Diagnosed three weeks ago with

I just want to welcome you to the forum . I am hoping others with direct experience pop on and help with the surgery etc .

Have you been referred to a consultant yet or had a proposed date for surgery .

It is totally understandable to feel down with the prospect of treatment ahead however many here have gone through similar and making good progress now .

Having a forum like this allows people to ask questions and reduce the fear and isolation they are experiencing. Everyone here has either been through it or has a relative going through treatment and knows how traumatic it is initially. However with the right support people do return to a sense of normality afterwards .

Is your daughter located near you ?

Is there any question that is most pressing to you ?

take care ,

 Court 

My daughter lives in Cornwall and I'm London-based, but she came up immediately when this started, and will return for the final diagnosis and treatment plan. I am elderly, but normally healthy and active, so this has come as an immense shock. I have aches in other places, not just the cancer - is this ominous? I've read about the surgery and it sounds awful. Hoping they'll hit the thing with chemo initially - does that sometimes work?

It’s a case of location , location with the bowel . If there is no other spread and not a rectal tumour they normally go straight to surgery . If there is cancer located elsewhere they normally use chemo first which is a good plan as it not only allows for the presenting cancer to be treated but also tackles any stray cells .

If it is a rectal tumour they sometimes use radiotherapy with chemo tablets . 

I have to say my mum’s bowel tumour surgery went very smoothly. She had about ten days in hospital but has had very few issues thereafter all things considered . She had a right side ascending tumour so did not need a stoma and her bowel works well .

Everyone is different obviously but it was ok . I think we knew very little about it at the time so did not investigate too much about the surgery .

My mum had absolutely no symptoms , just completely a bowel screen and the process began . What a shock it is initially but it does get a bit better when you know the plan . Can get better information and some direction . This part your in is very hard indeed. It’s a whirlwind of emotions even as a carer . But slowly you pull forward.

Your daughter sounds very supportive. 

Court 

It's in the sigmoid, but there are lesions in the liver, hence yesterday's live biopsy. My daughter is AMAZING!!

That’s great you have good support . Makes all the difference.

My mum had liver involvement so she went straight to chemo . If you click on my user name you can read her full story . Chemo can be a very effective treatment .

Take care ,

Court 

Thanks, Court. That sounds reassuring. Mine's on the left.

What do people do about the bloating? I'm small, and look about six months pregnant, so nothing fits.

As Court said, Chemo. is usually the first step if it has spread elsewhere. Chemo can sometimes induce shrinkage. However, don't be frightened of the surgery...it all sounds alarming, but it's normally far easier in actuality. I had a left hemi-colectomy May '19...where they removed 12" of my descending colon & part of sigmoid. Depending on size/position of tumour, it's normally keyhole surgery,, which usually means a swift recovery. I was in hospital 3 days & the pain was minimal..

Yes, it's always a shock. I too am elderly, but active & healthy. It can happen to anyone at anytime....& age is no factor.

It will get easier for you, once your treatment plan gets started. Best of......