I was diagnosed with aggressive rectal cancer on September 15, 2014. I underwent chemo and radiation for 6 weeks, then had surgery to remove tumor January 8, 2015 and ended up with a temporary ileostomy bag for 10 months. I had clean up chemo for 8 weeks. I was supposed to have 16 weeks, but my kidneys and liver started to shut down, so treatment was abruptly stopped. I healed for several months, and then in September 2015, I had my reversal surgery. Recovery has been challenging, as my body has not yet regulated itself, and I have many ” clustering” days, along with rectal spasms, but I am here to say that I am alive, and learning to live with my new normal. Life is good.
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Stacy I was diagnosed with rectum cancer in February and have undergone surgery and 6 weeks of chemo ,radiation treatments and it appears that there has been no reoccurence but I have decided to
Take chemo pills for several additional weeks Kas a precaution and will have the reversal surgery as welll I hope I’ve made the right decision.anna
God bless us all who suffer fron this cancer.I went in fir a gallbladder removal and cancer has spread to my liver and intestines. I had a tumor, chemo surgery and I was in remission for 2 years now its back and again spread to behind my stomach. I will survive with Gods help I might get Keytruda a new medicine its better than chemo
Did you have cancer before the surgery or it came after? also what were your symptoms. i just had my gallbladder removed back in march because it was close to rupturing, and after i have very sever stomach pains have just dropped in weight like crazy. I’m a little scared also im 29 yrs old.
Still around Ruth? I hope your healed and thriving.
I HAD MY GALLBLADDER REMOVED SEPT 2015. SINCE THEN. I’VE HAD DIGESTIVE ISSUES AND NOW A MASS IN MY RECTUM. AWAITING RESULTS.
In 2010 I was diagnosed with malignant colorectal cancer.
Scopic removal of tumor and colorectal area left me feeling strange, uneasy, uncomfortable…..
The mass grew to 10.6 cm and discovered six months later.
Six weeks of radiation then major Surgery with temporary bypass.
Six months chemotherapy 13 infusions of folfox.
Before the last infusion I was rushed to emergency with no BP and total shutdown of kidneys. Very concerned Urologists claimed both kidneys were bad. They were Wrong and I knew it somehow.
Body fought back to health, was out 3 days later to complete last infusion.
Treatment left me with permanent neuropathic pain and chronic fatigue. I told oncologist I felt the same as I did after first removal with fear of regrowing pressure. She claimed i was recovering in total remission.
I knew she was wrong some how but didn’t want to be pessimistic, who would?
Well stoma was removed and I was reconnected in mid 2013.
I experienced more discomfort and continuous pain for 8 unbearable months while being told it’s a normal adjustment period, all the while pressure from growth was slowly cutting off colon and urine functions.
I was finally rushed too emergency for septic surgery, was not fun.
A week later mid 2014 I lost my prostate, bladder, rectum and sigmoid. After finally concluding my cancer was genetic and scheduling another two hundred thousand dollar chemotherapy, I said What??
it’s just routine the oncologist said.
Well I finally had enough.
It’s Shocking to realize it’s our bodies systems that keep us alive every second that we exist here.
Feeling safe under hospital care was replaced with fear.
I can decide what I need from now on.
After a few experts were called in and claimed I wouldn’t live 6 months without treatment. I had them all tongue tied when I delivered facts of “Quality of life being much more important than giving a couple more years of what I had just experienced, we are all mortal and we all eventually expire. Your giving no cure because there is none and it’s quite possible cancer as they call it is what’s keeping me alive, fighting some unknown man made poison I may have inherited genetically.
I said no to chemo and they offered no argument.
Four years later I am living with the neuropathy and occasional kidneys shutting down thanks to the (folfox) A 1st and only chemotherapy I never should have had. THAT DID ME ONLY HARM and NO help.
Now Disabled and on early retirement but I survived the poisoning chemicals that damage many good cells.
I know now that interfering with systems in our body is WRONG in so many ways.
Robert, this is where I am starting to feel with my husband. He was diagnosed last Aug. 2019 with stage 4 colon cancer spread to liver. He had the resection surgery in Dec. and liver surgery in January. He did chemo pre surgery tumors shrunk. He is doing chemo now, because as we are told he will do this forever because there is no cure. His CEA dropped to almost normal and held steady during these surgeries, then in March when he restarted chemo they started to rise. What a frustrating journey. All this covid crap makes it even harder because I cant go to treatments with him, this is where I ask a lot of questions. We are going to get another opinion, I fear the poison they put in him, may be worse than the cancer. He is 54 and looks and feels healthy but, it is hard when they say there are no other choices. We are not fighting dying, we both believe in Jesus and have entrusted ourselves to Him, we are fighting for time here, to be with grandkids and watch their milestones. I appreciate you sharing, I understand exactly what you are saying, it is just so difficult.
Ruth I love your optimism, was diagnosed June of this year, have a temporary ileostomy, just started chemo. May God continue to give us all the strength to cope.
