Hello everyone. I am a 42yo female who had a colonoscopy done on Friday. The doctor said he removed four golfball sized polyps and two small ones. They were located about a foot into my colon.
He was very cautious with his words and did not elaborate much. He wants to wait to discuss everything when the biopsies come back.
He did say it was very unusual for someone my age to have what I had removed. He said he has seen this in much older people but not my age.
I have had bleeding off and on for about a year. I told my doctor from the start, but I have barretts esophagus and stomach ulcers. My symptoms were dismissed by both of us as having pertained to that area.
I have had abdominal cramping, blaoting, weight gain and feeling very tired all of the time no matter how much sleep I get. My stools are fairly normal except a lot more frequent and with blood.
What are your opinions on what I should expect to hear based on your experiences?
I realize none of us will know for certain until the biopsies come back...however, I want to get an idea if anyone has had similar experiences.
I am not afraid... I just want to start feeling better. I am actually hoping this is a start of a new and better me.
Well, Thank you for listening. I appreciate any responses and your valuable advice. : )

Oh, I don't think you're going to get anyone to voice an opinion on this, nor should they. Your test and what the doctor found are just that - yours - and you should not be having someone write to say, 'Oh yeah, mine were golf-ball size and were fine' anymore than you want to hear someone say, 'Mine were marble size and cancer'. Polyps are polyps and no matter the size or number, people can't base their tests against anyone else's....and again, nor should they. The fact that you had the test deserves a hug - and I mean that - and the best thing you can do is wait for the results to come back. And the best thing we can do for you is to wait for you to write and tell us how you are once they do, ok?

You take care and post as often as you need to, we sooooo love to talk with each other :)

Sorry to hear about your problem, but having a colonoscopy is the first step in feeling better. The only answer I can give you concerns your tiredness. I was anemic from losing blood and since yours is visible (mine wasn't).... then it is probably anemia. My mom had a cancerous polyp removed. Luckily it was in just the head of the polyp and not in the stalk that attached to her colon. So she did not have to have any further surgery. I hope that yours will be something uncomplicated and that you will be fine.:)

B.A.Mc.

You are right. That was a very unfair question. I did not mean any harm. Just a little nervous. I apologize.
Thanks for listening.

Don't apologize for asking a question, the previous poster was right everyone is different and though some might think it unfair to answer the question I do not, on the basis is that you're worried and you came here for that reason, to reach out to find out if others had been through a same or similar experience. I totally understand, I did the same thing before I got my results of my colonscopy.

I had tiredness like the other person, saw blood sporatically like the other poster, but didn't see it at the time, even though microscopically I was passing it, I had actually lost 1/2 of my blood supply which made me severely anemic and is why I had to have blood transfusions and was tired all the time, I also had severe shortness of breath anytime I did anything, even climbing two steps took too much energy. I have been receiving colonscopies since I was 18 and never had any polyps, this last colonscopy was in Feb of this year and it showed one polyp 3.2 cm and it was cancerous. I am 29, btw, and my colon cancer was from a genetic mutation that my mom passed on to me called HNPCC.

I know it's hard not to jump to conclusions because I've been there, but I would always try to ask myself, what could I really do, if I knew it were something different or something at all? Nothing, but knowing is half the battle isn't it?

Good luck!

Utgirl:
I agree. I don't feel that this is an unfair question and want to welcome you to our "little family." Most people who come to this board do so, as Christy said, to seek answers, comfort, and a sense of security. It's normal to try to compare your experience with others. However, when it comes to size of a polyp, etc., it really can't be compared to obtain information regarding your condition... Maybe that's what Kellie was alluding to. All polyps are different, and you really have to wait until the pathology report comes back to know for sure. Your GI obviously suspects something, as he was guarded in his response. However, from my read of your post, it's my understanding that he WAS able to remove the polyps, right??? If so, this is a VERY promising thing. Even if a couple were pre-cancerous, as long as he got good margins and removed the entire polyp, then everything is good. He may recommend a follow-up colonoscopy sooner rather than later though. WORST case scenario is he did not get the entire polyp and it is cancerous, which they will know from the path report, in which case you will require a resection, or possibly further excision as you say they were located a foot in. There are options.

Eaiser said than done, but I always say, try NOT to worry until there is something to worry about. Spend the holiday with family and friends and have a good time. Cross whatever bridge you need to WHEN/IF you need to.

As for the fatigue... have they done simple blood work to determine if your thyroid is out of whack? If not, ask to have your thyroid tested. As the other posters state...anemia could also have been a problem, although you should notice a difference pretty quickly if this is the case, as the culprit bleeding is gone. Depression also causes fatigue... make certain to rule everything out.

I wish you the best of luck. Please come back and let us know about the pathology report. And certainly, feel free to ask ANY question. :)

Regards,
CancerDad :angel:

Thank you so much for your kind words. I am finding out from reading other posts that polyps are totally unpredictable. I now realize that it was a question nobody can answer. I guess I was wondering if anyone had been through anything that sounded the same.
I too get out of breath with everything I do. The doctors are treating me for asthma, and for exposure to asbestos. I have had abnormal xrays of my lungs and liver. My ALT has been slightly elevated and such. They found me to have Barretts esophagus. I have suffered from unbearable heartburn for years. The doctors found stones in my gallbladder in January so they took out my gallbladder. I was passing noticable blood the whole time. But, the doctors and I thought it was all due to all of the other problems. Actually, we were hoping most would be gone with the gallbladder.
I am really hoping that with the polyps gone now. I might be well on my way to feeling like myself again.
You are so young. I feel bad that you have had to endure so much in your life already. But I am so happy you are doing so well now.
I am surprised that your polyp had grown so quickly. I thought they evolved more slowly than that.
A year ago my uncle was diagnosed with colon cancer. He is still going through some chemo and radiotherapy. But his was a large tumour (baseball sized) where that large and small intestine meet. I haven't told him anything about me yet. I do not know if I ever will. What a strong man and inspiration to me, as you are too...
Well, I rambled. Thank you again.

Thank you CancerDad! The doc did say he thought he removed everything suspicious. I was advised that he had to cut and cauterize large areas and told me to be careful for the next four days so as not to hemorrage.
The thyroid was checked. Everything A ok there. : )
As for anemia, I do not know if they have done a test that simple yet. Nobody even thought about my colon having been the main focus of any problems. Even though I was passing blood. I think they have been focused on my stomach, lungs and liver.
I know I stunned the Dr. He truly was as shocked as I was with the findings. He really could not tell me too much because he said it was just so unusual, to find them so large. I asked if he thought it was cancer. I told him I was not afraid of the answer. But he said he honestly did not know. They scheduled an appointment for me next week to discuss everything.
I will keep all advised. I appreciate each and everyone of you. : )
Thank you!