Prepping for the colonoscopy is worse than the procedure itself. Get a good doctor, the risks are low but not 0 and, of course, you can google up the worst outcomes. A dear neighbor was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at 45 years old and departed us at 49.
Notes on My Colon Cancer
81–90 of 300 posts
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#82The usual recipe is a colonoscopy at age 50, 60 and 70. To be supplemented by other yearly blood or DNA (cologard) tests. If you have family history or symptoms you accelerate the schedule.
The problem is that in lots of countries you can't possibly know your history because the medical system is low quality, people just die and you have no idea why your relatives have died. And if you are diagnosed with cancer - its basically a death sentence unless you have somewhere few hundred thousand dollars laying around, because the best operation surgeons can do in your country is cut out appendix like it is 19…
>people just die and you have no idea why your relatives have died
This system actually has advantages. From an outside perspective, it seems like Americans spend an awful lot of time in doctor's offices and obsessing over health issues (a strange way to spend one's life), when the end result will be the same.
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
Recommend anyone considering this to ask your doctor about using a sedative instead of general anesthesias. As best I can tell general anesthesia for colonoscopy for low risk appears to be a cultural custom especially prevalent in the northeastern USA. Anesthesia has many more possible side effects than sedatives and ought to be avoided unless needed (this applies to any unneeded treatment). Plus if you’re awake you…
Second this. There is evidence that anesthesia causes brain damage. This shows up in the data most for babies and small children, and the elderly, where you can see it on IQ tests and chance of dementia. It's more pronounced with multiple surgeries. It may be that it's damaging everyone's brains, but it's just not as noticeable for adults. One study with twins showed about a 1.5 point IQ loss from a major surgery. Of…
It takes 10-15 minutes for a regular colonoscopy, for such short time, does the side effect of anesthesia actually comparable to the "major surgery" that can easily last 5-10 hours you mentioned?
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#84Nice write-up, I'm happy to hear it was only stage 2! Colon cancer runs rampant in my family. My dad was a stage 3 survivor (it's now been 12+ years), however his younger sister (my aunt) just died about 6 weeks ago after an 18 month battle. She was a former nurse, and had basically missed getting one of her regular colonoscopies. At that time, she was supposed to go every 5 years and I think she went 10 - too long f…
27 at the moment and reading this thread has gotten me worried as I have a family history of colon cancer. Both of my parents get checked regularly and have had polyps removed. I wonder if I should just go or if it isn’t realistic to worry about it at my age yet.
I'd talk to a doctor or two. I posted above about a friend diagnosed with stage 3 at 45 who passed on at 49. She too had a family history (aunt, uncle, grandmother)
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#85I've had the blood bit off and on (mostly off lately, but it happened again recently for a day), but I've always been told by doctors that it's just hemorrhoids, I'm too young to get cancer. Then Chadwick died, and I'm like, man, he got diagnosed with Stage 3 the same age I am now, and I'm in terrible shape compared to him. I'm thinking I should probably get a colonoscopy next summer, after this wave of Covid dies do…
Don't wait till next summer, the 5 year survival rates between stage 3 and stage 4 are huge. You have to catch this early.
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#86I just lost my mother-in-law to cancer. It's just a few years ago it was my father-in-law (also cancer). And a three other family member within the last ten years. Definitely was the case for the most recent three that it was discovered much much too late. I cannot advise strongly enough to have even the minor thing check and checked again.
In the case of my MIL, the biopsy first came back as a fungus which we _now_ know was an impossibility.
Like so many other commenters, I had my scheduled colonoscopy and it was a walk in the part except drinking that horribly disgusting prep liquid. That was gross, but I've probably had worse in my young and very stupid years.
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
Recommend anyone considering this to ask your doctor about using a sedative instead of general anesthesias. As best I can tell general anesthesia for colonoscopy for low risk appears to be a cultural custom especially prevalent in the northeastern USA. Anesthesia has many more possible side effects than sedatives and ought to be avoided unless needed (this applies to any unneeded treatment). Plus if you’re awake you…
> Plus if you’re awake you can actually watch the scope going, it’s cool! Not painful at all. For sure! My first colonoscopy I was sedated and enjoyed watching the screen. In fact, I remember I was making HILARIOUS jokes the entire time. I could not remember them afterwards though. My second colonoscopy my doctor sedated me again, but put me further under for reasons that remain a mystery. Also, a year ago we buried…
> For sure! My first colonoscopy I was sedated and enjoyed watching the screen. In fact, I remember I was making HILARIOUS jokes the entire time. I could not remember them afterwards though. My second colonoscopy my doctor sedated me again, but put me further under for reasons that remain a mystery.
It was the 15th time that week he'd heard the "rectum, damn near killed them" joke and he didn't feel he needed another aspiring comedian on the operating table.
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#88Nice write-up, I'm happy to hear it was only stage 2! Colon cancer runs rampant in my family. My dad was a stage 3 survivor (it's now been 12+ years), however his younger sister (my aunt) just died about 6 weeks ago after an 18 month battle. She was a former nurse, and had basically missed getting one of her regular colonoscopies. At that time, she was supposed to go every 5 years and I think she went 10 - too long f…
27 at the moment and reading this thread has gotten me worried as I have a family history of colon cancer. Both of my parents get checked regularly and have had polyps removed. I wonder if I should just go or if it isn’t realistic to worry about it at my age yet.
Why not just go and get that piece of mind? You clearly have elevated risk.
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#89I've had the blood bit off and on (mostly off lately, but it happened again recently for a day), but I've always been told by doctors that it's just hemorrhoids, I'm too young to get cancer. Then Chadwick died, and I'm like, man, he got diagnosed with Stage 3 the same age I am now, and I'm in terrible shape compared to him. I'm thinking I should probably get a colonoscopy next summer, after this wave of Covid dies do…
Don't wait till next summer, the 5 year survival rates between stage 3 and stage 4 are huge. You have to catch this early.
I second this. Lost my brother 2.5 years ago to CRC, what happened with Boseman happened with us 15 years earlier. He was 27. After a year long of chemotherapy for treating Stage III, his cancer returned within 15 days. No family history of any kind of cancer. It's extremely aggressive in young age. Might sound scary but please get screened earlier if possible. It can mean life and death.
Re: Notes on My Colon Cancer
#90If anyone is fighting CRC or is a caregiver, I highly recommend The Colon Club boards ( https://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/index.php ). I was on the forum to discuss my mom's CRC, and there's a lot you can learn from there (such as side-effects, experiences, trials, insurance etc). Not to mention the emotional support and inspiring stories. For trials, there's also https://trialfinder.fightcrc.org/ - created by…
I can vouch for Tom's trial finder too. Used it during my brother's treatment. Tom was an inspiration.