Thank you so much for sharing Robert. My husband was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer in May of 2022. He just finished his 5 weeks of chemoradiation & feels way worse than before he started, so frustrating. They now tell him he must have surgery and will have a permanent colostomy bag & this is without even given healing time & getting a new MRI to check if the cancer is gone. He has decided to live his life out as is as, I can’t blame him! We must all keep positive for sure.
wow, youre saying youre husband is ready to die? or willing to ride it out? cancer is terrifying but god bless you and him.
I have had cancer 3 times, 1st I had vaginally cancer had a complete hysterectomy, then I had Colon cancer they removed 80% of my colon then 3yrs later got rectal cancer they completely closed the back and had to have ileostomy bag had to do chemo and radiation, they gave me 2nd and 3rd degree burns messed up my bladder , now I have to wear a ileostomy bag and a urostomy bag
Hi ,
I have just come out of hospital (tue) after having colorectal surgery following 27 episodes of chemo & radiation !
Was in hosp 8 days , i am know at a loss as to how much liquids / types of food and amounts i should he having ! Anyone with a diet they followed ?
Very lethargic and dont feel im winning this round !
Hello Anna Marie did they get the Cancer out? I ha e the surgery in a few days I’m scared
awh…it is scary…i just got diagnosed 5 days ago..colonoscopy jan 15 to see how bad..how are you doing
No fruit (except bananas) and veggies (except potatoes) no fibers, no butter, no hot food with chili.
You can have fish, cheese, white bread, pasta and rice, yogurt. Chew everything very well.
Important: drink 1.5 to 2 litres daily, of liquids, pref water.
This is only for a limited time so check with the specialist.
Anna Marie. I’m going through same thing at moment. My treatment finishes tomorrow n then I have to see if it’s shrunk to take it out. Did you have any symptoms when it shrunk. Thanks Nicola x
Stacy, your positive attitudes will help you go through your hard journey safely. My best wishes to you for a speedy and complete recovery.
I was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2011. Tumor had broken out of colon and grown into stomach wall. Had urgent surgery followed by 12 doses of chemo over 5 months. Cutting tumor out of stomach wall resulted in incissional herna. Two operations to repair (first was a failure). Have bulge in lower left of stomach. Test for colon cancer was clear end Nov 15 but at same time diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. I’m nearly 61 and now just taking it easy and travelling around S E Asia. No point in worrying.
How you doing now ? What are you taking now ?
Your experience is impressive sir 👍
I m currently diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer
Just had liver surgery done two weeks ago..
I need to listen to this type of experience to make me more motivated
I’m also 61 and 8 years treatments surviver and was given a 6 month death sentence after refusing a 2nd type of chemo poison. That was four years ago.
Quality of life while we are here is most important.
We all expire, need to make the best of the time we have.
Hi Robert,what regimen do you follow now? I would love to forgo traditional treatment and am researching natural protocols.
Thank you for positive experience.
I am with more hope now.
I also need to hear such experiences to be hoping.
How was the cancer initially detected?
Hi Robert can I ask what you do to stay well now? I would love to feel able to say no to traditional treatment??
I was admitted to the hospital because of abnormal heart rate. Medicine I was given to treat this made me hemorrhage from rectum. Was give a colonoscopy. Results were abnormal. Was give colon surgery. Part of my colon was removed. Mass was contained in part removed. It was stage one colon cancer. I don’t have to have lemon or anything. I feel truly blessed.
Hello Irene,I was diagnosed of stage 1 colon cancer. I have undergone surgery, do I need to do chemotherapy again?
God bless you, Stacy!! One of my relatives diagnosed at age 38 with stage 4 colon cancer in December 2015. Now she is completely fine. http://colorectalsurgeon.sydney/
My mom has colon cancer,she was operated in 2013 and had stage 3c . And took chemo for weeks.later in 2015 she had recurrence.hence was operated again.v den thought she won’t ‘ve any recurrence again.but now again her blood test(serum cea test) shows some negative result.it’s above the ref level.v are all too scared.havin a very bad time.doc has asked for a pet-ct.too worried
Hi, I’m new here, wondering how your doing, and how your mom is? Hope she is fighting and winning. For me,I always wonder if it has returned. Thoughts are with you.. ?
Please do help me with this situation. Am extremely scared about wat wud the scan result be like.having my fingers crosssed.I blv Jesus Wil b der wit all of us
My husband has just been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer…he still has to pass an MRI and PET scan to determine if what they saw on his liver and lungs are metastases. We are extremely scared. The tumor in his rectom has grown through and has attached to the bone somehow…so surgery will only be after chemo…in the hopes that it shrinks so they can remove it…prayers and positive thoughts is what we have for now.
Hello Chrisrtine
I think the most inportant thing is for you as a couple is to keep positive. Although things don’t look good why not extend it a few years by keeping it positive. All the best Paul
My husband was diagnosed last May with stage IV colon cancer the spots in liver and lungs have shrunk to almost non visible on Ct scan.
They had to due surgery as his mass was near blockage he did well and has chemo for a year and now another year a lighter version of chemo. His dr believes if chemo is stopped too soon it almost 99% will be back hang in there we cried prayed and studied a lot.
