My next step / questions - Cancer: Colon Message Board

trish2 · 10-11-2006, 02:52 PM

Hello again,

My other post was getting long so I thought I would start a new one with an update and a few questions. Thanks to everyone who responded on my last thread. This board has such wonderful, caring people. I cannot stress how much this board supports people (old and new) and has such a tremendous amount of information for new people looking for information and reassurance.
Thank you to everyone!

Anyway, here is my update. I could not sleep last night due to pain, using the toilet and worrying. I looked up the new doc that I am supposed to see on October 20th. Much to my absolute surprise, disappointment and anger, I found that he is an INTERNIST!!! I have an internist(who I adore), why would I want or need a new one?! I called and spoke with a nurse in the GI dept. She knew my symptoms and concerns so I am very confused on why she scheduled me with an internist. I asked for a GI doc. I am very confused on what happened but plan on cancelling the appt.

So after that disappointment, I called the original GI doctors office AGAIN this morning. I stressed on his private nurses' VM how terrible I felt, that I am fatigued, passing blood, have constant pain and am using the potty 7-10 times a day. This is the doc who ordered the CT scan to check for the reoccurence of diverticulitis and did not want to see me after the scan was clear. He is also the doctor who did my colonoscopy in 2002. He is suppose to be the best in the city but I feel that he blows a lot of things off due to age and gender. Just the impression from 4-5 years ago and the recent contact I have had with his office. I hope I am wrong.

Anyhow, his nurse called me back within an hour and said he is fitting me in tomorrow at 2:15. Can you believe it?? Not sure what changed except I told them, I had passed blood twice last week. I am praying that he really listens to me and my symptoms.I am hoping that he will order a colonoscopy. I actually plan on demanding one if he does not suggest it. Dammit, it is my body and life.

What should I stress to him? What should I tell/ask? I do not want to come across like an irrational, emotional female but I am not leaving there without a colonoscopy appt. I know he is going to blow me off since he just did one several years ago....Any suggestions?

One more question, I have fully convinced myself I have cancer. I am unfortunatley, a pessimist. Please answer honestly. Did any of you have extremely frequent bowel movements with a dx of cancer? I am going quite a bit.. 6-7, up to 9 times a day and night and it is not diahrrea.

Thanks for reading my novel but I am so happy and relieved that I have an appt and it is tomorrow!! I just hope it goes well and I can get answers.

Say a prayer or send some postive vibes, please.

Thanks so much,
~Trish

alexor · 10-12-2006, 09:02 AM

Hi, Trish
I admire your brave to schedule an immediate colonscopy test and worriness of cancer. I got the quite same feeling about my situation. When I first required an index test in my campus hospital, the doc was reluctant and just a shallow one which resulted as a fissure. However, I asked my friend who ever be a physician. He gave me a thorough test and found hard thing deep to 8 cm and suggested me for a colonscopy. I also read others stories here, doc normally refused to admit worse problem than ourselves. So please insist your feeling as CD suggested. We are the only ones really care about our health.
I will have my colonscopy this afternoon. That feeling of wait is so terrible as a sentence. But I pray you will be fine!

Alex

CancerDad · 10-12-2006, 09:06 AM

Trish:
I'm SO sorry I just got to your post now... I believe that you saw your old GI yesterday. What I would have stessed is EXACTLY what you told them on the phone. With those symptoms, it would be malpractice for him NOT to give you the option or recommend a colonoscopy. I hope this IS WHAT HAPPENED.

PLEASE let us know what is happening and we will go from there. Good luck!

Warm Regards,
CancerDad

PS The "Internist" that the newer nurse set you up with may have indeed set you up with a GI. The steps taken to become a GI is to become an "IM" FIRST, and then get board cert in gastroenterology after doing advanced training in the field. And then MANY GI's still accept IM patients to supplement their practice if they don't have enough GI patients to keep them busy. ~CD

trish2 · 10-13-2006, 11:45 AM

Hello everyone,

Alex, Congrats on your colonoscopy. Go celebrate this weekend!

I am sorry I have not been back with an update from my GI appt. My computer crashed and was not an easy fix so I went and purchased a new laptop last night. Just now, getting back on the net, email, etc. Very frustrating.

Anyhow, I saw my original GI doc yesterday afternoon. I went in prepared to argue about how I felt, my symptoms, possible dx, and a colonoscopy appt.

He came in and sat down with me and asked my symptoms, length of problems, talked about the ct scan. Spent about 20 minutes talking. He said he is a bit concerned that I have an infection due to being on the strong antibiotics for 30 plus days for the possible diverticulitis. He feels they may have destroyed my immune system which in turn has caused an internal infection. I have to say, while this sounds plausible, it is BS. I have had these symptoms since July, before the long round of antibiotics and the ct scan showed no sign of infection. He wants me to do 3 stool samples in the little plastic bottles and he is having the lab analyze for infection. If there isn't an infection (and we all know there will not be) he commented that he will have to look at my colon. I wasn't sure exactly what he meant by that so I asked him what it meant and he said he felt he should schedule a colonoscopy. Wow..I was surprised that he did not go into the excuse of my having one 4 years ago. While he did not say it, I did feel he felt like that was irrelevant. Hooray for him.

I expected him to do an exam and to perform a digital exam after reading everyone's experiences here. He did not even have me undress or put on a gown. I sat in a chair for a consult for 15 minutes and laid on a table for literally 3 minutes while he pushed on the area that hurts.He did not even have me unbutton my pants. I just do not understand this. Would he not want to feel for swollen nodes, feel the rectal area....?

I asked him how soon we could have the colonoscopy and he will not order it until the stool samples are back so he told me to plan on at least 2 weeks out. He prescribed Bentyl for spasms but so far, it hasn't made any difference.

So, I am getting there but it is such a slow go. I can completely understand why a stage 1 cancer could turn into a stage 3 while we wait on drs to actually listen and do something.

Can you tell I am happy but still a bit frustrated.....

I want answers, I want to know what is happening to my body, I want to get started fixing what is wrong....sigh! More waiting, more pain, more worry and fear.

Thanks for listening. I would love to hear what you all think about my visit.

Blessings and Happy Weekend!
Trish

bs1114 · 10-14-2006, 09:14 PM

Hi Trish:

this is my first post here and I wanted to respond. I so feel your frustration with the slowness of getting drs to take action.

I have a GI appt in 10 days (after calling a number of drs and being unable to get an appt for a month or more with most of them--even after pain sent me to the ER on Sept. 29) and I'm gearing up to demand a colonoscopy. I know this will probably be a fight, as I'm "only" 34 years old. But I would much rather rule out the worst possibilities first than assume it's some minor problem and only consider the serious issues after months of failed treatments.

Please post again after you have more tests. I'm very interested in how things work out for you and wish you the best!