As a 49 year old who is currently going through chemo for Colon Cancer, this was some interesting reading.
I started having issue just about a year ago. Sever lower intestinal pains, up thru the abdomen. I ached all the time and would get hit with pain that took me to my knees. And it wasn't food driven. I am the not a fan of doctors, so I just kept putting going to the doctor off. Finally in May of 2016, DH made me go. After lab work and an ultrasound of right side of my torso, the determined that my gallbladder was the issue. So out it came. And while that did take care of the issues of the pains in the upper abdomen, it didn't take care of the lower pain. But with the schedule we had last summer, I just did mind over matter and carried on.
Finally in Sept, DH had enough and told me to go back to the doctors, because by this time, I had lost 60 lbs, was in pain all the time and food and I didn't get along. This time it was a CT Scan. Within 3 hours of the scan, I got the call from the family doctors office that I had "inflammation" in the colon and they were referring me to a Colon/Rectal specialist. Met with him, mid October and with a packed schedule, I didn't actually get the colonoscopy until Dec 9th. Needless to say, I wasn't even awake from the procedure and the Doctor and DH already had talked about the tumor he had found, it was the size of a large egg, and they already had me on the surgery schedule for Dec 20th.
Never in my wildest dreams, would I have thought that the issues I was having would be from cancer and never would I wish this on any one.
At 48/49 (I had my 49th birthday while in the hospital), I wasn't at the age to schedule a routine colonoscopy. But what should have played a big factor into my having one earlier than normal, is the fact that I am adopted and have ZERO family medical history. According to my colon doc, I should have had one at 35, 40 at the latest. And now thanks to my bout with these medical issues, DS22 and DD20 will be getting tested earlier than normal.
Was the prep fun, no but I also knew it was going to suck and made dietary changes so I didn't have much to clean out prior to the 9th and kept that same diet leading up to the 19th. Did I have some pain after the colonoscopy, yes, but that was due to the size of the tumor and the fact that it was causing my colon to be 98% blocked. The scope had to be forced past the tumor to make sure the rest of the colon was clear. Will I be doing colonoscopies every year for the next 5 years, then once every five year for the rest of my life, sure will. Cause I would rather drink that nasty prep, then ever have to do chemo again. 6 treatments in the book, 6 more to go. #kickingcancersbutt