Hey Christine,
How is your Husband now?
Diane
How is your husband now
My husband going through the same 😞
Christine I’m currently going through same thing. How is he now x
I was diagnosed with colon-rectal cancer in October of 2013, I had my procedure in December of 2013, I was rehabbed for almost two years: I am finishing my degree in computer science, I stil havel my dumping syndrome, with fifteen percent of my kidney removed and almost half of my colon removed, life is good. I am alive
I m 45 and was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. How I found out I had the big C ? . I was healthy I thought, feeling energetic no pains, just a little constipated nothing overwhelming. One night went to restroom and noticed lots of blood in my feces, following day again but blood had become dark clotted. So I went immediately to see a Doctor, had a colonoscopy and there it was. Ct scan showed it had not spread to other organs, had surgery part of my colon removed 2/18 limph nodes found positive. I will be starting adjuvant chemotherapy tomorrow 5/15/17 it will last 6 months. I’m blessed because out all this experience, things are getting better and better. I m praying to the Lord for peace in our hearts courage and strength to continue this path which we never thought we would be walking on. My God bless us all.
Hi my situation is similar to yours diagnosed stage 3 rectal tumour June 2017.Had anterior resection and temporary ileostomy.I had no spread to the lymph glands but some spread to surrounding blood vessels.I am having mop up chemo in a week.You are further on than me just wanted to know how you are doing now.Best wishes Gloria
Hi Ana. I hope you are doing well. I, much like you, felt fine and no symptoms at all. I did not even notice blood in my stool. I went for a routine yearly follow up with my primary care dr and my hemoglobin was found to be 6.4. The dr was alarmed at me being asymptotic (aside from I had an incredible craving for crushed ice) with a hemoglobin of 6.4 but the hematologist determined my body had just learned to compensate with the low hemoglobin. Once my hemoglobin was brought back to normal we needed to find where the bleeding was occurring. I had a colonoscopy and there was a mass. I went through colon resection surgery without any problems however was found to have lymph node involvement. I am now on chemo regimen of folfox. An infusion every 2 weeks for 6 months. I just completed my 5th round and have to say the side effects hit me hard this time. I just turned 45 and have 2 elementary aged children at home….fighting to keep up with family life until this nightmare is over.
Hi Anna,
If you are still on here I was just wondering if you were having constipation for awhile. I am constipated all the time and I am very concerned.
Thank you. Hope you are doing well.
Hi Anna
How are you today. I have just been diagnosed with the same type of colon cancer with the same treatment options. Would love some feedback
Hi, Ana just wondering how you’re doing. My situation is similar to yours.
It has been over 2 months since my reversal surgery for colon rectal cancer and I still have periods of diarrhea will it ever get better in any way?
Hi Anna, Thanks for reaching out, but this answer is best asked to your medical team. Everyone’s situation is different so I wouldn’t want to comment and give you any false info. Good Luck!
My mum has been recently diagnosed with colon 3b cancer and starting chemo in 2 weeks after having half bowel removed 3 weeks ago. She is 78 years old l am worried what the chemo will do to her. I know there is really no other option.my question is should she try the tablets or the drip. She is in 2 minds and very confused at the moment. Dr has recommended drip and leaning towards that but would like any thoughts or advice. Cheers Gabrielle
God Bless All of Us
Hi!
I’m Ron Waters
My brother, is like most Americans. He has worked hard all his life to support his family, pay his bills, and support his church. He has worked for the same company for over 34 years. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma cancer recently. His medical bills are astronomical, and his health insurance is not the greatest. I set up a GoFundMe page for him to attempt to raise funds to help him pay all the bills and to make his life a little less difficult. So, please find it in your heart to help someone who deserves it.
Less or More, you can donate via the following: https://www.gofundme.com/garycwaters.
Thank You! May God bless You!
Is not government helping to pay” cancer patients” in USA?
On May 12, 2016, I had my first colonoscopy at the age of 25. I knew in my heart they would find something. The doctor told me after the procedure I had what he believed to be a cancerous polyp in my rectum. He also told me he suspected it had metastasized to other parts of my body and suspected it was a late stage cancer. He had nothing to back this up other than the colonoscopy. He ordered a PET scan and blood tests. Dr. Greeff immediately referred me to a wound care nurse, who started to educate us on what a colostomy and stomp were. I couldn’t listen, I couldn’t look. My husband saw what was going on with me and asked the nurse to slow down because this had been pretty devastating news for both of us. That’s when she turned to me and asked if I was a Christian. I had always been, but for some reason that day, I hesitated. I didn’t know where my faith was. I still believed, but I felt I had lost my way. I know today that God took me to hospital to get my feet back on the right path again, and it started with that wound care nurse. After the prayer, I had a whole different outlook and was able to listen and talk about it. I felt like the sadness had gone away. I realized that God really works in our lives when we least expect it, but when we most need it. I did all kinds of treatment but it did’t work on me, Than the care nurse told me to try out herbal herbs and than my husband seek for herbs till we got to know Dr Odia, He was a herbalist we told him my problem and he prepare for me herbs which I used for a month and it did work out for me. There is no need for anyone to have a date stamped on their forehead when they’re diagnosed with cancer. I would encourage anyone to seek a second opinion, and especially so if they’ve been told there’s no hope. It’s also crucial to learn as much as you can about your diagnosis. Seek options. Find out about what’s out there that could help. Contact Dr Odia via(drodiaherbalistcenter gmail com).
