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Symptoms Return after colonoscopy

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General fitness, health and nutrition
Published
19 June 2004
Last activity
19 June 2004
Original author
Tom Burns
Posts
12
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  1. About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove
    what turned out to be cancerous polyps. The doctor
    said he removed quite a few of them, but that only 3-4
    were "of concern".

    At the time I was suffering from extreme fatigue, below
    measurable levels of iron, and very low RBC, with the blood
    cells being very small and irregular. The diagnosis was that
    the polyps were constantly bleeding, although occult blood
    showed nothing (no surprises there).

    The polyps were removed and I began to recover, although it
    took almost 6 months before I started to feel "normal"
    again. I'm still on 3x300mg of iron supplements daily. I
    lost about 45 pounds, and have gained back all of that plus
    10 lbs more.

    Over the last month I began to feel tired again, a problem I
    chalked up to getting back into work with renewed vigor. But
    now I'm quite sure that the problem is back, as all the
    symptoms from the first episode are back.

    I quite sure (at least from my own observations), that there
    is nothing else going on to cause this (ie-no stab wounds
    lately, etc.)

    I'm scheduled for the same tests as before, so while I await
    these results I am looking for information about the
    incidence of recurrence, alternative (accepted medical)
    treatments, prognosis, etc., for a persons in my situation.

    Male, late 40's, well controlled diabetic, family history of
    colon cancer (father).

    Thanks.

  2. he didn't remove all of them? you have colon cancer?

    i'm not sure we have the entire story here...

    "Tom Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove what
    turned out to be cancerous polyps. The doctor said he
    removed quite a few of them, but that only 3-4 were "of
    concern".

    At the time I was suffering from extreme fatigue, below
    measurable levels of iron, and very low RBC, with the
    blood cells being very small and irregular. The diagnosis
    was that the polyps were constantly bleeding, although
    occult blood showed nothing (no surprises there).

    The polyps were removed and I began to recover, although
    it took almost 6 months before I started to feel "normal"
    again. I'm still on 3x300mg of iron supplements daily. I
    lost about 45 pounds, and have gained back all of that
    plus 10 lbs more.

    Over the last month I began to feel tired again, a problem
    I chalked up to getting back into work with renewed vigor.
    But now I'm quite sure that the problem is back, as all
    the symptoms from the first episode are back.

    I quite sure (at least from my own observations), that
    there is nothing else going on to cause this (ie-no stab
    wounds lately, etc.)

    I'm scheduled for the same tests as before, so while I
    await these results I am looking for information about the
    incidence of recurrence, alternative (accepted medical)
    treatments, prognosis, etc., for a persons in my
    situation.

    Male, late 40's, well controlled diabetic, family history
    of colon cancer (father).

    Thanks.

  3. "Tom Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove what
    turned out to be cancerous polyps. The doctor said he
    removed quite a few of them, but that only 3-4 were "of
    concern".

    What does that mean, "cancerous polyps"? Did they contain
    actual cancer, or were they "pre-cancerous"? How big were
    they? If they were actually cancerous, I'd be surprised that
    your doctor wouldn't arrange an operation or other
    definitive treatment, or a colonoscopy followup sooner than
    8-9 months.

    It's very unusual for "pre-cancerous" adenomatous polyps to
    cause symptoms, and not common (although not impossible) for
    adenomatous polyps smaller than about 1 cm to contribute to
    significant anemia.

    At any rate, sounds like a followup colonoscopy is in order.

    HMc

  4. After the colonoscopy he told me he got everything he could
    see and that it went well. I was put on the ferrous
    gluconate 3x 500mg (not 300 as I said below) and told that I
    should have an annual colonoscopy to keep tabs on it.

    I thought I HAD colon cancer. Now I'm worried that it
    may be back.

    "Beachhouse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    he didn't remove all of them? you have colon cancer?

    i'm not sure we have the entire story here...

    "Tom Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove what
    turned out to be cancerous polyps. The doctor said he
    removed quite a few of them, but that only 3-4 were "of
    concern".

