What was your timescale from diagnosis to receiving treatment?

I will be phoning again next week, I have a list of numbers now. Can I ask how many days form your  colonoscopy were you waiting for you surgery date? Also how many days from your official date from seeing your consultant were you waiting? 

Hi everyone, first time here & came across this forum a unexpectedly (popped up in facebook messages, but I guess my phone knows where I’ve been!) I actually got my diagnosis  AFTRR surgery & am currently on chemo. I had a 2nd colonoscopy on 2nd December 2020 (they found 2 polys on 1st colonoscopy, removed 1 & we’re going back to remove 2nd one. Then found the ‘offending’ one that needed surgery!) surgery was 6th January! I realise I was VERY lucky & the colonoscopy consultant sent my case to the surgical team before my CT scan! Which moved everything a week forward. All surgeries stopped on 7th Jan (day after mine) due to covid & I was the very last patient to be operated on! (Surgeries have still not resumed here / in NI) so I am feeling more like it was a miracle I got seen to so quickly in these current times! sending big BIG hugs your way & ring everyone you can for support & answers until they get your treatment sorted which I hope is very soon xx

Hello scared mummy, I got my further results test 28th Feb 2020, March 9th consultation to get colonoscopy, told I would get the drink and appointment two weeks later, lockdown, got seen in June, diognoised with mid rectal cancer. Saw a surgeon in can’t remember if it was end of June or early July saw surgeon had premed .operation date 27th July, was going to be performed in a private hospital because of COVID in main hospital. I’m high risk surgeon decided to cancel on the day, wanted in main hospital with his own team around him. The nhs were doing operations in private hospitals at the time. Waited a week got a choice of surgery or chemo radiation, I choose chemo radiation. Started on 8/9/20 until 12/10/20. I was worring be cause I was scared of spread. I got complete response no residual no metts. I had first they had, said it was T2 n/o m/o, then when another letter came in it was a T3 n/I’m/o. I. Suffer now bad anxiety. Sorry a bit long winded but it’s all been sin COVID. So I don’t know what it would be like in normal times. I wish you well and send lots of hugs x

Thank you for your reply, I’m suffering from anxiety at the moment due to the 2 months delay for my surgery. Ve read in normal circumstances the consultants like to have surgery done within 2 weeks of official diagnosis. I’m in limbo just waiting around. Glad you got sorted although you also were moved about due to covid.

Hi Scared_Mummy I had the colonoscopy and polypectmy on the 4th Jan , 21st Jan was my meet with the consultant and colorectal team . Surgery booked for 12th Feb but cancelled I think end of jan due to covid . Surgery now on the 12th March . Have you managed to make contact with your surgeon ? Or colorectal nurse yet ? 

Hi Takayasu I phoned last week and was given the same response, surgeries are taking place but very limited. Can I ask which dates did you have your MRI and CT scans? Glad you’re getting your surgery next next after your cancellation, hopefully I can update soon with a date for mine too.

My diagnosis was a bit backwards  I had a pet scan in October which diagnosed my vascuilitis disease but also showed a sigmoid cancer - so wasn’t really much need for anything else as it was a full body one and shows everything. But once I’d had the colonoscopy on the 4th jan I was back in hospital as they thought I had an infection from the colonoscopy ( they removed a few polyp and the some of the suspected polyp( cancer) so I was actually in hospital when they told me I had bowel cancer I think it was on the 14th Jan - before they discharged me they gave me a ct scan . The Colorectal nurse was great she phoned me straight away after I was discharged to chat through everything. Which area are you in ? At least you have communication now that is something I hated not knowing even if it was them saying no sorry no date yet and we don’t know when. It looks like different NHS trusts are operating differently. 

Did you feel a lot better once your date was confirmed? I’m just stressing about everything at the moment, I spoke  to another gentleman on a forum and he had his surgery last week and home already. He didn’t need a temporary stoma. Then that’s another challenge isn’t it if a stoma is required. Then the results from the lymph nodes. I’ve read conflicting stories, some people just have surgery no chemo then others have mop up chemo? I wonder if it’s different everywhere.

Hi Scared_Mummy. Chemo after surgery usually depends on the histology results ie. when the tumour and surrounding area has been sent off for testing. They will remove and test some of the lymph nodes and tissue surrounding the tumour. If they detect cancer cells in any of the lymph nodes then they usually recommend chemo which is often iv and tablets. If they suspect that the cancer has spread into local blood vessels - often referred to as emvi positive - then chemo may be recommended and is often just the tablet form. This is the general practice and what is recommended by NICE so not dependent on different areas.

Hope this helps. I know it’s a horrible worrying time and I really hope you get a date for your op soon. I had radiotherapy before my op in Aug/Sep 16 then my op was the end of Nov.

Take care

Karen x

Officially heard on 03/02/21,followed by more scans and x-rays to check for spread. Operation will be on the 5th of March.