All thanks to Dr Odia and the wound care nurse.
Hello kenneth,
Hope all is well what symptoms did you have that made you beleive something was wrong with your colon? Kind of feeling like something is wrong with me but don’t know if it’s just my anxiety or it’s something serious .
I was almost 60, in Feb. 2017, when I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer with a liver met. and possible lung met. Because I was almost totally blocked by the tumor in my rectum, I had a colostomy done. I named my stoma Rascal because, as my daughter said, it was like having my own personal unpredictable Whoopie cushion! Then, I received 7 rounds of FOLFOX and Avastin at the Block Center in Skokie, Illinois. They have a great website. I chose the Block center because they provide a number of high dose supplements by IV, in my case they included high dose Vitamin c, Curcumin, a multivitamin mix (not including B vitamins), etc. The main reason I went there is because they are the only place in the United States that uses cronomodulated chemotherapy delivery. You can read about that on their site. I had fatigue for several days after each round, and slight nausea which the pills always took care of. My rounds were every two weeks.
After 7 rounds, I was ct scanned, and my tumors had shrunk quite a bit. 6 weeks later I had 20 days’ dosage of radiation in 5 days at Cleveland Clinic. I was told the compressed time frame helps reduce side effects. My radiation treatments were only about 8 minutes long each morning for a week, then done. A week later I had strong fatigue for about 20 minutes. That is the only side effect.
A week later, I had surgery to remove the colorectal tumor, and the colorectal cancer tumor in my liver. The lung spot had shrunk quite a bit after chemo and was too small to biopsy. They left it alone as it was concluded it was another type of nodule, non cancerous. During this surgery they reversed my colostomy but gave me an ileostomy (which I named Little Rascal) ( 4 weeks after surgery I developed very strong neuropathy in my finger tips, mouth, and feet. I had had very light neuropathy while taking chemo, which always went away by the next round. 9 weeks after my surgery, my cancer team at Cleveland Clinic put me on 5FU (part of the Folfox minus the oxalliplatin-which is the culprit for the neuropathy.) I did not finish my chemo and treatments at the Block Center because my surgery had not yet healed and they wanted me to stay close to my colorectal surgeon. So my last 5 rounds were done at Cleveland Clinic. My CEA blood test had dropped into low normal range by now. I had absolutely great docs at Cleveland Clinic and at the Block Center, both. In February of 2018 I had another CT scan which showed no more cancer.
In June of 2018, I had surgery to reverse or retire Little Rascal. There was a complication so I ended up with ‘New Rascal’ on my other side, as they had already closed Little Rascal. In a week I will have my first 6 month follow up CT scan to see if I have any cancer recurrence.
My hair never fell out, but after all my chemo was done, it did turn gray. And it got thin for a while due to breaking off near the roots. My oncologist said chemo can weaken the hair shafts and cause it to break off rather than fall out. I was never hairless. It began growing back and not breaking off about a month ago. Still gray though. The neuropathy in my mouth is gone. In my finger tips it is much less. My feet still have fairly strong neuropathy. My oncologist said it can take 2 to 3 years to heal, if it does heal (it doesn’t always) because nerve tissue grows at a very slow rate.
Hi Lori,
How are you now and how you doing. Hope all good with you. My mom has been diagonised with same and it’s stage 3 . She is having chemo now total 8cycels will be given in between radiation and oral chemo
Please do let me know if your here .
Stay blessed
Regard !
Hi Lori, I appreciate your feedback. I can tell by your feedback that you are a positive person and I feel that god has helped you heal since you were diagnosed.
My son John went in for blood tests because he is bleeding from the bowels, constipated sometimes and diarrhea the next .His blood test came back , the doctor said his white blood cells and platelets show normal morphology, and there is moderate leukocytosis,
Don’t know what this means, he has to have a blood test in another two weeks, I’m his mother and very worried, he is 38 years old .
Dx colon cancer 10 days pistol stage 3b 4 lymph nodes clean edges I am 60 and healthy awaiting chemo in a few weeks what should I do to get through it in a strong way
Helen, I hope you and your son have found answers and they do not include the word cancer. I hope that if questions remain unanswered, his physician has recommended he have a colonoscopy. I would not have know about the cancer had I not had the colonoscopy.
I am 59 diagnosed in September 2018 colon cancer ,surgery with clean margins ,3 positive lymph Nodes.Getting chemo ,stage 3b no metastasis it is mucinous adenocarcinoma,any one of you have that please tell me how you are,my doctors are giving me a good prognosis for cure.