    At the time I was suffering from extreme fatigue, below
    measurable levels of iron, and very low RBC, with the
    blood cells being very small and irregular. The
    diagnosis was that the polyps were constantly bleeding,
    although occult blood showed nothing (no surprises
    there).

    The polyps were removed and I began to recover, although
    it took almost 6 months before I started to feel
    "normal" again. I'm still on 3x300mg of iron supplements
    daily. I lost about 45 pounds, and have gained back all
    of that plus 10 lbs more.

    Over the last month I began to feel tired again, a
    problem I chalked up to getting back into work with
    renewed vigor. But now I'm quite sure that the problem
    is back, as all the symptoms from the first episode
    are back.

    I quite sure (at least from my own observations), that
    there is nothing else going on to cause this (ie-no stab
    wounds lately, etc.)

    I'm scheduled for the same tests as before, so while I
    await these results I am looking for information about
    the incidence of recurrence, alternative (accepted
    medical) treatments, prognosis, etc., for a persons in
    my situation.

    Male, late 40's, well controlled diabetic, family
    history of colon cancer (father).

    Thanks.

  5. Howard McCollister said:

    At any rate, sounds like a followup colonoscopy is
    in order.

    Or something. There are certainly lots of non-colonic
    explanations for his symptoms as well.

  6. "tech27" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    After the colonoscopy he told me he got everything he
    could see and that


    it

    Quoted message said:

    went well. I was put on the ferrous gluconate 3x 500mg
    (not 300 as I said below) and told that I should have an
    annual colonoscopy to keep tabs on


    it.

    Quoted message said:


    I thought I HAD colon cancer. Now I'm worried that it may
    be back.

    "Beachhouse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    he didn't remove all of them? you have colon cancer?

    i'm not sure we have the entire story here...

    "Tom Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove
    what turned out to


    be

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    cancerous polyps. The doctor said he removed quite a
    few of them,


    but

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    that only 3-4 were "of concern".


    do you see the contradiction here? did you have cancer?

  7. Griffin said:

    Or something. There are certainly lots of non-colonic
    explanations for his symptoms as well.

    Well, "they" told him his bloodwork indicated blood loss
    tinyurl.com2l4rh Recheck of bloodwork? J

  8. Beachhouse said:

    "tech27" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:ht_zc.113706$vn.279520@sea-
    read.news.verio.net...

    Quoted message said:

    After the colonoscopy he told me he got everything he
    could see and that


    it

    Quoted message said:

    went well. I was put on the ferrous gluconate 3x 500mg
    (not 300 as I said below) and told that I should have an
    annual colonoscopy to keep tabs on


    it.

    Quoted message said:


    I thought I HAD colon cancer. Now I'm worried that it
    may be back.

    "Beachhouse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    he didn't remove all of them? you have colon cancer?

    i'm not sure we have the entire story here...

    "Tom Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...
    > About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove
    > what turned out to


    be

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    > cancerous polyps. The doctor said he removed quite
    > a few of them,


    but

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    > that only 3-4 were "of concern".


    do you see the contradiction here? did you have cancer?

    tinyurl.com25rpc (history of posts - which may or
    may not include all his posts here from the starting
    point)) tinyurl.com22wob One of 9 was precancerous
    that last one bothered me (because of what he thought he
    remembered hearing), but he dismissed it when I inquired
    and of course, his family doctor wasn't there to hear what
    the gastroenterologist said (or didn't). Maybe he should
    have gone back to speak to the gastroenterologist?

    I did once when something similar happened but it took
    months to get back in and by then, the doctor claimed he
    never said what I thought he did. From personal recent
    experience, we're groggy and they "blow right by" and say
    something and even if we ask questions, they're partway out
    the door on their way to another patient. (Canada) J

  9. J said:
    Griffin said:

    Or something. There are certainly lots of non-colonic
    explanations for his symptoms as well.

    Well, "they" told him his bloodwork indicated blood loss
    tinyurl.com2l4rh Recheck of bloodwork?

