Survey on bad habits

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Nik Colon

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Nik Colon » Sat May 14, 2016 10:04 pm

Thanks for all the replies, nice to hear

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Rob in PA
Posts: 2022
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:16 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Rob in PA » Sun May 15, 2016 12:05 am

Never smoked a cigarette in my life. Occasional cigar golfing or fishing. Drink beer 4-5 nights a week. Most times just couple beers a night. Love red meat. In my mind, I think processed meats and being a welder (before college, I was a non traditional student ) was my downfall.
Now, same diet, but try to eat fresh meats for sandwiches. Love my sandwiches :D
dx 11/07 crc IIIb @ 39
Xelox/Rad/ temp colostomy
LAR/J-pouch/ temp ileo
Folfox-8
Failed reversal
2/09 liver mets; liver resect/ileo reversal
Folfiri/Avastin - 12
2/11 5 lung mets
Folfiri/Avastin 2011
SBRT 3/12
Lung met 5/13/ said NO to more chemo
SBRT 8/13
2 lung mets 5/14, VATS 8/14, NED

Nik Colon

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Nik Colon » Sun May 15, 2016 12:46 am

I find it so funny that they talk about good and bad, cuz it seems all are good and bad to some point. That's why I don't think too much about it. No one is right or wrong imo. Shit happens.

Anyway, imo, do what you enjoy as no one knows.

Fyi, my mom and grandma made all home made food growing up. Grandma had her own garden, etc, her hub (mom's dad) died when my mom was 12. Go figure.

On the other hand, my dad's dad born 1879, mom 1900. 18 kids (a couple died young but not disease)(her doc said she would die after her 9th). Both lived late. Grandpa had a still, etc. No health issues.

So, you tell me why the unhealthy ones lived longer.

Yeah, why, idk, life makes no sense

Thetoad
Posts: 165
Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:46 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Thetoad » Sun May 15, 2016 1:34 am

Hmm. Interesting! Didn't touch a drop of alcohol until 21. Started to drink more as the years passed until getting through half a litre of whisky in some afternoons. Stopped drinking completely just over 9 years ago. Had the odd cigarette aged 50, then started to smoke daily. (Weird age to start.) But stopped that too after 3 years, 17 years ago. Still get annoyed when regarded as an ex smoker because of those 3 years, but right I guess. Blew up to 102 kg with the drinking and overeating, but down to 90 about 8 years ago and stayed there. Now eat too much sweet stuff though. Some say the excess booze and too much red meat etc was a possible cause for the cancer. Just wish I had a colonoscopy screening as a routine when aged about 50. Might have found the problem before it was an emergency! Being told that 'another night and we could have lost you,' by the surgeon, was a bit of a shock. Will stop now. Living a comparatively respectable life in my retirement now. :roll:
Emergency extended rt hemi November 2013.
Complete blockage, small perforation.
Stage 2a.
T3N0M0
22 Lymph nodes clear.
No bag.

Yearly appts appts and 6 monthly CEA tests.
Incisional hernia repair, mesh Nov. 2014.
Cellulitus
CEA 1.4 on 28/7/17
27/5/17. Gallbladder removed, open.
Good consultation Feb. 2017
CEA 1.7 on 16/11/17 colonoscopy ok Jan. 2018 :)
Nurse pleased, March 2018. CEA 1.8. One more CEA test and hopefully last appt in November, 2018.
Prostate cancer, Gleason 7 (3+4) Sept. '18.

Travelgirl
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 4:17 am
Facebook Username: Jac gar
Location: Florida

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Travelgirl » Sun May 15, 2016 3:29 pm

What a great question? I have been wondering myself what the hell I did too?

Being told you have double trouble, two cancers does blows one mind. I'm still trying to get through the shock and WTF are you kidding me stage?

It has been like I been having a bad dream.

My only really bad habit was smoking on and off for years. I would go through spurts smoke for two years, quit two years. Never really been a drinker. Did some recreational drugs as a kid.

I have lived a very stressful life between my job and family.

Cancers runs in my family. I had a great uncle with cecum cancer like mine, he died at my age, back in the sixties. A great aunt with colon cancer. My mom died at 59 of endometriosis cancer and her Dad died at 67 of bladder cancer. My other grandfather died of liver cancer in his sixties.

I think it is totally genetic. Plus I believe the odds are 1 in 3 get cancer.

I have lived primarily on a Mediterranean diet my whole life, being Italian. So with that being considered the preferred diet for healthy lifestyle. I think It's a crock... I say eat WTH we want at this point. I do t think it matters.