My mother 66, has been disgonised with colorectal cancer T3N2M0 in October 2018
Her surgery took place by November 2018 and her chemo began by December last week. She will have 8cycles of chemo in total and will follow FOLFOX Regim
After 4cycels radiation +oral chemo is planned .
I am not sure if the medicine is working and she will be free from cancer but I m keeping my faith.
To all of you , who has been diagonised with cancer , please be strong and fight your heart out. Never lose faith.
I am 49 years old and I just got diagnosed with rectal cancer and I am scared and I’d crying right now.
I was diagnosed in May of 2020. Had 6 weeks of CR, and Total Mesorecal Excision,done robotically, Oct 13, 2020. I have a temporary ileostomy. I was very sick for a month after surgery. Electrolytes imbalances and low sodium levels. I lost weight and was so weak, that going through folfox scared me. I did not want that poison and it’s side effects!
I signed up for “Signatera”! Just approved by the FDA and insurance accepted Sept. 2020. They extract the DNA from the tumor that was removed, take your blood, and look for the DNA. They can detect a recurrence up to 2 years sooner than any scan. This is cutting edge stuff and is so new, that you need to ask and push for it!
You need an excellent surgeon!
Another thing I don’t see mentioned is the need for a bidet. You can attach one to your toilet for under $50. CR will give you diarrhea. This will stop you from getting sore. I needed Imodium so I wouldn’t have an accident on the radiation table. Be proactive, and prepare for the journey. You’ll feel more in control. Everyone has a horror story about this disease. What we really need is practical advice. I know how hard this is. I still have anxiety and am waiting for more biopsy results from colonoscopy I had to see if I can get my ileostomy reversed. The waiting is the hardest part. Wishing you all the best.
I hope you are doing well. Thank you for the informative comment. There are lots of things no one wants to talk about that’s what makes this journey so scary. The unknown is always scary.
good day!
I am very interesting about your page it gives me a positive thinking…
I am diagnosed with colon cancer “adenocarcinoma / rectosigmoid mass” can I ask if I am cure even I don’t undergo surgery, chemo or radiation?//
I stage 1 rectal cancer was bleeding after going to the bathroom doctor cut out part of my rectum . Had a the ileostomy for three months and then they reversed it. Since then I’ve been having trouble with bowel movements. have trouble going to the bathroom on the toilet for half the daydoctor told me it be 3 months to my valves get regulated and I’ve been 3 months and still same problem. Especially at work it’s hard if I knew this was going to happen I would have got chemo and radiation.
Gerald – sounds like my diagnosis and treatment and my after reversal surgery. Like you, I had the same bowel movement complications that made working, travel, spontaneity challenging/anxiety producing. Sixteen years later I still have the same complications. Due to my late middle age at the time, I retired from work and activities that caused anxiety and have become increasingly solitary. I’ve learned to value and prefer the simplicity and to appreciate my freedom to respect my body’s preference to be relaxed most of the time. I swim every morning and walk every afternoon and paint/art. Drink lots of water, made diet changes and still experimenting with different food choices. Daring a day long trip to Tasmania soon and will probably take gastro STOP medication so I’m not anxious while I travel – on the other hand I’ll be constipated and passing numerous small balls of poo for the eight days I’m away and worried sick I’ll be incontinent/gastric on the trip home. It’s a bummer all right! Changed my life but I’ve chosen to be respectful of my body the way it is, grateful for the benefits of enforced stability in my case, and to take responsibility for choosing good health and positive thoughts, moment by moment. I wouldn’t change a thing! If I had to sum up the main lesson I learned and am always learning, is to love myself generously, unconditionally and kindly, to choose gratitude and humour every opportunity- over hard done by and pissed off. PS a nutritionist will help monitor your diet gut health (gluten, meat, sugar, dairy in moderation and lots of water – plus exercise- all help my state of mind if not yet managing to help my poops). Cheers ?
Thank you for sharing your story, Louise. I love your attitude.
Louise, a simple life with numerous little poos from time to time makes me laugh with you not at you. I am very early in my discovery of a mass in my rectum. I was the hard head with proctitis who felt great and felt the colonoscopy was not needed if a small flare occurred. Just give me prenidzone and it heals up right away. O well now I must face the pain that so many on the message board has or are having..
I love to swim too, hope you get your day trips and are doing well with your simple life and the art is going well..
I found out later this week what stage my mass has made it to.. again thank you Louise, your comments picked up my spirits and I too share your prospective about our bodies.. crazy is I walked 60,000 steps in Steamboat Springs in Sept 2021 with the Mass attached to my rectum 4CM and never felt better..
Hi , if somebody is here and can answer my questions , My dad who is 46 year old , is having stomach pain and is pooping blood or something … I think there is to blood in the stool. I don’t know how to handle this because he doesn’t want to se the dockter. I just wanted to know if he has colon cancer , does it always when he poops come the blood or like sometimes
colonoscopy is absolutely painless and is a must.I had a polyp detected in colonoscopy, got it removed through surgery.
He won’t talk to me about that stuff so I want to find out and do something
Magdelenda,
Blood in your stool or rectal bleeding is never normal, but could be a sign of many things. It is important that your dad does see a doctor, even if he doesn’t want to.
