42 just been diagnosed with rectal cancer

Hi Sharptoothmints

Diagnosis is a real shock...I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2017...surgery to remove tumour soon after.....Oncology discharged me in 2022  ....Cancer takes a mighty toll on our mental and physical health....and that of our families and friends.....keep us posted on your progress....feel free to ask any question.....nothing will go unanswered.

Take care and best of luck

Peter

Hi Sharptoothmints and a warm welcome to the board. Once you have a treatment plan in place then things will honestly feel a bit better. No spread is good and wait and see about the lymph nodes? I was told that they suspected that I had a couple affected and they were right - my friend was told the same but her post op pathology report came back clear. 

There’s loads of help and advice and experience on here so please keep posting and we’ll be happy to support you through this. 
I’ve attached a link to a booklet that I was given at my first meeting in case you want a heads up?

https://bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/Publications/Bowel_Cancer_UK_Your_Pathway_V10.pdf

Take care

Karen x

Hi Sharptoothmints, 

getting a diagnosis is a shock, I was diagnosed early April and although I was kind of expecting it because  of the symptoms it still takes your breath away.

I had my surgery,  (robotic assisted keyhole resection )on Monday of this week and was discharged on Wednesday so all progressed very quickly,  if you have any questions on any part of the journey please just ask,

Keep well 

J x

Hello and so sorry you find yourself here but people are lovely and it's a great support. As others have said once you meet your Oncologist and nurse and have a plan you really do feel much more in control and they help a huge amount I found. I was also 42 when diagnosed with bowel cancer (43 now). It's a huge shock, I felt and still sometimes do feel out of my body sometimes but as I say the team helped and help me so much and getting on with treatment as well. There are enormous advances now too. Look after yourself really as well as you can in terms of trying to be kind to yourself at this very difficult time and keep us posted. 

Hi,

So sorry you are going through this too. Your story sounds so similar to our experience. Husband is 40 and also went to the GP with rectal bleeding in January and was told it was piles. Went back early April as bleeding was getting worse and was given further tests. Sent for colonoscopy as FIT test came back positive and recently got diagnosis of local advanced rectal cancer (T3b N2a M0). I feel like I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster over the last few weeks but I have found the forum a very positive and supportive place.

We have 2 kids aged 4 and 7. Fortunately they don’t really understand what is going on and are mostly just upset at the moment that we have had to cancel our summer holiday. I imagine those conversations must be much harder to have with older children and my heart goes out to you all.

How did your appointment go? Hope you have a plan in place now and can get started on treatment quickly.

Take care. X

Hi, so sorry to hear your family is going through this too.

your husbands results are very similar to mine. Saw the consultant yesterday and the plan is chemoradiation to shrink the tumour, then surgery.

just got to take each day as it comes. 

Wishing your husband all the best with his treatment

take care x