I wonder why wouldn't my husband be diagnosed just the same as me? The last 35 yrs we been together, he has eaten just like me, smokes like I did. How is it that he doesn't have cancer? Plus he still smokes like a chimney. I can't even breath now when I smell his smoke. My chest tightens up.

I have also been walker, bike rider and gone to a gym on and off weight training. I been relatively fit. I actually started gaining weight and thought it was odd? No matter what I did I couldn't loose weight the last five years.And Since I got sick last September, I have actually put on ten pounds stressing out. I think it's from being depressed from going through this? I Have trouble sleeping. I am exhausted many days now from stressing and have no energy to take my long walks. I typically would walk five miles three days a week.i don't feel like now.

I think stressing out will kill me before the cancer does... Sighing....
Travel Girl
53/F
DX-CC 12/19/15
Tumor location Cecum
Tumor Type -Adenocarcinoma arising background sessile serrated polyp high grade dysplasia
Tumor size 1.5 cm
TNM - T1, N0, M0
Stage 1
Baseline 12/15 CEA 2.4, 8/16 CEA 1.7,11/15 CEA 2.3
Surgical Margins Clear
Lynch - Neg
Primary Surgery 1/11/16 LAR right colon and portion of ileum right hemicolectomy
1/4 follicular lymphoma- Wait n Watch (found in CT scan for Colon cancer) a 2 for 1 special.
8/16/16 NED for Colon/Lymphoma nodes have shrunk on their own.

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

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Lee » Sun May 15, 2016 5:21 pm

Have not read all the responses, butt at the end of the day, I think it comes down to having good genes. I've known people who ate junk food, smoked, did not exercise and yet lived to an average life span. I know a friend who dad was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 46, a non smoker. He died from colon cancer. His wife is going strong today, been a smoker for almost 70 yrs. Her health is very good compared to many of her peers.

I have a friend who is a bit over weight, eats a lot of wrong food, does some exercise. Even though her Dr is recommending her to get a scope, she will not. She does not believe in getting scopes. She will probably out live me. Her parents are in there 80's and have never been scoped.

Go figure.

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!

AnnClare
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 3:31 pm

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby AnnClare » Tue May 17, 2016 1:56 pm

triordie1994 wrote:for all that I have done in taking care of myself I feel that I cannot trust my body anymore which is really disappointing. feels like a best friend betraying you.


Yes - that's EXACTLY how I feel.
I've never smoked, have been active and fit my entire adult life, drank socially but nothing over-the-top (I mean, we've all had the 'one too many' experiences in our 20's, but it wasn't a regular thing for me as I hate being hung over), ate a mostly healthy diet. No family history of CR cancer, although my mom had, and died from, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in her 70's. That was the only cancer in our family.

So here I was at 41 with a rectal tumor the size of a satsuma.
What do I do now? Whatever the hell I want. I still exercise, but not as vigorously as I used to because 1. temporary ileostomy (I don't want a hernia, plus I'm still recuperating internally from the surgery and will until the time of my reversal, according to my surgeon), and 2. I don't want to over-tax my body/muscles and force them to repair themselves when I need that energy to be put into repairing tissues/cells damaged by chemo.

I find when I'm feeling well and like myself (a few days after coming off the pump), I eat healthier. When I'm feeling crappy, I tend to want 'junk' or fast food. I don't eat veggies every day, but I do like my fruit. I also like sweets (cookies, chocolate, ice cream) and I'll eat them when I want and without guilt. I think part of my problem pre-Dx was stress - either from work or from beating myself up for not eating a 'perfect diet', not working out hard enough, stupid shit like that. My goal now is to get through the next 9 chemo cycles as unscathed as possible and be kind to myself. No more negative self-talk, no more "should I eat this? Will it kill me?"

It sucks, but none of us knows what caused this damn thing. Like everyone else, I know people with awful eating habits and sedentary lifestyles, yet they have no health issues. So yeah, pass the cookies, the whole milk, the French fries. I'll have some wine too, damn it. Trying to make my life as enjoyable and as stress-free as possible.
42 yr. old female
Rectal cancer Stage 3C T3 N1 M0 - Sept 2015
28 rounds radiation w/Xeloda - Nov - Dec 2015
2/17/16 - Surgery to remove rectal tumor, lymph nodes (2/20+), ovaries & fallopian tubes, temp. ileostomy
3/28/16 - 9/26/16 -12 rounds FOLFOX w/full oxi
Ileo reversal 10/27/16; Port removed 12/1/16
Lung mets confirmed 2/6/17
March-May 2017 - brain mets; brain rad. 5/9-5/29/17

Nik Colon

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Nik Colon » Tue May 17, 2016 9:05 pm

Thanks again for the replies (and some laughs). It's nice to hear others opinions and also not feel so alone.

