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Do you have your head up your ass?

WindOnHisNose

BENEFACTOR
Lino Lakes MN (MY18)
Colorectal Cancer Screening...Lest We Forget David Jaranson

Folks, I learned recently that two of our brothers and sisters here on Supercub.org have recently been diagnosed with colon cancer. With this in mind, here is the recommendations from the CDC for colorectal cancer screening colonoscopies...

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Please don't dismiss the importance of a screening colonoscopy. I know that many of us were touched by the life of David Jaranson, who passed away from colon cancer. While not a perfect screening tool, it is the best that we now have. Please visit with your health care professional and get this done if you haven't already done so.

Randy
 

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I'll echo the above. Two friends struggling with it currently and very preventable. I hit 50 recently and within a week made my appointment. Just had my screening (no big deal). Doc's exact words after finding (and removing) a few "gems" was..."it's a good thing you had this done now". Don't mess around...too much fun to be had to let something like this get in the way if it can be prevented. Another tidbit...in my case my insurance treats a "screening colonoscopy" as preventative so no out of pocket copay.
 
I would echo the same. When my younger brother had his routine "welcome to 50" colonoscopy he was a bit surprised when the Dr asked if he was having problems or just a routine welcome to 50 exam? A week later he had 10" of "pre-cancerous" colon removed. The screening was a life saver for him. I am also on routine 3 year screening thanks to pre-cancerous barnacles that keep popping up in there. It's not pleasant, but it sure beats the alternative.
 
This is very real in my house! Less than a year ago, my wife was having what we thought was some minor intestinal issues. Went to our normal doctors, they really were not concerned. Actually, they ignored my wife's own concern enough that she kept pushing the issue to anybody that would listen. She ended up at a women's health clinic and it was the nurse that took the time to really listen to her, and she immediately scheduled a colonoscopy, "just to be safe". 3 days later, did the colonoscopy. Found a large, cancerous tumor. One week later, in surgery to remove 15" of her colon. Stage 3 colon cancer. She has just completed 6 months of Chemotherapy. Here's the deal; She's a 44 year old woman, with no family history, no genetic disposition for colon cancer, and no reason she should have it. What most would consider minor issues, what most doctors ignored, what a simple colonoscopy discovered was something that if left ignored would have taken my wife's life!! I am so happy and thankful that the nurse listened and that my wife is alive and healthy!! Life is short enough as it is, and in comparison --- colonoscopy's are cheap! Don't wait!!
 
Thanks Randy for starting this. I am one those people Randy is referring to. Stage 3 colon cancer at Age 43, no prior family history.

How could I know of David Jaranson and and not get checked out sooner? Here is a quote list:
Im too young
I'm sure I just ate something bad
this will heal up
what did that guy have?
i don't have time to deal with this
It's probably hemorrhoids, (said by one of my doctors).
this is just part of getting old

As you can see, denial is the answer. When seeing the radiologist, he asked me when I KNEW. Sadly my answer was 4 months ago. And that is when I knew something was really wrong. The signs have been there over a year.

My prognosis is very good. I don't plan on having anything named after me any time soon. I will be here to help my daughter. i'll be back for more chatting. For now, it is off to see my baby girl and pray for her health.

let the discussion continue: how do we get 4 months down to a week? How do we convince others?
 
Powerful words, Chris. Thank you for sharing this. I am glad to know that you are likely to post things here for a long, long time.

Randy
 
Powerful words, Chris. Thank you for sharing this. I am glad to know that you are likely to post things here for a long, long time.

Randy
The sad part is the participation. The only ones here are those already affected by it. I might have done the same thing last year. How do you "promote" this. Just like breast cancer awareness. How do we raise awareness when everyone pays no attention.

I'm going to try to fix this
 
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The only people I know personally that have gotten it, got it in their 40s. So I'd sure like to see the recommended change first scope at 40.
 
