Stomach like a beer belly after colon cancer surgery

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

Hello, ive just joined mayo clinic connect...my mom was diagnosed with stage 3c colon cancer last month and had a resection with ileostomy...the doctor said that adjuvant chemo will be given but before that we did another chest and abdomen scan that shows 4 hypodense lesions in the liver...so the chemo regimen started includes avastin, oxaliplatin and 5FU...i just want to know if we should do a pet scan as well or any other tests that should be done?

I never had such a big belly until i had my surgery. I have talked to my Dr. about it and he does`nt seem concernerd.There is no discomfort but I would like to know what caused it to get this big.Silly question but were my intestines put back in a bunch? Should they have been arranged in a certain way There has to be a reason. nannytart

Wow ..

We sound exactly the same with the way they found our cancers.. Both stage 1.. No other treatments needed, Both got sick eating in a restaurant. I thought I was poisoned too. I ate Chinese food and swore they fed me Boric Acid. I had a horrible burning sensation down my throat and stabbing chest pains. I was fine otherwise .. No Signs or Symptoms always healthy. My blood work is Perfect, X-rays and Ultra sounds Perfect. I listened to the ER DR. also, and called right away to get an Endoscopy and the GI DR. recommended I get a Colonoscopy as well..( He gave me the 2 for 1 special.) They found H- Pylori in my tummy, and an Ulcer in the Cecum of my Colon. The ulcer had a flat polyp under it. That twice tested as pre-cancerous. I had a second colonoscopy to try and remove it without surgery. They removed just a little and that showed pre-cancerous on the biopsy. I didn't trust the local DRs near me. The local surgeon asked me what kind of surgery I wanted to have? Seriously he said I can just remove your Cecum or I can take 6 inches and a couple of lymph nodes. Just in case, he goes, it comes back cancerous. That way I wont have to do another surgery on you. I was like are you kidding me? Your asking me what is the best surgery I should have?

I called the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville...

They did a third colonoscopy and a CT scan. they knew right away it was a stage 1 cancer. When they did the CT scan I had swollen lymph nodes near my Aorta. It turns out I am Rare But NOT totally unusual I have 2 primary cancers diagnosed at once. Follicular Lymphoma and Cecum cancer. The cecum cancer is gone totally removed.. The follicular lymphoma is on a watch and wait approach. They said, out of every 3 people who are diagnosed with it, only 1 out of 3 ever need treatments. I have no symptoms other than the swollen glands near the aorta. Which 8 months later have shrunk on their own. The largest swollen gland was 21mm by 21mm in December and is now 12mm by 10mm. It is shrinking on its own. So I am just watched.

Every 3 months they do blood work, every 6 months a CT scan, and once a year a colonoscopy. I am a Polyp Farmer they said. At my 6 month Colonoscopy check-up they found 4 more tiny polyps. Noncancerous thank god. or I would be getting Colonoscopies every 6 months.

And YES I now have a perfect Hour Glass Shape.. We can start a new fashion trend .. LOL.. I think it is better than being really sickly . I can handle hour Glass versus deathly sick.. I am way too young to have both of these cancers they said. Sighing .. Oh Well I can't worry about being sick. Cause I feel fine and I know I am in good hands.

Hi/ thank god i was only in stage 1 they removed i foot of my colon and i didnt need chemo or radiation. I never suspected i had cancer i felt so good up nuntil that day that i got deathly sick. I had just left a restaurant and thought i had food poisining i had never had a colonoscopy before but when i went into the hospital that day they recommended it and i am so happy i agreed to it I was absolutely shocked when the Dr. came and told me I had cancer I feel good and life goes on my only complaint is I ended up with a big round belly that I hate. My operation was in November 2015 so it should have flattened out by now my doctor doesnt seem to think its a big deal.

I was happy to hear from you. I wonder if the big belly will ever go away.Clothes don`t fit very well around the middle. I guess that is a stupid thing to worry about. I feel good n I~m thankful for that. Did you have any symptoms before you had surgery? I didn~t I had just come out of a resataurant and got deathly sick, I thouight I had food poisining when i went to the hospital they kept me there and I had to get a colonoscopy and found the cancer. Up to that day thought I was in perfect health. You never know what life has in store for you. nannytart<br>

@nannytart welcome ...

I also had a foot of my colon removed in January due to having stage 1 cecum cancer. I wonder if some of that is scare tissue? I noticed my right ride is tad bigger than my left side. I was always super thin. But since my surgergy I gained about 10 pounds. My stomach is no longer flat .. I think some of that has to do with my body adjusting to the new and improved plumbing systems. It has been 8 months since my surgery, for four of those months I couldn't do a thing. So I gained weight.

Then I started very slowly to exercise again. And I feel a great deal of pulling on my right side. My surgeon says that is scar tissue. Plus I been babying my stomach. Which doesn't help it at all. I noticed I seem to retain extra water too. Exercising seems to help. I started swimming and doing exercises in a pool. That seems to help a great deal. Not sure if you have access to a pool? But try exercising in a pool. It has helped a lot to getting over babying of that area.

Hope this helps? Wish you the best..

Welcome to Connect, @nannytart.
There are a number of reasons that someone will experience abdominal swelling after surgery. Here are some explanations http://www.healthguideinfo.com/digestive-disorders/p118708/. But it has been 9 months since your surgery. Has you belly looked like this since surgery? Have you talked to your doctor about it?

I'm bringing a few other members into the conversation who are living with colon cancer or caring for someone who has colon cancer. Perhaps @bbams @brglight @travelgirl @martid @retairforceman @sue_in_delaware and @nananet can shed some light on your situation.