Mass found on colonoscopy

Hello, it is such a worrying and stressful time. My husband had mesothelioma and our ride was such a rollercoaster.  Maybe just take some deep breaths, try meditation to calm yourself, I used to say, me getting in a state of stress and anxiety will not change the outcome just make things worse.  We just dealt with everything day by day and tried not to think ahead as your mind can run away with you …..

Thank you for taking the time to reply.  That’s great advice.  One day at a time sounds like the way I should go with this.  Yes my mind has as my daughter says gone down many rabbit holes then as you said it’s not changed anything.   

Hi Scoutabout and a warm welcome to the board from me. Yes this ‘in limbo’ time waiting for biopsy and scan results is very stressful but once your team has the results back then they will discuss you with the other specialists in the Multi Disciplinary Meeting and decide on a treatment plan tor you.

As my good friend Court would say - try to keep your head where your feet are ie. focus on the facts not the what ifs? The scans will check if there’s any spread to other organs but the cough could be related to one of the many bugs going round at the minute and the bone aches could also be related - a bit fluey? - or just maybe tension and stress from the worry?

Stay away from google - it can be scary and out of date - there’s lots of information on here and if you click on peoples names then their profile page may show their treatment to date.

Bowel cancer is notoriously slow growing but very treatable. I was diagnosed in 2016 and I’m still ‘no evidence of disease’ as are the 2 ladies that I became good friends with who were going through the same thing at the same time.

Please keep us posted and we’ll be happy to help and support you through this?

Take care

Karen x

Hi. Thank you so much for replying  Yes Dr Google has given be maybe 5 years if I’m lucky but I’ve never been to see him so wise advice there.  I’m hoping that it’s nowhere else but at 2am my mind was all over the place.  I would very much appreciate the support.  I have friends who live locally to me but they all have children the same age as my daughter and while we are being open we are very careful with our vocabulary and keeping everything age appropriate.  With no malice I think they may repeat things that I ish they didn’t.   I’ve got the most amazing partner but I feel that we both need sup️

Hi Scoutabout The problem with things like 5 year survival rates is that they’re already 5 years out of date. Also bowel cancer is often more commonly found in the older generation so there can be other medical conditions in play. You are an individual not a statistic?

Ive seen changes and enhancements in treatment since I was diagnosed in 2016 and more drugs becoming available. 
The next few months will be tough but it’s doable so post on here whenever you need to - there’s nothing too daft or embarrassing - and we’ll get you through it x

Dr Google is notoriously unreliable. There's a lot of junk information as well as out of date information. Whatever you read that gave you five years at the most is simply wrong. You don't even know what stage your cancer is. There's no way anyone could say that. Even in the worst case of stage 4 disease, there are many people surviving much longer than that. Some stage 1 patients are cured with a simple surgery, no chemo or radiation.  There's people like that here too. 

Waiting is the hardest part of the journey. Once you know more and have a treatment plan, there's other things to focus on. Right now all you have is your imagination. The challenge is to not let your imagination run wild. 

Thank you so much for replying.  The internet is not going to be my go to from here on in.  I can’t even explain how much these messages have helped me today.  I was given amazing advice to take one day at a time.  That’s exactly what I’ll do and focus on how today is and it started off with worry and being scared but is ending with I’m incredibly lucky.  I don’t feel unwell and I’m already on the waiting list for surgery xx

Thank you so much.  I feel so much stronger about this today.   Xx

Hi Scoutabout. Just wanted to say hello. As others have said, the waiting is awful, but I think the 'one day at a time' advice is the best way to go. Back in July I was in a similar situation with you, when a colonoscopy identified a mass (although unlike you, I'd had no symptoms - I had the colonscopy when a routine screening FIT test came back positive). The biopsies came back as cancerous and by the end of August I'd had surgery to remove the tumour and I've been told that no further treatment is needed, although I'll be monitored for five years. Yes, it's a scary time but can be treated very effectively if caught early. This website and also the bowelcancer.org.uk one is great for reliable facts, and both have forums where you can get in touch with people who know exactly what you're going through because they've been there themselves. Thinking of you - keep safe. 

Hello Scoutabout,

As others have said, welcome and keep away from outdated statistics and unreliable information. The best place I’ve found is right here!

I lost my brother to pancreatic cancer two years ago too, but this isn’t like that at all. Like your dad, unfortunately once they diagnose it, it seems it’s already very dangerous. Bowel cancer isn’t like that. Please read the threads on here and remember how much the people have been through but how many of them are now happy and thriving. 

I didn’t even have any real symptoms, went to urgent care with tummy ache and two weeks later I’d had an operation to remove cancer from my colon. It was so fast! About to begin my second round of chemo, but it’s adjuvant chemo-like a safety net to catch anything that might remain, so it’s not quite as brutal as some. 

The main thing that kept me going was the thought that there was something really horrible in my body and some extraordinarily talented and experienced geniuses were going to get it out of me and save my life. That’s precisely what’s happening. I feel actually lucky that they found it whilst it’s treatable and that I have a huge chance of getting better. My brother and your dad sadly didn’t get that chance-but we do.

I hope the waiting to find out gets easier. Hang in there! It is a journey as everyone says and everyone feels slightly bewildered and scared at the start. People here can absolutely help you.

Take Care,

Nic