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Stomach like a beer belly after colon cancer surgery
Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: Jul 13 11:14am | Replies (93)Comment receiving replies
Hi
I am a new member to connect and look forward to sharing with others as well as learning from other members diagnosed with colon cancer. At the age of 63 my life changed forever. Two days before Christmas of 2014. I had rapid onset stomach pains and after a number of scans and scopes a colonoscopy found the cancer in the cecum on jan 8 2015.my doctors thought it was perhaps stage 2 at the most
Surgery followed and a tumor over 3 cm, a foot and a half of my colon along with 45 lymph nodes were removed of which 16 had metastized to my liver lungs and peritoneum. The pathology showed stage IV. It was like a bad dream as I had 4 prior colonoscopies due to a family history only to found out the cancer had most likely been missed. Thank God I was in good health otherwise. After healing from the surgery I started chemotherapy of 5-fu and avastin and completed my treatment plan in June of 2015. Then a pet scan was ordered and was told the cancer was gone and I was NED. It was the best news I could have hoped for. So since July of 2015 to present I take xeloda and avastin , see my oncologist every 3 weeks and have Ct scans every 3 month. Every scan including the pet scan done in december of 2016 have been NED.
It is like a miracle and I thank God every day for helping me.
I just made the 2 year point and all things considered my life is good. I have hand and foot syndrome from the xeloda but it has become manageable. I eat primarily a plant based diet, exercise, take supplements, do acupuncture and yoga and try my best to stay positive . I have also worked hard as after the surgery my weight dropped to a very scary 106 lbs and today weigh in at 118-119 lbs which gives me reserves and strength to fight the cancer. It also helps tremendously that I have a wonderful support system of family and friends and always have something to look forward to to keep me going. It has not been an easy time for sure but the bottom line is that I am still here and enjoying every day. And I believe that they are so so close to finding a cure for this dreaded disease and we need to stay strong and positive and help each other and never give up the fight
Aloha
Replies to "Hi I am a new member to connect and look forward to sharing with others as..."
Hi
I had bad stomach pains which came on pretty quickly
They did an endoscopy and told me I had some acid reflux and sent me home with some meds
Two days later still had the stomach pain so they did 4 scans in one day 2 ultrasound and 2 Ct
Both showed nothing
The only thing left was a colonoscopy so 2 days later it was done and the cancer found
We all just need to get through this time
Things are improving quickly in the fight against cancer and I believe they are close to unlocking the key to your immune system attacking the cancer
May the good lord help us all to stay strong and determined and never give up the fight
it is great news about all the research, clinical trials, technology that is helping us fight this disease, yet i personally am learning from this and have done some research and can see i just am not and did not take care of my body, always exercised, then started a healthy way of eating and still today do not eat meat so i do not know why have contracted it, i do take supplements other holistic, started on Ibrance this week and the week i am off from this chemo will take a sulfur holistic powder to re-build my white blood cells for they are the fighter in this body and we need them. Hopefully by the time my grandchildren and great grandchildren live the life here on this earth they will have a cure for cancer, and all the other dreaded diseases.
Starrlight
Well done you are an inspiration. Did you also have the lymphedema? How are you finding acupuncture? I had it regularly before my diagnosis but want to go back asap to help me manage the side effects of this surgery.
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What a great and wonderful outcome for you, i am not sure what cecum canc. is i have heard it used a few times, i have a tumor in my rectum is that the same thing, and have brst canc. and other which feel it would be to negative to say on this positive site. Will say one thing however i am receiving Avastin in a retina eye injection, just started last week and looked that drug up and it is for rectal and or colon canc tumors, it is suppose to shrink them and seems to really have helped you which is encouraging, not sure why they are putting that in my eye. I still have not contacted Mayo as have been so busy with other medical issues however hopefully next week. I emailed by Spiritual teacher asking why my body has so many maladies in it as i to was healthy never got sick, went to the gym tried to eat right, '{he said that some of the latest thinking is that cancer comes from bacteria in the cells and works it way around being disclosed,
when one has cancer it changes perceptions and provides an opportunity to make advancements.')
He is a survivor of Canc brain tumor and is canc free now and is a Vegan now plus he has a Holistic healing perspective, which i followed several yrs. ago when the brst tumor was a spot, followed that plus exercising however in 08 it had tripled, so i finally went to a canc. clinic where i live and they have been treating me for the brst canc. with Anastrozole which did nothing and mon suppose to start Ibrance, the rectal tumor for found as a mass 2 yrs. ago as a result of a colonoscopy and there has been no treatment as you can read my discussion if you choose to which explains why.
Sallyg and all on this page keep on keeping on you to are survivors, have a Wonderful day as that is all we are given, my prayers are with and for all that have this or any other disease, Canc and other is not unique as all through history there has been dreaded diseases that a cure was found for, so that is enlightening in itself.
Starrlight