Name is Moses Dogari, CT scan revealed I had colon cancer That was after pains concentrated at right side of abdomen and dark faeces. Vomited any fruits with sourness incuding mango, apple and guava. Surgery was Jan 14. Am wailing for my last lap of 3 wk cycle of chemotherapy. Oxiliplatin intravenous followed by xeloda a week later for 2 weeks. I feel weak at beginning of each cycle for four days. Mild neuropathy in the fingers. Blood white cells lower normal. Now 4300 from 8300. Blood pressure shoots up after chemotherapy. Otherwise fine. Have gained weight. Am positive. M
Hello I am my name is Art. I am 44 years old and was diagnosed with anal Dysplasia. I had biopsies and had surgery to remove them. I am checked every 6 months and it is very uncomfortable every time I have a biopsy done. For a little over two years now I have been having constipation and it’s so bothersome for me. I eat foods containing fiber and sometimes it works. About a week ago I felt like I had to pass gas and some liquid the color of honey came out of my rectum. It looked oily. I was scared and went to the Er. They did CT Scan of my lower abdomen with contrast and they said everything was fine. I had entermitis and that it would go away. It’s a littler over a week and I still have the pain in my lower abdomen on the left side by the groin. Should I be worried it’s colon cancer? I mean if it were it hasn’t spread as the CT Scan show nothing but the entermitis. I’m very concerned and scared.
Hi Arthur – If you are concerned definitely make an appointment to talk with your physician about these additional abdominal symptoms – they can have many causes, but always have them checked.
I have been experiencing internal rectal
pain for about a year and a half. My proctologist took care of an anal Fisher and a small hemorrhoid. However I am still having sharp pains inside my rectum and cannot figure out what’s going on. I feel like a knife is sticking up inside of me all the time. Has anyone else had this problem? I have no sign of a tumor.
Karen, if you are still experiencing these pains, it is best to keep pressing your doctors for answers. If your current provider is dismissing your symptoms it may be time for a second opinion. All the best to you!
Wow, such a powerful story, thanks for sharing. I am currently dealing with an issue with my father-in-law who is scared to get checked for colon cancer. He is in his 70’s and I worry about him especially because it runs in the family. I just read about how Medicare covers routine screenings, https://www.ez.insure/landing/2020/07/medicare-and-colonoscopies/ and I even shpwed it to him, but no help. Do you have any suggestions?
Hello I’m a 40yr old female I was diagnosed August 18 2020 I go for a cat scan today to find out the stage and plans to heal is there anything anyone can tell me or educate me on? I will be having surgery Monday if the scan looks good
Can I ask what are the symptoms you felt? I m curious because I am experiencing abdominal pain right now. Last month I had constipation. Then now, I have diarrhea. I’m scared.
Hello Treva,
I’m a 50 year old female and colon cancer survivor. My diagnosis was in January of this year. I had a robotic lower anterior resection. Thankfully, my ct-scan and mri did not locate cancer other places. I advise waiting for your results and your medical team. After my scan and MRI, a team of physicians met with me to discuss my results and the procedure approach. I am cancer free thank God. My medical team was a good team. I do suffer from LARS Syndrome. My symptoms include clustering and constipation – but I’m getting better. I hope you have a positive outcome. Take care.
60 year old male. Initial Stage 3 Rectal Cancer diagnoses 3/18. Radiation treatment started shortly after. Went 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Started feeling relief about 3 weeks in. Had 10 week break before the resection surgery and temporary Ileostomy on 07/18. Bladder was cut during surgery and woke up with not only an Stoma / Ileostomy, but also had a catheter. Fortunately the catheter was removed after 2 weeks. Was lowered to Stage 2 after no lymph node involvement was found during surgery. 4 weeks after surgery I Started 16 weeks of Folfox, went every 2 weeks, 8 treatments.
Chemo was pretty uneventful and had my last treatment on my birthday 11/21/18. Tolerated the Ileostomy pretty well after developing my routine ie: diet, normal maintenance etc.
Had take down / reconnect surgery 01/19. All scans to date have been clear.
I’ll have to say probably one of the hardest parts of the whole ordeal was getting back on schedule after reconnection, took about a year to learn what I could eat, how much I could eat and when I could eat. Still 2 years later though I still have to watch my diet, no spicy foods and never ever over eat, but Life is Good!
Hope this helps!
Tim your story is inspiring! I hope and pray that will happen to me too, to be cancer free! In Jesus Name,.Amen!
May 14th I had my first colonoscopy. They found 40mm mass. Because of size they could not finish colonoscopy. I had a resection on May 20th. Pathology report yesterday 27th showed cancer cells were in lymph nodes which could be or have moved elsewhere . Should be seeing a oncologist next week. I don’t feel very positive. I’m scared. I’m 51 years old.
