Posted 6/23/2006 1:37 PM (GMT -8)
I went to the doctor for the horrible abdominal pain. I was sent onto a gastroenterologist. The first one just wanted to check out my stomach because that is where the pain was localized. He said the constipation was from my medications and could be dealt with with diet changes. he said I wasn't due for years to have a colonoscopy. I ended up doubling over in pain. That doctor couldn't see me for 2 weeks. I found a gastroenterologist that I had heard good things about but didn't know. He decided to check out my stomach and do a colonoscopy. He found a hiatal hernia and esophagitis in my stomach which he started me on medications for and adjusted my diet. Here's the ironic part. The colonoscopy showed some polyps that he removed and sent to pathology. The pathology report came back that the polyps contained carsenoma which had invaded the stalk of the polyps too but had not invaded one cell of my colon. The doctor was shocked. The pain in the abdomen became the least of my worries. If I had waited the until I turned 50 to have the colonoscopy like the other doctor wanted me to do, I don't even want to think about what would have happened. Here's the bottom line. I was so blessed by this doctor finding this cancer just by chance. Ironically it wasn't where my pain was so most doctors wouldn't have done the colonoscopy. I have to have the colonoscopy repeated in 1 year and if it comes back negative then I have to have one done every three years for the rest of my life. If any of you out there have chronic constipation, can't have a bowel movement on your own or could go for over a week without a BM but you don't have any pain. Please don't take it lightly. Air on the side of caution. I had years before I was due for a colonoscopy. I still had cancer there. I'm not saying if you have chronic constipation or other problems with your bowels etc. and can't seem to get relief that you have cancer in your colon. I'm just saying to be safe, See a doctor please. Also, just because your not 50 years old yet, doesn't mean that a colonoscopy wouldn't still be a good idea just to be cautious under certain circumstances. if your doctor thinks it's a good idea, do it. It's not that bad at all. Not saying it's fun or anything but not as bad as it sounds. Just some food for thought. Not to freak anyone out. Just want all of you to be cautious. If you are 50 please make sure you get your colonoscopy. Get the baseline screening done. Be safe and protect yourself.