Colorectal cancer stage 3c: Need positive feedback

Hello @musicflowers4u

So nice to hear from you again! I do hope that your scan next week goes well for you. How are you feeling these days?

Will you post again after you get the results of your scan?

Hello everyone,

I'm on a lung blog here at MAYO and I was diagnosed with Stage 3b colon cancer about 2.5 years ago. It came as a huge shock, since I had retired one year earlier and I had no symptoms . . . in fact, I had not felt so well in a dozen years. The strange thing is first they thought the cancer was under my right rib, and 10 days later they thought it was over my left hip. So surgery involved both sides of my abdomen, and lots of uncertainty. I was in such great physical condition that I went home from the hospital after 3 days – my surgeon said I could leave after 48 hours. I started chemo 3 weeks later, 2.5 days of chemo, 11 days off, for 6 months. It drained me of every bit of energy I had – the feeling was inexplicable and at times I slept for 14 hours at a crack.

Today, I am 26 months post-chemo, which has left me with some real nerve damage that I've learned to live with – it's quite difficult to type this accurately because of the sensations in my fingers. I have a colonoscopy every year. At my last one in December, the doc found a different fast growing precancerous polyp that he called me about when the path report came in. So I am still plugging along with a colonoscopy each year until I have a 'clean' one with no polyp – this is that the doc and I have agreed to, as extreme as it may sound.

If I can offer comfort or suggestions to anyone based on my experience, I would be happy to help. God bless you all in our journey with cancer.

Paula

It is smart to have the colonoscopy every year. My gastro doc insisted on 5 years till my last one needed removal of 42 polyps two of which were flat and precancerous, now next colonoscopy not more than 3 year interval pet path lab and I will start pushing my doc at year 2.

“per” path lab

@Paula_MAC2007 Hello Paula,

I appreciate you joining us in this discussion and sharing your journey with colon cancer. You have offered a lot of insight and encouragement. I look forward to you sharing more with us.

Oh my, in reading my post is sounds so negative … it was meant to be informative and I missed the boat in not including positive info. I am feeling so very well and back at my exercise classes – yoga and pilates – almost daily now, which were so helpful to regaining my strength. I've learned to adapt my life to what I can and can't do as easily now. It's life 'AC' — After Cancer — as I call it.

I had been an advocate for my health, having an unusual lung disease. But my experience with cancer and the circumstances of 'finding' it – rather unusual – made me more active in my healthcare. So far, my cancer has not spread outside of my lymph nodes. Yeah!! My fabulous oncologist and his team monitor & review the tests with me, and I'm on meds for the sensory neuropathy which do help somewhat. All in all, life is good!

Musicflowers4u — The standard protocol for my situation is colonoscopies every 2-3 years; since my cancer, each time the doc has removed 1 or 2 small polyps. I've insisted on a colonoscopy every year, until no polyp is there, so that's what I'm having done. This requires buy-in from the doc, because the doc needs to believe it is needed. And it means a hassle with the insurance company which I understand their concern (there are real life-altering things that can go wrong with the procedure, thankfully somewhat rate).

My surgeon said he sees people like me every day — people who have no symptoms. That's getting to be so common. So you really do need to advocate for yourself. I'd love to see a blood test developed that can detect something unusual, that indicates an intestinal cancer. And get it taken care of very early.

Peace to all.
Paula

@Paula_MAC2007, welcome back. I echo @hopeful33250's thank you.
I'm curious to know how your MAC lung condition fared through the cancer treatment. Did a weaken immune system cause any problems? When did AC (after cancer) start for you? After the last treatment? When was that?

Hi Paula: I really appreciate your input. Thanks so much.

I was diagnosed about a month after you;
Stage 3C colon cancer. February 8, 2019 was when I had my routine colonoscopy after turning 50 only 2.5 months earlier. Had resection surgery February 26th and began FOLFOX chemo on March 28th. Finished 6 months of treatment August 28th and have gotten good results since then – thank God! Fortunately I was able to have my first Follow up Colonoscopy and CT scan early March before everything shut down due to Covid. Only two polyps were found and they were non cancerous. I was told my next colonoscopy won’t be for another 3 years now but I am not comfortable with that. I want to have one every year for the first few years after my diagnosis. I had no family
History and no symptoms. The fact that two polyps were removed makes nervous to wait 3 years before another colonoscopy. Am I being irrational???

Having cancer is not only physically challenging but also mentally challenging. I am blessed to have loving and supportive family and friends. I exercise daily, have started juicing veggies daily (about 30oz), I add chia and flax
Seeds to my meals and have reduced my meat intake. I love my wine And cheese and am not ready to give that up just yet. I am only 51 and am doing my best to stay positive. Would love to hear other thoughts and options With how to stay on top of it all.

You seem to be doing all the right things. Great attitude.