I'm new and concerned I may have Colon Cancer. Can you help?

[Lydia666]

Hi, i know this is from 4 years ago, but i have the same symptoms as you RH - how did it turn out for you?? I am getting a colonoscopy in 2 weeks. Please ease my mind! Thank you.

[CRguy]

Welcome lydia666,
the original poster and topic have not been active here for 4 years, so I have started a new topic where you can get some information specific to your own current situation.

Please post more info and I am sure other members will be happy to welcome you on board.
CRguy

[vilca11]

Lydia, hi.... First of all, welcome to the forum.... Secondly, I would suggest you do not read much for now here, because you have no idea what you have and if you have..... Just to save yourself some nerves.... When you know your Dx and suggested treatment, that is when it could be helpful for you to read it..... Also, it is not clear who you are talking to - who is RH and what symptoms you had? And what about 4 years knowing - know what? Take a deep breath and just hang in until colonoscopy, or explain your concern so that someone can advise you, please....
Best, Vilca

[Lydia666]

@vilca11
I got my answer- i wanted to hear the follow up from a person on here RH3223, and found it. He/she had the same symptoms i am currently having and it turned out he had a non cancerous polyp and was fine. My symptoms are rectal bleeding, change in bowel movement(fragmented BM), mucus, i go twice in the morning to empty. I've recently given birth and doc is not worried, thinks is hemorroids. Colonoscopy scheduled for june 19th. Worried about the prep. Any tips to help ?

[MSJC]

If you have had a baby... prep should be a walk in the park for you! It's not fun but survivable, as already stated, don't worry until you know something for sure!

[Nik Colon]

What prep did they give you? Some are easier to drink than others.

Golytely is the worst imo. If you got that there are others that are easier imo. All will give you diarrhea and you will keep going until it's clear, looks like pee kinda, no brown should be left only yellow like pee.

[Lydia666]

I got golytely!!! What else is there?

[chrisca]

Your symptoms are almost identical to mine before diagnosis. See my recent post on "how to get a good colonoscopy." Ask the endoscopist those questions. You will especially want the doc to show you the source of the bleeding. Don't take "we can't" for an answer. Between 6 and 15% of colonoscopies are false negative, meaning they don't find cancer that's there. It's very easy for the doc to blame hemorrhoids when there is a tumor present. That's what happened to me, and three more years went by before the tumor was found. By then it required much more radical surgery.

Hemorrhoid bleeding is usually accompanied by pain from the hemorrhoids. It can be very light and present only at the end of the BM or when straining. Cancerous bleeding is more often painless, and looks like a long streak of bright red on the stool. It will happen during an otherwise normal BM and is present on the stool when the BM starts if the tumor is low, meaning it's near the beginning end of it.

If your doctor can't find a tumor but the bleeding persists, ask for a new colonoscopy in six months with a different endoscopist so you have another set of eyes checking you out. Pay for it out of pocket if necessary. But most insurance companies know that there are false negative colonoscopies and that the situation must be monitored because any rectal bleeding is very serious unless it can be absolutely proven to be hemorrhoidal.

[jhocno197]

The prep I had was Miralax + Gatorade. While I am in no hurry to drink Gatorade again, it was pretty easy.

[cathy123]

I used golytely. Not that bad - chill it and use a straw to get it down fast. And just plan to hang out near a bathroom for a few hours. Definitely have someone else in charge of the baby during that time. Hope your dr is right and it is just hemmerhoids!

[Nik Colon]

I got golytely!!! What else is there?

The best imo is prepopik

[Nik Colon]

I used golytely. Not that bad - chill it and use a straw to get it down fast. And just plan to hang out near a bathroom for a few hours. Definitely have someone else in charge of the baby during that time. Hope your dr is right and it is just hemmerhoids!

I did it with the water and little flavored packed which didn't help the taste at all! It was like really nasty salt water and I could taste the nasty salt even when holding my breath, after awhile I trained myself not to taste it as much but omg! And I usually don't mind much but that was horrible! Jmo of course.

[chrisca]

Add Crystal Light to the Golytely (no red or purple coloring, I used the lemon/lime Fit version.) The flavor packet, if supplied, is usually not enough to make it palatable. Start with one of the single-serving Fit packets in the gallon and if not enough, add another one or two. It's OK to combine with the one that comes with the Golytely.

[mstults]

I use Golytely and have no problems. I drink 8 oz every 10 min until the bathroom starts and then I stretch it to 15 min. I keep it in refrigerator and when I drink a glass I refill it for the next time. I can swallow a glass all at one time.

[Nik Colon]

I use Golytely and have no problems. I drink 8 oz every 10 min until the bathroom starts and then I stretch it to 15 min. I keep it in refrigerator and when I drink a glass I refill it for the next time. I can swallow a glass all at one time.

You swallow the glass too!