my scare of colon cancer.

I sorta feel like there is just nothing else this could be. i even have a mass in my left lower abdomen that i have shown to several docs. i have low iron that my doc says was from my period. I'm always pushing in my stomach area to releive a gnawing, burning pain. I want to know what others w/ cancer stomachs felt like. Mine is bloated only on my left side (which is higher than my right). Im always constipated and short of breath. I push on my lower abdomen just to get a deep breath.

I was feeling like i was off the hook with colon cancer until i read about some members having symptoms for almost as long as me or longer before being diagnosed. My doc says unlikely i have this since my symptoms are for so long, and i hope she's right ...but if not, am I too late?

LA8

Postby LA8 » Wed Dec 20, 2006 4:11 am

1st of all Don't Panic! You are certainly not alone in wating such a long time to sort out your symptoms (it took me at least 1 year (probably longer if I really think about it). Now that you have taken that 1st small step, its time to really get this situation dealt with. Your symptoms could be from a number of different ailments - some serious, some not. If you do have cancer, you will have to have it treated with the aim of getting cured. Just be sure you tell the doc of your suspicions.

Good luck!

Thelma
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:03 am
Location: Denver,PA

Postby Thelma » Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:15 am

LA8 is correct-it can be many things,but don't give up until you find out exactly what the problem is. You know your body. My best wishes!
Thelma

Molly
Site Admin
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:57 pm
Location: Glens Falls, New York
Contact:

Postby Molly » Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:29 am

DEMAND A COLONOSCOPY ASAP! If your doc says no...you're too young...or uses any other excuse, GET A NEW DOCTOR! It could be any number of other things, but without a scope, you won't know, and since cancer is the worst thing it could be (and you've had symptoms for so long) that's the first thing you should be checking for.

Please...I'm not trying to scare you, but you have to stand up for yourself. Only you know your body. I went for 6 months being told I was constipated and had IBS...and because the doc went to school and was the "expert," I believed her. One of our 2005 Colondar models (Eden) went for 7 years!

Magnolia
Posts: 1514
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Postby Magnolia » Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:31 am

I had IBS for 6 years before I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I am 100% sure I did not have cancer all that time. Your symptoms may be something else, or may be an early cancer, easily treated, layered on top of a benign condition that you've had for years. I agree. Don't panic. Get evaluated.

A differential diagnosis is a list of possible causes of your symptoms. There's always a differential until a final diagnosis is made. There are lots of reasons you could be having the symptoms you are having. The strange twist to this is that colon cancers get missed in young people so often because cancer is so often at the bottom of the list. It's really among the least likely. But if that's what it is, it's not over. Look at all the strong young survivors here! We are one dynamic bunch. Even me who is the token old timer here, diagnosed OVER fifty!


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], saltygirl and 133 guests