    The workup of anemia is a bit too complex to go into in
    detail here. Suffice it to say that he should follow up with
    his primary care physician, and a hematology referral may be
    in order for further evaluation.

  10. "J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Beachhouse said:

    "tech27" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    After the colonoscopy he told me he got everything he
    could see and


    that

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    it

    Quoted message said:

    went well. I was put on the ferrous gluconate 3x 500mg
    (not 300 as I


    said

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    below) and told that I should have an annual
    colonoscopy to keep tabs


    on

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    it.

    Quoted message said:


    I thought I HAD colon cancer. Now I'm worried that it
    may be back.

    "Beachhouse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...
    > he didn't remove all of them? you have colon cancer?
    >
    > i'm not sure we have the entire story here...
    >
    >
    > "Tom Burns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    > "]news:[email hidden]...
    > > About 8-9 months ago I had a colonoscopy to remove
    > > what turned out


    to

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    be

    Quoted message said:

    > > cancerous polyps. The doctor said he removed
    > > quite a few of


    them,

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    but

    Quoted message said:

    > > that only 3-4 were "of concern".

    do you see the contradiction here? did you have cancer?

    tinyurl.com25rpc (history of posts - which may or
    may not include


    all

    Quoted message said:

    his posts here from the starting point))
    tinyurl.com22wob One of 9 was precancerous that
    last one bothered me (because of what he thought he
    remembered


    hearing),

    Quoted message said:

    but he dismissed it when I inquired and of course, his
    family doctor


    wasn't

    Quoted message said:

    there to hear what the gastroenterologist said (or
    didn't). Maybe he should have gone back to speak to the
    gastroenterologist?

    I did once when something similar happened but it took
    months to get back


    in

    Quoted message said:

    and by then, the doctor claimed he never said what I
    thought he did. From personal recent experience, we're
    groggy and they "blow right by" and say something and even
    if we ask questions, they're partway out the door on


    their

    Quoted message said:

    way to another patient. (Canada) J

    The polyps were nothing, then...certainly not the source
    of his anemia. Griffin is correct...repeat colonoscopy
    not needed.

    HMc

  11. J said:

    Maybe he should have gone back to speak to the
    gastroenterologist?

    Quoted message said:

    I did once when something similar happened but it took
    months to get back in and by then, the doctor claimed he
    never said what I thought he did. From personal recent
    experience, we're groggy and they "blow right by" and say
    something and even if we ask questions, they're partway out
    the door on their way to another patient. (Canada)

    After my first colonoscopy I woke up, and asked a nurse when
    someone would would come and tell me what happened.

    Nurse: Oh, they've been round.

    Me: When I was still out with the anaesthetic?

    Nurse: Oh no, you were awake. You had a long discussion
    with the Prof about your colon. We were very impressed. Are
    you a doctor?

    Mf: I can't remember anything!

    Nurse: Yes, that often happens with that stuff we put you
    out with. You wake up, bright as anything for an hour or so,
    then you doze off again and totally forget everything.
    Happens all the time.

    Mg: So when can I see the Prof to find out what happened?

    Nurse: That's it. They've already been round and told you.
    You're going home now. They'll write a letter to your GP and
    you can ask him.

    --
    Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
    IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
    ["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

  12. "Chris Malcolm" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    J said:
    Quoted message said:

    I did once when something similar happened but it took
    months to get


    back in

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    and by then, the doctor claimed he never said what I
    thought he did.


    From

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    personal recent experience, we're groggy and they "blow
    right by" and say something and even if we ask questions,
    they're partway out the door on


    their

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    way to another patient. (Canada) Chris Malcolm
    [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205


    IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9
    3JZ, UK ["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

    Exact same thing happened to me. If I go under again I'm
    going to memorize:

    long as I didn't take too long getting home. I told him my
    Ferrari can really fly, and he said good, keep the pedal to
    the metal and just don't pull high lateral g's until you've
    had a good lunch."

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