SuseB
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:34 am
Facebook Username: Susan Bomkamp Burke

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby SuseB » Wed May 18, 2016 10:02 am

Exposed to second hand smoke. Pot from time to time (so good for the nausea but does give me the screaming munchies which cause some bowel issues lol). Red wine...second week of chemo and on breaks. No taste for it first week. As much as I want; sometimes 1 glass, sometimes 3 glasses. It's the only thing that makes me feel relatively normal and stress-free. Diet is varied. Lots of good stuff, but some crap, too. Have decreased red meat, mostly becuase don't have a big taste for it. Been overweight for years and have lost weight and kept it off since my first surgery last year. Gotta love that cancer weight loss program. Trying to exercise more.
61 y/o female
Dx May 2015 Stage 1T2 rectal cancer
Surgery 06/08/2015 clean margins 16 lymph nodes all clean
Post surgery bowel issues and sacro pain
6 mon f/u w/onc 12/23/15 ordered cat scan for bowel pain issues-
liver lesions
PET Scan 01/14/16 mets liver & pelvis
03/31/16 done 4 rnds FOLFOX w/ Avastin
Scans 04/15/16 all shrunk!
2 rnds FOLFIRI done 05/12/16
Liver resection 06/08/16
CEA 06/08/15- .9 (post Stage 1 surgery); 12/28/15 (post pet scan) 3.9
02/03/16 (pre-treatment) 13.0 ; 03/31/16 - 2.0

teresajj1
Posts: 42
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:36 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby teresajj1 » Wed May 18, 2016 1:47 pm

Nik- I'm new to Colon Club & I wondered the same thing. I just turned 37 and wonder if my drinking and smoking caused my colon cancer. I have cut down to 2-3 cigarettes a day since I was diagnosed, but it's just too hard to quit completely right now. I have quit drinking mostly. I now maybe have a couple glasses of wine once every few weeks. Chemo sucks so bad it makes me not want to drink anyway. I feel your pain, it's stressful enough having cancer & then on top of that your expected to give up the things you get enjoyment out of. But on the same note, you question if these enjoyments caused this awful disease. It's a daily struggle for me too.
Dx 3/16 @ 36yrs Stage IIIB
RT Hemi-colectomy
T3N1M0. 2/37 lymph nodes
4/2016 Started 12 rounds of 5 FU & Oxi Chemo
7/2016 Stopped chemo after 5 rounds due to chest pain
8/2017 MUYTH Gene
10/2017 Clear CT Scan; CEA 1.9
5/2018 CEA 447
6/2018 Stage IV w/drop metastases to peritoneal cavity
7/2018 Cytoreductive surgery & Hipec (3 tumors, 2 nodules on bladder, and ovaries removed)
05/2019 Clear CT
10/2019 2 new nodules in pelvic area/CEA 19
11/2019 6 Rounds of Chemo

Nik Colon

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Nik Colon » Wed May 18, 2016 5:13 pm

teresajj1 wrote:Nik- I'm new to Colon Club & I wondered the same thing. I just turned 37 and wonder if my drinking and smoking caused my colon cancer. I have cut down to 2-3 cigarettes a day since I was diagnosed, but it's just too hard to quit completely right now. I have quit drinking mostly. I now maybe have a couple glasses of wine once every few weeks. Chemo sucks so bad it makes me not want to drink anyway. I feel your pain, it's stressful enough having cancer & then on top of that your expected to give up the things you get enjoyment out of. But on the same note, you question if these enjoyments caused this awful disease. It's a daily struggle for me too.

Im past the point of questioning the past or future. I want to enjoy what time I have left. Some people don't get it, but that's how I feel. Can't change the past, and I'm not going to live the rest of my life (which may be short) in fear and not enjoying things. My moto...what's the point of living if you're not.

teresajj1
Posts: 42
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:36 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby teresajj1 » Wed May 18, 2016 6:21 pm

Nik- I hear you & completely understand. Quality of life is most important. Just do you & get enjoyment in whatever makes you feel good!
Dx 3/16 @ 36yrs Stage IIIB
RT Hemi-colectomy
T3N1M0. 2/37 lymph nodes
4/2016 Started 12 rounds of 5 FU & Oxi Chemo
7/2016 Stopped chemo after 5 rounds due to chest pain
8/2017 MUYTH Gene
10/2017 Clear CT Scan; CEA 1.9
5/2018 CEA 447
6/2018 Stage IV w/drop metastases to peritoneal cavity
7/2018 Cytoreductive surgery & Hipec (3 tumors, 2 nodules on bladder, and ovaries removed)
05/2019 Clear CT
10/2019 2 new nodules in pelvic area/CEA 19
11/2019 6 Rounds of Chemo

Ragman
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:01 am
Location: Baltimore, USA

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby Ragman » Thu May 19, 2016 8:17 am

I was exposed to second-hand smoke for 21 years. Never really smoked cigarettes except for one or two at a bar when I was in college. I smoked a lot of weed but not so much for the last 10 years before diagnosis. I definitely drank too much before diagnosis. Didn't eat very much red meat at all. Was never overweight and exercised almost everyday (running, basketball, lifting weights, hiking). Overall I was in good physical shape for the most part.

