I thought I would put my simple story on the forum . If anyone has questions about long term recovery or post surgical issues, I would be more than happy to share my experience.
I was fit 39
Routine colonoscopy
Adenocarcinoma found in the lower colon.
I had an anterior resection and a R sided ileiostomy bag for about 4 months.
The bag was then removed and the bowel was reconnected.
Regards and please post if can offer any suggestions, experience or help , I would be more than happy to .
I thought I would put my simple story on the forum . If anyone has questions about long term recovery or post surgical issues, I would be more than happy to share my experience.
I was fit 39
Routine colonoscopy
Adenocarcinoma found in the lower colon.
I had an anterior resection and a R sided ileiostomy bag for about 4 months.
The bag was then removed and the bowel was reconnected.
Regards and please post if can offer any suggestions, experience or help , I would be more than happy to .
JW
A lovely story to hear of a survivor. Please share with us what your initial symptoms were and the stage of cancer at diagnosis
I had NO sypmtoms with the bowel cancer. I was actually just about to go in a 100km cycling event and thought I would book the colonoscopy around my 40th birthday , just to be safe.
My father died of bowel cancer in his early fifties.
So,
No symptoms , but one hell of a shock when I found the result.
It changed my life. For the better ,and worse in many ways.
Surgery was very painful. An anterior resection . I have a scar from 7cm above my navel down to the pubic bone.
An Illeostomy bag was installed on my right lower abdomen. It is where they split the small intestine and bring the terminal part through the abdominal wall and sew it off.
the food , comes , partially processed , out of the intestine into a clear bag that is attached to the stomach by a baseplate and peel and stick stuff.
It was very unpleasant , I had to go up two sizes in pants just to fit the bag in .
On a funnier side. It was a great way to clear your own lap lane at the local pool. (I do lap swimmiing) LOL stand at the end stretching with your bag attached and people get out of the lane pretty quick....
The bag was reversed after about 4 months and for the next year I basically had to re learn how to use my bowel. I usually had about 30 seconds notice if I needed to use the bathroom. All the sensory nerves were gone, so it was difficult to know if I needed to deficate.
Now, ten or so years down the track , all is good.
Prostate cancer was a different matter.
I had a psa of 4 for many years and last february 2010, I went to have a biopsy because the psa came back at 9.
No surprises , malignant .
they removed the prostate using the same scar line , and after a few weeks on the mend, Im fine.
It pays to keep fit. It really helps if surgery is needed.
Your story is very amazing - thanks for sharing it!
I hope you don't mind a question re:Prostate Cancer? How long did it take for your PSa to go from 4 to 9? And did your doctors do anything to treat you when it was at 4? Thank you for any information.
Thanks for your reply! I'm glad to read that you survived both surgeries and are living your life again.
No doubt you had problems believing you had cancer again!! Who wouldn't? That would be like getting hit by lightning twice...
No, my DH has received notification that his PSA is slightly elevated(4.0) and he has seen a Urologist who prescribed Cipro(for any possible infection) and Flomax; he will have a follow up at the end of June. The Flomax is causing both of us not to be able to sleep, it causes nasal congestion and it does nothing to relieve the problem of waking up several times and having to use the bathroom! I have a lot of anxiety about this, I keep wondering why his doctor isn't doing more tests, but I admit I have no experience with Prostate problems. Sorry to ramble on, your story is pretty amazing, and thanks for sharing it.
The Following User Says Thank You to rufous57 For This Useful Post: johnwinter (05-17-2011)