Hi Vivian, a cancer diagnosis is very scary, but the good news is there are many effective treatments for colorectal cancer. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. Here are links to a couple resources to help.
https://coloncancercoalition.org/2021/03/18/newly-diagnosed-with-colon-cancer-5-things-you-need-to-know/
https://coloncancercoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/CCC_Patient_Brochure.pdf
I am 39 year old female with Stage 1-2 rectal cancer. I thought I was dealing with food allergies for a couple years, then September 2020 started having diarrhea daily. Well covid had me slow to go to the doctor. Finally saw my primary care physician in Feb. ‘21. Telling him about my hip pain, inability to ride in car for more than 4-5 hrs., poor balance, exhausted (feeling unable to keep up with my kids 14 & 10 and housework), depression, bloating and now diarrhea. I was breaking down physically, last summer weighing 114 and slowly dropping to 103 over 7-8 months. When my primary care physician referred me to gastrointestinal -ologist – I must say I was eager to go. I finally got in with him another month later and we decided to go forward with colonoscopy. I tried antibiotics w/o change and had run the gauntlet with removing foods from my diet. So another month goes by before I get my turn for my colonoscopy, now the beginning of May. I had tried mowing the lawn with a push mower and realized that I was having blood in my stools afterwards, so I quit. I tell my GI dr about it before my colonoscopy but he was still not expecting the tumor he saw just 8 cm in. Because the tumor was large in size he could not pass it with his scope. That was very nerve racking, not knowing if there was more higher up. I think that was the hardest part so far- not knowing if it spread or not. I decided to go to Siteman Cancer Center for my treatment. I have a great team- my surgeon, radiologist and oncologist work together as a team. I am very happy my scans show it to be contained. My teams’ plan is 5 days radiation, 4 months chemotherapy (folfox) & then I will have about 50/50 chance of needing surgery or if the tumor shrinks maybe not. I completed my radiation treatment a week and half ago and I am home on the sofa exhausted. I have found that soaking in warm water relaxes my stomach muscles and rectal muscles and ibuprofen helps with pain. I have another week or two before I start chemo but I can’t eat much. Unfortunately down to 93 lbs now. I am almost fearful to eat. Not knowing how much pain it will cause. Any folfox advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Siteman cancel center you would recommend Cheryl? Your story was shocking but it sounds like the treatment is reducing the size of your tumor and surgery may not be needed.
I hope you are now free of cancer cells, poison chemo and up above 100 pounds.. wishing you and fellow message board folks all the best with treatments
I know soon about my stage in my 5cm
Mass in my rectum and plan of action. Dane from Southport NC
Hi my name Mike i was diagnosedwith Stage 3 colon cancer after they removed a mass and 3 quarters of colon , any ideas what im looking forward too ?
Cheryl Mcarthy.
Hi. I was just reading your story and was literally sick to my stomach bc I’ve had the same exact issues you’ve named and even more for some time now and so worried it’s progressed bc every time I’ve ever tried talking with f
Dr of anyone else they all act like I’m crazy and send me on my way. It’s been a long year and was hoping to hear good news about yre recovery. Thank you
My friend kept complainin of constipation, laxatives didn’t help, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. I felt lost and helpless, after living very tough days we figured out the right path with the help of medical platform called docspert health.
Dear all,
I am suffering from left quadrant stomech pain from last 6 month….contipation, microscopic blood in stool, gastric problem, dizziness , body pain etc, but i done sigmoidscopy, colonoscopy endoscopy and CT scan, all are showing normal result, in endoscopy showing errossive gastric and H pylur bacteria…..i taken treatment for that, but my symptoms remain same….. what can I do next???
Hi, I was experiencing diarrhea and blood in my stool for 6 months then saw the doctor January of 2022 and was referred to a surgeon. Then the fatigue and feeling unwell got so bad that I had to go back to the dr again in March and he referred me to the surgeon again as urgent. The surgeon saw me the beginning of April and my markers didn’t show cancer. I had surgery April 17 for a ruptured bowel and I was told my insides were a mess. They also found a mass that they removed which two weeks later came back as malignant colon cancer. During the operation I had an illiostomy. In July I had a porta-Cath and mid July started chemo for 12 treatments which finished Mid January 2023. The cat scan shows cancer free and I will be getting the osteomy reversed and the porta-cath removed. I still feel “fatigued “ or what I refer to as “chemo’d”. Some days better than others. I don’t know what getting better should look like as most info is what to expect during chemo. I want to make sure I am on the right track. I don’t have a GP and the cancer clinic pretty much ends after chemo so I don’t really know who to ask.
The dryness of the hands is improving and my energy is better on some days already.
Ps I always had a positive attitude probably because my results were good at the time of surgery and didn’t give it too much thought.
Hi everyone,
My name’s Chris and I’ve been struck by the cancer bolt twice unfortunately. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 38 (1996), which resulted in the obvious surgery and chemotherapy. The chemo was described by my oncologist as “intensive”, which was code for “you will feel like you are about to die”. I could feel that life saving poison taking years off my life, whilst simutaneously saving my life. Despite sinking to to the extreme depths of human dignity I did emerge at the other end cancer free – optimistic and thankful for the absolute first class treatment afforded to me by my oncologist, my surgeon and the flock of angels dressed as nurses who cared for me when I was at my ugliest and brought me back from the lowest ebb.
