Get Your Colonscopy
As part of the Go Green, Get Fit Challenge*, I have decided to make sure that I got all my annual check-ups. I hadn’t seen a primary care doctor for shamelessly three or more years. Nor, did I get a colonoscopy done when I turned ? (I can’t even say it so let’s just skip the age thing.) But thank goodness I finally came to my sense. It saved my life.
Yes. You heard that right.
How Did I Get Off the Pot and Finally Get it?
Even though Dr Oz scared the sh*t out of me when he disclosed he has a precancerous polyp, I still procrasinated some more. Yeah, yeah. I will get to it. I think hubby being diagnosed a diabetic 2 was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I scheduled the procedure for both of us. I was so scared that he something was going to be wrong with him.
So Why the procrastination?
The whole thought of the colonoscopy just unnerved me. Drinking a horrible tonic prep which puts hair on your chest, hugging the toilet bowl in reverse, and being put to sleep just didn’t sit well for me. So, like any good procrastinator, I just pushed it off. And off. And off. I eat healthy. You know I am a 2 year old vegetarian. What’s too worry?
So, I went into my colonscopy thinking I do everything right. No problem. In fact, how smug of me, I even thought the doctor will be so impressed how beautiful my colon will look. I was more anxious about the anesthesia since most pain killer and anesthesia makes me sick as a dog.
Not Great News
When I came out of the procedure, the doctor told me I had slight reflux but he took a polyp out of me. It was located at the top of my colon. It was small.
No exercising for 2 weeks, no heavy lifting, no flax seeds, and by the way, we will tell you in five days the results.
Is he kidding, I thought? 5 days of hell waiting for the results.
When I told people I had a polyp taken out, most said don’t worry. Lots of people have benign polyps. My brother in law had a benign one.
That Fateful Day
When I got the call at 5:00 on Friday, I knew something was wrong. The doctor hesitated when giving me the news. He said that I didn’t have gluten issues (since I was worried about my gassiness with bread.) But.
The longest pause of my life.
The polyp was precancerous.
Precancerous.
Disbelief.
Through the haze, I asked how did this happen. Genetics he said. But no one in my family had a polyp. No one in my immediate family had cancer. And I am vegetarian I told him. He then replied had I ate meat, I probably would had more. We hung up the phone and he said I will see you in four years.
Holy sh*t.
What happens if it comes back?
What was I suppose to do with this information? Move to Tibet and fast?
When it Really Hit Me
For weeks I have sat with the thought I dodge a bullet. I have only told close friends and get the same results. “WTF” or “Holy sh*t.”
I could have been one of the 32,000 people who die every year from colon cancer because I failed to get screened.
But I haven’t processed how much this whole pre-C scared me. As I wrote this post, I watched the video where Dr. Oz was told his polyp was precancerous. Tears rolled down my face because I watched as he too was shocked and in disbelief. He didn’t know what to do with himself as he called home.
All he could say is he loved his wife.
(I am balling like a baby right now.)
I so related because you just don’t think this could happen to you.
Warning Signs
Luckily, my doctor got the polyp. So many people aren’t so lucky. Read on if you fit into any of these categories.
- A recent study revealed Hispanics and Blacks have a higher colon polyp risk than previously thought.
- obese and overweight people are more likely to have polyps
- 9 out of 10 people diagnosed with colon cancer are over the age of 50
- People with inflammatory bowel syndrome (such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease not IBS) are more likely to get colon cancer.
- People diagnosed with Diabetes 2 have a higher chance of being diagnoised with colon cancer.
- Even Jews of Eastern European descent have one of the highest colorectal cancer risks of any ethnic group in the world.
- Diets high in red meat and processed food can increase risk of colon cancer.
- Certain genetic and hereditary issues. Read about them here.
Join the conversation:
- Have you had a poply taken out of you? Was it benign or precancerous?
- If the poply was cancerous or pre-cancerous how did it change your life?
- Are you remiss in getting your colonscopy? How come?
Kimberly Pinkson says
August 1, 2012 at 6:11 pmThank you for sharing this information in such a personal and informative way. I am so glad you are ok and appreciate the help this will be to so many of us!
Anna@Green Talk says
August 3, 2012 at 1:53 amKimberly,
Thanks for the well wishes. It was really scary! Anna
Kristina (The Greening of Westford) says
August 5, 2012 at 7:07 pmOMG! Anna, so glad you are OK. I have a similar story, but with melanoma. 6 years ago, I noticed a mole on my ankle. I was pretty sure it wasn’t there before. I blew it off. I had 3 kids ages 5, 3, and 3, and no dermatologist. It will be fine, I thought. Finally I called to make an appt. I was going to have to wait 4 months! The secretary checked their other offices and I debated whether I should push and tell her I noticed a ,mole had changed. I decided not to tell her, but luckily there was a cancellation for that week. I got the call 2 weeks later on a Friday, late afternoon, right before Mother’s Day! I spent the next 3 weeks waiting for further results to see if it had spread to my lymph nodes. Luckily it hadn’t and they were able to remove the mole completely. So far so good 6 years later. I do not have fair skin and tan easily. NOT your typical skin cancer patient.
We recently found out that my uncle has colon cancer that has spread to his liver. The outlook is not good. He is close to 80 and has never had a colonoscopy. He ignored his doctor for years.
I do have colon cancer in my family so I will be going for a colonoscopy sooner rather than later. Thanks for the push.
Anna@Green Talk says
August 5, 2012 at 8:24 pmKristina, wow. You too had such a scare. I am so glad you are okay and were able to get in to the doctor when you did.
I am so sorry to hear about your uncle. Colon cancer is so easily preventable if you get screened. Absolutely get screened early. Anna
Born27 says
August 8, 2012 at 2:02 amGreat post Ann and i’m glad that your ok now. I hope that a lot of people could read about this. Thanks for sharing and i’m looking forward to read more from you.
Anna@Green Talk says
August 8, 2012 at 12:45 pmThanks so much for your well wishes. I am fine. I just want others to get the screening.
Richard says
August 26, 2012 at 3:12 amAs usual gr8 post, Anna. It has become a habit for me to visit your blog and read something new and interesting. This will help many of us
Valerie says
September 26, 2012 at 1:41 pmPlease don’t wait! I went to my doctor because I thought I might have an ulcer (strange digestive issues, but none of the normal signs of colon cancer). In addition to medication to treat my symptoms, she suggested a colonoscopy because of my age. Four months after my 50th birthday I had a colonoscopy. There was a polyp that was too large for removal but it was biopsied. The visual and the biopsy result was inconclusive; no sign of cancer. The ultrasound was also inconclusive. I elected to have the polyp surgically removed just to be on the safe side rather than waiting a year for another colonoscopy. That decision probably saved my life. Stage 1 cancer; in the wall of the bowel but not through the bowel. Lymph nodes were clear.
Anna@Green Talk says
September 26, 2012 at 1:48 pmValerie, thank g-d! So they couldn’t see anything on the original biopsy until they took it out. Mine was removed then and there. That’s when he diagnosed as pre-cancerous.