In the last year before DX I was drinking way too much on the weekends, partially to mask the pain I was having in my abdomen from the huge tumor that was growing inside and that I didn't know about. During chemotherapy (7 months or so), didn't drink a drop of alcohol. I only have a couple of beers or so over the weekend now. I had a childhood sarcoma before my current colon cancer, so the latest affliction is probably in the genes, or perhaps due to the tremendous amount of radiation I was exposed to during the sarcoma treatment. OR maybe it was the food, alcohol, or other environmental factors. Like others have already said, it doesn't really matter anymore although it is a good exercise to ponder -- I think we have all looked back to see where we went "wrong" or what we could have done to prevent it. The fact of the matter is that society as a whole already has applied enough social stigma to colon and rectal cancer patients, like we deserve it or something. So while I'm going to be as healthy as possible going forward, I'm not going to beat myself up over occasional lifestyle lapses. You just can't live life that way. Otherwise, how healthy do you have to be before you are allowed to be human again?
44 yr. old male w/family to live for
Rhabdomyosarcoma - Stage III -- dx 21yrs old -- 1991 & 1992 (surgeries, chemo, & rad)
Colon Cancer - Stage IIC -- 2014
Small bowel and Transverse colon resection -- 2014 (w/adjuvant chemo in 2015)
2nd primary discovered in colon - 2015
Total colectomy w/ileorectal anastomosis - February 2016
*More cumulative exposure to radiation in my life than a resident of Nagasaki in 1945*
"You are only as healthy as you feel" - Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver

ab123
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 12:25 pm
Location: Boston

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby ab123 » Thu May 19, 2016 9:01 am

The data about smoking causing cancer is extremely compelling, BUTT, that's on average across the whole population. There's no telling for an individual. Statistics don't tell much about what will happen to a particular person, or really help answer "why me?". There are just too many random interactions in this world to be able to pin it down for any one of us. It's kind of like rolling dice and wondering why you got a 3. Sure it was more likely that you would roll a 7 (since there are more combinations of rolls that equal 7) but sometimes you roll a 3. Getting cancer is not a moral failing - it isn't your fault. It just happens sometimes.
Aug 2012: RC DX Stage IIIC, T3N2M0 by MRI - 38M
Fall 2012: Chemorad
Nov 2012: LAR - Path report: 0/13 LNs, tumor reduced to "microscopic foci"
Jan-Apr 2013: 8 rounds FOLFOX
May 2013: Ileostomy takedown, port removal
July 2013 (and since): NED!

beck1965
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon May 16, 2016 2:37 pm

Re: Survey on bad habits

Postby beck1965 » Thu May 19, 2016 10:37 am

I don't think there is any rhyme or reason to who gets this cancer, why, their diet, etc. Take me for instance....never smoked, only drink socially, my job keeps me up and moving around, gym membership (not sure how often I use it!!), rarely eat red meat (do like my processed meats for sandwiches), 50 years old. I think it's a general statement that eating healthy and exercising is good for your overall health, in all aspects. For me, there was no family history of colon cancer and I had ZERO signs/symptoms. It was found on a routine/baseline colonoscopy. I try not to beat myself and say "why me" or "what did I do wrong" when the fact is, probably nothing. Going forward, I'll do my best to behave but I'm not going to become a fiend about it. I played the "blame game" for awhile but that caused alot of undue stress through surgery and recovery. I live each day being aware of what I've been through and what I have yet to get through and do my best, to be my best.
*50 y/o Female
*Sigmoid Mass found on routine colonoscopy/Feb 2016
*4cm villious lesion found at the rectosigmoid
*Surgery three weeks later to remove 13" of Sigmoid/resection
*Used DaVinci Robotic surgery
*Stage 1 rectosigmoid cancer/T1/N0/M0 = 18 negative nodes
*Acute renal failure during recovery, unknown reason[/b]
*Clear colonoscopy one year post resection!!
*Normal CEA's since surgery
*NED two years out.


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