New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

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Missy2281
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:49 am

New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Missy2281 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 9:43 am

Hi all,
I am a new member to the board, although I have been reading and searching the board for a few weeks now. History of GERD, LPR, PCOS, Endometriosis. Family history: Maternal GF-colorectal cancer with colostomy, Father- lung cancer
I have had rectal bleeding for years now that come and go. Over the past few months I noticed a change. I have been experiencing increased bleeding that is almost daily, that appears to be in the stool and on side of the stool (I have seen small clots and blood had been both red and maroon), abdominal pain and lower left back pain, nausea, bloating and distention with pressure, excessive gas and increasing fatigue, no weight loss. I checked several times and I have not ran a fever.
I did have a CBC done about 2 months ago and it showed an elevated RDW(15.9) and low MCV(75.1) and low MCH(24.2)
My PCP finally referred me to a gastro dr for follow-up and my appt is Sept 6th.
I did have a few "strange poops" It looked like the blood was in the poo....but It was all on one side...all the way down the poo, like a stripe. Has anyone ever had anything similar to that?
Thanks,
Missy2281

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

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Lee » Thu Aug 10, 2017 6:25 pm

Hi Missy and welcome,

I had no symptoms other than bleeding hemorrhoids, I was not anemic, no blood in stools, etc. Dr figured my bleeding hemorrhoids was my excuse for getting my baseline scope early, the rest is history.

It's good that you are getting checked out, butt the truth is your symptoms could be caused by many things, cancer is just one possibility. Butt since your GF had it, again best to get it checked out.

Have you had one before? Have your parents been scoped?

Again welcome,

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!

Basil
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Basil » Thu Aug 10, 2017 9:25 pm

Missy,

I think you will find quite a lot of us here had similar symptoms, but we're all in the worst-case-scenario group. It's most likely something else but absolutely get it checked out ASAP. Colonoscopy.

I had bleeding at 40 and my PCP wasn't really concerned. I insisted and came back with cancer. Had a great result from treatment but things would have been worse had I sat on it.
40 y/o male (now 46), kids 11 & 14.
Dx 3/16/17, rectal cancer s3,t3,n1,m0
PROSPCT trial (FOLFOX in lieu of chemorad)
FOLFOX 4/5/17 - 6/26/17
LAR 7/31/17, temp ileo
pathological complete response
Adjuvant chemo cancelled (IDEA Study)
Ileo reversed 9/25/17
NED
1 year scans - clear
2 year scans - clear
3 year scans - clear
4 year scans - clear
5 year scans - clear (considered cured)

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

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Lee » Thu Aug 10, 2017 10:10 pm

Basil wrote:I had bleeding at 40 and my PCP wasn't really concerned. I insisted and came back with cancer. Had a great result from treatment but things would have been worse had I sat on it.


How long did you have rectal bleeding? Me only 6 months or less, was seeing PCP for a routine visit, knew I had bleeding hemorrhoids due to itchiness and just happen to mention it to my PCP. He took it serious, not me, I knew it was my hemorrhoids, thanks to my mom. Anyway I had to come back where he put a tube up my tail bone and confirmed I had bleeding hemorrhoids. Was due for various other blood test and he added a few for colon cancer. They were all negative or normal. As he wrote a referral for colonoscopy, comment, was we don't have to worry about colon cancer. Scope would prove other wise. I have thanked him for that referral, do believe it saved my life.

When people say CC is a quiet killer, I am one of those people. My mom was in ER years prior to my diagnoses with rectal bleeding and stomach pains. Dr was sure it was colon cancer. Had a colonoscopy, no caner, not even a polyp. Just a bad case of diverticulosis. We now know I should have been checked without symptoms. I am a big supported of people being scoped at 30 and no later than 40. At 35 would have saved me a lot of medical attention. ATTENTION II DID NOT WANT!!

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!

Missy2281
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:49 am

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Missy2281 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 10:16 pm

Basil wrote:Missy,

I think you will find quite a lot of us here had similar symptoms, but we're all in the worst-case-scenario group. It's most likely something else but absolutely get it checked out ASAP. Colonoscopy.