Can I ask if you have any family history or other known risk factors for colon cancer? I ask because the general recommendation is to start colonoscopies at 50 unless there is a family history, in which case the recommendation is 40. I'm 38 and don't have a family history, but I teach enough about cancer in my high school Biology classes to know that I'm going to take screening seriously when the time comes.
 
How early is too early for health screenings? I am 28, average build, not overweight, and have (not medicated) high blood pressure. Everybody in my family pretty well does, so I have been told it's hereditary. Also have on both sides of the family heart related issues including the need for heart valve replacements. For the sake of my future and that of my growing family's, I plan on starting complete health screenings including EKGs at age 30.

Hope your fight goes well nesincg, you'll have a big support base here.


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My dad lost his life to colon cancer in his mid 60s. Probably as a result my sister was a nurse in a colonoscopy clinic for the latter part of her career. Imagine the Thanksgiving table conversations! I've had a few colonoscopies starting at 40. Two rules apply. My sis can't be present for my procedures and the doc has to use enough versed or propofol that I can't remember a thing. Easy peasey.

Some of you Alaska guys may remember Craig Elg, who owned Regal Air for several years. He, too, was taken way too young by colon cancer. Get tested.
 
My sister in law at 40 has Rectal cancer that has spread to her lungs... Stage 4 terminal... single mother with 3 kids, so you can imagine what I will be taking on in the next year or so... I'm 44 and this has been on my mind lately... no family history for Colon cancer but I am seriously considering starting the procedures early...

Hope your fight goes well nesincg... I am sure all of us here have you back..

Brian


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For those near someone or that have experienced colon cancer, were there any symptoms prior to diagnosis?


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For those near someone or that have experienced colon cancer, were there any symptoms prior to diagnosis?


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Blood in the stool is often one of the first signs. At that point the cancer may be already spreading, though not necessarily. Colonoscopies aim to detect polyps and remove them. While not all polyps will become cancerous, all colon cancers start as a polyp.
 
When I had mine. I asked the Doc if there was any sign of my head up there? He said no.. So there where a lot of people that kept telling me "that I had my head up there", that where just full of it!:-?
 
Had a tennis ball sized tumor removed in 2005. No symptoms whatsoever; my Doc had convinced me to get checked because I was 55 yrs. old. Cancer was confined in the tumor at that point. Whew!
 
There is a blood test for stool, real easy. Just mail it back to them in the container provided. Insurance paid for mine....it can have false negatives, and false positives, but it's a whole lot better than nothing. Cologuard, I believe.
 
I was diagnosed with colon cancer 13-years ago at age 54. The docs removed 18-inches of my large intestine, I had chemo once a month for six months, and I'm still here making a nuisance of myself. The whole exercise has not affected my day to day life in any way, so I guess I'm a pretty lucky guy. I even have an airplane!

I've had quite a few routine colonoscopies over the last few years. There's really nothing much to them and no good reason to avoid having one. The worst part of the whole procedure is drinking that god-awful stuff as prep! The colonoscopy itself is a mild inconvenience by comparison.
 
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There is a blood test for stool, real easy. Just mail it back to them in the container provided. Insurance paid for mine....it can have false negatives, and false positives, but it's a whole lot better than nothing. Cologuard, I believe.

How would you like being a "stool analyst!" Talk about dirty jobs!
Guess someone has to do it. Bet it's the junior guy.
 
Once I saw what my wife went through during childbirth I never figured a K-Y exam or colonoscopy was very remarkable!
 
About 5 years ago I had some colon removed. They wanted me to go back every 90 days for a colonoscopy for awhile. Havent been back. Tons of it in my family. Several aunts and uncles have perished from it. GOD bless you and your family.
 
It's why we have check lists. Colonoscopies are part of mine beginning age 50. Polyps found every time. My father died of colon cancer age 83.
 
Some of you Alaska guys may remember Craig Elg, who owned Regal Air for several years. He, too, was taken way too young by colon cancer. Get tested.[/QUOTE]

OMG!! when did this happen? I lost track of him after he moved to Arizona. He was a great guy and friend. I feel in shock......
 
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