Even more worried

Sarah, people who have polyps very rarely have just the one, my friend had over 1/2 dozen removed and all were benign.  But you have had so much time to worry about this and now you have to wait another two weeks for the procedure (and longer for the results).  This consultant sounds on the ball, no specialist worth their salt would give you a cast iron guarantee that it isn't cancer but he is going to make sure one way or the other.  I am so sorry you are going through all this stress.  I am assuming that having them removed is not unlike surgery for haemorrhoids which my daughter had done, yes it was painful but it passed quite quickly.

I'm afraid I can't say much to reassure you but all this has positives; you have been seen by someone who is thorough, who is doing something about it and soon.  The hard part for you now is the waiting which unfortunately no one can take away.

Thinking of you and hoping for a successful outcome.

Irene x

Hi Irene 

Thank you for your reply. I think he thinks it all stems from a chronic fissure, but I now also have an ‘acute’ one. I’ve just read this and it hasn’t helped with my anxiety whatsoever…..

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5729951/#!po=35.4167

I can’t see me getting much sleep tonight.

I really appreciate the support of you lovely ladies. I live on my own and it’s just me and my worries a lot of the time 

Sarah x

Hi Sarah80,

I'm sorry to hear this. I know how stressful this is. The worry can really build up. Google is the worst. I have gone down that rabbit hole and only found myself more afraid and stressed out. Try to avoid reading more online right now. It sounds like you have a great doctor that is going to figure this out. Right now, try to focus on your day to day. When I'm having a hard day, I just break it down in small chunks. Get through the next hour or 30 minutes and then try again. It's totally okay to melt down and worry, just try not to let it take over. I have a good cry at least twice a week and then I move forward. You can do this!! We're hear for you!

Hi Sarah I am sorry to hear about your situation and right now you don’t know if it is or isn’t and that’s very frustrating. Most of us have been there at the beginning of the investigation journey and it’s horrible. Like you I started with a sigmoidoscopy and they found a polyp which was like a stalk and a flat area which was not the norm just at the entrance. My GP picked this up at my first visit when I had some slight bleeding and she said it’s not haemorrhoids and sent me for tests. After the sigmoidoscopy I also had to have a EUA to remove the polyp. They didn’t mention the other are so I persisted and was taken in where they decided to cut it out with a margin. Unfortunately this showed cancer cells and my world turned upside down. I googled everything and frightened myself half to death and even planning my death. The biopsy was pretty uncomfortable and that’s where I found the idea on here to buy a sitz bath. Coming on here listening and talking to members was an absolute godsend I don’t know how I would have managed. Stay away from Google if you can as there is a lot of out of date information. I agree with others here you seem to have a doctor on the ball. You only want the truth and sometimes it’s not nice but if it isn’t then at least this cancer has a good cure rate. It’s tough for some more than others and I wonder if age has something to do with that. I am 67 and nearly 16 months post treatment and apart from some things probably linked to my age I’m really good. Come on here and ask anything as there is always someone here to help

HI Sarah, it's such a scary time, with all these awful words that have wormed their way into our daily consciousness. There's just not much cheerful to say about it.

Your doctor sounds terrific! He's paying close attention, being honest and careful and is determined to keep on until he figures out what's going on. The surgery is tough but they give you meds to help with it. Get a Sitz bath!

I'd had 2 years of shrugging, so the cancer diagnosis was a weird, backhanded relief. At least cancer can be dealt with. Now, 6 months after treatment, I feel better than I have in years. Still don't know whether they got it all or not, but it sure is good to be mostly pain-free.

You can do this! We got you!

Suz

I completely agree with Hopie and Jaycee - totally avoid Dr Google.  Really - for your own well-being and peace of mind.  So much of the information is out-of-date, conflicted and in many cases, are not peer-reviewed studies.  I know it is difficult, but you have much more control now than you had just a few short days ago.  Do your utmost to be content with that and be kind to yourself - try and make the next two weeks as stress-free as possible.

Irene xx

Thank you Hopie, I always tell myself I’m not doing to goggle but still find myself doing it! It’s like I’m looking for reassurance that’s it’s not going to be ‘C’ but I should know nothing is going to tell me that and all it’s going to do is stress me out further. I’m quite an anxious person anyway and this is just tipping me over the edge! I’m going to take your advice and just break it down into small chunks x

Thanks Jaycee, I really do think my symptoms and history seem to fit with anal cancer but I know I do need to stay away from dr goggle and just wait x

Thanks Irene, I’m going to try my best x

Thanks Suz, like you say at least I do have someone who is on the ball now. I do already have a sitz bath but I’m not sure it is deep enough to actually go to the toilet in if I need to. I’ll have to look for another one. I’m glad you are doing well now x