Fast forward to 2006 and I was experiencing some changes to my bowel habits ie: I was having an extra bowel motion during the afternoon, in addition to the regular one in the morning. I simply put this down to a change in environment, or the ageing process, or ……..something! A few months on I was seeing blood in my stool which prompted me to consult my GP, who sent me for a colonoscopy which led to a diagnosis of rectal cancer. I began a regimen of radiation therapy and CT scans prior to surgery, then an MRI which revealed that the tumor in my rectum had metastasized into my liver – two lesions, one on either side. During a subsequent appointment with my bowel surgeon he emphasised the dire nature of my diagnosis, indicating that had I been an older man he may not have considered performing the rectal surgery, such was the very slim chance of a successful outcome. However, it appeared that I had age on my side and the surgery was scheduled. The time line is all a blur these days, but the surgery was performed, difficult but successful I was later told by one of the assisting surgeons. During this surgery I also received a stoma, and was therefore required to become accustomed to an ileostomy. Whilst the wonderful people involved in the Ostomy Association are extremely helpful and knowledgeable in this area, I despised the the thing and couldn’t wait for the day when I could say goodbye to it.
Unfortunately I was to keep the ileostomy for a period of 18 months due to the fact that I still required more major surgery to remove the lesions from my liver. There were two great moments in this saga; the first being referred to a genius bowel surgeon. The second was being referred to an absolute gun surgeon to operate on my liver. During my initial consultation with him he commented that most surgeons refused to operate on the liver due to the amount of bleeding which occurred during the surgery, which made this surgery extremely high risk. My surgeon’s attitude was that provided you knew what you were doing the risk, while present, was manageable. These were facts that he put to me to consider before consenting to the surgery, which I duly did – what choice did I have? However my condition required not one, but two liver ressections over a period of three months. He informed me that this would be an extremely gruelling time physically due to the relatively short recovery time, and he was 100% correct. The first surgery went like clockwork in terms of my liver recovering. By the time the next surgery was scheduled I was in reasonable condition, although I had lost about 10 kilos in weight. Following the next surgery I needed to spend an extended time in intensive care, more for observation due to the unusual surgery regimen I’d been subjected to. Unfortunately there were a few complications following this operation – there were certain markers which were not acceptable and I was jaundiced, which was a little unsettling when looking in the mirror. My surgeon decided that he wasn’t equipped to solve the issues , so he contacted a collegue who specialised in this field. She quickly identified the problem which was good – what was bad was that I had to stay in hospital for two weeks!
My life post rectal cancer diagnosis/treatment whilst far from normal, is far more preferrable than the alternative – death. When you undergo major bowel surgery your system will never again function as it once did, due to the fact that whilst performing the surgery the surgeons require that most if not all of your bowel rests on a table next to you. It then has to be returned to to your bowel cavity – it simply cannot be returned in the same way it came out. The bowel is like a seperate living thing inside your body; if you take it out and put back in again it’s not going to function the way it did before. I now have many issues with different foods and vitamin supplements which I never had before. I suffer badly from muscle cramps, but if I take magnesium to try to alleviate the cramps I suffer from chronic diarhhoea – the cramps are the lesser of two evils, believe me. There are now various foods which I cannot eat without a potentially embarrassing side effect, despite the fact that I love to eat them – although I will always eat eggs for breakfast if I’m at home and close to my toilet lol! A side effect of the chemo is that I have no sensation in my lower left leg and foot, and limited sensation in my right foot, resulting in a distortion of my gait; my left foot and ankle hit the ground in a strange way which has over time resulted in some extremely painful rounds of golf – but at least I’m still able to walk around the course!
As a footnote, I’m a lead guitarist with a band who I’ve been with for around 13 years – I think…..anyway, here’s a catharsis about cancer treatment I wrote for our fourth album “Twilight Zone”. I’m not a very skilled songwriter, so my mate who sang the song had to fit the lyrics in as best he could – he’s a legend!
I’ve had several post-op colonoscopies, which coincidentally have been conducted by my original bowel surgeon. Whenever he sees me in pre-op he welcomes me as “the miracle man”. I always remind him that it is he and his fellowship of highly skilled surgeons who are the miracle workers – he takes it on board and is grateful for the appreciation, but I think he’s just concentrating on the job at hand. I’ve had many consultations with both my liver surgeon and my oncologist over the years post surgeries/treatment and I cannot speak highly enough of these incredibly dedicated professionals. They are just unbelievable!
I’m now 65, still working in a manual labour type situation, I play golf weekly, and still
As a footnote, I’m a lead guitarist with a band who I’ve been with for around 13 years – I think…..anyway, here’s a catharsis about cancer treatment I wrote for our fourth album “Twilight Zone”. I’m not a very skilled songwriter, so my mate who sang the song had to fit the lyrics in as best he could – he’s a legend!
Here’s a link: https://mutheory.bandcamp.com/track/twilight-zone
Cheers People
Chris