I’m a single mother of 3 from Chicago Illinois. I’ve been pretty healthy all my life.. no allergies or diseases. I’m 5’5 - 115lbs (lost 5-10lbs since summer 2019 due to cancer). So this is my the beginning of my journey. I was experiencing rectum pain during summer of 2019. I went to my primary doctor and she said it was hemorrhoids. She provided a referral to a surgeon who was going to remove them since I was uncomfortable and basically just wanted to get rid of them. I had a hemorroidectomy on 10/15/19 which left me in unbearable pain. The pain was 10000x worse then it was prior to the procedure. I was in tears everyday because of the pain. I followed up with the surgeon 4x between October and December begging for an answer as to why I’m not healing and in so much pain. She literally had no idea why I wasn’t recovering and then referred me to a colorectal surgeon who could help figure this out. I saw him on 12/23/19 and he figured that I had an anal fissure and that is what was causing the unbearable pain. He gave two weeks to try a compound ointment and follow up. The ointment did absolutely nothing. We decided that anal Botox injections would be the next step. That surgery was performed on 1/30/20 - the day that changed my life forever. He found a golf ball size mass and sent out a biopsy. Waiting from 1/30 - 2/4 for the results was the longest wait of my life. On 2/4 he informed me that it is indeed cancer and we scheduled a MRI & CT to learn more about it. After receiving the results we found out that that it has spread to my liver and lungs. I’m terrified. I’m starting Folfox chemo treatments soon and would love any advice, support, input - anything. Thank you guys so much.
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meganbridges
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So sorry to hear about your diagnosis, Megan. Like you, my husband was told he had haemorrhoids, only to subsequently find out that he had stage 4 cancer with mets in liver & lungs. It makes me angry that so many doctors are missing the signs. Patients are exhorted time and again to go to the doctor if they experience any symptoms of bowel disturbance but it's the doctors who need educating in this matter.
A year on, hubby has had chemo and his tumours are said to be 'stable.' It's not an instant death sentence as it would once have been, so stay hopeful and positive. New treatments are coming along all the time and are very effective.
He had traces of blood on toilet paper after going to the loo and reported that his stools were 'thin' in size. Sometimes he had to go to the loo frequently and often felt that he hadn't properly emptied his bowels.
colon cancer symptoms can be really tricky :((( i hope your husband will beat the cancer, be strong and be positive!!!
my mom has been suffering with bleeding in her poo over a year but in her case it's blood clots with bright red, she has external hemorrhoids (grade 3) but the doctor referred her to have colonoscopy but she didn't do it right away and on th we will have a schedule for colonoscopy I'm really scared, i really hope it's just the hemorroids.
anyway did your husband had other symptoms aside from blood in his poo?
It’s a scary, bewildering time at the moment as you must feel quite shell shocked.
Folfox5 was ok for me in the beginning. It has cumulative effects so the more often you have it, the worse the “recovery” from 1 session to the next. My cycle was every 2 weeks.
Being based in the UK, I found these websites and people useful to follow as I felt a bit overwhelmed with being young (In 30’s) and a mum with cancer.
— I also follow @BowelBabe on Facebook/Instagram for inspiration. She’s stage 4 and just moved into stable! Worth a look
As for general tips, I’ll limit to a few:
- Ask for help. People will feel awkward and not know what to do/ say. Small things like cooking a meal for the family or doing your washing/ cleaning will be brilliant or taking the kids out for a weekend morning so you can sleep or attempt to do housework yourself.
- Steroids! You will feel incredible with the steroids given during chemo. Try to harness this to batch cook meals and have fun with your kids these days. I usually had a crash 4-6 days from the start of chemo (ie: Tuesday start, crashing Friday to Sunday). Depending on how you need to work, balance the kids, etc. keep this in mind.
- Get a port-a-cath inserted. This is so the chemo doesn’t go straight into your viens. It’s a small port where the Chemo enters (usually in your chest). Can be slightly painful to install but works wonders in the long term.
- Make a will. So grim to think about but if you have it and it spells out your wishes for your family if anything happens, everyone will have a clear idea for the future.
Hope that is useful... let me know if you need anything else.
Hi.. O no. Im praying for u . u look like a real nice person. Im really praying u get 100% better. Im praying i don't have it . i have red lines in my stool. Not all time. But im really scared. I know u r too. I will put u on our pray list at church. U hang in there girl . . .
I am in tears for the second time today. I am praying for you and your kids. I am no doctor but, I believe in Alkaline diets, no sugars, and very little meat. Organics all the way. You should talk to a cancer center called, Sloan Kettering Center. I also think you should sue the doctors that diagnosed you wrong. It might not have spread if they would have caught it in time. I know it would be one more thing to worry about but, the doctors should've done further testing. A blood test would have shown an elevation and or decrease in your cells. They need to be held accountable . They are always in a rush and I know they are tired, overworked, and busy but, this is your life and your loved ones. The doctors job is to take care of us and those grueling hours and many patients is what they signed up for. God bless you, and I will be praying.
I have anal pain, very bad tingling dr told me anal fissure, she gives a cream my pain is so bad since October, I went private nhs is bad now cancel all appointment, I’m sorry to hear that dr don’t identify your problems wen the treat Hemorrhoid. Shame on them, I have tow children as well. Hope you get bette. what do you thing about stem cell therapy to kill cancer, they using in blood cancer.
I'm so sorry your going through this. I'm terrified i also have it. Could you please tell me what your symptoms were. I did post my question if you wpuldnt mind reading it and letting me knlw what you think
So sorry to hear your story. May God be with you through this storm. Two months ago I had a normal colonoscopy and no polyps, but I continue to bleed and have constipation. Anyone know what this could be? The doc didn’t mention I had hemorrhoids or anal fissure, but would he be able to see these in a colonoscopy anyway? Still worried with no peace of mind yet until I get to the bottom of the cause of this bleeding and constipation.
Hi I’m sorry for what your going through I had a fit test done and my score was 17 I’m so scared I’m 24 I have no blood in my pop as I can see but my fit test says there was I have pain in my lower abdomen and up to my left rib no weight loss as far as I know can any one give advice I’m also here if u would like to chat or call I’m Adam from uk my mobile is 07565910788 it helps to talk things over and I could do with some friends right now god bless guys stay safe
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Terrified. Have symptoms of colon cancer
Is this colon cancer? 
I’m worried I have colon cancer 
Terrified I have rectal/colon cancer 
Is this colon cancer 