I had bleeding at 40 and my PCP wasn't really concerned. I insisted and came back with cancer. Had a great result from treatment but things would have been worse had I sat on it.



Thank you Basil

Missy2281
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:49 am

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Missy2281 » Fri Aug 11, 2017 2:09 pm

Lee wrote:Hi Missy and welcome,

I had no symptoms other than bleeding hemorrhoids, I was not anemic, no blood in stools, etc. Dr figured my bleeding hemorrhoids was my excuse for getting my baseline scope early, the rest is history.

It's good that you are getting checked out, butt the truth is your symptoms could be caused by many things, cancer is just one possibility. Butt since your GF had it, again best to get it checked out.

Have you had one before? Have your parents been scoped?

Again welcome,

Lee


Thank you for the welcome and the info.
I have never had a scope and either has my parents.
Any suggestions/questions I should ask when I go to my appt?
Thanks, Missy2281

Basil
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Basil » Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:04 pm

Lee wrote:
Basil wrote:I had bleeding at 40 and my PCP wasn't really concerned. I insisted and came back with cancer. Had a great result from treatment but things would have been worse had I sat on it.


How long did you have rectal bleeding? Me only 6 months or less, was seeing PCP for a routine visit, knew I had bleeding hemorrhoids due to itchiness and just happen to mention it to my PCP. He took it serious, not me, I knew it was my hemorrhoids, thanks to my mom. Anyway I had to come back where he put a tube up my tail bone and confirmed I had bleeding hemorrhoids. Was due for various other blood test and he added a few for colon cancer. They were all negative or normal. As he wrote a referral for colonoscopy, comment, was we don't have to worry about colon cancer. Scope would prove other wise. I have thanked him for that referral, do believe it saved my life.

When people say CC is a quiet killer, I am one of those people. My mom was in ER years prior to my diagnoses with rectal bleeding and stomach pains. Dr was sure it was colon cancer. Had a colonoscopy, no caner, not even a polyp. Just a bad case of diverticulosis. We now know I should have been checked without symptoms. I am a big supported of people being scoped at 30 and no later than 40. At 35 would have saved me a lot of medical attention. ATTENTION II DID NOT WANT!!

Lee


My bleeding was about two months but had two significant episodes. I have a touch of hypochondriac in me so I insisted. This is odd for me to say because I'm by nature a rational person but I'd had this sense, for months, that something was wrong. Maybe it was my imagination, maybe not. But it definitely contributed to my insistence for a full scope. Caught it before any mets so it was obviously the right call.
40 y/o male (now 46), kids 11 & 14.
Dx 3/16/17, rectal cancer s3,t3,n1,m0
PROSPCT trial (FOLFOX in lieu of chemorad)
FOLFOX 4/5/17 - 6/26/17
LAR 7/31/17, temp ileo
pathological complete response
Adjuvant chemo cancelled (IDEA Study)
Ileo reversed 9/25/17
NED
1 year scans - clear
2 year scans - clear
3 year scans - clear
4 year scans - clear
5 year scans - clear (considered cured)

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:59 pm

I'm sorry you're going through this!*hugs* I'm glad you're seeing a GI.*hugs*
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
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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

Re: New Member, waiting for Gastro appt

Postby Lee » Sat Aug 12, 2017 6:27 pm

Missy2281 wrote:Thank you for the welcome and the info.
I have never had a scope and either has my parents.
Any suggestions/questions I should ask when I go to my appt?
Thanks, Missy2281


Since you had a grandfather who had this cancer, your mother should probably be checked. Anyone over the age of 50 should also get checked. Just tell the Dr your symptoms. Don't let s/he talk you out of it based on age. What prep solution do they recommend? How will I be put out? Can I start prepping earlier than what the procedure paper says.

My personal advice based on many scopes, the day before prepping, eat soft easy to digest food.

Most procedure papers say to start taking pills, mixture at 2pm. I start at noon. You will be drinking a lot of prep solution. Rather than 8oz every 10-15 mins. I push it out to every 20 mins. Easier for me to get it down.

Good luck, remember we are here if you need any help with prepping,

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!


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